IELTS Test
Al Ain University is now an authorized IELTS Test Venue in partnership with the British Council.
IELTS is the world’s most popular English language proficiency test with two million tests taken in the last year. Taking IELTS opens doors – it can help you live, study and work in 135 countries around the world. More than 9,000 organizations worldwide accept IELTS, including government, academic and employment institutions- including over 3,000 institutions in the USA. In fact, IELTS is the only English language test accepted for immigration purposes by all countries that require one. IELTS is designed to assess the language ability of candidates who want to work or study in countries where English is the language of communication.
Test Format
IELTS has four modules – Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking.
Total Test Time
The total test time is 2 hours and 45 minutes. The Listening, Reading and Writing tests are done in one sitting. The Speaking test may be on the same day or up to seven days before or after the other tests. You will be advised of the time for your speaking interview when you apply.
| Total time for each part | ||
|---|---|---|
| Listening | 40 questions | Approximately 30 minutes |
| Reading | 40 questions | 60 minutes |
| Writing | 2 tasks | 60 minutes |
| Speaking | 3 parts | 11–14 minutes |
Registration and Payment:
The IELTS candidate may apply either online through this link
https://ieltsregistration.britishcouncil.org/test-chooser
or personally by visitant the Registration Unit at Al Ain University where a member of staff has been assigned to provide help with filling out the application form online.
The candidate has two options of payment, either online by credit card or offline at the finance unit staff at AAU registration counter. If the candidate chooses to pay offline, he/she will attend to the finance staff with the application reference number to pay the fees.
IELTS Testing Venues at AAU
- Abu Dhabi Campus
- Al Ain Campus
Test Fees
Paper Test: AED 1120
Computer Delivered: AED 1260
Required Identification Documents
On the day of the test, students must present their original, valid and signed passport; or UAE National ID for identification purposes only.
Please note that you will not be allowed to enter the exam hall without the original ID that you used during your registration.
How to Prepare
Road to IELTS is a popular online self-study resource for Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking test practice. Written by the British Council for its IELTS students, Road to IELTS includes:
- practice materials
- timed tests
- tutorials
- online scoring
- self-assessment tools so that you can measure your progress.
You can try British Council’s Road to IELTS resources with 10 hours of free study right now with no prior registration.
When you register for an IELTS test with British Council you’ll be free to enjoy a further 20 hours of access to the learning materials.
You can also visit this link for more IELTS preparation materials
http://takeielts.britishcouncil.org/prepare-test/how-prepare-ielts-test
IELTS Additional TRFs:
Students can order for additional original copies (up to maximum of five) of test report forms to be posted to receiving institutions. If you would like us to do this, please apply through one of our British Council customer services points. They send them free of charge if applied within the 4 (four) weeks from the result publishing date. However, for secure and faster delivery, additional courier charges may apply.
How IELTS is scored
IELTS results are reported on a 9-band scale
IELTS results are designed to be simple and easy to understand. Results are reported as band scores on a scale from 1 (the lowest) to 9 (the highest). The IELTS band scale has remained consistent and has acquired currency around the world over the past three decades.
The IELTS scale
| Band score | Skill level | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | Expert user | The test taker has fully operational command of the language. Their use of English is appropriate, accurate and fluent, and shows complete understanding. |
| 8 | Very good user | The test taker has fully operational command of the language with only occasional unsystematic inaccuracies and inappropriate usage. They may misunderstand some things in unfamiliar situations. They handle complex and detailed argumentation well. |
| 7 | Good user | The test taker has operational command of the language, though with occasional inaccuracies, inappropriate usage and misunderstandings in some situations. They generally handle complex language well and understand detailed reasoning. |
| 6 | Competent user | The test taker has an effective command of the language despite some inaccuracies, inappropriate usage and misunderstandings. They can use and understand fairly complex language, particularly in familiar situations. |
| 5 | Modest user | The test taker has a partial command of the language and copes with overall meaning in most situations, although they are likely to make many mistakes. They should be able to handle basic communication in their own field. |
| 4 | Limited user | The test taker's basic competence is limited to familiar situations. They frequently show problems in understanding and expression. They are not able to use complex language. |
| 3 | Extremely limited user | The test taker conveys and understands only general meaning in very familiar situations. There are frequent breakdowns in communication. |
| 2 | Intermittent user | The test taker has great difficulty understanding spoken and written English. |
| 1 | Non-user | The test taker has no ability to use the language except a few isolated words. |
| 0 | Did not attempt the test | The test taker did not answer the questions. |