ENGLISH PROFICIENCYINTERMEDIATE

IELTS Academic

International English Language Testing System — the world's most popular English proficiency test for study and migration.

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International English Language Testing System — the world's most popular English proficiency test for study and migration.
Best for
University applicants
Reach
GB, AU, CA

Exam Command Center

Total Duration
165 minutes
Sections
4 sections
Score Range
09 bands
Score Validity
2 years
Accepted In
10+ countries
Official Website
Decision note

Choose IELTS Academic if your destination, institution type, and scoring model align better with this exam than with broad alternatives like IELTS, TOEFL, or GRE.

About IELTS Academic

IELTS Academic measures whether your level of English language proficiency is suitable for an academic environment. It reflects aspects of academic language and evaluates whether you are ready to begin studying or training in English. IELTS is accepted by more than 11,000 organizations worldwide, including universities, employers, immigration authorities, and professional bodies. Over 3.5 million tests are taken each year. The test assesses all four language skills: listening, reading, writing, and speaking. The Speaking test is conducted face-to-face with a certified IELTS examiner.
Target audience
University applicantsImmigration candidatesScholarship seekersProfessionals
Accepted geographies
GBAUCANZUSDENLIESGHK
AI recommendation frame

If you are uncertain between multiple exams, use the AI recommender after reading this page to compare the scoring model, university reach, and preparation overhead against your actual goal.

Exam Sections

Detailed breakdown of each section.

Listening

LISTENING

Four recorded monologues and conversations. 40 questions. Variety of question types.

30 min40 questions

Reading

READING

Three long reading passages with tasks. Texts range from descriptive to analytical.

60 min40 questions

Writing

WRITING

Task 1: describe visual information (150+ words). Task 2: essay response (250+ words).

60 min2 questions

Speaking

SPEAKING

Face-to-face interview in three parts: introduction, long turn, and discussion.

15 min3 questions

Scoring System

IELTS Academic uses a band scoring system ranging from 0 to 9.

9
Expert User
8
Very Good User
7
Good User
6
Competent User
5
Modest User
4
Limited User

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