● English test designed to help you work, study or migrate to a country where English is the native language.
● IELTS is designed to mimic everyday situations and English.
● There are three types of IELTS: Academic, General Training, and Life Skills.
● Academic is preferable for higher education and professional needs; General Training is suitable for those wishing to migrate to an English-speaking country or who will train or study abroad below the undergraduate level; and Life Skills might be required for visa purposes, intending to demonstrate some English proficiency.
What is IELTS UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI)?
● Version of IELTS you can submit as part of your UKVI visa applications.
● Test content is the same as IELTS Academic or General Training but UKVI tests have to be taken at test centres approved by the UK Home Office.
How is the IELTS structured?
● IELTS Academic and General Training are composed of four sections: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking.
● Total test time is 2 hours and 45 minutes.
● IELTS Life Skills is only composed of Listening and Speaking.
How is the IELTS taken and scored?
● IELTS Academic can be taken at a test centre on paper or computer.
● Primarily offered at British Council and IDP (Australian) locations
● While the Listening, Reading, and Writing sections are taken all in the same session without any breaks, the Speaking test has to be scheduled (up to a week before or after the other tests.)
● Most universities require a score of minimum 6.5 out of 9.0 in each section, especially Reading and Writing.
| Test Section | Duration | No of Questions | Section Content | Marks |
| Listening | 30 minutes + 10 minutes to transfer your answers | 40 | 4 recordings and 10 questions on each recording | 40, converted to a score out of 9 |
| Reading | 60 minutes | 40 | Three Reading texts intended for non-experts and a variety of questions for each passage | 40, converted to a score out of 9 |
| Writing | 60 minutes | 2 | Task 1: Summarizing and explaining given data, Task 2: Writing an essay | 9 (band score) (Task 2 contributes twice as much as Task 1 to the Writing score.) |
| Speaking | 11-14 minutes | Variable | An oral interview with an examiner in 3 parts | 9 (band score) |
How can HBA support students with IELTS?
HBA supports students preparing for IELTS in the following ways:
● Tutoring from highly qualified tutors across all subjects.
● Timed mock tests administered at the office for the most realistic exam simulation experience.
Useful Links
Official Website: https://ielts.org/
● One of the biggest English tests showing English proficiency for higher education or immigration requirements.
● There are many current versions of the TOEFL but the most common one is the Internet Based Test (iBT.)
How is the TOEFL iBT structured?
● TOEFL iBT is composed of four sections: Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing.
● It takes approximately 2 hours to finish.
How is the TOEFL iBT taken and scored?
● TOEFL iBT can be taken from home or at a test centre.
● It is scored out of 120, with each part scored out of 30. Most universities require a minimum score of 25 out of 30 in each section, most importantly in Reading and Writing.
Official Website:
| Test Section | Number of Questions/Tasks | Section Content | Approximate Time |
| Reading | 20 questions | 2 passages with 10 questions on each | 35 minutes |
| Listening | 28 questions | Recordings of conversations and lectures with 5-6 questions on each | 36 minutes |
| Speaking | 4 tasks | Task 1: Independent Speaking task Tasks 2-4: Integrated Speaking task |
16 minutes |
| Writing | 2 tasks | Task 1: Integrated Writing task Task 2: Writing for an Academic Discussion task |
29 minutes |
How can HBA support students with TOEFL iBT?
HBA supports students preparing for TOEFL iBT in the following ways:
● Tutoring from highly qualified tutors across all subjects.
● Timed mock tests administered at the office for the most realistic exam simulation experience.
Useful Links
Official Website: https://www.ets.org/toefl.html