Guide to taking yourIELTS test in Bergen,Hamar, Oslo andStavanger

www.ielts-norway.com

Your ‘Step by Step Guide to IELTS’

1. IELTS Test Fees

2. What is IELTS?

3. Registration

4. Test Centres & Test Day

5. Test Preparation

6. Post Test

IELTS Test fees

Bergen, Hamar, Oslo and Stavanger

Contact:

Bergen, Hamar & Stavanger:

Post address: IELTS Administrator, Folkeuniversitetet Bergen, Jonas Reins Gt. 4, 5008 Bergen

Telephone: 55 55 36 10E-mail: ielts.bergen@folkeuniversitetet.no

Oslo:

Post address: IELTS Administrator, Folkeuniversitetet Øst, Rolf Wickstrømsvei 15, 0484 Oslo

Telephone: 22 47 60 00E-mail: ielts.ost@folkeuniversitetet.no

Website:

www.ielts-norway.com

2950NOK

IELTS Test Dates

IELTS tests are available in Bergen, Hamar, Oslo and Stavanger throughout the year (excluding July).

http://www.ielts-norway.com/ielts_test_dates.html

* Tests taking place in Hamar and Stavanger are administered by the centre in Bergen.In order to register online please visit: https://ielts.britishcouncil.org/folkeuniversitetet

IELTS for UKVI

'IELTS for UKVI' is a UK government approved Secure English Language Test (SELT). This meansthat IELTS can be used to prove your English language abilities in support of a UK Visa and Immigration(UKVI) application.

For many categories of visa, you must submit an English language qualification which is included on the UKHome Office’s list of Secure English Language Tests (SELT tests).

N.B. For UKVI IELTS tests: Oslo is the ONLY approved centre in Norway to sit this test. For moreinformation about UKVI: https://takeielts.britishcouncil.org/take-ielts/which-ielts-test/ukvi.

ResultsResults are released 13 days after the test date. IELTS test results are valid for 2 years after your test date.

Frequently asked questionsOur website is a comprehensive information resource for IELTS tests in Norway and includes some Frequentlyasked questions related to all aspects of the test. If you have a specific question which is not answered in thisbrochure, please either contact one of our test centres.

For tests in Bergen, Hamar and Stavanger, please contact Bergen – Tlf: 55 55 36 10 Email:ielts.bergen@folkeuniversitetet.no

For tests in Oslo – Tlf: 22 47 60 00 Email: ielts.ost@folkeuniversitetet.no

For web-based answers to your questions, please visit:http://www.ielts-norway.com/faq.html

The IELTS band score scale

9 Expert user

8 Very good user

7 Good user

6 Competent user

5 Modest user

4 Limited user

3 Extremely limited user

2 Intermittent user

1 Non user

0 Did not attempt the test

The test thatopens doorsaround the world

This booklet containsimportant informationto help you preparefor your IELTS test.

IELTS, the International EnglishLanguage Testing System, isdesigned to assess the languageability of people who want tostudy or work where English isthe language of communication.

IELTS is recognised and accepted byover 9,000 organisations worldwide,including universities, employers,professional bodies, immigrationauthorities and other governmentagencies. For a list of organisationsthat accept IELTS scores,visit www.ielts.org/recognition.

Accessible and convenientIELTS is offered up to four times a month in more than140 countries. Tests are held on Saturdays and Thursdays.To find out test dates in your area, please contact yournearest IELTS test centre. A list of all IELTS test locationsworldwide is available at www.ielts.org.

The international testIELTS is internationally focused in its content. For example,texts and tasks are sourced from publications from all overthe English-speaking world; a range of native-speaker accents(North American, Australian, New Zealand, British etc.) areused in the Listening test; and all standard varieties of Englishare accepted in test takers’ written and spoken responses.

The test that’s tried and trustedIELTS has been developed by some of the world’s leadingexperts in language assessment, and is supported byan extensive programme of research, validation andtest development.

The level of the testIELTS is designed to assess English language skills across awide range of levels. There is no such thing as a pass or failin IELTS. Results are reported as band scores on a scalefrom 1 (the lowest) to 9 (the highest).

IELTS for UK Visas and ImmigrationFind out how you can use an IELTS result forthis purpose at www.ielts.org/uk. For moreinformation on going to or staying in the UK,visit www.gov.uk.

