IELTS stands for International English Language Testing System; so basically it is a test of English and comprehension skills. This exam is given by candidates to move abroad mainly for two reasons; for studying and for settling abroad. There are two ways to take the exam; one is pen and paper-based and another one is a computer-based exam and the fee is 16,250 INR.
Eligibility criteria for IELTS
As such there is no set IELTS exam eligibility for the age of the candidates as per the organizing body of IELTS, which is IDP.
Age Requirement
Anyone can take the IELTS test irrespective of age, gender, race, nationality, or religion, however, the IELTS test is not recommended for those below 16 years of age. There is no upper age limit fixed by the organizing body.
Educational Qualification and Work Experience For IELTS
There are no such eligibility criteria for IELTS. There are two ways to move abroad, one is by giving IELTS Academic for people who want to study abroad and another one is IELTS general, for people who want to settle abroad by obtaining PR. Or for Migration purposes to various countries like Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Anyone who wishes to pursue higher studies abroad or wants to work abroad can attempt the IELTS IDP exam (both Academic and General Training). However, candidates should always check the eligibility criteria set by the educational institution or organization to which they are applying.
How To Register For IELTS Exam
There are three ways in which one can register for IELTS exam:
Option1: Register online and pay the test fees
- Log on to www.ieltsidpindia.com
- After going to the website, you need to select the option” register for IELTS.”
- You need to select your test date and test city (you will see the seat availability status)
- The next step is to fill and complete the online application form.
- The final step is Pay the test fee using a valid credit card (Master / Visa)
Once your registration is complete, you will see a confirmation on your computer screen (you may print and keep this with you for future reference). A copy of the confirmation will also be sent in hard copy or on your registered email address.
You’ll need to courier a photocopy of your Passport (first and last page), and any observation pages to the IDP Head Office (address provided below). Failing which you will NOT be allowed to sit the test. Candidates need to carry original passport on test day.
OPTION 2: Register in person at any IDP branch or Input Node
You can go to any nearest IDP branch /head office and can register by using either of the following methods.
METHOD 1
- You need to register online using the computer at the office and pay the test fee. You’ll get an immediate confirmation of your seat .This is same as online registration.
- After that you need to submit a photocopy of your Passport (first and last page), and observation pages, if any
- Then submit the duly signed Terms & Conditions document. You need to read it properly before handing over.
- After which you will receive your instant acknowledgement letter that confirms your seat in the test.
METHOD – II
- First you need to fill the application form available at the IDP office/Input Node.
- Then you need to sign the Terms & Conditions document provided with the application form.
- After that add /attach a photocopy of your Passport (first and last page), and observation pages, if any.
- Then pay the test fee either by:
- A valid credit / debit / ATM card, or
- Demand Draft (drawn in favor of “IDP Education India Private Limited, payable at New Delhi”). It should be made at any bank listed in the approved list of banks (provided in the Terms & Conditions document)
- Depositing cash in an ICICI bank branch via a customized ICICI deposit slip, which can be either downloaded from the IDP IELTS website or collected from any IDP branch office/ Input Node. The original customer copy of the customized ICICI deposit slip needs to be handed over to IDP branch office or the Input Node as proof of payment. Upon payment, request the staff at (IDP branch / Input Node to submit your application form in the online registration system and provide you with the acknowledgement slip of your test booking along with tentative seat reservation.
Kindly note that if you have paid the fee by bank draft, your seat confirmation will be subject to the realization of the bank draft.
Option 3: Register by courier and pay the test fee by Demand Draft or ICICI deposit/HDFC deposit slip
Firstly, either download the application from, www.ieltsidpindia.com. Alternately, you can collect the application form from your nearest IDP branch office or Input Node.
- Then complete and fill out the application form.
- After which you need to submit the duly signed Terms & Conditions document. Do read it properly before handing over.
- Then submit a photocopy of your Passport (first and last page), and observation pages, if any.
- Then attach the Demand Draft for your test fee (drawn in favor of “IDP Education India Private Limited, payable at New Delhi”). It should be made at any bank listed in the approved list of banks (provided in the Terms & Conditions document); or attach the original customer copy of the ICICI deposit slip if depositing cash in the nearest ICICI bank branch
- Then send the duly filled completed application form with all necessary documents and test fee to:
IDP Education India Pvt. Ltd.
Global Gateway Towers, Tower-B,
5th Floor, Sikanderpur Ghosi,
Sector-26, M.G. Road,
Gurugram -122002, Haryana, India
Tel: +91-124-4445999
Your application will be processed upon receipt of the documents and test fee. Please note that the seat allotment for your selected date will be subject to availability.
