When you think about pursuing your studies abroad or looking for a scholarship at a foreign university, you must, above all, prove your English language proficiency.

Most universities international universities rely on your English language capability based on the International English language testing system known as IELTS, a common test adopted by universities in Britain, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong and Ireland.

Within this article we will give you everything you need to know about IELTS including costs and some tips to get a good result.

What is the IELTS test?

It is a test to measure the proficiency of English for non-native speakers for the purposes of immigration, education and work, and this test is certified by about 9,000 organizations worldwide, and you can perform this test within more than 900 accredited centers in 130 countries around the world.

In the IELTS test your English language level is measured in 4 language skills: Listening, reading, speaking, and writing.

How can I register on the IELTS test?

First you should look for a test date that suits you at the nearest test center to your city, knowing that the appointment is final and not adjustable, then you will need to select the type of test you want to do (is it academic or public?).

You must then complete the IELTS application form and submit it with the test fee to your nearest cener, and some of the centers receive the form and financial charges via email.

What kind of IELTS test should I do?

There are two types of IELTS testing: Academic testing and general testing, and your performance is dependent on the country you plan to travel to or the organization that will be given the result of the test.

  • Academic Testing: Most international students need to conduct an academic IELTS test, which is required of applicants for university admissions or scholarships at English-speaking universities or institutes.
  • General test: Required in cases where applicants seek a job or apply to a training program, and students who intend to study at universities in Australia, Canada and New Zealand must obtain this type of test.
Exam Day

On an exam day you must verify your national identity and your passport, which you entered in the test form you provided to the center.

The duration of the exam is 2 hours and 40 minutes without any rest, so you must eat and drink well before the exam, and you are only allowed to insert a transparent water bottle into the exam room.

As I said earlier: The test will consist of 4 axes: listening, reading, speaking, and writing.

Test axes


  • Listening:A 30-minute audio recording of 4 English-speaking dialogues using several accents, including British, Australian and Canadian, after listening to these dialogues, you have to answer a few questions that test your understanding of the main ideas discussed during Previous recordings.

  • Reading:A 60-minute reading test consists of 40 questions that test your ability to understand and manipulate ideas, usually from authentic texts of books, magazines, newspapers, brochures and advertisements.

  • Writing:The writing test is performed within 60 minutes, during which you are asked to interpret information contained in a graph or chart, and you may also be asked to write a short article explaining your response to a point of view.

  • Conversation:This test may be performed separately from the previous items, depending on the exam center schedule.
This test is performed in three sections ranging from 11 to 14 minutes in total, and you have to answer a few general questions in addition to your participation in a conversation that may relate to work, studies, family, etc., you will also be asked to speak and answer on a particular subject, how many The examiner will focus on opening a specific discussion with you and ask you to contribute your thoughts during this short conversation, which will not exceed 5 minutes.

IELTS Testing Cost
The cost and financial fees for the examination vary by country, and you can view the fees in your country or city.

How do I get the test result?

The full score for the IELTS test is 9 and your final score will be the average of your scores in the four axes we talked about.

The required results may vary across institutions and universities, and generally, the result of 6 will be sufficient to obtain a partial acceptance or scholarship.

Your result will be sent to your email after 13 days after the test and you can ask the exam center to send your result to 5 institutions you choose yourself, and don't forget that your results are valid for only two years.

Tips

The IELTS system is designed to test your English language proficiency, so the best way to study and then succeed in this exam is to expose yourself to as many English speaking resources as you can to watch English movies, read newspapers and magazines, and follow language-based sites.  English.

You can also download some free IELTS help from here.