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IELTS / TOEFL

 

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The International English Language Testing System or IELTS is an international standardised test of English language proficiency for non-native English language speakers. It is jointly managed by the British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia and Cambridge English Language Assessment, and was established in 1989. IELTS is one of the major English-language tests in the world, others being the TOEFL, TOEIC and OPI/OPIc.

 

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL, is a standardized test to measure the English language ability of non-native speakers wishing to enroll in English-speaking universities. The test is accepted by many English-speaking academic and professional institutions. TOEFL is one of the two major English-language tests in the world, the other being the IELTS.
TOEFL is a trademark of the Educational Testing Service (ETS), a private non-profit organization, which designs and administers the tests. ETS issues official score reports, sent independently to institutions, for two years following the test.

 

IELTS, International English Language Testing System

IELTS is an English Language Proficiency test that is required to be taken by non-native English speaking students for study in countries where the medium of instruction is English.

IELTS is accepted by universities in UK, Australia, New Zealand and Canada. It has become a mandatory test for study in Australia. It is getting popular in US also. Almost all major US Universities accept IELTS.

You cannot be granted an Australian student visa without an IELTS score, TOEFL is not accepted.

All other study destinations either require you to take the TOEFL or IELTS. IELTS is becoming popular in USA. In many Canadian Universities either of IELTS/TOEFL would work.

IELTS is accepted by most Australian, British, Canadian and New Zealand academic institutions. American academic institutions are increasingly accepting IELTS for admissions purposes.

  • IELTS evaluates your English language ability (reading, writing and listening). A good score (usually 6.0 and above) is an entry requirement for many colleges and universities worldwide.

  • You can repeat the test as often as you like, but only at intervals of at least 90 days between test dates.US Universities now accept IELTS!

     

  • What is the format of the test?

  • The test has four parts:

    Listening4 Sections, 40 Items30 minutes

    Reading3 Sections, 40 Items1 hour

    Writing2 Tasks (150-250 words)1 hour

    Speaking3 Parts11 to 15 minutes

    4
    There are two modules to choose from – Academic and General Training.

  • The Academic module is for candidates planning to study abroad (Undergrad or graduate studies).

  • General Training is used by candidates to show English proficiency (below degree level), It is also used as a scorecard to show English proficiency by immigration authorities (from Canada/Australia).
    Each Organization may have their own rules, they may accept both of them.Retaking IELTS
    There are no restrictions on re-taking IELTS. If you do not get the result you wanted, you can register for another test as soon as you feel you are ready to do so.IELTS scoring

     

    9Expert user

    8Very good user

    7Good user

    6Competent user

    5Modest user

    4Limited user

    3Extremely limited user

    2Intermittent user

    1Non user

    0Did not attempt the test

 

 

TOEFL (Test of English as Foreign Language)

What is TOEFL

TOEFL is an exam required by most US and Canadian university to prove proficiency(especially international students coming from countries where English is not native language) in English. It measures your listening, reading, speaking and writing skills to perform academic tasks in English. Many Universities in Europe and other countries also accept TOEFL (IELTS is popular outside USA). Popularity of TOEFL is growing.

There are two formats for the TOEFL test. The format you take depends on the location of your test center. Most test takers take the TOEFL iBT test. Test centers that do not have Internet access offer the Paper-based Test (PBT).

TOEFL Test centers

 

TOEFL Cost

TOEFL cost ranges from US$160 to US$250

 

TOEFL Test (iBT) Structure

SectionTime LimitQuestionsTasksScore

Reading*60-80 minutes36-56 questionsRead 3 or 4 passages from academic texts and answer questions.0-30

Listening60-90 minutes34-51 questionsListen to lectures, classroom discussions and conversations, then answer questions.0-30

Break 10 minutes

Speaking20 minutes6 tasksExpress an opinion on a familiar topic; speak based on reading and listening tasks.0-30

Writing50 minutes2 tasksWrite essay responses based on reading and listening tasks; support an opinion in writing.0-30

 

TOEFL Scoring

Each section of TOEFL has a max score of 30; total max score is 120. Most universities require TOEFL score ranging from 80-100. Scores will be posted online within two weeks of the test date. You can view score online at ets.org (yes you will have to create a login id). On test day, you can select up to four institutions to send your score for free. You can send your scores to as many institutions as you choose for a fee of US$17 per report. Scores are mailed approximately four to seven days after receipt of your request and payment.

More…

  • TOEFL score is valid for two years.

  • TOEFL iBT test can be given on fixed dates, it happens multiple times in a year. You might have to check ETS website for exact date and timing for your desired location.

  • You can take TOEFL any number of times (you can only take once in 12 days).

  • Your official scores can be sent to up to four Universities (if you select them before the test).

  • Your responses are scored holistically on a scale of 0 to 5. The average score on the two tasks is converted to a scaled score of 0 to 30.

  • TOEFL may not be required by students from countries where native language is English.

  • You are given the option of canceling your scores at the end of your test session

  • Yes, you can reinstate your scores if your request is received at ETS within 10 days of your test date, for a fee of US$20.

  • TOEFL Departmental code list https://www.ets.org/s/toefl/pdf/dept_code_list.pdf

  • TOEFL Institution/University code can be searched from http://www.toeflgoanywhere.org/search-who-accepts-toefl

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