Why should I appear for the IELTS test?

What are the various reasons for which the IELTS test is taken?

This article has a detailed section for each reason that you need to take the IELTS test. These reasons are Education, Immigration and Work.

Let's look at each of these in detail:

1. Study Abroad

The most common reason for people to appear for the IELTS test is to study abroad. Practically every university around the world will readily accept the IELTS test score to consider your application to their institution, if their courses are taught in English. And yes, this includes non-English speaking countries too. Almost every university in all major English speaking countries such as United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand will most certainly ask for an IELTS score. Most universities in European mainland will ask for the IELTS score too but won’t ask for very high scores on the test. In non-English countries such as India the top universities may ask for an IELTS score.

The test you will need to appear for is the IELTS Academic test. Most universities will ask for a Band score of overall 6.5 with a minimum of Band 6 on all 4 skills, i.e., Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. European universities in Germany, France, Italy and other countries are happy with an overall 6 and minimum Band 5.5 on all skills. There are many universities, in every country, that are happy to exempt a student from taking the test, given their grades on the school English test were up to a certain mark. The exemption score is decided looking at what country the student is from and what board or examination authority conducted the test.

One reason that a number of students will find very compelling to appear for the IELTS test is that it makes you eligible for the IELTS scholarship. The amount can vary from university to university as well as your overall score. It does not end at the university itself. British Council and IDP themselves offer scholarships to pursue further education to test takers who did very well on their tests.

So Yes! If you want to study abroad and also win a scholarship while doing so, You should definitely appear for the IELTS Academic test. 

One way to prepare for the test is to join my Online IELTS group classes. The batch size is small and has a maximum of 5 students thus ensuring that the test-taker gets the required attention. Click here to know all about these classes.

2. Immigrate

People all over the world look to settle in a new country. Reasons are plenty but one thing is always common. If you are looking to move to an English-speaking country, you need to appear for the IELTS General Training test. All countries expect that a person moving to settle there should have a certain level of understanding and ability to use the local language. For English Speaking countries, IELTS General Training test is the tool that helps them to know how well the applicant can operate using English. Generally speaking, the IELTS General Training test is easier than the IELTS Academic test, but countries do expect a higher band score for applicants to successfully get through on certain programs.

Depending on the country and program you are applying to the required band score varies. If you are looking to apply for Canada PR then you need to score at least 8,7,7,7 to stand a chance to receive an invitation to apply without having to wait for a provincial nomination. Similarly, to have the freedom to settle anywhere in Australia on PR from the first day itself, you are expected to score Band 8 on all 4 modules. You can get PR on lower scores in both these countries as well as others, but then you need nominations, or your mobility is restricted, or you need to maximize your application points in other ways.

Now if you are planning to take the IELTS General Training test because you want Canada PR, Australia PR or New Zealand PR then you should consider joining my IELTS Self-study Key. 

3. Work abroad

The third reason for appearing for the IELTS test is to work abroad. Although this is the least common reason to appear for the test, but it is probably one of the most critical reasons. Most people appearing for the IELTS test to get the approval to start a job need to make sure that they get their desired band score in the shortest possible time, or else they stand to loose a lucrative job offer, as employers do not have the time to wait. To such applicants I always recommend that they should take the required training so that they score the desired band score on the very first attempt. I offer a Self-Study Key to help you prepare for the test. 

The type of test the candidate needs to appear for will depend on the employer, country of employment or the role. People applying for technical jobs such as pilots, teachers, doctors, engineers, and senior management executives will in most cases be asked to appear for the Academic test. As for Marketing roles, mid-management and vocational jobs such as plumbing, bartending or office assistants, the preferred test is the General Training test.

So now that you know why to appear for the test, the next question on your mind will be what happens on the IELTS test. If that is the case, then I recommend the following articles to read further: 

Understanding the IELTS test 

The IELTS test Format