Are you considering taking an exam to test your English ability?  Well choice certainly isn’t a problem.  You’ve got the Cambridge FCE, BEC, CAE, the IELTS, the TOEIC, the TOEFL.  Starting to regret the decision of even mentioning it?  Seems to me that choosing the right exam for you is a little like crossing the metaphorical minefield.  To make things simpler we will over the next few weeks bring you information on all of the above exams.

First up, IELTS - the International English Language Testing System which measures your ability to communicate in English using all four language skills – listening, reading, writing and speaking.  This is designed for people who want to study or work where English is the primary language of communication.  The IELTS board is based in the UK and jointly managed by University of Cambridge, British Council and IDP Education Australia: IELTS Australia.

IELTS tests are administered at accredited Test Centres throughout the world - there are currently more than 300 Centres, in over 120 countries covering Europe, America, Asia, Africa and Australia. Timetables may vary according to test centre but typically IELTS exams take place on Thursdays or Saturdays every month. Fees are set by the local test centres.  You can expect to pay around £90 GBP per exam.

Most of the English speaking Universities demand a score of 5.5 or higher.  Oxbridge requires an IELTS score of 7 as one of their entry requirements. Many IELTS preparation courses exist to help you get the best score possible.  Before taking one of these courses, we highly recommend that you find out what the entry requirement is from your university of choice.  This way the language school can help advise you on how long a course you should consider taking to ensure you meet the entry requirements.

If you are considering taking an IELTS course, Answer English can help advise you:  Contact Us