RegistrationAPPLICATION PROCESS:

For online application go to:https://ielts.britishcouncil.org/folkeuniversitetet

NOTE: Online application automatically closes after the deadline –contact the IELTS office to check if spaces are available after thistime.

Our IELTS offices are open for enquiries between the following times:

Bergen

I.D.:

IELTS will ONLY accept Passports or National ID Cards (EU, EEAand Swiss citizens ONLY) as valid forms of ID.

CANCELLATION, DATE CHANGE OR ABSENCE:

Please note that application for IELTS is binding. Youmay only cancel by written notification to the testcentre:Bergen, Hamar and Stavanger:ielts.bergen@folkeuniversitetet.no

Osloielts.ost@folkeuniversitetet.no- before the respective deadline.

If cancellation or date change occurs beforethe application deadline, you will be entitled toa refund or credit, less an administration fee.

Any cancellation or request for date changeAFTER the application deadline will incur acancellation fee - (details will be provided byyour test centre)

If cancellation, date change or absence is dueto medical reasons, a statement from aregistered medical practitioner is required. Arefund or credit will be given – less anadministration fee of 250kr.

Folkeuniversitetet Test Day Centres:BergenJonas Reins Gate 4, 5008 BergenTlf: 55 55 36 10

HamarGrønnegata 52, 2317 HamarTlf: 55 55 36 10

StavangerSverdrups Gate 23, 4007 StavangerTlf: 55 55 36 10

OsloRolf Wickstrøms vei 15, 0484 OsloTlf: 22 47 60 00

Oslo

August 15th to April 14th: Monday to Friday, 08.15 – 16.00April 15th to August 14th: Monday to Friday, 08.15 – 15.00

January - May and August - November: 08.15 – 16.00June, July + December: 08.00 – 15.00

Test dayBRING TO THE TEST:

The same Identification that you stated in your onlineapplication - ONLY this will be accepted asidentification on the test day. If you are unable tobring this, please contact us immediately.

Water in a transparent bottle. No other food or drinkswill be allowed in the test room.

PLEASE LEAVE AT HOME: Dictionaries, thesaurus and any other test aids.

These are not allowed.

Your pencil case. All stationery you need - pencils,erasers and sharpeners - will be provided.

Valuable items. Personal belongings will be lockedaway in a room during the test. NB: Watches, Mobilephones, MP3 players and all other electronic equipmentmust be turned off and stored in our secure baggageroom prior to the exam.

TEST SCHEDULE:

SPEAKING TEST: The speaking test will also be held at our test centres

at the addresses above. Applications for specific speaking times will be

considered if a request is received in writing (email) atleast 10 days prior to the test.

Once a speaking time is allocated we are not obligedto change it.

All speaking tests will be recorded. You must bring your ID to the speaking test AND the

written tests. Please note that speaking examiners are not allowed to

comment on or discuss your performance during thespeaking test nor give any indication as to your grades.

Registration 08:15Listening 30 mins Test Day

Start approx: 09:00Finish approx: 12:00

Reading 60 minsWriting 60 mins

Speaking 10-15 mins See separate email(will be sent approx.10 days before test)

Test PreparationIELTS preparation books are available for purchasefrom the Cambridge University Press. Road to IELTS is the British Council’s popular

online preparation course that will help you also improve Englishlanguage skills. It will give you the best possible preparation foryour IELTS test. When you register for your IELTS test, you willhave access to 30 hours of online practice materials.

With Road to IELTS you get:

Online resources for both the Academic and GeneralTraining modules of IELTS

Practice zones with e-books to prepare you for the Listening,Reading, Writing and Speaking tests

THE IELTS E-LEARNING COURSE IS 100% ONLINE. It is aimedspecifically at people wanting to prepare for the IELTS.

All participants are sent a free copy of the Official IELTS PracticeMaterials along with their username and password once fullpayment has been received. We recommend that you use at least4 weeks on the course, but you can complete it in as little or asmuch time as you want (maximum 3 months).

The IELTS e-learning course aims to raise student awareness ofthe IELTS test through a range of web-based learning activities.This course will develop your understanding of the IELTS test, andincrease your chances of getting the score you need on the test.

