IELTS introduction

The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) measures the language proficiency of people who want to study or work where English is used as a language of communication. It uses a nine-band scale to clearly identify levels of proficiency, from non-user (band score 1) through to expert (band score 9).

IELTS Academic or IELTS General Training

IELTS is available in two test versions: Academic - for people applying for higher education or professional registration, and General Training for those migrating to Australia, Canada and the UK, or applying for secondary education, training programs and work experience in an English-speaking environment. Both versions provide a valid and accurate assessment of the four language skills: listening, reading, writing and speaking.

Two types of IELTS test

Fair to all

IELTS treats all test takers with the utmost fairness and respect by actively avoiding cultural bias, and  accepting all standard varieties of native-speaker English, including North American, British, Australian and New Zealand English.

Ensuring quality and fairness

Widely available

IELTS is available at more than 1,200 locations worldwide, including more than 50 locations in the USA, and there are 48 test dates a year.

Find a test location