IELTS Exam 2024: Everything You Need to Know

The IELTS exam is the standardized test of English language proficiency, which allows aspirants to study or work in a foreign country where English is one of the languages of communication. Go through the page to know the IELTS exam details and the latest IELTS exam updates.

Introduction: What is the IELTS Exam?

The International English Language Testing System (IELTS), established in 1989, is the most popular English language proficiency test for work, study or migration. It is an exam, accepted by most of the academic institutions and professional institutions in countries like America, Canada, UK, Australia, and New Zealand.

IELTS is the only secure English Language Test approved by UKVI for visa customers applying both, from outside and inside the UK, i.e., UKVI IELTS is designed to assess the English language ability of applicants who plan to study or work in a foreign country where English is one of the languages of communication.

IELTS Exam Overview

Check: IDP V/s British Council

IELTS Exam: Latest Updates

• IELTS Academic changes

From August 10, 2023, the IELTS Academic test takers will no longer need to achieve a minimum 6.0 score in all individual test skills. Now just a 6.0 overall band score is required, making it easier to choose IELTS Academic to prove your language proficiency.

• IELTS Fee Increase 

The IELTS exam fee has increased to INR 17,000 for both pen and paper-based and computer-delivered exams starting January 2024. The exam fee for IELTS Life Skills (A1 and B1) has also increased to INR 16,050, while the exam fee for IELTS for UK Visas and Immigration has increased to INR 17,250.

• IELTS Demand Surges in India

As per the latest reports, the IELTS booking has grown by 10-15% post-COVID and the IELTS coaching registration has gone up by 56% in tier-II cities. Even the IELTS test centers have increased to 74 locations across India.

• IELTS One Skill Retake

Previously, test takers had to retake the entire IELTS exam if they did not achieve their desired score in any module. However, IELTS has introduced a new One Skill Retake provision in March 2023 in India, which allows the test takers to retake only the module in which they scored the lowest. This means that they will no longer have to retake all four modules of the IELTS exam.

• IELTS in India to be administered by IDP

IDP has acquired 100% stakes in the British Council's IELTS business in India, which means that IDP is now fully responsible for administering the IELTS test in India. The change was implemented back in August 2021.

Check: IELTS to be Managed by IDP

IELTS Exam 2024 Types

There are two IELTS test formats: Academic and General Training.

IELTS Academic

IELTS Academic is designed for students who want to study at an English-medium university or college. The exam assesses your ability to understand and use English in a university setting.

IELTS General Training

IELTS General is designed for people who want to work or migrate to an English-speaking country. The exam assesses your ability to understand and use English in a range of everyday situations.

IELTS Exam 2024 Modes

• Paper-Based Test: The Listening, Reading, and Writing sections will be paper-based, while the Speaking test will be conducted face-to-face with the IELTS examiner. In the paper-based test, users have to transfer answers to an answer sheet.
• Computer-Based IELTS: The Listening, Reading, and Writing sections will be on a computer, while the Speaking test will be conducted face-to-face with the IELTS examiner. Timings vary from the paper-based test. When answering directly on a computer, there is no need to transfer the answers. You will receive the results within 5-7 days.

IELTS Exam 2024: Exam Pattern

The IELTS test is divided into four sections: Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking and the IELTS syllabus is based on these 4 sections.

Each section tests a different skill, and the overall score is calculated by averaging the scores from each section.

IELTS Listening Section

• The IELTS Listening assesses your listening comprehension skills in English. You will listen to four recordings, each with ten questions, and answer questions about what you have heard. You will have 10 minutes to transfer your answers after 30 minutes.

Check: IELTS Listening Practice Test

IELTS Reading Section

• The IELTS Reading assesses your reading comprehension skills in English. You will read three passages, each with a variety of question types, including multiple-choice, short-answer questions, diagrams, and graphs. You will have 60 minutes to complete the section.

Check: IELTS Reading Practice Test

IELTS Writing Section

• The IELTS Writing assesses your ability to communicate effectively in English in two written tasks (Academic Task 1, General Task 1, and Task 2). IELTS Writing Task 1 Academic requires you to write a factual description of a graph, chart, or diagram, whereas IELTS Writing Task 1 General requires you to write a formal/ semi-formal/ informal letter. IELTS Writing Task 2 requires you to write an essay in response to a given topic

Check: IELTS Writing Practice Test 

IELTS Speaking Section

• The IELTS Speaking is a 12-14 minute face-to-face interview with an examiner that tests your ability to communicate effectively in English. The test has three parts.
• Part 1: The examiner will ask you general questions about yourself, such as your family, work, and hobbies.
• Part 2: The examiner will give you a topic to speak about for two minutes. You will have one minute to prepare your response.
• Part 3: The examiner will ask you questions about the topic you spoke about in Part 2.

Check: IELTS Speaking Practice Test

IELTS Exam 2024: Why is it Required?

