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The IELTS General Training test looks at your English-language capabilities in a work or social environment. If you plan to study in secondary education, enroll in vocational training, move abroad for work or migrate to Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the UK or the USA, you might need to take the IELTS General Training test. The test assesses your English-language proficiency across four language skills: listening, reading, writing and speaking. While the Listening and Speaking part of the IELTS General Training test are the same as the IELTS Academic test, the Reading and Writing parts differ.
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If you plan to migrate to Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the UK or the USA, taking an IELTS General Training test makes sense. Or if you plan on studying in secondary education, or enrolling in vocational training, this might still be the right choice.
But if you plan to study in higher education or want professional registration in an English-speaking country, you might need to take an IELTS Academic test.
IELTS and IELTS for UKVI are the exact same test in terms of format, content, scoring and level of difficulty. The only difference is an IELTS for UKVI test is approved by the UK Home Office for work, study and migration purposes.
If you take an IELTS for UKVI test, your test report form will be a little different to show you have taken an IELTS for UKVI test at an approved test centre.
For both paper-based and computer-delivered IELTS, you will do the tests in the following order on the same day: Listening, Reading and Writing, with the Speaking test before or after this test session.
Depending on the test centre, the Speaking test can be done on the same day, or a day after your sitting test depending on the number of candidates for each venue.
The General Training test costs approx $245 USD. Check the IELTS booking system for accurate prices.
IELTS Academic or General Training: Which do you need?
Find out the differences between IELTS Academic and General Training so you can choose which one is best for you.
IELTS Speaking hears accents
IELTS Speaking examiners understand a variety of accents and can communicate effectively with you in a face-to-face conversation.
How is IELTS scored?
To help you work towards the IELTS score you need, watch this short video and find out how IELTS is scored in all four parts of the test.
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