This course focuses on the four skills assessed in the IELTS test:reading, writing, listening and speaking, through a range ofactivities and practice tests. It includes 6 written assignmentsposted on our online learning platform. These are completed andsent to your course tutor, who will then post or email youindividualised feedback. This will help you focus on the areas youneed to improve on and prepare for the test. There is also one 45min speaking session conducted on Skype or over the telephone,in preparation for the speaking segment of the test.

Teacher tutorials highlighting what to do, and what not todo, in your test

Sample videos with tips from previous candidates

Timed practice tests A “My Progress” section to help you compare your

performance with that of other students worldwide

“My Profile” section to remind you of your test date

Road to IELTS helps you in some important ways:

Instant feedback on your performance to monitor yourpersonal progress

Access to the correct answers for practice exercises so youcan understand your mistakes

Hints and tips to help improve your test performance

Exercises based on real IELTS test tasks to help you developconfidence before your test

Preparing for your test Test formatMake sure you are ready to demonstrate your English1. Familiarise yourself with the format of the test by reading this

booklet. For more information about the formatof the test and the question types:http://takeielts.britishcouncil.org/prepare-test/understand-test-format

2. Practice using sample questions.3. Consider doing a practice test. Two volumes of Official IELTS

Practice Materials are available for purchase from testcentres. These materials include a full practice test withanswers, and sample Writing and Speaking performanceswith examiner comments.

4. Consider enrolling in a preparation course to improve yourperformance in the test. IELTS test centres and languageschools around the world offer IELTS preparation courses.

More information is available from:www.ielts.orgwww.britishcouncil.org/takeieltswww.ieltsessentials.com/preparewww.cambridgeenglish.org/ieltswww.ielts.org/usa

Know the IELTS rules and regulationsIt’s important to familiarise yourself with the IELTS rules andregulations. These are laid out in the Notice to Candidatesand Declaration which are included in the application form.When you sign the application form declaration, or agree tothe terms online, you are confirming that you have read andunderstood the IELTS rules and regulations and agree toabide by them.

Register as soon as possibleWhen you feel you are ready to take the test, you need toregister for a test date with an IELTS centre. Contact thecentre as soon as possible, as the number of test takerswho can take the test on a particular date may be limited.You will need to pay the test fee when you register.

There are two modules to choose from –Academic and General Training.

IELTS AcademicIELTS Academic is for test takers wishing to study atundergraduate or postgraduate levels, and for thoseseeking professional registration.

IELTS General TrainingIELTS General Training is for test takers wishing to migrate to anEnglish-speaking country (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, UK),and for those wishing to train or study at below degree level.

Each organisation sets its own entry requirements. In some casesboth Academic or General Training may be accepted. If you arein doubt as to which to take, you should contact the organisationyou are applying to in order to check their requirements.

You are tested on all four language skills – listening, reading,writing and speaking, unless you have an exemption due toa disability (see section on special requirements). Everyonetakes the same Listening and Speaking tests. There aredifferent Reading and Writing tests for IELTS Academic andGeneral Training.

The Listening, Reading and Writing tests must be completedon the same day. The order in which these tests are takenmay vary. There are no breaks between these three tests.The Speaking test may be taken up to seven days beforeor after the other three tests.

Tell your centre if you have special requirementsIn order to ensure that the language ability of all test takersis assessed fairly and objectively, IELTS provides acomprehensive service for test takers who have specialrequirements, including specific learning difficulties, hearingdifficulties and visual difficulties.

If you require a modified version of the test, for example a LargePrint or Braille version, you must give the test centre threemonths’ notice. This notice period is necessary for the modifiedtest version to be prepared. If your circumstances require specialadministrative arrangements to be made, for example if you needextra time or you need to use access technology such as a screenreader, you must give the test centre six weeks’ notice. Pleasecontact your test centre to discuss your requirements. Any specialarrangements agreed are in accordance with the Joint Councilfor Qualifications (JCQ).

Academic Reading

Academic Writing

General Training Reading

General Training Writing

Speaking

Special arrangements include the following

Enlarged print and Brailled test papers, an amanuensis to write answers, a Braille word-processor – for those with visualdifficulties.

Special amplification equipment, lip-reading version of the Listening component – for those with hearing difficulties. Extra time for the Reading and Writing components, use of a word processor – for those with learning difficulties (e.g. dyslexia).