The IELTS exam is a required criterion for most academic institutions and work organizations that accept international students and employees who do not speak English as their native language. These universities, organizations, and even visa granting authorities want to make sure that you have a good understanding of English and will not have any communication problems while staying in their country.

The IELTS exam is the only English test that is approved by the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) for visa candidates applying both from inside and outside the UK. Therefore, a good score on the IELTS exam will demonstrate that you have no difficulty communicating in English.

Check: Free IELTS Online Mock Tests

IELTS Exam 2024: Is it compulsory?

The IELTS exam is not required for all foreign universities, but it is advisable to take it to improve your chances of getting a visa and admission to top universities.

Some foreign universities do not require the IELTS exam, but visa authorities may be doubtful about your English proficiency without the IELTS scores. And since most top universities require an IELTS score, it is advisable to take the exam and aim for a score of at least 6 bands overall.

IELTS Exam 2024: Eligibility Criteria

There are no specific eligibility criteria for the IELTS examination. The only criterion may be that the candidates who wish to attempt the examination must be 16 years or above.

However, in Canada, the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) has confirmed the change from age limit 18-54 to 14 - 64. For the rest of the world, there is no upper age limit, but the lower age limit is 16.

Check: IELTS Exam Eligibility Criteria

IELTS Exam 2024: Registration

Candidates intending to register for the IELTS online test, can either go online or visit their nearest IDP branch. The official IDP IELTS India website is the best place to register online. However, here are the steps on how to do the IELTS registration online:

Step 1: Firstly, you need to visit the IELTS official website.

Step 2: There will be a Register for test option, click on that option.

Step 3: Select the test that you are going to attempt, test type and date on which you will be appearing for the test.

Step 4: Fill in your personal details including details of registration.

Step 5: Upload your passport copies.

Step 6: Select the list of colleges for which your score has to be sent.

Step 7: Before submitting or making payment, crosscheck the details that you have uploaded.

Step 8: Make the test fee payment and once the payment is done, take the printout of the receipt.

Once the registration is done, your IELTS test centre will send you a confirmation with the date and time of your IELTS test.

Note: Keep your passport next to you during the IELTS registration process, as you’ll need your passport number at the time of registration. Those below 18 years of age should have their parents or guardian do the registration process for them.

IELTS Exam Fees 

There are two ways to pay the IELTS exam fees: online and offline.

Online

• You can pay the fees online using a credit or debit card (Visa or Mastercard) or net banking.
• To pay online, you will need to create an account on the IELTS website and provide your personal information.
• Once you have created an account, you can select the exam date and location and pay the fees.

Offline

• You can pay the fees offline by visiting any ICICI bank branch.
• When you pay offline, you will need to provide your passport or government-issued ID and the exam registration number.

Go through the table below to check the updated IELTS exam fee details.

IELTS Exam Fee: Refund Policy

• Cancellation before 5 weeks: If you cancel your IELTS exam application more than 5 weeks before the test date, you will receive a refund, minus a 25% administrative fee.
• Cancellation within 5 weeks: If you cancel your IELTS exam application within 5 weeks of the test date, you will not receive a refund.
• No-show: If you do not appear for your IELTS exam, you will not receive a refund.
• Medical emergency: If you are unable to take the IELTS exam due to a medical emergency, you may be eligible for a refund, minus a 25% administrative fee. You must provide a medical certificate within 5 days of the test date.

IELTS Exam: Rescheduling fees

If you need to change your IELTS test date, you can request a test day transfer at least five weeks before your already booked test date. The new test date must be within three months of the original test date. There is an administrative charge of INR 4,050 inclusive of all taxes for changing your test date for IELTS,which is INR 4,125 for UKVI and INR 3,825 for Life Skills.

IELTS Exam Dates

• The IELTS exam is conducted up to 4 times a month and almost 48 times a year.
• The Academic version is available on all 48 dates in a year, and the General Training version may be available on 24 dates a year.
• The candidates can appear for the exams as per their convenience and can attempt it as many times as they want, keeping in mind the university examination dates.
• But, every time they attempt the IELTS examination they’ll have to pay the registration amount of INR 17,000.
• It is advisable to choose an exam date that’s at least 2-3 months before the application deadline.

IELTS Exam Dates 2024 - Paper-Based Test

IELTS Exam Dates 2024 - Computer-Based Test

Check: IELTS Test Dates

IELTS Test Centres India

IELTS has exam centres all across India, so while choosing your centre, you should select it based on your location and travelling convenience, so that on the day of the exam there is minimal time spent on commuting to the centre. The IELTS Test Centres are located in the cities tabulated below:

Check: IELTS Test Centres

IELTS Exam 2024: Scoring and Band Scale

Test takers receive a score for each test component – Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. The individual scores are then averaged and rounded for an overall IELTS Band Score Calculation.

