Which Countries Can IELTS Be Used For?
Have a dream to study/ work in a country abroad? What’s stopping you from applying for countries abroad? Is it your English? Not to worry. It’s time to fulfil your dreams. Whichever country you go, you will be asked to prove your fluency in English and that is why the IELTS test is the most common test taken by the people who aspire to work/study abroad. Begin your life with IELTS in countries like Australia, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and Ireland.
IELTS is accepted by more than 11,000 organisations across 140 countries, these include universities, companies, government organisations and migration agencies.
Australia, for example, offers a wide range of opportunities for students with 22,000 courses available in over 1,100 institutions. Canada hosts more than 500,000 international students each year, while you can experience a world-class education with countryside charm in locations like New Zealand or Ireland.
Alternatively, experience an excellent quality of education and career development in the United Kingdom. Four of the country’s universities rank highly in the QS World Rankings, Times Higher Education Ranking, and Academic Ranking of World Universities year after year.
Below are the list of countries where IELTS can be used –
Country Name | Universities |
The University of Cambridge The University of Oxford University College London | |
US | Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Stanford University Yale University Harvard University Princeton University |
Australia | Monash University Australian National University The University of Melbourne |
New Zealand | The University of Otago The University of Auckland Victoria University of Wellington |
Canada | University of Alberta McGill University University of British Columbia The University of Toronto |
Ireland | University College Cork Waterford Institute of Technology, Trinity College Dublin College Limerick |
France | The University of Montpellier The Paris Institute of Political Studies Sorbonne University |
For bachelor’s and postgraduate degrees, you need to secure a 6.5 overall band score in IELTS. This cut-off may go off up to 7 – 7.5 at top universities like Harvard and Cambridge. However, this will vary from universe to universe.
Leading colleges and universities in the United States of America usually demand a minimum IELTS score of around 7.0. Colleges such as Carnegie Mellon University accept IELTS band scores of 6.0 or above. Therefore, it is evident that the IELTS score requirement will depend on the type of university you are applying to.
In Australia, the band score depends on the course you are enrolling in. A 7.0 score is necessary to pursue medical courses, whereas, a 6.0 overall score for bachelor courses and 6.5 for postgraduate courses.
5.5 is the least band score required in every section, along with a 6.0 overall score is essential for graduate programs. For postgraduate courses, at least a 6.0 score in all sections and an overall score of 6.5 is applicable.
While teaching or engineering courses require an IELTS score of 7.0 at least, for graduate and undergraduate courses, an overall band score of 6.0 and 6.5 is mandatory, respectively. For diploma courses, candidates need to score a minimum of 5.5 in their IELTS exam.
French universities are relatively lenient when it comes to IELTS. While most universities require an IELTS band score of 6 – 6.5, universities like ISC Paris do not require IELTS marks for enrolment.
For undergraduate courses in Irish universities, you require a minimum score of 5.5 – 6.0. In the case of postgraduate courses, the minimum score hovers between 6.0 and 6.5.
People apply for immigration for a multitude of purposes, including studies, professions, or other personal reasons. Some native English-speaking countries accept IELTS for immigration purposes. These countries include:
Australia
Candidates will need to prove their English proficiency for the Department of Home Affairs to issue a visa for them. All professional agencies recognize the IELTS score, albeit the minimum score required may vary depending on the purpose of the visa.
Canada
IRCC (Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada) needs applicants to demonstrate their English skills to gain a Canadian visa. All organisations and educational institutions accept IELTS scores. The minimum score is dependent on where one is looking to work or study.
New Zealand
Immigration New Zealand accepts your IELTS score to ascertain your English efficiency for approving your visa application. Minimum score requirements will vary depending on the type of course or organisation you are applying for.
The UK
UKVI (UK Visas and Immigration) recognizes all forms of IELTS tests, including IELTS Academic, General Training or life skills, as proof of your English proficiency for applicants looking to settle permanently in the UK (also referred to as ‘leave to remain’ or ‘long residence’).