Test types

IELTS Academic

For university study and professional registration. Its Reading uses longer texts from books, journals and newspapers, and Writing Task 1 asks you to describe a graph, table, chart, map or process.

Who takes it

  • Undergraduate and postgraduate study in an English-speaking country
  • Professional registration, where the body asks for Academic (many medical and nursing boards do)
  • Some student and skilled-worker visa routes - check what yours asks for

How it differs from IELTS General Training: Reading passages are longer and more academic in style, and Writing Task 1 is a report on visual information. Compare with General Training.

The test in brief

Listening
About 30 min
Reading
60 min
Writing
60 min
Speaking
11-14 min

Listening, Reading and Writing are taken in one sitting. Speaking may be the same day or up to a week either side.

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