English language test
IELTS
International English Language Testing System
The most widely accepted English test across all six of our destinations, and the only one accepted for every visa route we work with.
What IELTS is
IELTS measures English across four skills — listening, reading, writing and speaking — and reports each on a nine-band scale alongside an overall band. Two versions exist: IELTS Academic, which is what universities and student visa routes require, and IELTS General Training, which is used for migration and work rather than degree study. If you are applying to study, you almost certainly need Academic. Booking General Training by mistake is a costly and surprisingly common error.
Who accepts it
IELTS Academic is accepted by universities in all six destinations we cover, and by the immigration authorities of Australia, the UK, Canada, Ireland and New Zealand for student visa purposes. US institutions accept it for admission; US immigration does not set its own English test requirement. It remains the safest single choice if you have not yet decided between destinations, because there is no destination in this guide where it is not accepted.
Who should take it
- Students who have not finalised a destination, since IELTS is accepted everywhere we work.
- Anyone applying to the UK below degree level, where an approved Secure English Language Test is required — confirm you book IELTS for UKVI, not standard IELTS.
- Students who prefer speaking to a real examiner rather than into a microphone.
- Applicants to nursing, teaching or other regulated professions, where the registration body often specifies IELTS and sets its own minimum bands.
Test format
Listening, Reading and Writing are taken in a single sitting of roughly two hours and forty minutes with no breaks between them. Speaking is a face-to-face interview with a trained examiner, which may be scheduled on the same day or within a few days either side. IELTS is available both computer-delivered and on paper — the content and scoring are identical, but computer-delivered usually returns results considerably faster.
Listening
About 30 minutes, plus transfer time on paperFour recorded parts, 40 questions
Understanding main ideas, specific factual information, opinions and attitudes across conversations and monologues. Recordings play once only.
Reading
60 minutesThree long passages, 40 questions
Skimming, scanning, reading for detail, understanding logical argument and recognising writers' opinions. Academic passages are drawn from books, journals and newspapers.
Writing
60 minutesTwo tasks
Task 1 asks you to describe visual information — a graph, table, chart or process — in at least 150 words. Task 2 is an essay responding to an argument or problem in at least 250 words. Task 2 carries more weight, so budget roughly 40 minutes for it.
Speaking
11–14 minutesThree-part interview with an examiner
Part 1 covers familiar topics, Part 2 is a long turn on a given topic after one minute's preparation, and Part 3 is a discussion exploring the same theme more abstractly.
Total test time
IELTS (British Council / IDP / Cambridge)Reviewed 26 August 2026
How scoring works
Band 1 to Band 9, in half-band increments
Each of the four skills receives its own band score, and the overall band is the average of the four rounded to the nearest half band. This matters more than students expect: many universities set both an overall requirement and a minimum in each individual band, so a strong overall score with one weak component can still fall short. Check both numbers on your course page.
Score validity
IELTS (British Council / IDP / Cambridge)Reviewed 26 August 2026
Registering and getting results
We do not publish test fees. Providers set them per country and per centre, and a fee that has gone stale is worse than none — check the official site when you book.
- Choose IELTS Academic (not General Training) unless you have a specific reason otherwise.
- Decide between computer-delivered and paper-based — computer-delivered typically returns results faster.
- Register through an official test centre in Nepal, via the British Council or IDP.
- Book early for peak periods before the major intakes, when test dates fill.
- Take the same passport to the test that you used to register — a mismatch means you will not be admitted.
When results arrive
IELTS (British Council / IDP / Cambridge)Reviewed 26 August 2026
How to prepare
What actually moves a score, based on where students from Nepal most often lose marks.
- Sit a full timed diagnostic test before studying anything. Knowing which band you actually start from prevents months of misdirected effort.
- Writing is where most students from Nepal lose marks, and it is the least improvable by cramming. Start it first and write regularly with feedback.
- Listening recordings play only once. Practise with single-play audio from the beginning rather than replaying, or you will build a habit the test does not allow.
- Reading is a time-management problem more than a comprehension one. Practise the full 60 minutes for three passages until pacing is automatic.
- For Speaking, record yourself and listen back. Most students discover their fluency is better than they feared and their range of vocabulary narrower.
- Learn the band descriptors. Knowing what an examiner is looking for in Writing and Speaking is worth more than another dozen practice tests.
IELTS preparation with MATES
What a preparation course covers.
- Diagnostic test and a written analysis of your starting band in each skill.
- Skill-by-skill teaching across Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking.
- Regular written task feedback against the official band descriptors.
- Speaking practice in the three-part interview format.
- Full-length timed mock tests under exam conditions.
- A review session before your test date focused on your weakest skill.
Class times, fees and instructors
Course schedules, fees, batch sizes and instructor details are confirmed directly by our Kathmandu office and branches rather than published here, so you always get current information rather than a page that has gone out of date. Call 01-5333565 or book a counselling session and we will confirm what is running.
IELTS — common questions
Should I take IELTS Academic or General Training?
Academic, if you are applying to study. General Training is for migration and work, and a General Training result will not satisfy a university admission requirement. This is one of the most common and most expensive booking mistakes — check carefully before you pay.
Is computer-delivered IELTS easier than paper?
Neither is easier — the content and scoring are identical. Computer-delivered usually returns results faster and some students find typing easier than handwriting under time pressure. Choose based on which you are more comfortable with, and practise in that format.
What band score do I need?
It depends entirely on your course and destination, and there is no universal answer. Universities commonly ask for somewhere between 6.0 and 7.0 overall, often with minimum individual band requirements as well, and health and teaching programmes frequently ask for more. Check the specific course page, and check the visa requirement separately — they are not always the same standard.
How long is an IELTS score valid?
Generally two years. Plan your test date so the result will still be valid at the point you apply for both admission and your visa — students occasionally sit the test very early and find it has expired by the time the visa application comes around.
Can I retake just one section?
Availability of single-skill retakes varies by country and test centre and has changed over time. Check with your test centre in Nepal directly rather than assuming, as the arrangements are not uniform.
Related
- Compare with PTE Academic
- Book a diagnostic test
- English requirements for Australia
- English requirements for the UK
Test format and scoring information on this page last reviewed . Rules, fees and thresholds change — always confirm against the official source before you apply.
Find out where you actually stand
A diagnostic test takes one session and tells you your current level in each skill. It is the difference between a preparation plan and a guess.