IELTS Academic
The global standard for university admission in English-speaking countries.
About this exam
IELTS Academic is the most widely accepted English language test for university admission in the UK, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. It tests academic reading and writing skills alongside general listening and speaking.
Exam sections
Listening
30 min4 sections with 40 questions covering monologues and conversations.
Reading
60 min3 academic passages with 40 questions testing all comprehension skills.
Writing
60 minTask 1: describe a graph/chart. Task 2: argumentative essay (worth 2×).
Speaking
11–14 min3-part interview: introduction, topic card (1–2 min monologue), discussion.
Preparation tips
- →Task 2 is worth twice the marks of Task 1 — spend 40 of your 60 writing minutes on it.
- →IELTS Reading has no extra time for transferring answers — write directly on the answer sheet.
- →The Speaking test is a conversation, not a test — the examiner wants to hear fluent speech, not perfect grammar.
Scoring
Band score 0–9 per section, averaged to overall band. Most universities require 6.5 or 7.0 overall.
Validity
2 years
Approximate cost
~£195 in the UK, ~$330 AUD in Australia
Accepted by
- ✓UK universities (almost all)
- ✓Australian universities
- ✓Canadian immigration (IRCC)
- ✓New Zealand immigration
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