IELTS Australia

What is IELTS?

IELTS or 'International English Language Testing System', is an international standardised test of English language proficiency. It is jointly managed by University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations, the British Council and IDP Education Pty Ltd, and was established in 1989.
There are two versions of the IELTS: the Academic Version and the General Training Version:
The Academic Version is intended for those who want to enroll in universities and other institutions of higher education and for professionals such as medical doctors and nurses who want to study or practise in an English-speaking country.
The General Training Version is intended for those planning to undertake non-academic training or to gain work experience, or for immigration purposes.
IELTS is accepted by most Australian, British, Canadian, Irish, New Zealand and South African academic institutions, over 3,000 academic institutions in the United States, and various professional organisations. It is also a requirement for immigration to Australia, New Zealand and Canada.
No minimum score is required to pass the test. An IELTS result or Test Report Form is issued to all candidates with a score from 1 (no knowledge) to 9 (expert user) and each institution sets a different threshold. Institutions are advised not to consider valid a report older than two years, unless the user proves that he has worked to maintain his level.
In 2007, IELTS tested over a million candidates in a single 12-month period for the first time ever, making it the world's most popular English language test for higher education and immigration.
In 2009, 1.4 million candidates took the IELTS test in over 130 countries.
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IELTS Australia: IDP

IDP Education, through its subsidiary IELTS Australia, manages a network of IELTS test centres in more than 30 countries.

In 1989, IDP joined in partnership with the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate and The British Council to form IELTS Australia. The first IELTS Australia centres were established in the major cities in Australia and in a number of overseas countries in 1990. Since then the network of IELTS Australia centres has expanded greatly. The quality and reliability of IELTS has been demonstrated through its recognition as the world's premier test for English proficiency. Please contact ielts@IELTS-Australia.org for further information.

University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations (Cambridge ESOL)

Cambridge ESOL is the world's leading provider of exams for learners of English. Cambridge exams are recognised by over 8,500 organisations worldwide and taken by over 3 million people each year in 135 countries.

Please contact ielts@ucles.org.uk for further information or visit http://www.cambridgeesol.org/

Overview of IELTS Australia in English Language Teaching (ELT)

IELTS Australia has been involved in the teaching and testing of English since 1988 when it opened the first Australian-initiated offshore ELT centre in Bangkok, known at that time as the English Language Centre of Australia (ELCA). Since then, IELTS Australia has been engaged in various activities to support the teaching and testing of English internationally. Today, there are around 8,000 students studying English with IELTS Australia.

IELTS Australia’s involvement in ELT is a natural fit with our focus on the “international student journey”. Students often begin their international education experience with study of English in an IELTS Australia English centre, then demonstrate their level of English on an international testing instrument such as IELTS, and then seek IELTS Australia’s professional placement service in finding the best course for their study abroad.

Apart from English Language Teaching, IELTS Australia also organises an international TESOL conference, the CamTESOL conference (www.camtesol.org). This conference attracts around 1,300 participants from approximately 30 countries. Around 300 papers and workshops are delivered annually at CamTESOL.

IELTS Australia also publishes the Language Education in Asia journal series (www.camtesol.org/language_education_in_asia.html). This is a peer-reviewed journal published online twice a year. It has a large and diverse international editorial board. Each issue of the journal contains papers on practical topics of teaching, papers based on research and a commentary on a contemporary subject.

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IELTS Australia Education: the first choice in recruiting international students

Advantages of partnering with the world’s largest international student placement provider

Benefit from a global presence plus local understanding of individual markets through a global network of over 80 student placement centres in more than 25 countries
Recruit well-qualified students – over 500 professionally trained IELTS Australia student counsellors work individually with students, helping them make the right education choices to achieve their career goals and matching them with individual institutions.
Diversify your international student base by reaching new emerging markets and developing markets.
Reach more students – IELTS Australia global student placement centres attract a high volume of students and their families.
Have quality time with students and their families: IELTS Australia regularly holds exhibitions, seminars and interview programs throughout our global network where students have personalised and interactive discussions with institution representatives.
Up-to-date and accurate information about your institution and courses – IELTS Australia is implementing a completely new and integrated infrastructure around its global network, including its own virtual private network. This will provide a high quality platform to run applications, such as a knowledge management system and CRM, making sure your institution’s information is kept up-to-date from one central source.
Industry research – IELTS Australia’s research expertise around buyers covers behaviour research, industry and environmental analysis and key industry statistical reporting .

Find out more about IELTS Australia Education and how a global network of skilled professionals in over 25 countries can benefit your institution’s marketing and recruitment strategy. Contact our dedicated client services teams based in country to discuss how they can support you and provide advice on recruitment strategy, market intelligence and promotional activities.

The IELTS incorporates the following features:

A variety of accents and writing styles have presented in text materials in order to minimise linguistic bias.
IELTS tests the ability to listen, read, write and speak in English.
Band scores used for each language sub-skill (Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking). The Band Scale ranges from 0 ("Did not attempt the test") to 9 ("Expert User").
The speaking module - a key component of IELTS. This is conducted in the form of a one-to-one interview with an examiner. The examiner assesses the candidate as he or she is speaking, but the speaking session is also recorded for monitoring as well as re-marking in case of an appeal against the banding given.
IELTS is developed with input from item writers from around the world. Teams are located in the USA, Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and other English-speaking nations.