How To Apply For IELTS Exam – 10 Simple Steps

The IELTS is one of India’s most popular English language testing exams. The popularity of the exam is because of its simplicity and suitability of the exam. So it is very important for students to learn about how to apply for IELTS exam.

The IELTS exam is basically of two types: 

• IELTS Academic
• IELTS General Training

The General Training IELTS is mainly for visa and immigration purposes, while the academic IELTS is given by students who want to go abroad for study purposes. 

All the students who are from a country where English is not a native language are required to give an English testing exam. 

There are several other exams like the PTE, TOEFL, and Duolingo, but the IELTS exam remains the most trusted and the most popular for Indian students.

The registration procedure for this exam is lengthy, and you need to fill in all the information correctly, as this information cannot be changed. 

So, in this blog, I will guide you through the step-by-step process of how to apply for IELTS exam. 

Before learning about booking the exam, you must learn about the IELTS exam eligibility.

To learn Which Book Is Best For IELTS Preparation, read our other blog.

IELTS Eligibility

The first question is how to apply for IELTS exam and who can take the test. The IELTS exam has no special eligibility criteria. 

Other English language testing exams may have set some special criteria for the eligibility of their tests, but the IELTS can be taken by anyone at age above 16. 

It is recommended that you take the IELTS after 16 years of age, as if taken early, the score validity may expire. 

Application Procedure – How To Apply For IELTS Exam

Now coming to the main question of how to apply for IELTS exam. You can take the IELTS test on 48 fixed dates in a year that is set by the administration. 

The test is conducted four times in a single month. There is no limit to the number of attempts for the test. You can give the IELTS test as many times as you want till you reach the score you need. 

However, you will have to go through the entire registration procedure again and again for each attempt, and also you have to pay the fees again. 

You can book the IELTS exam in two ways, one is from the IELTS official website, and the other is by visiting the offline IDP IELTS center near you. 

The date of the results of the IELTS exam depends on the mode of the exam you opted for, for example, if you opted for the pen-paper-based IELTS, then you will have to wait for 13 business days to get your result of the exam and if you opted for the computer-based IELTS, then you will get the result in just 3-5 days. 

Another advantage of giving the computer-based test is that you can give it is made available 3 times a day and 7 days a week. Here I will guide you through all the steps in the online application procedure. 

The application process is very easy, and you do not need any third-party person to complete this process. Once you understand the procedure, you will be able to do it yourself. The steps for filling out the application are as follows:

1. Visit the official IELTS India website. The website is very simple to understand, and the flow is simple and mostly self-explanatory so that it will be easier for you.
2. Click on the Registration for test option. If the pop-up is already available showing Register for IELTS, then fill in the details in it.
3. Select your preferred test mode. There are two modes computer-based and paper-based IELTS. You can decide by yourself which mode is more suitable for you. Select the option carefully.
4. Select your test type. As mentioned above, there are two types: Academic IELTS and General training IELTS. Then select your city, and then you will be shown the available dates and time slots. Pick the date and the time slot suitable for you. 
5. Then another window will open in which you must fill in all the personal details. Be very careful while filling in the details, as these details, including the email address, phone number, and name, will not be changed afterward, and all the important updates and reminders will be sent to the given email. 
6. Fill in the registration details. The registration details are different from the personal details as they ask you questions like why you are giving the test, which country are you intending to go to, etc. 
7. In the next step in how to apply for IELTS exam, you will have to upload a copy of your passport.
8. Then you will have to select a list of colleges to where you want to send your score. This is for transparency of the score, and the universities can know that the scores you have told them are correct. 
9. Then you will be asked to review your application; this is the last step if you want to change any of the given pieces of information, so check precisely. 
10. The last step of how to apply for IELTS exam is to pay the exam fee. The fee is INR 15,500. The fees can be paid by debit/credit card. After the payment, you will be able to download the receipt for the exam.

You will also get an acknowledgment mail on your registered email or phone number that your application is accepted. It will also contain the time slot you booked.   

You can also register for the IELTS exam by personally visiting the nearest IDP India office. They will give you a form that needs to be filled out. Then you will have to complete the payment in the office itself either by a debit or a credit card, or you can also pay by demand draft or ICICI bank deposit slip. 

If you are searching for the best Common Idioms To Boost IELTS Score, read our other blog.

Important point while applying for the IELTS exam

Now that you are clear about how the apply for IELTS exam let us discuss some important points that you should keep in mind while registering and appearing for the exam:

• You should be above the age of 16 to register for the exam.
• The information provided by you should be original, and it should match your passport. 
• The photo uploaded should be a recent one.
• You will have to carry your passport to the exam center.
• The receipt should be kept safe and handy in case of a glitch in the system as proof. 

IELTS Test centers

The IELTS exam makes sure that candidates do not face any difficulties in giving the exam. And the biggest difficulty faced by many candidates is limited test centers, but the IELTS has several test centers across India, which makes it more suitable for students to take the test at their nearest center, and they have traveled less. The IELTS exam centers are:

• Ahmedabad
• Amritsar
• Bengaluru
• Bhatinda
• Bhopal
• Bhubaneswar
• Kolkata
• Chandigarh
• Chennai
• Coimbatore
• Delhi
• Haryana
• Jaipur
• Jodhpur
• Udaipur
• Surat, Rajkot
• Jalandhar
• Kochi
• Kottayam
• Lucknow
• Ludhiana
• Madurai
• Mumbai
• Navi Mumbai
• Patiala
• Pune
• Patiala
• Raipur
• Thiruvananthapuram
• Thrissur
• Trichy
• Vijayawada. 

To learn how to book PTE exam, read our other blog.

Conclusion

The entire process of how to apply for IELTS exam is very simple, and after this blog, I am sure that there is no doubt left with you regarding the question. 

If we conclude the entire process, then you will first have to check whether your university is accepting IELTS scores, and if yes, then you will have to start preparing for the test at least 3-4 months before the application date of your university abroad so that it is suitable for you to give the test again if needed. 

Make sure that you give the correct pieces of information and qualifications in the application part of the IELTS exam. Also, make sure to follow the dress code, if any, and be prepared with all the legal documents that are required. If you still have any questions regarding how to apply for IELTS exam, then you can contact to our experts or let us know through comments. 

For more content like this, keep visiting CourseMentor™. All the best for your future endeavors. 

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