IELTS
The English-proficiency test used for study admissions (Academic), and for work and migration visas (General Training), in the UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Ireland, the USA and elsewhere. IELTS for UKVI is required for some UK visa routes.
Eligibility
Anyone aged 16 or above can take it. There is no educational requirement, but you need a valid passport. Choose Academic for university admission and General Training for work, school or migration. You can retake at any time. Computer test-takers can use One Skill Retake to resit a single module within 60 days. Results are generally accepted for two years.
Age limit: Recommended 16 years and above
Exam pattern
There are four modules taking about 2 hours 45 minutes in total. Listening takes 30 minutes for 40 questions across 4 recordings. Reading takes 60 minutes for 40 questions across 3 passages, which are academic texts in the Academic version and everyday or workplace texts in General Training. Writing takes 60 minutes: Task 1 is a 150-word report on a graph or diagram (Academic) or a letter (General Training), and Task 2 is a 250-word essay. Speaking is an 11-14 minute face-to-face or video-call interview in three parts, sometimes on a different day. Each module is scored 0-9 in half-bands and the overall band is their average. There is no negative marking.
Syllabus at a glance
IELTS tests functional English rather than a fixed syllabus. Listening and Reading cover gap-fills, multiple choice, matching, True/False/Not Given and map or diagram labelling. Writing is marked on task achievement, coherence and cohesion, vocabulary range and grammatical accuracy. Speaking is marked on fluency, vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation across familiar topics and an extended talk from a cue card.
Upcoming dates
| Event | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Computer-delivered IELTS sessions in major Indian cities | Multiple sessions every week, year-round | confirmed |
| Paper-based IELTS test dates | Up to 4 Saturdays/Thursdays a month, Nov-Dec 2026 | confirmed |
| Results (computer-delivered) | Usually 1-5 days after the test | confirmed |
| Results (paper-based) | About 13 days after the test | confirmed |
| Peak demand before UK/Australia/Canada Jan-Feb 2027 intakes | Nov 2026 - Jan 2027 (book 3-4 weeks ahead) | expected |
Expected dates follow the usual calendar; confirm on the official notification before planning.
Free prep material
Standard books
- Cambridge IELTS Academic/General Training 1-19 (authentic past papers) – Cambridge University Press
- The Official Cambridge Guide to IELTS – Pauline Cullen, Amanda French and Vanessa Jakeman
- Barron's IELTS Superpack – Lin Lougheed
- Collins Vocabulary for IELTS – Anneli Williams
- Grammar for IELTS – Diana Hopkins and Pauline Cullen
How toppers play it
- Check the exact band your target university or visa requires for each module (for example 6.5 overall with no band below 6.0). One weak module can sink an application even if the overall band is high.
- In Writing, spend about 20 minutes on Task 1 and 40 minutes on Task 2. Task 2 carries twice the weight, so never let Task 1 eat into its time.
- For True/False/Not Given, mark 'Not Given' only when the passage says nothing either way. Do not use outside knowledge.
- In computer-delivered Listening you get 2 minutes at the end to check answers. In paper-based Listening you get 10 minutes to transfer them, so practise in the format you will actually take.
- In Speaking Part 2, use the 1-minute preparation to note four or five keywords, then speak for the full 2 minutes. Stopping early lowers your fluency score.