Moving abroad requires strong English skills; a good IELTS score demonstrates your ability to speak, write, and understand the language effectively. These skills are essential for integrating into the community of an English-speaking country. Over 3 million students will take the IELTS exam every year. The IELTS exam is divided into three types: Academic, General Training, and Life Skills.
This blog will help you understand the difference between IELTS Academic Vs. General in detail.
Difference Between IELTS Academic Vs. IELTS General – Highlights
IELTS Academic Vs. IELTS General Training
Though both tests aim to check English proficiency, they are undertaken for different causes. Let us understand both their meanings and definitions below:
IELTS Academic:
- Purpose: For students who want to study at universities or get professional registration in English-speaking countries.
- Focus: Tests if you are ready to start studying or training in English.
- Recognition: Widely accepted in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
IELTS General Training
- Purpose: This is for people who want to migrate to New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the US, or the UK or apply for secondary education, training programmes, or work experience in English-speaking environments.
- Focus: Test your everyday English skills for non-academic purposes.
- Recognition: Used for immigration in many countries.
IELTS Academic Vs. IELTS General Fees
The IELTS exam fee in India is INR 17,000. This cost applies to both the IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training tests. Whether you opt for IELTS on Paper or Computer, the fee remains consistent at INR 17,000.
Difference Between Academic And General IELTS: Detailed Test Pattern
The main goal of the IELTS is to assess your listening, reading, writing, and speaking English skills, all within three hours. Both the IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training exams have four parts. The Listening and Speaking sections are the same for both, but the Reading and Writing sections differ depending on which test you take.
The Reading, Writing, and Listening sections are done on the same day with no breaks in between. However, the Speaking section can be scheduled a week before or after the other tests, depending on available slots at the test centre. The total exam time is 2 hours and 45 minutes.
IELTS General vs Academic: Speaking Section (Same for Both)
About the Test:
- This section is a recorded face-to-face interview with an examiner.
- Duration: 11-14 minutes
- Format: Three parts, each testing different aspects of your spoken English.
Format:
- Part 1: General questions about yourself, your interests, family, studies, and work. (4-5 minutes)
- Part 2: You’ll get a card with a topic to speak on. You have 1 minute to prepare and then speak for 2 minutes. The examiner will ask questions afterwards.
- Part 3: Further discussion on Part 2, where you talk about abstract ideas and issues. (4-5 minutes)
IELTS General vs Academic: Listening Section (Same for Both)
About the Test:
- You’ll listen to four recordings of native English speakers and answer questions.
- Duration: 30 minutes
- Purpose: To test your understanding of main ideas, detailed information, speakers’ opinions and attitudes, the purpose of what’s being said, and your ability to follow ideas.
Format:
- Recording 1: Conversation between two people in a social setting.
- Recording 2: Monologue in a social setting.
- Recording 3: Conversation between four people in an educational or training context.
- Recording 4: Monologue on an academic subject.
Difference Between IELTS General and Academic: Reading Section
IELTS Academic Reading
About the Test:
- Purpose: Designed to test the reading abilities of candidates applying for higher education or professional registration.
- Content: Consists of 40 questions based on a variety of passages.
- Duration: 60 minutes
Format:
- Passages: Three long paragraphs that can be descriptive, factual, or analytical.
- Sources: Excerpts from newspapers, research works, journals, books, or magazines.
- Tasks: Candidates read the passages and answer questions based on them.
IELTS General Training Reading
About the Test:
- Purpose: Designed to test the reading skills of candidates applying for immigration, work experience, or secondary education.
- Content: Consists of 40 questions.
- Duration: 60 minutes
Format:
- Passages: Texts from advertisements, company guidelines, brochures, and other materials.
- Difficulty: Generally easier than the Academic format as it involves more familiar and practical texts.
Difference Between IELTS General and Academic: General Test Writing
About the Test:
- Purpose: Candidates need to write on topics of general interest.
- Tasks: There are two tasks to complete in 60 minutes.
Format:
- Task 1: Write a letter based on a given situation. Depending on the scenario, the letter could be formal, semi-formal, or personal. You might need to explain something, request information, or present an argument to an authority.
- Task 2: Write an essay on a given topic. The essay should support your arguments and opinions with relevant examples and include a personal writing style.
IELTS Academic Vs. IELTS General – Which Is Easy?
The IELTS General test is generally easier than the IELTS Academic test. Here are the main reasons:
IELTS Academic:
- Purpose: For higher education and professional registration.
- Reading Section: Involves complex texts such as academic journals, research articles, and books.
- Writing Section: Requires summarising data from graphs or charts and writing detailed essays on analytical or argumentative topics.
- Difficulty: Focuses on academic language and concepts, making it more challenging for many candidates.
IELTS General:
- Purpose: For immigration, work experience, and secondary education.
- Reading Section: Includes everyday materials like advertisements, brochures, and company guidelines.
- Writing Section: Involves writing letters (formal, semi-formal, or personal) and essays on general topics.
- Difficulty: Emphasises practical and everyday language, which is typically easier for most candidates to manage.
Overall, the IELTS General test is designed to assess everyday English skills, making it less demanding compared to the more academically focused IELTS Academic test.
Top IELTS Accepting Universities
Many top universities worldwide accept IELTS scores for admission as proof of English proficiency. This test is recognised by educational institutions in English-speaking countries such as the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Here are some of the renowned universities and colleges that accept IELTS scores:
| University | Country |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) | United States |
| The University of British Columbia | Canada |
| Harvard University | United States |
| University of Toronto | Canada |
| Conestoga College | Canada |
| University of East London | United Kingdom |
| Stanford University | United States |
| University of Alberta | Canada |
| Coventry University | United Kingdom |
| New York University | United States |
In conclusion, choosing between IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training depends on your specific goals. If you aim to pursue higher education or professional registration in an English-speaking country, IELTS Academic is the right choice because it focuses on academic language and skills. On the other hand, if your goal is to migrate, work, or undertake training in such countries, IELTS General Training is more suitable as it assesses everyday English usage. Understanding the differences in test patterns and difficulty levels will help you prepare effectively and achieve the required scores for your aspirations.
FAQs
Q1. Which IELTS is better, general or academic?
Whether IELTS Academic or General is better depends on your goals: choose Academic for higher education and professional registration and General for migration, work, or training purposes.
Q2. Is IELTS academic harder than general?
The IELTS General test is considered easier than the IELTS Academic test. The General test evaluates your ability to function in everyday English-speaking settings, while the Academic test assesses the language skills needed for studying and thriving in an academic environment.
Q3. Is Academic IELTS accepted for general IELTS?
No, the IELTS Academic test is not accepted as a substitute for the IELTS General test. Each test is designed for different purposes, with academics focusing on higher education and generally focusing on everyday language skills for work and migration.
Q4. Who needs general IELTS?
IELTS General Training is required for those seeking migration, work visas, or secondary education in English-speaking countries, as well as non-academic training programmes.
Q5. Who needs academic IELTS?
IELTS Academic is needed by individuals applying for higher education, professional registration, or advanced training in English-speaking countries.
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