THE TYPE OF IELTS YOU SHOULD TAKE

You can choose between the Academic or General Training module. Each module tests four language skills through the Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking components. There is a difference between the Academic and General Training Reading and Writing, while the Listening and Speaking components are the same for both modules.

The Academic module assesses whether a candidate is ready to study or train in English at an undergraduate or postgraduate level. It is widely accepted in the UK and many other countries, including the USA.

General Training is not designed to test the full range of formal language skills required for academic purposes, but emphasizes the skills needed in broad social and educational context. It is suitable for candidates who are going to English speaking countries to complete their secondary education, undertake work experience or training programmes not at a degree level; and for immigration purposes to Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

The IELTS Global Recognition System can tell you exactly which organisations accept IELTS and the scores they require.

If you are still unsure of which module to take, please contact our Examinations Services.

HOW TO REGISTER

1. Go to the IELTS Albania online registration system https://ielts.britishcouncil.org/albania, choose your test date and enter your personal details.

2. Print out the confirmation email, sign it and bring it to our office within five working days. You need to include:

•a SIGNED print out of the email you receive when you have submitted your application

•passport size colour photos (not older than 6 months)

(NOTE: candidates must not wear glasses in the photographs)

•a coloured copy of your passport or National ID card, whichever you indicated on your application

•a copy of your proof of payment of the test fee. Please do NOT send cash through the post.

You will receive the final email of confirmation when we have received your documentation by post.

3. Payment

In order to confirm your registration we need to receive your payment (EUR 140,00) and documentation no later than 5 working days after registering for the test

If you are not able to register online you can also register online by filling out the application form

If you are paying from abroad, please contact us first so that we can give you detailed instructions and send you the appropriate form.

After we receive all required documents, you will be granted with access to "Road to IELTS" sofware, for IELTS preparation, which is free of charge for our candidates.

Each IELTS session has a limited number of places and the place is offered to applicants on a first come first served basis. We can only guarantee a place in the exam after we have received your complete application.

Your registration is only valid upon payment of the fee. Please note that, in case of incomplete payment, your registration will be cancelled on the last day of the registration period without notification.

Please note that from January 2011 we are not open to the general public.

You can bring all documentation to our office - we are open Monday to Thursday 9.00 - 17.00 and Friday 9.00 to 14.30. You can also send it by post to the following address:

British Council

C/O British Embassy

Examination Services

Rr. Skenderbej, Nr12

Tirana, Albania

Tel: +355 (04) 2240856 / 7

Fax: +355 (04) 22408568

For more information please email us on examsalbania@britishcouncil.org or call us on 00355 4 240858 every Monday, Wednesday and Friday 10.00-13.00.

WHEN AND HOW YOU WILL RECEIVE YOUR RESULTS

The Test Report Form (TRF) gives a brief description of the candidate's level of knowledge. A score is reported for each of the four test components which are then averaged and rounded to produce an overall band score.

The results are issued on the 13th day after the test and are sent by post on the same day. They can also be viewed online.

Up to five additional free of charge copies of the TRF may further be sent to institutions specified in application form (e.g. immigration bodies or universities).

*Please note that we are not permitted to give results out over the phone or email.

It is possible to obtain further copies of TRF The standard courier fee for a TRF is 200 ALL per copy, payment on Intesa San Paolo Bank Account Name BRITISH COUNCIL, Account Number 30545235302 (lek)

Candidates requiring additional copies of their TRF will need to complete Additional TRF Form and send it by post or by email along with a photocopy of the identification document stated in the original application form and a proof of payment.

Adress:

British Council C/O British Embassy,

Rr. Skënderbej, Nr.12,

Tirana, Albania

REFUNDS / TRANSFERS

Refunds are not payable within 5 weeks of the test date
For cancellations up to 5 weeks before the test date, the full fee is refundable
If an original medical certificate confirming illness on the date of the test is provided within 5 working days of the test date, the half of the fee is refundable. The medical certificate needs to have a diagnosis written in Albanian and translated in English.
Requests for transfer of the test date are accepted up to 5 weeks prior to the test. Requests after the 5 week cut off date will be treated as cancellation of the test and no fee will be refunded.

