What is IELTS? 5 reasons you should take IELTS before studying abroad

For those who are planning to study abroad, possessing an IELTS certificate not only helps meet school entry requirements but also brings many benefits in work and life abroad. It is one of the international English certificates widely recognized around the world. So what is IELTS? Why should you get an IELTS certificate before studying abroad? Let's learn about 5 outstanding benefits that IELTS brings when you study abroad.

Table of Contents

What is IELTS?

IELTS stands for International English Language Testing System and is a certificate that evaluates international English language proficiency through 4 skills: Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing. This is one of the most popular English certificates in the world for those who want to work, study and live in countries around the world.

For those who plan to study abroad, IELTS is considered an important measure to help universities, colleges and visa review agencies evaluate your ability to use English. Currently, thousands of educational organizations, businesses and government agencies in many countries have accepted IELTS as proof of foreign language proficiency of international students.

Maybe you don't know: 10 countries accept English as their mother tongue

Depending on your learning goals and future orientation, you can choose IELTS Academic or IELTS General Training. In particular, IELTS Academic is the form chosen by the majority of international students to meet the entry requirements of universities and international training programs.

So what are the IELTS skills when studying?

Studying IELTS is not just for exam preparation so you can achieve the desired score to get an English certificate. It will be a process of practicing ielts skills, equipping a solid foundation for your journey abroad, you will develop 4 ielts skills including Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing, specifically as follows:

1. Listening skills

2. Speaking skills (Reading)

3. Reading skills (Reading)

4. Writing skills (Writing)

Study abroad information: Why should you choose to study abroad in Singapore?

5 reasons you should take IELTS before studying abroad

Possessing an IELTS certificate before studying abroad helps you meet admission requirements, increase your chances of receiving scholarships, easily apply for a visa and many other benefits. Let's learn about 5 outstanding benefits of IELTS for international students.

1. Meets entry requirements of international schools

Most colleges, universities and institutes in the world require certificates to assess the English proficiency of international students. Possessing IELTS helps you meet admission requirements and increase your chances of being accepted into your desired school.

2. Increase your chances of receiving scholarships

Many scholarship programs consider IELTS as one of the important criteria for evaluating candidates. The higher your IELTS score, the more advantageous your application will be in the scholarship admission process.

3. Support the student visa application process

In many countries, IELTS certificate is one of the documents that helps prove international students' ability to use English. This helps the visa application become more convincing and convenient.

4. Confidently study in an international environment

The IELTS learning process helps you comprehensively develop the four skills of Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing. Thanks to that, you can easily absorb lectures, read academic materials, write essays and participate in class discussions.

5. Easily integrate into study abroad life

Good English skills help you communicate confidently with lecturers, international friends and local people. This is an important foundation to quickly adapt to a new living environment, expand relationships and enjoy a more complete study abroad experience.

Maybe you don't know: 10 secrets to applying for scholarships at international schools

How much IELTS score should I score to study abroad?

The IELTS score required to study abroad will depend on the country, school and training program you choose. Currently, most international universities require IELTS from 6.0 to 6.5 for undergraduate level and from 6.5 to 7.0 for graduate level.

However, some schools or preparatory programs may accept lower scores. Therefore, you should carefully study the school's entry requirements to build appropriate IELTS goals.

Study abroad guide: The cost of studying abroad in Singapore is about 300 million per year

1. Can I study abroad with IELTS 5.5?

Yes. IELTS 5.5 can still help you study abroad at some colleges, university preparatory programs or English courses before entering a major.

However, with this score, the number of schools and majors you can choose from will be more limited. If possible, you should aim for IELTS 6.0 or higher to expand learning opportunities and improve competitiveness.

2. Which programs is IELTS 6.0 – 6.5 suitable for?

IELTS from 6.0 to 6.5 is the score required by many international universities for international students studying at the bachelor's level.

This is considered a safe score to help you meet the entrance requirements of many schools in countries such as England, Australia, Canada and New Zealand. In addition, some scholarship programs also require candidates to achieve a minimum IELTS 6.5.

3. What advantages does IELTS 7.0 or higher bring?

Possessing an IELTS score of 7.0 or higher helps you stand out in the admission process and increase your competitiveness when hunting for international scholarships.

Besides, the ability to use English fluently will help you be more confident in listening to lectures, participating in discussions, writing academic essays and communicating with lecturers and international friends.

When should I start studying IELTS to prepare for studying abroad?

The ideal time to start studying IELTS is 12 to 24 months before applying to study abroad. This period of time helps you build a solid English foundation, have enough time to practice for exams and achieve your desired score without pressure.

If your goal is to achieve an IELTS score of 6.5 or higher, preparing early will make the learning process more effective and avoid having to retake the exam multiple times.

Learning IELTS early helps save time

Starting to study IELTS early helps you be more proactive in planning your studies abroad, avoiding the rush of exam preparation when the application deadline is approaching.

In addition, preparing early also gives you many opportunities to improve your scores, complete your scholarship application and meet the school's admission requirements.

Build a roadmap suitable to your study abroad goals

Each student will have different goals for studying abroad, so the IELTS learning path also needs to be individualized. If you plan to study abroad in the next 1-2 years, you should clearly determine the country, major and required IELTS score to build an appropriate study plan. This helps save time, optimize costs and improve the ability to achieve your study abroad goals.

Some cards you don't know: Benefits when choosing to study abroad in the 6+6 system

Which countries require IELTS certificate when studying abroad?

UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, USA, Ireland, Singapore and the Netherlands are popular countries that accept IELTS certificates during the study abroad admission process. Depending on the school, major and level of training, IELTS score requirements will vary.

Does studying in the UK require IELTS?

Most universities in the UK require international students to achieve IELTS from 6.0 - 7.0 depending on the program of study. In addition to serving admission, IELTS is also one of the English certificates used in the process of applying for a UK student visa.

How much IELTS is required to study in Australia and New Zealand?

In Australia and New Zealand, IELTS is a certificate recognized by most schools and visa agencies. Normally, students need to achieve IELTS 6.0 - 6.5 to meet entry requirements for university programs.

Is IELTS required to study in Canada?

Many colleges and universities in Canada accept IELTS Academic as an English language assessment standard for international students. Common scores are usually from 6.0 - 6.5, while some specific industries or highly competitive programs may require IELTS of 7.0 or higher.

Does studying in the US accept IELTS?

Yes. Besides other certificates such as TOEFL, many universities in the US now also accept IELTS in the admission process for international students. This helps learners have more choices that suit their strengths.

Study abroad information: 5 reasons to choose to study abroad in Singapore and transfer to Australia

Other countries recognize IELTS

Ngoài các quốc gia kể trên, IELTS còn được công nhận tại Ireland, Singapore, Hà Lan và nhiều quốc gia châu Âu khác. Possessing an IELTS certificate not only helps expand opportunities to study abroad but also creates an advantage when applying for a job or settling down in the future.

In general, if you are planning to study abroad, IELTS is one of the most valuable English certificates that helps meet the entry requirements of many schools and countries around the world.

If you want advice or learn more about other study abroad programs, don't hesitate to contact Tuansing.