What is IELTS?
The world’s most trusted English test for international higher education, work, and migration.
What is IELTS?
IELTS is an English language test that measures your English proficiency if you want to study, work, or migrate in Australia and in other countries where English is the primary language.
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Introducing IELTS Writing on Paper: Best of digital. Comfort of paper.
Prefer writing by hand? IELTS Writing on Paper gives you the flexibility to complete your Writing answers on paper. Choose what works best for you.
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Why IELTS is the trusted choice
Worldwide recognition
Your IELTS score gives you access to global opportunities. It is recognised by more than 13,500 organisations across 150+ countries, including universities, employers, and migration bodies. IELTS is also the only test recognised by select professional industries for registration.
Top universities accepting IELTS in Australia
Find out which organisations accept IELTS
Australian and New Zealand universities and visas accept IELTS One Skill Retake
Didn’t get the score you needed on just one part of the test?
IELTS is the only English language test that offers One Skill Retake.
If you didn’t get your target score in one section, you don’t have to retake the whole test. You can just retake that one skill, so you can save time, money, and effort.
IELTS One Skill Retake is accepted by all universities in Australia and New Zealand, and by the Department of Home Affairs for all Australian visa subclasses.
High-quality and reliable testing
IELTS test content is developed by an international team of experts and undergoes extensive research to ensure the test remains fair and unbiased. This promises every candidate a fair chance, regardless of factors like nationality, background, gender, lifestyle or location.
More choice on test day
If writing by hand feels more natural to you, you can choose IELTS Writing on Paper at participating test centres.
Wide range of resources to help you succeed
IELTS offers official preparation materials, including practice tests, expert-led podcasts, videos, and articles.
When you book your test, you’ll also get a free online course which includes 60+ expert-guided tutorial videos, mock tests with answers, and more.
Whatever skill you’re trying to improve, we provide the best and free official materials to help you succeed.
Take the Full IELTS mock test
Together with E2Language, we developed a full IELTS mock test covering Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking. Get an instant band score estimate, personalised feedback, and access to 25 live classes. Enjoy 10% off with our code.
Try the Full IELTS mock test
Why is the IELTS format fairer for test takers?
You deserve a fair chance to do your best. That’s why, unlike other tests, IELTS gives you a quiet room for an individual Speaking test with no distractions or interruptions.
IELTS also recognises that people have different approaches to answering questions. For example, with IELTS, you can answer questions within the Reading test and the Writing test in the order that suits you.
You can also make changes to your Reading answers during the hour of the Reading test and adjust your Writing responses during the hour of the Writing test.
IELTS test fees
The IELTS test fee in Australia is $490, whether you're taking IELTS Academic or IELTS General Training.
There are no extra charges for registration, payment processing, or late payment.
Here are the prices for other IELTS test types, including EOR (if you wish for a remark):
IELTS fee - $490
One Skill Retake - $310
EOR (Enquiry on Results) - $230
IELTS UKVI - $505
IELTS Life Skills - $390
IELTS test format
IELTS is a test of all four language skills: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking.
You will take the Listening, Reading and Writing tests all on the same day, one after the other, with no breaks in between.
Depending on your test centre, your Speaking test may also be on the same day as the other three tests, or up to seven days before or after that. The total test time is under three hours.
At participating test centres, you can also choose to take IELTS Writing on Paper if you prefer to write your answers by hand. The Writing tasks, timing and scoring stay the same.
Learn more about the IELTS test format
Choose the right test for you
There are two IELTS tests you can choose from, depending on your needs:
IELTS Academic | IELTS General Training |
|---|---|
• For higher education • Professional registration • Assesses your language skills for academic purposes | • For migration, work, or secondary studies • Assesses your everyday English language skills. |
If you are planning to take an English test for the UK, you can take:
IELTS for UKVI (UKVI Academic or UKVI General Training), or
IELTS for UKVI Life Skills A1 or B1.
Learn more about IELTS
Choose how you complete your IELTS Writing test
Once you know which IELTS test you need, you may also have a choice in how you complete the Writing section.
If writing by hand feels more natural than typing, IELTS Writing on Paper lets you write your answers by hand while viewing the questions on screen.