If you have indicated that you have special requirements, please include the medical evidence for this, along with anyrecommendations from your doctor about special provisions to be made during exams, when submitting your documentation. Pleasenote that Medical Certification must be less than 2 years old. Contact your centre if you have questions regarding this.

The four components of the IELTS test

ListeningTimingApproximately 30 minutes (plus 10 minutes’ transfer time).

QuestionsThere are 40 questions. A variety of question types are used,chosen from the following: multiple choice, matching, plan/map/diagram labelling, form completion, note completion,table completion, flow-chart completion, summary completion,sentence completion, short-answer questions.

Test PartsThere are 4 sections:

Section 1 is a conversation between two people setin an everyday social context (e.g. a conversation inan accommodation agency).

Section 2 is a monologue set in an everyday social context(e.g. a speech about local facilities or a talk about thearrangements for meals during a conference).

Section 3 is a conversation between up to four peopleset in an educational or training context (e.g. a universitytutor and a student discussing an assignment, or a groupof students planning a research project).

Section 4 is a monologue on an academic subject(e.g. a university lecture).

Each section is heard once only.

A variety of voices and native-speaker accents are used.

Skills assessedA wide range of listening skills are assessed, including:• understanding of main ideas• understanding of specific factual information• recognising opinions, attitudes and purpose of a speaker• following the development of an argument.

MarkingEach correct answer receives 1 mark. Scores outof 40 are converted to the IELTS 9-band scale.

Scores are reported in whole and half bands.

ReadingTiming60 minutes (no extra transfer time).

QuestionsThere are 40 questions. A variety of question types areused, chosen from the following: multiple choice, identifyinginformation (True/False/Not Given), identifying a writer’sviews/claims (Yes/No/Not Given), matching information,matching headings, matching features, matching sentenceendings, sentence completion, summary completion,note completion, table completion, flow-chart completion,diagram label completion, short-answer questions.

Test PartsThere are 3 sections. The total text length is 2,150-2,750 words.

Academic ReadingEach section contains one long text. Texts are authentic andare taken from books, journals, magazines and newspapers.They have been written for a non-specialist audience and areon academic topics of general interest. Texts are appropriateto, and accessible to, test takers entering undergraduate orpostgraduate courses or seeking professional registration.Texts range from the descriptive and factual to the discursiveand analytical. Texts may contain non-verbal materials suchas diagrams, graphs or illustrations. If texts contain technicalterms, then a simple glossary is provided.

General Training ReadingSection 1 contains two or three short factual texts, one of whichmay be composite (consisting of 6-8 short texts related by topic,e.g. hotel advertisements). Topics are relevant to everyday lifein an English-speaking country.

Section 2 contains two short factual texts focusing on work-related issues (e.g. applying for jobs, company policies, pay andconditions, workplace facilities, staff development and training).

Section 3 contains one longer, more complex text on a topicof general interest.

Texts are authentic and are taken from notices, advertisements,company handbooks, official documents, books, magazinesand newspapers.

Skills assessedA wide range of reading skills are assessed, including:• reading for gist• reading for main ideas• reading for detail• understanding inferences and implied meaning• recognising writer’s opinions, attitudes and purpose• following the development of an argument.

MarkingEach correct answer receives 1 mark. Scores outof 40 are converted to the IELTS 9-band scale.

Scores are reported in whole and half bands

For test specifications visit: www.ielts.org/about-the-test/test-format-in-detail

For marking information visit: www.ielts.org/criteria

For sample questions visit:https://www.ielts.org/about-the-test/sample-test-questions

IELTS for UK Visas and ImmigrationFind out how you can use an IELTS result for this purposeat www.ielts.org/uk. For more information on going to orstaying in the UK, visit www.gov.uk.

7

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7

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WritingTiming60 minutes

TasksThere are 2 tasks. You are required to write at least150 words for Task 1 and at least 250 words for Task 2.

Test PartsThere are 2 parts.

Academic WritingIn Task 1, you are presented with a graph, table, chart ordiagram and are asked to describe, summarise or explainthe information in your own words. You may be asked todescribe and explain data, describe the stages of a process,how something works or describe an object or event.

In Task 2, you are asked to write an essay in responseto a point of view, argument or problem.

The issues raised are of general interest to, suitable forand easily understood by test takers entering undergraduateor postgraduate studies or seeking professional registration.Responses to Task 1 and Task 2 should be writtenin an academic, semi-formal/neutral style.

