There are two types of IELTS test: Academic Training and General Training.
In both tests, you are given a score of 0-9 for Speaking, Writing, Reading, and Listening. Both tests are used by organisations and visa authorities as proof of English level.
However, IELTS Academic Training is more commonly used by universities, health organisations and academic institutions around the world.
IELTS General Training is more commonly used for work or residence visa applications.
The tests themselves are different in the following ways:
| Academic | General Training | |
|---|---|---|
| Reading | 3 sections - 3 texts - academic topics (e.g. science) | 3 sections - 4-6 texts in total - informative, work and general interest topics (e.g. workplace guidelines) |
| Writing Task 1 | a 150-word (minimum) report on a diagram/graphic | a 150-word (minimum) letter |
| Writing Task 2 | No difference - a 250-word essay | No difference - a 250-word essay |
| Listening | No difference | No difference |
| Speaking | No difference | No difference |
The scoring is the same for Writing, Speaking and Listening. However, the grade boundaries for Reading are a little different for Academic Training and General Training. You can check the IELTS website here for more information on grade boundaries.
See also: How do I change test type on the site?
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