IELTS guide
IELTS Academic and General Training assess the same four skills but use different Reading and Writing material. Academic is designed for higher-education and professional contexts; General Training is designed for everyday, workplace and migration contexts. The receiving organisation or authority decides which version it accepts.
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IELTS Academic and General Training assess the same four skills but use different Reading and Writing material. Academic is designed for higher-education and professional contexts; General Training is designed for everyday, workplace and migration contexts. The receiving organisation or authority decides which version it accepts.
Academic Reading uses longer university-style texts, and Academic Writing Task 1 asks you to describe charts, maps, processes, or diagrams. General Training Reading uses workplace and everyday texts, and General Writing Task 1 asks for a letter.
Do not choose based on which test sounds easier. Choose the version your university, visa pathway, professional body, or employer requires.
For study or professional registration, check the exact institution, course or regulator before choosing Academic. For migration or work, use the official authority page for the exact route; do not infer the required version from the destination country alone.
The Reading and Writing material differs, so difficulty depends on the learner and task. Listening and Speaking use the same format. Choose by the receiver's rule, not perceived difficulty.
IELTS Academic is designed for higher education, but each university, school and programme publishes its own accepted tests, delivery modes and minimums. Check that page before booking.
Use the current government page for the exact immigration route. The accepted test, version, approved location and section minimums can differ between pathways and change over time.