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Studying abroad comes with a lengthy process of enrolment, applications and finances. A critical aspect of this procedure is fulfilling the entry requirements. While most universities and countries have unique prerequisites, standard requirements remain constant. For instance, results of English language proficiency tests are required to prove the applicant’s competency. IELTS, TOEFL, PTE, and DET are popular English tests, and IELTS tops the list. Around 30 lakh students take the IELTS exam in India every year, implying that the competition is quite tough. How can you overcome this competition? The answer is through practice, adequate study, and mock tests. To learn more about IELTS tips and the best IELTS practice test for international students, continue reading!
Structure of IELTS
The first step of preparing for IELTS is understanding the nature of the exam, its syllabus, paper pattern, and marking scheme. In the following sections, we consider these essential aspects. The candidate’s everyday communication skills are assessed through personal experiences, family, purchasing items, weather, travel, education, accommodation, health, commuting, etc.
The IELTS exam is held up to four times every month or 48 times a year. Over 50 test centres operate across India. Results are released within ten days. Lastly, the exam’s validity is up to two years.
Overview
There are two major IELTS (International English Language Testing System) exams – IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training. Those who wish to apply to a university as international students need to take the IELTS Academic exam. On the other hand, those who wish to migrate to another country for work take the IELTS General Training exam. The IELTS exam tests the candidate’s speaking, reading, listening, and writing skills.
IELTS Paper Pattern
The IELTS exam is divided into four sections – listening, writing, reading, and speaking. Each section has varying duration, pattern, and number of questions. Refer to the table below for a detailed breakdown of the IELTS paper pattern –
| Section | What is the section about? | Number of questions | Duration |
| Listening | Four recorded monologues and conversations | 4 (10 per monologue/conversation) | 30 minutes |
| Writing | – Summarise, explain or describe a table, graph, diagram or chart of at least 150 words. – Write a short essay task of at least 250 words. | 2 | – 20 minutes for the first task. – 40 minutes for the second task. |
| Reading | Three reading passages with tasks. | 40 | 60 minutes |
| Speaking | Face-to-face interviews include short questions about a familiar topic. | 3 | 11 – 14 minutes |
- Listening
The listening section is divided into four recordings of monologues/conversations as follows:
- A conversation between two people in a regular social situation.
- A monologue in a regular social situation.
- A conversation between up to four people in a training situation.
- A monologue on an academic topic.
- Writing
The writing section is further divided into two subsections as follows –
- Write a summary of a minimum of 150 words of a table, chart, or graph.
- Write an essay of a minimum of 250 words responding to an issue, argument, or perspective.
- Reading
The reading section is designed to test the candidate’s abilities to read primary concepts, have an eye for detail, and use logical reasoning. This section contains three passages that cover descriptive, argumentative, and factual information. The passages are taken from guides, university material, journals, books, periodicals, etc.
- Speaking
The speaking test is divided into three further sections as follows –
- Open-ended questions about the candidate, their school, work, etc. (4-5 minutes)
- Candidates are given a cue card with a specific question based on which the examiner will ask questions. (1 minute for preparation, 2 minutes to speak)
- Further questions are based on the topic in the above task. (4-5 minutes).
IELTS Eligibility
The IELTS exam does not have any strict eligibility criteria. Candidates must be at least 16 years old at the time of the exam, but the governing body has not set a maximum age limit. Other than this eligibility requirement, anyone can take the IELTS exam regardless of age, gender, nationality, etc. No educational criteria are required either.
IELTS Minimum Required Score
The IELTS exam is graded on a scale of 0 to 9, where nine is the highest. Although each country and university has varying requirements, a minimum score of 5.0 is necessary to qualify anywhere. For the best universities globally, a minimum score of 7.5 – 8.0 is expected. Get an idea of the required IELTS score according to country in the table below –
| Country | Degree | Minimum Required Score |
| United States of America | UG/PG | 6.0 to 6.5 |
| Canada | UG | 6.0 |
| PG | 6.5 | |
| United Kingdom | Pre-masters | 5.0 |
| UG | 6.5 | |
| PG | 6.5 | |
| Australia | UG | 6.0 |
| PG | 6.5 | |
| New Zealand | UG | 5.5 |
| PG | 6.0 |
Best IELTS Practice Test For International Students
Among other tips to score high in an IELTS exam, practising as much as possible is the first and foremost. You must take multiple mock tests to determine and work on your weaknesses. First, look at the following section to find the best IELTS practice test for international students. You can practice these and enhance your skills!