CANDIDATES WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

If you require special arrangements (modified materials, extra time), because of visual, hearing, speaking, learning, permanent writing and other difficulties, let us know before you register for the exam! Requests for extra administrative time needs to be submitted 6 weeks in advance, and requests for special materials 3 weeks in advance. Your request must be supported by original medical documentation not older than 2 years and with a diagnosis written in Albanian and translated in English.

ENQUIRY ON RESULTS

Candidates may apply for a remark of their results at their centre in Tirana up to 6 weeks after the test date. The fee for the EOR is 60 GBP, payable in euro or lek.

You can choose the components you wish to be remarked at the same fee. Please contact us before making the payment. The full fee is refunded should the score be increased.

The request is forwarded by post to British Council London and the the scores are available after 6 - 8 weeks.

Please make sure you read the EOR form carefully to understand the terms and conditions. All papers for EOR are sent to IELTS headquarters by marking by senior examiner. For detailed information see the form

HOW YOU CAN PREPARE FOR THE TEST

You can order useful preparation materials which we will send to you by post:

A Specimen materials (official IELTS preparation materials) set includes a full practice test with an answer key and a CD for the Listening and Speaking parts. It helps candidates get some idea of their level of knowledge and familiarise themselves with the format of the test. The price is 2000 Leks

And"How to Prepare for IELTS" book with CD. The price is 3000 Leks.

To order the materials, please download this form and follow the instructions.

Please keep the original proof of payment until the moment you receive the materials from us. To order them, you need to either email, fax or send us by post a photocopy of the proof of payment.

We will send you the materials by post as soon as we receive your order.

You can try some free sample questions online. These sample questions will give you an idea of what to expect in the Reading, Writing and Speaking modules.

You may also access helpful IELTS practice section on British council website Learn English Professionals which includes IELTS practice materials, Learn English Exams and IELTS test information classroom activities on the Cambridge ESOL Teaching Resources website.

IELTS - HINTS AND TIPS

LISTENING

Read instructions carefully, don’t just glance at them. They are not always the same as in practise or previous tests.
Often the speaker will give you an answer and then correct themselves-watch out for this. It’s a common trick.
Try and anticipate what the speaker will say. This requires concentration-easy in your own language, but more difficult in English.
Remember if you want a high score you should aim to get all questions in parts one and two correct. Don’t make any careless mistakes in the easier sections.
Although there are not that many IELTS books on the market other Cambridge exam preparation materials can provide valuable practise such as FCE and CAE preparation books.
Small errors can lead to low score such as spelling, omitting 's' or incomplete times.
Don’t  panic if you think the topic is too difficult or the speaker is too fast. Relax and tune in.
Read, write and listen at the same time. Tricky but practise!
Don’t leave blanks, you might as well guess you won’t be penalised.

READING

Leave a question if you can’t answer. To spend a long time on one answer is disastrous. Go back later if you have time and guess if you have too.
Don’t panic if you don’t know anything about the passage. All the answers are in the passage and you don’t need any specialist knowledge.
Remember you have no extra time to transfer your answers, many candidates think because they have extra time in listening they are able to do this in reading too. You can’t.
Before the exam read as widely as possible e.g. Newspapers, magazines, journals. Don’t limit yourself to one type of text and read articles with an academic style where possible.
Look at ways paragraphs are organised.
Try and predict content of paragraph from the opening sentence.
Give a paragraph you read an imaginary heading
Don’t concentrate on words you don’t know. It is fatal and wastes valuable time.
Careless mistakes cost many marks. Copy the answer correctly if it is in the passage.
Check spelling.
Only give one answer if that is all that’s needed.
Be careful with singular/plural.

WRITING

Highlight/circle key words
Clearly divide paragraphs
Don’t repeat ideas in a different way.
Stick to the topic.
Careful with timing-don’t rush Task 2, it’s longer and carries more weight.
Paragraph simply with one idea in each paragraph.
Avoid informal language.
Learn to recognise how long 150 words is in your handwriting. You don’t really have time to count.
Get used to always spending several minutes re-reading and correcting your essays.
Don’t memorise model answers, they won’t fit the question and you will make more careless mistakes.

SPEAKING

It tests your ability to communicate effectively not just your grammatical accuracy
Don’t learn chunks of answers. The examiner is trained to spot this and will change the question.
Develop your answers as much as possible.
Speak more than the examiner.
Ask for clarification if necessary.
Remember it is not a test of knowledge and there is no single answer, but ensure that you give your opinion. Don’t worry if you feel it is not sophisticated enough.
The areas covered are fairly predictable and not infinite so practise at home recording ideas onto a tape recorder.

