IELTS Academic
University study, professional registration (nursing, medicine, engineering).
Reading passages are drawn from journals and books. Writing Task 1 asks you to describe a graph, table, chart or process.
The exam
Everything you need to understand — and book — the IELTS test
From which version to sit, to what happens on test day, to how long results take. If anything here is still unclear, our advisors answer questions in person for free.
Which test
Academic, General Training or UKVI?
Choosing the wrong version is the most expensive mistake candidates make. Bring your offer letter or visa requirement and we will confirm it in minutes.
IELTS General Training
Work, migration to Australia, Canada, New Zealand or the UK, secondary education.
Reading is workplace and social material. Writing Task 1 is a letter — formal, semi-formal or personal.
IELTS for UKVI & Life Skills
Most UK visa routes, including spouse and family visas.
Same content as Academic or General Training but sat at an approved UKVI venue. Life Skills tests only speaking and listening at A1, A2 or B1.
Structure
The four papers, in order
Listening
30 minutes · 40 questions
Four recordings, from a everyday conversation to an academic lecture. We drill accent variety, spelling of answers and the discipline of reading ahead.
Reading
60 minutes · 40 questions
Three long passages. Our classes focus on locating answers fast, handling True/False/Not Given and never losing time on one question.
Writing
60 minutes · 2 tasks
Task 1 report or letter, Task 2 essay. Every submitted essay is marked against the four official criteria with a written band breakdown.
Speaking
11–14 minutes · 3 parts
A face-to-face interview. We record your sessions so you can hear hesitation, repetition and pronunciation patterns for yourself.
Listening, Reading and Writing are sat back to back with no break — two hours and forty minutes. Speaking may be on the same day or up to seven days before or after.
Scoring
How the band scale works
Each skill is scored from 1 to 9 in half bands. The overall band is the average of the four, rounded to the nearest half.
| Band | Level | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | Expert user | Full operational command. Accurate, fluent and complete understanding. |
| 8 | Very good user | Occasional unsystematic inaccuracies; handles complex argument well. |
| 7 | Good user | Operational command with occasional inaccuracies in unfamiliar situations. |
| 6 | Competent user | Generally effective command despite some inaccuracies and misunderstandings. |
| 5 | Modest user | Partial command; copes with overall meaning in most situations. |
| 4 | Limited user | Basic competence limited to familiar situations. |
Example: 6.5 Listening, 6.0 Reading, 6.0 Writing and 7.0 Speaking averages to 6.375, which rounds up to an overall band 6.5.
Booking
Six steps from first visit to results
1. Book an advising session
Call or visit any campus. We confirm which test you need — Academic, General Training or UKVI — based on your university, employer or immigration requirement.
2. Sit a diagnostic test
A full, timed mock under exam conditions gives you a starting band for each of the four skills and a recommended course.
3. Train with your cohort
Attend classes, submit writing for marking and take weekly practice sections until your mock bands are stable at your target.
4. Register for the official test
Our registration desk walks you through the official booking, ID requirements, fee payment and choosing a paper-based or computer-delivered date.
5. Test day
Arrive with your passport and confirmation. We run a test-day briefing the week before so nothing on the day is a surprise.
6. Results and next steps
Computer-delivered results arrive in 3–5 days, paper-based in 13 days. We help you send your Test Report Form to institutions — and plan a retake if needed.
Test day
What to carry, and what to leave at home
Bring
- · The same valid passport you registered with
- · Your booking confirmation (printed or on your phone, handed in at the door)
- · A clear water bottle with the label removed
- · Nothing else — everything is stored outside the room
Leave behind
- · Phones, smart watches and any electronic device
- · Notes, dictionaries and your own paper
- · Bags and food inside the exam room
- · Late arrivals — the doors close before the Listening recording starts
FAQ
Common questions about the exam
Book your diagnostic test this week
Call any campus or send us your details and we will confirm a slot, usually within a day.