IELTS is an English language exam that is required to be taken by international candidates considering studying or working in a country where English is the main language of communication.
Most popular countries where IELTS is accepted for university admissions are the UK, Australia, New Zealand, USA, and Canada. The exam mainly measures the ability of test-takers to communicate in the four basic English language skills – listening, reading, speaking, and writing. IELTS exam is jointly owned and conducted by IDP Education Australia, British Council, and Cambridge English Language Assessment.
Recents updates in IELTS With the number of IELTS tests grew to a record of 3.5 million in the year 2018, it has become a leader in the area of international higher education. It is accepted in 100% of universities in the UK and Australia. Also, it is accepted in more than 3,400 institutions in the US and thousands of institutions in English speaking countries.

Why IELTS Exam is required?

IELTS 2020 exam is required for migration as well as academic purpose abroad in English speaking countries like Australia, UK, New Zealand, USA, and Canada. It is the only English Language Test approved by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) for visa applicants applying both outside and inside the UK.
A lot of students get confused about why are the IELTS scores required. The simple answer to this is that foreign universities and visa granting authorities need to be sure that you will not have communication issues while staying in the country. You need to show a good understanding and strong command of the English language and that is why your overall IELTS scores are so important.
Another common doubt students have is whether IELTS is a compulsory exam or not. No, IELTS isn’t compulsory in all university admissions. Many universities might not even require IELTS scores for admission purposes. But remember that if you don’t give IELTS, your chances of getting the student visa might suffer as the visa officers may not be convinced about your English proficiency without IELTS scores. So it is safer to appear for IELTS and aim to score at least 6 bands overall.
You can take the IELTS exam with the British Council or IDP up to once a week (four times a month). The British Council and IDP global schedule for test dates are 48 days per year.
Types of IELTS There are two types of IELTS exam: IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training. Listening and speaking sections are the same for both these tests, however, the subject matter for the writing and reading sections are different depending on which test one takes. The Reading, Writing and Listening sections of the IELTS tests are completed on the same day of the test with no breaks between them. However, the Speaking section can be completed either a week before or after the other tests date. This information test can be taken from your test centre. IELTS Academic Test IELTS Academic is taken by those who apply for higher education or professional registration abroad. IELTS General Test IELTS General Test is taken by those who wish to migrate to major English speaking countries like Canada, Australia, and the UK. This test is also taken by those who want to enroll in training programs or secondary education or wants to gain work experience in a country where English is the main language used for communication.

How does IELTS work?

IELTS test has been developed to assess the English language skills of an individual. The individuals are assessed on the bases of their Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking skills
1. IELTS for Study: Choosing IELTS for study can be of huge advantage for candidates as IELTS is accepted by more than 10,000 education institutions globally.
2. IELTS for Work: Various professional organizations, and employers across the world accept IELTS to select the right
candidate. The importance of communication felt at the time of working. There are many industries which accept the IELTS test for testing the language proficiency of the candidates.
3. IELTS for immigration: Every country has its own set of guidelines for IELTS. Like in Australia it is accepted for permanent residency and various Visa categories. Those applying to Canada for a work visa, permanent residency or professional purpose are required to take IELTS General Test.

What is IELTS Cancellation Fees?

1. If you cancel your IELTS application more than five weeks before the test date, you will receive the refund minus 25% administrative fee.
2. If you cancel the IELTS exam less than five weeks ahead of the test date, you will receive no refund.
3. In case you fail to appear for the test, then also you will not receive any refund. This is also considered as a cancelation.
Those who can produce a medical certificate within 5 days of the test date can receive the refund after deducting the local administrative cost.

What is IELTS Rescheduling Fees?

If you want to change your test date, then you can request for a test day transfer at least five weeks before your already booked test date after deducting your cancellation/postponement fee. Also, make sure the new test date must be within three months of the original test date.
IELTS Important Dates British Council and IDP IELTS are the two official conducting bodies of the IELTS Exam. The IELTS test is available multiple times throughout the year. Candidates are advised to book an IELTS Test Date that is most convenient to them, keeping in mind the university admission timeline. Students looking to appear for the IELTS test are advised to choose an exam date 3-4 months before their application deadline, to avoid any last minute error. The IELTS test is available across various major cities in Nigeria
IELTS Exam Pattern and Syllabus It is important for candidates looking to score well in their IELTS Test to understand the IELTS Exam Pattern and Syllabus in detail. IELTS Syllabus includes four sections, Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing. You get marked on these four sections and you get the IELTS total score as well. The total score is the sum of the scores in the four skill areas. The total test duration is 2 hours and 45 minutes.
Here is the IELTS paper pattern – At a Glance The IELTS Exam consists of four sections: 1. Listening Section In Listening section of the IELTS, you will listen to four recorded texts, monologues and conversations by a range of native speakers, and write your answers to a series of questions.
These include questions which test your ability to understand main ideas and detailed factual information, ability to understand the opinions and attitudes of speakers, ability to understand the purpose of an utterance and the ability to follow the development of ideas Time Allotted: 30 minutes
Section 1 A conversation between two people on an everyday, social topic. This means that you will listen to two people talking to each other about arranging a trip, organizing an event, etc.
Section 2 This is a talk by one speaker on a general topic. This means that you listen to one person giving information about a public event, a service provided, etc.
Section 3 This is a conversation between two to four people in an educational or training context. This means that you listen to up to four people talking to each other about an assignment for a course, an academic subject in a seminar, etc.
Section 4 This is a monologue on an academic or study-related topic. This means you will listen a person given lecture or talk, which is focused academically.