IELTS TEST DAY

When you register to take an IELTS test you will receive a confirmation letter as well as an email giving you information about the test venue and starting time.

Arrival Time

The test starts punctually at 9am and you need to arrive at the latest by 8.30 am. If you arrive after the start of the test you will not be allowed to take the test on that date.  

ID Check

An ID Check will take place before you can enter the test room. You must bring along the ID (National Identity Card or Passport) that you stated in your application form. Driving licenses and student IDs are not acceptable proof of identity. Candidates without a valid ID will not be allowed to sit the test.

Materials allowed in the test room

valid ID
a pencil
an eraser
a bottle of water

You are not allowed to bring into the examination room any food, electronic devices e.g. mobile phones, electronic translators. If any of these items are found in your possession you will be disqualified.

Test

At 9am the test starts with a welcome and a short introduction from your supervisor.

Please note that there are no breaks between the first three parts of the test.

Test stages

Listening Test

takes around 30 minutes plus 10 minutes for transferring answers to the answer sheet
the text is recorded on a CD which contains all the instructions and necessary pauses
the supervisor will conduct a sound check before beginning the test
once the CD has started it can not be stopped for questions so please make sure you ask any relevant questions before the CD begins
you must use a pencil and not a pen on the answer sheet

Reading Test

takes 60 minutes and contains 3 sections of increasing difficulty
regular time checks will be given by the supervisor
please note there will be NO extra time to transfer answers to the answer sheet
if you need to ask a question raise your hand and an invigilator will come to you
you must use a pencil and not a pen on the answer sheet

Writing Test

takes 60 minutes
task one requires at least 150 words and should take about 20 minutes
task two requires at least 250 words and should take about 40 minutes
You must use your own ideas. Pre-prepared answers will lose marks
You will lose marks for essays which are under the specified word count
Regular time checks will be given by the supervisor

Speaking Test

a face to face interview of 11 to 14 mins with a trained IELTS examiner
you will need to arrive 15 minutes before the scheduled interview time
You will be asked to leave your personal belongings outside the exam room
you will be asked to present your ID document to the IELTS examiner
All tests are recorded for double marking purposes
You will be asked to leave the test centre once your speaking test is over

The speaking module will be one week before of after the exam dates

We would suggest that you also read the official IELTS Test Day Advice and download the IELTS handbook  for more information

Further Information for Institutions

Further Information for Teachers

IELTS breaks the 1.5 million tests mark

Over 3,000 institutions and programs in the USA accept IELTS

IELTS has cemented its position as the world’s most popular high stakes English language test with latest figures revealing a record 1.5 million tests were taken around the world in 2010.

Representing over 15 consecutive years of global growth, the number of tests taken has increased year-on-year annually since 1995.

North America followed by the Philippines and Hong Kong experienced the largest growth over the year, whilst China, Australia and India continue to retain their positions as the largest markets for IELTS.

Tony Pollock, Chief Executive of IDP: IELTS Australia, speaking on behalf of the three IELTS partners said, “We believe the increase in the number of IELTS tests taken can be attributed to two key factors.  Firstly, we have seen greater test accessibility with 800 locations in 130 countries now available.

“There are also over 6,000 institutions globally that rely on the rigour and reliability of the IELTS test to make informed decisions where English language skills are a key requirement, including universities, employers, professional bodies and immigration authorities,” he continued.

IELTS provides a reliable measure of a candidate’s ability across the four skills of listening, reading, writing and speaking.

Candidates cited the number one reason for taking the test in 2010 was in pursuit of entry into an academic institution, followed by migration purposes.

“IELTS continues to help change people’s lives as they look for opportunities around the world – whether that be in education, for migration or employment.  That’s why IELTS is a high stakes test and also why it’s so critical that the test continue to be a robust and rigorous measure of English language proficiency.

“With 1.5 million tests delivered last year, it is clear that the effectiveness of IELTS in this regard is acknowledged by both candidates and those who use and rely on the test alike,” Mr Pollock concluded.

Since 1989, IELTS is jointly owned by British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia and the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations (Cambridge ESOL).