Coming to the UK can seem daunting, leaving behind family and friends to enter a foreign country and start afresh and as if that was not enough you need then understand all the immigration requirements.
One of the most common questions we are asked is, ‘which IELTS should I take?’. Assignees see a whole list of tests and panic as they want to ensure they complete the right test, especially since booking a date can forever.
Let us help you understand which test is the one for you.
There are two main types of International English Language testing System or more commonly known as IELTS and Academic, General. Both tests are commonly known as IELTS for UKVI.
Those coming to the UK for employment will need to take IELTS General for UKVI.
Academic and General tests cover four areas, listening, reading, writing and speaking and to pass you must score at least B1 level.
Each test takes 2 hours 45 minutes and is broken down as follows and applications must score at least 4.0 in each area:
- Listening – 30 minutes
- Reading – 60 minutes
- Writing – 60 minutes
- Speaking – 11-14 minutes
It is useful to refer to the IELTS official site for test formats: https://www.ielts.org/about-the-test/test-format.
In short, when applying to come to the UK for employment purposes always look for the IELTS for UKVI and ensure you book the test which covers all four areas.
