IELTS — International English Language Testing System
The world’s most widely accepted English test for study, work and migration.
IELTS is accepted by more than 12,000 organisations worldwide, including universities, employers and immigration authorities in the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the USA and Europe. If you are applying for a study visa, skilled migration or professional registration, IELTS is usually the safest, most widely recognised choice.
The test measures four skills — Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking — and reports each on a 0–9 band scale, along with an overall band. Most universities ask for an overall 6.0–7.0; immigration programmes like Canada Express Entry or Australia’s skilled visas convert your bands into points, so every half-band matters.
Writing is the section where most South Asian candidates lose their target band. It is also the hardest to self-assess: you cannot mark your own essay against the official descriptors. That is exactly the problem BandVisa solves.
IELTS at a glance
Types of IELTS
For university admission and professional registration. Writing Task 1 describes a chart, table or diagram; Task 2 is an essay.
For work visas and migration (UK, Canada, Australia, NZ). Writing Task 1 is a letter; Task 2 is an essay.
The same test taken at a UK-government-approved centre, required for some UK visa routes.
Retake just one skill (e.g. Writing) instead of the whole test — available in many countries on computer-based IELTS.
Who should choose IELTS
- UK student and work visas (widest acceptance)
- Canada study permits and Express Entry
- Australia and New Zealand study or skilled migration
- Anyone who wants one test accepted almost everywhere
How BandVisa scores your IELTS practice
BandVisa gives you full AI-graded IELTS writing practice today: real Task 1 (Academic and General) and Task 2 prompts, exam timing, and examiner-style grading on all four official criteria — Task Achievement, Coherence & Cohesion, Lexical Resource, and Grammatical Range & Accuracy — with line-by-line corrections and a model answer for every task. Free to start.
Two human examiners can differ by half a band, so use your BandVisa score as a consistent estimate to improve against — not an official result.
IELTS — common questions
Most UK universities ask for an overall 6.0–6.5 with no skill below 5.5–6.0, but requirements vary by course. Foundation routes accept lower bands; medicine and law often ask for 7.0+. Always confirm with your university’s offer letter.
Compare with other tests
Independent AI practice tool · scores are estimates, not official test results.