IELTS Exam Format
There are four sections in IELTS and one needs to have a separate approach to ace each section. Let us discuss it one by one.
Writing section
In this section essay writing is common to both general and academic students. The total duration is 40 minutes and word limit is 250 words. There are four categories of essay which one needs to be familiar with viz: problem solution, merit demerits, opinion based and discussion based. It has more weightage than task 1. One needs to structure the essay in different paragraphs and each paragraph should be logically connected. In the task one of writing section there are separate topics for academic and general candidates .For general, it is letter writing. In this section, all bullet points need to be addressed. The task is for 20 minutes and word limit is 150 words. The letter can be formal, informal and semi-formal. For academic students, the task is reporting an image. Again one gets 20 minutes to finish this task and word limit is minimum 150 words. Images asked are generally table, pie chart, line graph, bar graph, maps and process cycle .It can be a single image or a combination of two.
Listening Section
This section is same for general and academic candidates. There are total 40 questions and total time to solve is 30 minutes.10 minutes extra are given to candidates who are pen and paper based exam. In listening, one hears four different recordings viz: a conversation between two people based on social context, a monologue based on local facilities; like a garden in your neighborhood. Recording 3 is a group conversation for an assignment and recording 4 is a monologue on an academic lecture. There are variety of question types which ae tested viz: multiple choice questions, form, table, note, flowchart completion, short answer questions, and sentence completion, matching features and labelling a diagram.
Reading Section
This consists of 40 questions and three sections R1, R2 AND R3. The reading section is different f0r academic and general candidate. However, the topics remain more or less the same. The topics include true, false, not given, yes, no, not given. This is the most important topic as one gets 5-13 marks questions from this topic. There are other topics also like Matching features, Matching headings, matching information and matching sentence endings. Out of these, one can again expect two types. Then we have completion questions like note, table, flowchart, sentence, diagram, summary completion questions. Again one can expect 3-4 types out of these in the exam. Other than these there is short answer questions and multiple choice questions: single and multiple where again a 5 -7 marks questions can be asked. One needs to learn the tips and tricks for each topic and finish each section in 20 minutes so that one can complete the entire paper.
Speaking Section
This is held on a separate date. There are three parts in speaking: Part 1 is general introduction which is an ice breaking round where general questions about a candidate’s name, place , hobbies, family ,what he does, neighbors, sports, food ,TV channels he watches. Part 2 is a que card based question, where a question followed by three –four sub points are asked and a candidate needs to answer that. One gets one minute to prepare and 2 mins to speak on the topic. This is the most scoring topic. One needs to speak non-stop for 2 minutes to get a good score. Part 3 is a discussion-based round, also known as question-and-answer round where a candidate is asked questions and he needs to give lengthy answers with reasons. The total speaking is for 11-14 minutes.
This sums up the entire IELTS exam pattern along with some insights into how to ace this exam.
How to prepare for IELTS Exam
With the advent of technology, we can access any information with the click of a button. Many people take IELTS every year across the globe to fulfil their dream of going abroad but only a few get good grades in them. This is because they don’t work on their weaknesses and become overconfident in their strengths.
In this blog, I am going to share information about preparing for IELTS online. Having the knowledge of exam pattern often helps test-takers feel more confident going into the test. There is no doubt that it’s better to have a good idea of what to expect before you go into your test, and taking an IELTS prep class can help you gain some important and useful knowledge before your test day. A.I.B.E helps you in preparing for IELTS online in the following manner.
Precise study materials to score high in IELTS exam
We provide study material for each section viz: reading, writing, speaking and listening. We practice one set of each topic in class and give ample of study material to practice.
Better knowledge of the skills
We give tips and tricks for each section and make students practice using these techniques. In the group classes one can enhance the vocabulary and delivery of speech by practicing with other students.
Essay writing
Most of the students succumb in this section. This section is done slowly and gradually practicing each type of essay and clearing of doubt by the experts and tips to write essays better. This this students are made to practice variety of sentence types to enhance their scores.
Time management
With ample of practices and sectional tests, one gets to manage the time in an appropriate manner and complete the paper without any hurdles. For e.g.: You get 60 minutes to complete the entire reading section. So, give 20 minutes to each passage. You will not get extra time to transfer your answers, so finish it in 18 minutes and use the remaining 2 minutes to transfer the answer to the answer sheets.
Giving mocks
You should try solving mock papers and this will really help you
Studying for different sections is not enough, you should also apply your knowledge and practice from Mocks to test your caliber and understand your strengths and weaknesses.
The secret to success in the IELTS is practice and intelligence. You should consult others who have taken the exam and also practice. The more you practice the better you will become and the more successful your final exam will be.