General Training WritingIn Task 1, you are presented with a situation and are asked towrite a letter requesting information or explaining the situation.The letter may be personal or semi-formal/neutral in style.

In Task 2, you are asked to write an essay in response to apoint of view, argument or problem. The essay can be slightlymore personal in style than the Academic Writing Task 2 essay.

Topics are of general interest.

Skills assessedIn both tasks, you are assessed on your ability towrite a response which is appropriate in terms of:• content• the organisation of ideas• the accuracy and range of vocabulary and grammar.

Academic WritingIn Task 1, depending on the task type, you are assessed on yourability to organise, present and possibly compare data; to describethe stages of a process or procedure; to describe an object orevent or sequence of events; to explain how something works.

In Task 2, depending on the task type, you are assessed onyour ability to present a solution to a problem; to present andjustify an opinion; to compare and contrast evidence, opinionsand implications; to evaluate and challenge ideas, evidenceor an argument.

General Training WritingIn Task 1, depending on the task type, you are assessed on yourability to engage in personal correspondence in order to: elicitand provide general factual information; express needs, wants,likes and dislikes; express opinions (views, complaints etc.).

In Task 2, you are assessed on your ability to provide generalfactual information; to outline a problem and present a solution;to present and possibly justify an opinion; to evaluate andchallenge ideas, evidence or an argument.

MarkingYou are assessed on your performance on each taskby certificated IELTS examiners according to the IELTSWriting test assessment criteria (Task Achievement/Response,Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, GrammaticalRange and Accuracy). The public version of the assessmentcriteria can be found at www.ielts.org/criteria.

Task 2 contributes twice as much as Task 1 to the Writing score.

Scores are reported in whole and half bands.

SpeakingTiming11-14 minutes

Test PartsThere are 3 parts.

Part 1 Introduction and interview (4-5 minutes)The examiner introduces him/herself and asks you to introduceyourself and confirm your identity. The examiner asks yougeneral questions on familiar topics, e.g. home, family, work,studies and interests.

Part 2 Individual long turn (3-4 minutes)The examiner gives you a task card which asks you to talk abouta particular topic and which includes points you can cover in yourtalk. You are given 1 minute to prepare your talk, and are givena pencil and paper to make notes. You talk for 1-2 minutes onthe topic. The examiner may then ask you one or two questionson the same topic.

Part 3 Two-way discussion (4-5 minutes)The examiner asks further questions which are connectedto the topic of Part 2. These questions give you an opportunityto discuss more abstract issues and ideas.

Skills assessedA wide range of speaking skills are assessed, including:• the ability to communicate opinions and information

on everyday topics and common experiences andsituations by answering a range of questions

• the ability to speak at length on a given topic usingappropriate language and organising ideas coherently

• the ability to express and justify opinions and to analyse,discuss and speculate about issues.

MarkingYou are assessed on your performance throughout thetest by certificated IELTS examiners according to the IELTSSpeaking test assessment criteria (Fluency and Coherence,Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range and Accuracy,Pronunciation). The public version of the assessment criteriacan be found at www.ielts.org/criteria.

Scores are reported in whole and half bands.

Test tipsListening

• Each recording in the Listening test is heard once only.

• You will be given time to read through the questions beforeyou listen.

• As you listen, write your answers on the question paper.At the end of the test, you will have 10 minutes to transferyour answers to the answer sheet. It is essential that youtransfer your answers to the answer sheet as nothing youwrite on the question paper will be marked.

• You must write your answers in pencil.

• An example of a completed Listening answer sheetis given on the next page.

• ‘Completion’ question types (e.g. note completion):

– Pay attention to the word limit. For example, if you areasked to complete a sentence using NO MORE THANTWO WORDS, and the correct answer is ‘leather coat’,the answer ‘coat made of leather’ would be incorrect.

– Transfer only the missing word(s) to the answer sheet.For example, if you have to complete the note ‘in the … ’,and the correct answer is ‘morning’, the answer ‘in the morning’would be incorrect.

– You will hear the word(s) you need to use in the recording.You will not need to change the form of the word(s) you hear.

– Pay attention to spelling and grammar: you will losemarks for mistakes.

– You may write your answers in lower case or in capitals.

