IELTS Test Types
There is more than one IELTS test, and preparing for the wrong one is the costliest mistake a candidate can make. Find the one your university, employer or visa asks for, then practise that test.
Check the official requirements
RCF English is not connected with IELTS, the British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia or Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Test formats, fees, dates and the tests accepted for a particular purpose can change. Before you book, confirm which test you need with the organisation that asked for it, and check the details on ielts.org.
The IELTS tests at a glance
| Test | Usually needed for | What it tests |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS Academic | University study at undergraduate or postgraduate level, and professional registration (for example, some medical and nursing bodies) | Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. Reading and Writing use academic-style material. |
| IELTS General Training | Work, training, secondary education and migration to some English-speaking countries | Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. Reading and Writing use everyday and workplace material. |
| IELTS for UKVI (Academic or General Training) | Some UK visa and immigration applications that require a Secure English Language Test | The same content and format as Academic or General Training, taken at an approved UKVI test centre. |
| IELTS Life Skills (A1, A2, B1) | Some UK visa applications, such as certain family, settlement and citizenship routes | Speaking and Listening only, at one level, with a pass or fail result. |
Academic and General Training: what is the same and what is different
| Paper | IELTS Academic | IELTS General Training |
|---|---|---|
| Listening | 30 minutes, 4 parts, 40 questions. The same for both. | The same as Academic |
| Reading | 60 minutes, 3 long passages from books, journals and magazines, 40 questions | 60 minutes, 40 questions in 3 sections: everyday texts such as notices and advertisements, workplace texts, and one longer general-interest passage |
| Writing Task 1 | Describe a graph, table, chart, map or process in at least 150 words | Write a letter (formal, semi-formal or personal) in at least 150 words |
| Writing Task 2 | An essay in at least 250 words on an academic-style topic | An essay in at least 250 words on a topic of general interest |
| Speaking | 11 to 14 minutes, face to face with an examiner, 3 parts. The same for both. | The same as Academic |
IELTS for UKVI
IELTS for UKVI is not a different kind of English test. It is the Academic or General Training test with the same questions, format and marking, taken at a test centre approved by UK Visas and Immigration, under extra identity and security checks, so that the result can be used for certain UK visa applications.
Prepare for it exactly as you would for Academic or General Training. What matters is booking the UKVI version when your visa route asks for a Secure English Language Test; an ordinary IELTS result may not be accepted for that purpose.
IELTS Life Skills
IELTS Life Skills tests only Speaking and Listening, at one level of the Common European Framework: A1, A2 or B1. It is taken with one examiner and one other candidate, and the result is simply pass or fail.
It is used for some UK visa routes where the Home Office asks for a particular level. The tasks are about everyday life: talking about yourself, your family and your routine, making arrangements, and understanding short spoken information.
Practise speaking in full sentences about familiar topics, asking the other candidate questions, and listening for specific details such as times, places and prices. The IELTS Speaking and IELTS Listening pages on this site will help, as will Everyday English.
Paper, computer and One Skill Retake
Paper-based and computer-delivered. Academic and General Training can be taken on paper or on a computer at a test centre. The questions and the marking are the same. On computer, Listening gives a short time to check answers instead of ten minutes to transfer them to an answer sheet. The Speaking test is always a live conversation with an examiner.
IELTS Online. In some places an online version can be taken at home under remote supervision. Check whether the organisation you are applying to accepts it before choosing it.
One Skill Retake. In some locations, candidates who took the computer-delivered test can retake one of the four skills, within a set period, instead of the whole test. Availability depends on the country and test centre, and not every organisation accepts a retaken result, so check both before relying on it.
Practise the test you are taking
IELTS Academic Practice Test 1
A full Academic test: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking, with answers and model answers.
IELTS General Training Practice Test 1
General Training Reading and Writing, with the shared Listening and Speaking papers, answers and model answers.
IELTS Quick Practice
Short activities that mark themselves: True/False/Not Given, matching headings, letter register, graph language and more.
10 Task 2 model essays
Model essays with plans and notes. Task 2 is the same kind of essay in both tests.
Describing graphs and charts
For Academic Writing Task 1 only.
One-to-one IELTS classes
Individual preparation for all four skills, with personal feedback.