- IELTS Ready
One of the significant authorities on IELTS is The British Council, which specialises in international cultural and educational opportunities. After you’ve completed the IELTS registration, you get free access to the entire IELTS Ready Preparation Course. This extensive course includes everything you might need for IELTS preparation.
For instance, it offers sample videos, teacher tutorials, a personalised ‘My Progress’ section, a score calculator, a test countdown, 90+ interactive activities, and exclusive advice from British Council teachers. If you want more, you can also access the three available paid versions of the course. This list of features makes it the best IELTS practice test for international students.
- IELTS Prepare
IDP Education, an international organisation for education and study abroad courses, is one of the three governing authorities of IELTS. This not only increases their credibility but also makes their resources incredibly important.
IELTS Prepare is an online website where you can find several online courses, articles, videos, data about test locations, and preparation materials. You can also find free practice tests for the IELTS exam on this website. The tests are accompanied by an ideal answer key, which helps you track your progress!
- Computer-Delivered Best IELTS Practice Test For International Students
Similar to the above tests, these are also offered by IDP or International Education Specialists, along with IELTS itself. Since computer-based tests are significantly different from paper-based ones, you must practise your mock tests on a computer if you’re taking the former type of exam.
These tests have three sections of IELTS that students can practise free of cost. Speaking tests are always taken in person. Since IELTS offers this, you can be assured that you’re receiving the most accurate resources possible.
- Cambridge IELTS Academic Student’s Book Or General Student’s Book
Available at only GBP 38 each, Cambridge Assessment English offers these two textbooks for those who are more comfortable with books. The books have in-depth descriptions of the IELTS sections and their scoring system.
Four authentic exam papers are added to the books to help you practise better. Additionally, if you have to take the IELTS exam more than once, this is the best IELTS practice test for international students since it is a one-time investment!
- Road To IELTS
‘Road to IELTS’ is an online preparation course designed by the British Council. This incredible course allows students to take multiple practice tests, participate in interactive activities, and access valuable tips to score well on exams.
Most importantly, the test has been structured to be as close as possible to the IELTS exam. Overall, it is certainly the best IELTS practice test for international students if you’re looking for authentic resources from the British Council.
- Magoosh IELTS
Magoosh is a popular online platform among international students known for its high-quality preparation resources. The IELTS materials offered by this platform include exhaustive preparation materials, practice questions, full-length detailed question papers, and more. Although Magoosh isn’t an official IELTS resource, it is undoubtedly worthy of the list of the best IELTS practice tests for international students.
Tips For Scoring Well On The IELTS Exam
An effective study approach is one of the most critical aspects of preparing for an important exam like the IELTS. Not only do you have to pay attention to the preparation, but also to your approach and on-day performance. Here are some tips that will aid you with the best IELTS practice test for international students to score well –
- Determine your strengths and weaknesses to enhance and work on the latter.
- Make an extensive study plan depending on your needs.
- Practice as much as possible with the most authentic resources and extensive practice sets.
- Try to check your time management skills when you practise these tests.
- Keep a check on word limits.
- Keep a check on spelling, punctuation and grammar.
- Avoid spoken English in the writing section as much as possible. It is advisable to write formally.
- Don’t answer any questions until you’re sure about it. Feel free to ask the examiner for an explanation.
- Go through the questions before you listen to the recordings. This way, you know what to listen for.
- Practise with different accents since the pronunciation can differ significantly.
- All the best!
FAQs
Q1. Which is the best site for IELTS mock tests?
Ans: The British Council’s IELTS online test, Road to IELTS, IELTS Essentials, and Cambridge IELTS free resources are some of the best IELTS practice tests for international students.
Q2. Which English test is best for international students?
Ans: IELTS and TOEFL are the world’s most popular and widely-taken English proficiency tests. Other than these, DET, PTE, and Cambridge English Advanced are popular tests.
Q3. Which IELTS is for international students?
Ans: If you’re an international student migrating to study abroad, opt for the IELTS Academic Test. On the contrary, if you’re migrating for work, you should take the IELTS General Training test.
Q4. Which country accepts 5.5 bands?
Ans: Universities in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom accept 5.5 bands in IELTS. However, if you wish to study at the top universities of these countries, a 7.0+ band increases your chances exponentially.
Q5. Can I pass IELTS without preparation?
Ans: No, it is difficult to pass the IELTS without preparation. Since the exam has pre-defined sections and a rigid structure, scoring well on it without extensive preparation is challenging.
Thank you for reading our guide to the best IELTS practice test for international students! Let us know which resource is the best for you in the comments section below!
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