Reading

• You may write your answers directly on the answer sheet oryou may write them on the question paper and transfer themto the answer sheet before the end of the test. You will not begiven extra time to transfer answers at the end of the test.Nothing you write on the question paper will be marked.

• You must write your answers in pencil.

• An example of a completed Reading answer sheet is givenon the next page.

• ‘Completion’ question types (e.g. note completion):– The same rules apply to ‘completion’ question types

as in Listening (see above).

– The word(s) you use must be taken from the Reading text.You will not need to change the form of the word(s) in the text.

Writing

• You may write your answers in pencil or pen.

• Pay attention to the number of words required for eachtask. You will lose marks if you do not write at least150 words for Task 1 and at least 250 words for Task 2.

• You should spend approximately 20 minutes on Task 1and approximately 40 minutes on Task 2.

• You must write your answers in full; answers writtenin note form or in bullet points will lose marks.

• Pay attention to spelling, grammar and punctuation;you will lose marks for mistakes.

• You may write your answers entirely in capitals if you wish.

• You may make notes on the question paper but nothing youwrite on the question paper will be marked.

IELTS scoring in detailIELTS Academic and General Training versions are marked using the same 9-band scale

1. Calculating the overall band score

IELTS test takers receive a Test Report Form setting out their overall band score and their scores on each of the four components:Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. Each of the component scores is weighted equally.

The overall band score is calculated by taking the average of the total of the four individual component scores.

Overall band scores are reported to the nearest whole or half band.

The following rounding convention applies: if the average across the four skills ends in .25, it is rounded up to the next half band, and ifit ends in .75, it is rounded up to the next whole band.

Some examples:

Listening Reading Writing Speaking Average score* Band score

Test taker A 6.5 6.5 5 7 6.25 6.5

Test taker B 4.0 3.5 4.0 4.0 3.875 4.0

Test taker C 6.5 6.5 5.5 6.0 6.125 6.0

*Average score = total of the four individual component scores divided by four.

2. Calculating the component band scores

IELTS scoring summary

Listening

The IELTS Listeningtest contains 40questions. Each correctitem is awarded onemark. Band scores,ranging from Band 1 toBand 9, are awarded totest takers on the basisof their raw scores.

Reading

The IELTS Reading test contains40 questions. Each correct item isawarded one mark. Band scores,ranging from Band 1 to Band 9,are awarded to test takers on thebasis of their raw scores.

Writing

Examiners use detailedassessment criteria (knownas 'band descriptors') to award aband score for each of the fourassessment criteria:

Task Achievement (forTask 1), Task Response(for Task 2) – 25%

Coherence andCohesion – 25%

Lexical Resource – 25%

Grammatical Range andAccuracy – 25%

Speaking

Examiners use detailed assessmentcriteria (known as 'banddescriptors') to award a band foreach of the four assessment criteria:

Fluency and Coherence –25%

Lexical Resource – 25%

Grammatical Range andAccuracy – 25%

Pronunciation – 25%

Differences betweenIELTS Academic andGeneral Training:

There is no difference.This is because themore socially orientedlanguage skills oflistening and speakingare equally important inan academic study orworkplace context.

Differences between IELTSAcademic and GeneralTraining:

The Reading component of IELTSAcademic and General Training isdifferentiated* by:

The texts (topic, genre,discourse type, length,number, etc.). Academicpapers may containsource texts featuringmore difficult vocabularyor greater complexity ofstyle.

To secure a given bandscore, a greater numberof questions musttherefore be answeredcorrectly on a GeneralTraining Reading test.

The range of itemdifficulties.

The Academic Readingcomponent has moreitems pitched at bands5–8, whereas IELTSGeneral Training hasmore items pitched atbands 3–6. This is areflection of the differentdemands of Academicand General Trainingdiscourse for languagelearners.

*This is because thedistinction between‘academic’ and ‘general’literacy has usually beenseen as most marked inreading and writingskills.

Differences between IELTSAcademic and GeneralTraining:

The Writing componentof IELTS Academic andGeneral Training aredifferentiated* by thetasks (topic and genre).

*This is because the distinctionbetween ‘academic’ and ‘general’literacy has usually been seen asmost marked in reading andwriting skills.

Differences between IELTSAcademic and General Training:

There is no difference. This isbecause the more socially orientedlanguage skills of listening andspeaking are equally important in anacademic study or workplacecontext.

