A quick guide to help you decide on which IELTS to take
There are mainly two types of IELTS tests: Academic and General Training.
If you are planning to study in a country where English is the official language, you will be asked to provide proof of proficiency in English. IELTS Academic is one of the tests available. Other options are TOEFL, PTE Academic and Cambridge English Exams.
Now, if your goal is to immigrate or work in an English speaking country, you may be asked to take the IELTS General Training. Yes, for the GT test there are also other options, such as PTE or CELPIP (for Canada), which depend on each country’s requirements.
You can take the IELTS on several different dates in over 4000 locations in 140 countries. This means you can take the test whenever you need. In contrast, the Cambridge English Exams only take place twice a year.
Both IELTS types – Academic and General Training (GT) – consist of four parts – or papers: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. The Listening and Speaking papers are the same for both tests. However, Reading and Writing will differ.
It is very important to note that these two test types are not interchangeable. If you take the IELTS Academic, you cannot use it to apply for the Canadian immigration, for example. And vice versa: you cannot use the IELTS GT for university admission.
So here we have it: if you want to study, then take IELTS Academic. If you want to work or immigrate, then take IELTS General Training.
Good luck!
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