According to ABBREVIATIONFINDER.ORG, IELTS stands for International English Language Testing System.
The IELTS test tests the English skills of its candidates in the four core areas of language proficiency: listening, reading, writing and speaking.
The test is taken more than two million times a year worldwide for educational and emigrant purposes.
WHAT IS IELTS FOR?
There are two different versions of the test: Academic and General Training. The academic training is taken by all those who go to study in an English-speaking country and have to show an English language test there in order to meet the entry requirements for their degree program. The general training is primarily intended for emigrants who have to demonstrate knowledge of the national language at a certain level in order to meet visa requirements.
THE TASKS
The tasks in the test differ in the parts of reading and writing, in the areas of listening and speaking they are the same.
The test is taken in writing. The speaking part is a two-on-one conversation with a certified examiner. It is divided into four parts:
- Listening (30 minutes) – different types of questions on four listening tasks with monologues and dialogues
- Reading (60 minutes) – different types of questions on three passages of text from the academic or everyday area (general training)
- Writing (60 minutes) – Two writing tasks of at least 150 and at most 250 words with different focus (depending on the training variant)
- Speaking (11-14 minutes) – Two-on-one conversation with an experienced and certified examiner
The evaluation is based on a nine-part bandscore scale, with volume one identifying a non-user and volume nine an expert user.
COSTS AND LOCATIONS
The IELTS test can be taken up to three times a month, every Saturday, at 14 locations in Germany. They are located in Aachen, Berlin, Bremen, Dortmund, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt / Main, Freiburg, Hamburg, Hanover, Cologne, Leipzig, Mannheim, Munich and Stuttgart.
The test fee is 210 euros and includes access to 30 hours of online preparation for the test format and worldwide delivery of the results to up to five universities or other institutions.
ACCEPTANCE
The results are recognized by over 8,000 educational institutions, government institutions and other organizations in 135 countries around the world – including 3,000 study programs at universities in the United States and all universities in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. As the only test of its kind, it is also welcomed by immigration authorities in all countries that require an English language test.
The IELTS test is a cooperation between three renowned partners: the British Council, the UK’s international organization for cultural relations, Cambridge English Language Assessment and IDP: IELTS Australia. Registration is via the British Council website.
EXAM PREPARATION
Good knowledge of English is one thing. To use them successfully in one exam situation is another. Targeted preparatory training courses can be taken by examination candidates in Germany or during a language trip. The specially trained trainers familiarize you with the different types of tasks and give examination tips and individual feedback on your own language skills. Information on exam preparation in Germany can be found under Carl Duisberg Foreign Language Training.