Band score boundaries

Although all IELTS test materials are pretested and standards fixed before being released as live tests, there are inevitably minordifferences in the difficulty level across tests. To equate different test versions, the band score boundaries are set so that all test takers'results relate to the same scale of achievement. This means, for example, that the Band 6 boundary may be set at a slightly differentraw score across individual test versions.

3. Scoring: Listening and Reading

Listening

Band score Raw score out of 40

5 16

6 23

7 30

8 35

IELTS Listening and Reading papers contain 40 items and eachcorrect item is awarded one mark; the maximum raw score a testtaker can achieve on a paper is 40. Band scores ranging fromBand 1 to Band 9 are awarded to test takers on the basis of theirraw scores.

The tables below indicate the mean raw scores achieved by testtakers at various levels in each of the Listening, AcademicReading and General Training Reading tests. They provide anindication of the number of marks required to achieve a particularband score.

The Academic and General Training papers are graded to thesame scale. The distinction between the two modules is one ofgenre or discourse type. Academic papers may contain sourcetexts featuring more difficult vocabulary or greater complexity ofstyle. It is usual that, to secure a given band score, a greaternumber of questions must be answered correctly on a GeneralTraining Reading paper.

General Training Reading

Band score Raw score out of 40

4 15

5 23

6 30

7 34

Academic Reading

Band score Raw score out of 40

5 15

6 23

7 30

8 35

4. Scoring: Writing and Speaking

When marking the Writing and Speaking tests, examiners use detailed performance descriptors which describe written and spokenperformance at each of the nine IELTS bands.

Versions of the assessment criteria for Writing and Speaking have been developed to help stakeholders better understand the level ofperformance required to attain a particular band score in each of the criterion areas:

After your test

Test resultsThe Test Report Form

You will receive a Test Report Form which reports a score foreach of the four skills (listening, reading, writing and speaking),as well as an overall band score. Half band scores may beawarded to indicate a strong performance within a particularband. You can find more information on score processingand score interpretation at www.ielts.org/criteria.

Results are available 13 calendar days after the test. At sometest centres test takers may collect their results on the 13th day;at others, results are mailed on the 13th day. Test centres arenot permitted to give results over the phone or by fax or email.

Preview your results online

You can preview your results online 13 calendar days afterthe test. Results remain online for 28 days. Please note thatthe online preview of results should not be used as an officialconfirmation of your performance.

Results validity period

Organisations will not usually accept a Test Report Form thatis more than two years old unless you provide evidence thatyou have actively maintained or tried to improve your Englishsince taking the test. The IELTS Test Partners cannot confirmthe validity of test results that are more than two years old.

Re-taking IELTSThere are no restrictions on re-taking IELTS. You can registerfor a test as soon as you feel you are ready to do so. Pleasenote that your score is unlikely to increase unless you makea significant effort to improve your English before re-taking thetest. More information is available from www.ielts.org/resitting.

Enquiries on resultsIf you are unhappy with your test result, you can apply for are-mark (Enquiry on Results) at the centre where you tookthe test. You must make the application no later than six weeksafter the test date. You can choose which test componentsare re-marked. There is a fee for this service which will berefunded if your score on any component is increased.Enquiries on Results take six to eight weeks to complete.

IELTS for UK Visas and ImmigrationFind out how you can use an IELTS result for this purposeat www.ielts.org/uk. For more information on going to orstaying in the UK, visit www.gov.uk.

You will receive only one copy of the Test Report Form.It’s important that you keep it safe as replacement Test ReportForms cannot be issued. Test centres will send copies ofyour Test Report Form to up to five organisations free of charge.

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IELTS for UK, Australian, Canadian and NewZealand visas and immigrationFind out how you can use an IELTS result for thesepurposes at:www.ielts.org/ukwww.ielts.org/australiawww.ielts.org/canadawww.ielts.org/

Your privacy

The IELTS Test Partners recognise and support the right of genuine IELTS test candidates to privacy.For more information visit www.ielts.org/privacy.

IELTS is jointly owned by the British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia and Cambridge English Language Assessment. The IELTS test is designed and set by the world’s leading experts in language assessment togive a true picture of a test taker’s language skills. IELTS Bands 4-9 (NQF levels Entry 3 to Level 3) are accredited by Ofqual, England’s Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation.