IELTS validity | How prolonged is the validity of the exam?

Before being allowed to study, reside, or work in an English-speaking nation, students must first establish their language ability. The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam aims to help you achieve this objective. Therefore, you must be conversant with all components of the exam while preparing for IELTS, if you choose to pursue additional education abroad. However, the IELTS validity varies with each country.

The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is the most well-known English language exam. It evaluates a person’s ability to communicate in an environment where English is the primary language of instruction or employment. Since the exam is recognized in several important nations, including the UK, USA, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia. The exam evaluates a person’s hearing, reading, writing, and conversational ability in less than three hours.

High points from the IELTS

Let us first learn about the exam before determining the IELTS validity. The key points of the IELTS exam are summarized here. You may find it here-

Eligibility	16 years of age and older
Exam pattern	Talking, hearing, reading, and writing
Exam formats	Academic and general test
Centers	4,500 testing facilities in 165 countries
Acceptance of IELTS scores	10,000 organizations exist all around the world
Score’s validity	2 years

Sum up the IELTS band scores

The IELTS exam is taken into four sections that are reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Each component accounts for 25% of the overall IELTS validity. Thus, each section is equally important.

The exam is rated on a scale of 0 to 9, with each number representing a different degree of English competence. Students who take the exam will be assigned band scores for each component as well as an overall band score. A band score of 6 indicates that the candidate is skillful. Despite certain blunders and misunderstandings, the student has a strong grasp of English. Regular practice will help you enhance your score.

Skill level	Band level	Remarks
Expert	9	Correct and appropriate command of the language.
Very good	8	Fully functioning mastery of the English language, with a few minor glitches.
Good	7	Operational command of the language with errors in some portions.
Competent	6	Strong understanding of the language Fair comprehension of difficult language.
Modest	5	Moderate language command and ability to cope in most circumstances.
Limited	4	common myths about understanding the inability to communicate in sophisticated language.
Extremely limited	3	Only generic interpretations are understood. Faces recurring communication breakdowns.
Intermittent	2	Genuine communication is impossible. Has trouble in writing, talking, and comprehending the language.
Non-user	1	No attempt to communicate in English.
Non-attempt	0	Did not attempt the test.

Let us understand the evaluation criteria for each of these areas before going on to the IELTS validity score,

Writing test

Top specialists in their respective fields evaluate the IELTS test. The IELTS writing section is split into two parts: IELTS academic writing and IELTS general writing. Both parts have different materials, but the question categories are the same.

The IELTS written task 1 grading criteria account for 33% of the total IELTS writing evaluation score. IELTS writing can be graded as 6 or 7, or in split scores as IELTS 6.5 or 7.5. IELTS writing assignment 2 is divided into two sections: academic and broad. Yet, IELTS writing task 2 grading criterion has a 66 percent weightage over the IELTS writing task 1 marking criteria.

Speaking test

The speaking portion of the exam focuses on common discussions. Test participants are situated in a private room, and a qualified examiner begins speaking with them. The examiner then considers the following variables to assess your English speaking abilities-

• Coherence and fluency
• Pronunciation
• Lexical resource
• Precision
• Grammatical variety

Reading test

In this stage, candidates must answer 40 questions. Multiple choice, true and false, paragraph completing, and matching are among the question categories. The evaluation is carried out differently in this part since the responses might be correct or incorrect. Each right answer earns the contender one point.

Listening test

There are 40 questions in this section. They are all audio examples, and the evaluation in this area differs from the assessment in the spoken and written sections.

Everlasting period of IELTS score?

Now comes the crucial question: How many years is the IELTS score valid? Candidates receive their testing results between 5 to 7 days after finishing the exam. The offline technique, on the other hand, can take up to 13 days.

The score is normally accurate for just two years to guarantee that a candidate’s knowledge is extensive and up-to-date after clearing their IELTS exam. However, the  IELTS result validity period of Test Result Forms varies by country (TRF). The viability of the IELTS score in other countries is discussed further below,

Validity of IELTS Scores in different countries	Validity of IELTS scores
The United States	Two years, accepted by over 3,000 universities.
Canada	Two years, candidates must present the IELTS validity period for Canada within a year of filing their application.
The United Kingdom	Two years, candidates who receive poor results can request a results inquiry within 6 weeks after the release date.
Australia	As part of the other adjustments to the GSM (General Skilled Migrations) visa program, the duration has been increased to three years.

Enforcement of IELTS scores

After learning about the IELTS validity period, prospective students should learn about the recognized IELTS scores at major colleges worldwide. The minimum IELTS band requirements vary per nation. The following are the scores acceptable by various countries-

• UK

Individuals must get at least a 6.5 IELTS band to pursue a bachelor’s or PG degree in the United Kingdom. Some top-tier colleges, such as the University of Oxford, require a minimum band score of 7-7.5 for their courses.

• US

The minimal IELTS score required varies by university. Competitive institutions, for example, need a minimum band score of 7. Other colleges, on the other hand, will accept a 6-band score.

• Australia

In Australia, band scores are determined by the course chosen. A medical course, for example, may require applicants to have a pass mark of 7. The minimum IELTS score for a bachelor’s degree is about 6, while for postgraduate students, the band score might be around 7.

Key takeaways

• The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) was created to help pupils achieve this objective.
• The IELTS validity is two years after the individual receives the result.
• The rationale for IELTS validity being limited to two years is to guarantee that the authenticity of the information is preserved.
• IELTS is recognized in several important nations, including the UK, USA, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia.

We hope you enjoyed reading this blog. In case of any queries, reach out to us or drop a comment below!

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FAQs

Q1. How many times can you take the IELTS exam?

Answer- There is no set number to the number of times you can take the IELTS exam. It is held multiple times a year to allow applicants to select a day and take the test when they’re ready.

Q2. How long will an IELTS score be valid?

Answer- Two years is the validity of the IELTS score.

Q3. What if I fail my IELTS speaking exam?

Answer- There isn’t anything you can do if you fail your IELTS speaking test. Unfortunately, you will have to arrange another entire exam and pay again.