What is IELTS?

IELTS is a high quality English language test required for admission to educational institutions worldwide and is also an essential part of the immigration process in a number of countries.

IELTS assesses English language ability on a nine-band scale. It has been developed to meet the challenges of evolving international labour and academic contexts.

Three highly reputable education institutions are working together to administer the test which reflects the most innovative trends in language assessment.: the British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia and the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations.

• IELTS has wide global recognition: UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and many other non English speaking countries.
• IELTS tests international English (no UK or US bias)
• For your convenience, British Council Switzerland organises IELTS sessions up to 40 times a year and delivers results in only 13 days,
• The speaking section is a face-to-face interview with a trained examiner
• British Council offers you various options for test preparation

Where is IELTS recognised?

IELTS is widely accepted and is requested by over 6,000 educational institutions, immigration authorities and professional bodies all over the world including the UK, US, Australia, Canada, New Zealand as well as non English speaking countries offering courses in English. For details please go here. If the university you are applying to is not on this link please get in touch with us.

In the United States IELTS has achieved a dramatic increase in recognition with over 2000 universities and colleges, including all of the Ivy League Schools, accepting IELTS certificates. You can find out more here.

What types of IELTS can I choose from?

There are two different modules that are aimed at candidates with the following general requirements:

• Academic: if you intend to study at undergraduate or postgraduate degree level
• General Training: if you plan to go to English speaking countries to complete your secondary education, to undertake work experience or training programmes, or for immigration purposes

Please confirm with the institution requesting it as to which module is specifically needed.

Where and when can I take IELTS?

British Council administers the test up to three times every month in Bern and eight times a year in our centres in Zürich and Geneva. Three sessions are organised in 2012 in St. Gallen as well (January, July, September). We also organise closed sessions wherever in Switzerland institutions (e.g. high schools, universities, other organisations) might wish to offer their candidates the convenience and the flexibility of doing the test on their premises. Find out more about specific IELTS dates and venues.

How do I register?

All registration is centralised in British Council Bern. You can register online on this website and then send all necessary documentation to us. For full details of how to register for any centre in Switzerland access the simple three-step registration process.

What happens on the day of the test?

All the written papers are taken in one morning with speaking tests taking place in the afternoon. Please visit IELTS test day for further information about arrival times, what you need to bring with you and how the test will be conducted.

How and when do I receive my results?

Results are released just 13 days after the written test date. You will receive your own copy and we can send further copies on your behalf to universities and professional bodies you have applied to. You can now also access your results online.

The Test Report will show the overall band and a score per module. For more details on this, how to interpret your scores and typical scores institutions may ask for, please visit the Results page.

Please note that we can only issue test report forms for two years after the test date.

We offer a service which will allow you to have access to your results online by using the following link. You will be able to do this on the 13th day after your test, after 3:00pm.

What is the format of the test?

IELTS tests English as it is used in work, study and everyday life. This is done by assessing all four areas of language proficiency: listening, reading, writing and speaking. The first 3 sections use a pen and paper test format.

IELTS takes great care to assess language skills as fairly and as true to the real world as possible. Because of this, IELTS is the only internationally accredited English language test where active speaking skills are not assessed via the computer, but in a face-to-face interview.

See the IELTS guide for more details.

How can I prepare for the test?

There are a range of options to prepare for IELTS including self study materials and face-to-face British Council preparation courses. These include a one day familiarisation workshop as well as self study books and online study resources. For more details on these options plus helpful hints and tips please visit IELTS preparation.

How much does it cost?

The test fee of CHF 320 (for the open sessions) includes the access to the 30-hour free preparation material and the dispatch of your test results to institutions of your choice any time during two years after taking the test.