Basically, when you get your score report, you’ll be evaluated for each of the four skills on a band of 1 - 9 and you’ll also score an overall band score.

IELTS Exam 2024: Evaluation

You will be assessed based on the following four criteria:

• Task Achievement
• Coherence and Cohesion
• Lexical Resource
• Grammatical Range and Accuracy.

These are also called as band descriptors or performance descriptors.

IELTS Exam 2024 Results

For a computer-delivered test, IELTS results are released between 5–7 days. For a paper-based test, a Test Report Form is posted to test takers 13 days after their test. The Test Report Forms (TRF) are valid for two years since the result posting.

After taking the IELTS exam 2024, you can get your IELTS results in two ways: offline and online.

Offline:

• For offline or paper-based tests, you will receive your results within 13 calendar days from the day of your exam.
• You will receive your results by post or through your registered email address.

Online:

• Candidates will receive the results of computer-delivered tests within 3-5 days.
• On the day of your result, you will receive an intimation from your Test Centre about the results. You can simply log in to your IELTS account with your ID, password, passport number, and test date information to view your result.
• From the time of declaration of the result, your results will be available online for the next 28 days.

IELTS Cutoff

The IELTS is Not a Pass/Fail Exam. So, your score will be based on your performance in each of the four skills: Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking. The scores for each skill are then averaged to give an overall band score.

The IELTS cut-off score will vary depending on the college or university you are applying to. Each institution has its own requirements for English language proficiency, and they will specify the minimum IELTS band score that you need to meet in order to be considered for admission.

Check: What is a Good Score in IELTS?

Top Universities Accepting IELTS Score

If you are an international student who is planning to study at a top university, you will need to take the IELTS and achieve a certain score in order to be admitted. The required IELTS score will vary depending on the university and the program that you are applying to.

Here is a list of some of the top universities in the world that accept IELTS scores:

Check: IELTS Score Accepting Countries List 2024

How to Send Your IELTS Scores to Universities?

You will receive an IELTS Score Report (Test Report Form or TRF) containing your IELTS scores within 13 days of attempting the exam. There are three ways to send your TRF to universities:

1. During registration: If you request to send your TRF to universities during registration, you will need to provide the names and addresses of the universities when you book your test on the website of the test center or fill out an application form with up to 5 universities and send it to your nearest test center.
2. Within one month of taking the exam: You can also request to send your TRF to universities within one month of taking the exam. To do this, you will need to log in to your IELTS account and select the universities you want to send your scores to.
3. After one month of taking the exam: If you want to send your TRF to additional universities after one month of taking the exam, you will need to fill out an application form called Application for the Issue of Additional TRFs. You will be charged an additional fee for each TRF that is requested after one month.

Mode of Delivery: You can choose to have your scores sent to universities electronically or by paper. To send your scores electronically, you will need to provide the universities with your email address.

To send your scores by paper, you will need to pay a fee and the universities will be sent a physical copy of your TRF.

IELTS Coaching Centre

IELTS coaching centres can provide you with the skills and knowledge you need to succeed on the IELTS exam. They can help you improve your listening, reading, writing, and speaking skills. They can also teach you how to manage your time effectively and how to deal with the stress of taking the exam.

There are many different IELTS online coaching institutes available, so it is important to choose one that is right for you. Some factors to consider include the instructor's qualifications, the class size, the ielts mock test they offer and their curriculum.

If you are serious about improving your English language skills and scoring high on the IELTS exam, then take our IELTS online coaching.

Whether you're a first-time test taker or aiming to improve your previous IELTS band scores, IELTS online coaching can provide you with the tools, IELTS mock tests, IELTS practice test, and guidance to surpass your own expectations.

Join IELTSMaterial's online coaching classes and get the edge you need to succeed.

Check: IELTS Coaching Centers

IELTS Preparation

Are you looking for the best IELTS study materials or IELTS exam Preparation tips?

Look no further than our online store! We have a wide selection of resources to help you prepare for the IELTS exam, including IELTS practice tests, IELTS Preparation materials, IELTS vocabulary, IELTS grammar and IELTS self-study guides.

IELTS Scholarships

Studying Abroad can be a costly endeavor, with high tuition fees and living expenses. However, there are a number of scholarships and student loans available to help students finance their studies. IELTS offers a number of scholarships for students who are planning to study abroad.

The IELTS scholarships are available to students from all over the world, and they can help to offset the cost of tuition, living expenses, and other study-related costs.

Conclusion 

The IELTS exam is an important milestone for many people who are looking to study, work, or live in an English-speaking country. By following the tips in this blog, you can improve your chances of success on the IELTS exam and achieve your goals.

If you are serious about getting a high band score on the IELTS exam, I recommend joining the online coaching classes from ieltsmaterial, where you’re provided with a comprehensive range of resources, personalized feedback, tailored online courses, and immense support to help you prepare for the IELTS exam.