The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is the world’s most popular English language proficiency test for study, work, training, and migration purposes. More than 10,000 organisations globally recognise IELTS, so when you take the test you can be confident that it is accepted by educational institutions, employers, governments and professional bodies around the world.
See test takers' most common questions
Venue details & What happens on test day
Resources to help you prepare for your test.
The International English Language Testing System, or IELTS, is an international standardised test of English language proficiency for study, work, training, and migration purposes. IELTS has been developed by some of the world’s leading experts in language assessment, and is supported by an extensive programme of research, validation, and test development.
There are two modules to choose from – Academic and General Training:
IELTS Academic is for test takers wishing to study at undergraduate or postgraduate levels, and for those seeking professional registration.
IELTS General Training is for test takers wishing to migrate to an English-speaking country (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, UK), and for those wishing to train or study at below degree level.
The IELTS test is trusted worldwide because your test is delivered according to the highest standards in security and quality. Security protocols that include identification verification of all test takers, and data encryption ensure the integrity of your test results. Similarly, you can trust in the quality and consistency of the test because all examiners are qualified highly trained and qualified. Examiners’ work is routinely monitored, and they undergo continuous training.
IELTS test uses a nine-band scale with increments of 0.5, to assess your English language proficiency in four key skills: listening, reading, writing, and speaking. Scores range from Band Score 1 (non-user) to Band Score 9 (expert).
The total test time is 2 hours and 45 minutes: Listening 30 minutes, Reading 60 minutes, Writing 60 minutes, and Speaking 11-14 minutes.
For more details on the test format, including the types of task and marking scheme, See Here.
The IELTS test can be taken from the age of 16.
If you are younger than 18 years old on the day of the test, you will require permission from a parent or legal guardian in order to take the test. We must receive permission to capture your photograph and finger-scan on the day of the test. You will not be able to take the test unless we receive this permission. When you have made a booking, we will provide you with a consent form which you will have completed by your parent or legal guardian.
To ensure that the language ability of all test takers is assessed fairly and objectively, IELTS provides a comprehensive service for test takers who have special requirements, including specific learning difficulties, hearing difficulties and visual difficulties, medical conditions.
If you have a disability or special requirements, we may be able to help you take your test.
If you require a modified version of IELTS, you must give the test centre three months’ notice. If your circumstances require special arrangements to be made, e.g. extra time, you must give the test centre six weeks’ notice.
Please do not hesitate to contact us to discuss your requirements. Please note that we may ask for medical evidence.
We offer the computer-delivered IELTS test EVERY DAY, except on Thursday. See our test dates, Click Here.
You can register and pay online. You will need create an IELTS account, upload a copy of your ID document (Valid Passport, PR Card or Refugee Claimant Form) and pay the $339 IELTS test fee . To register, Click Here.
Our Calgary Center offers the computer-delivered test. The computer-delivered test requires test takers to sit the Listening, Reading and Writing sections in front of a computer. All answers are entered on the computer during the allotted test time. No extra time is given to transfer answers.
Each test taker will have headphones to use during the computer-delivered test. The speaking section is carried out face-to-face with a trained IELTS examiner.
You can choose from two types of IELTS tests in Toronto: Academic or General Training, depending on whether you want to work, study or migrate.
General Training is not offered on all IELTS test dates.
The Academic test is for those who wish to study for an undergraduate or post-graduate degree course through English.
The General Training test is for those who are planning to join a training or work experience programmed in an English-speaking environment, you can contact us.
You can take the examination as many times as you wish. However, to minimise the amount of times required to take the examination, we recommend either taking a preparation course or using official IELTS practice materials . Prepare
The Listening and Reading test modules, your scores are determined by the number of correct answers out of 40 questions.
The Writing modules: Task Achievement (Writing Task 1) or Task Response (Writing Task 2) is assessed by certified IELTS examiners, who assign band scores based on four criteria: Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, and Grammatical Range and Accuracy. These scores reflect your performance in each area for both Writing Task 1 and Writing Task 2.
In the Speaking module, certified IELTS examiners assess you during a face-to-face interview. They evaluate four equally weighted criteria: fluency and coherence, lexical resource, grammatical range and accuracy, and pronunciation.
For Computer-delivered IELTS test from the start of 2024 please log into your IELTS account, Here. You can check your results 1-5 days after the test. You will have access to download and print your TRF from your IELTS account
Please note that we are not permitted to give out test results over the phone, fax, text or by email.
Computer-delivered IELTS tests are held in our purpose-built test centre in Calgary at the CES-SOS Venue. Our address is 903 8 Ave. SW, Suite 250, Calgary, AB, T2P 0P7. (MAP link) Prior to your test, you will receive an email with detailed instructions and maps on how to find our test venue.
Computer-delivered
The speaking test is carried out face-to-face with a trained IELTS examiner. The time of your speaking test was selected during the registration process and a reminder will be sent to you 48 hours prior to your test date.
Speaking Test Subject to Change
Whilst every attempt is made to ensure that we honor your venue, date, and time slot selection, we reserve the right to modify, discontinue and replace your selected preference.
On rare occasions, there may be instances where you are unable to attend your test or are disadvantaged on test day owing to illness, injury, or another exceptional event outside your control. In these cases, you may make an application to the test center for special consideration due to exceptional circumstances. This will allow you to carry over your test fee to a later assessment opportunity or, in some cases, apply for a refund. Special consideration includes instances such as:
You need to contact the test center directly by email at [email protected] and provide full information as to why you qualify for special consideration, with supporting evidence. Your test center will assess your application and will respond to you within seven working days of receiving your full application in writing, no requests will be accepted through the phone.
If your test center approves your application, you will receive a refund or transfer, subject to an administrative fee of $80.
Please be aware that refunds can take four to six weeks to process.
Candidates must lodge an application for refund/transfer no later than 5 business days after the test date. Candidates must complete the following form: Request for Refund/Test Date Transfer/Module Change Form and attach the appropriate documentation and/or evidence. Acceptable documents may include a medical certificate from a qualified medical practitioner, a death certificate, or a police report. Statutory declarations and certificates signed by family members are not acceptable.
Page 2 of the Request for Refund/ Test Date Transfer/Module Change Form must be filled out by the candidate. If the reason for cancellation/transfer is medical, page 3 must be filled out by a medical practitioner. The completed form(s), along with supporting documentation and emailed to [email protected].
The Administrator will advise the candidate within one week of lodging the application whether or not their request has been approved.
To find out more details, please contact us at [email protected] / 1 403 470 4597
On rare occasions, there may be instances where you are unable to attend your test or are disadvantaged on test day owing to illness, injury, or another exceptional event outside your control. In these cases, you may make an application to the test center for special consideration due to exceptional circumstances. This will allow you to carry over your test fee to a later assessment opportunity or, in some cases, apply for a refund. Special consideration includes instances such as:
You must bring your APPROVED ID document. We only accept valid non-notarized passports, valid Canadian PR cards and or valid Refugee Claimant Form. No other IDs, documents or photocopies will be accepted.
You must bring your physical approved ID document on the day of the test. Without it, you will not be allowed to attend the test and will forfeit the full test fee.
You may bring your own pencils, erasers, pencil sharpeners, water in a transparent bottle, and tissues. Mobile phones, watches, and other electronic equipment are not allowed in the test room. The center provides a bin for your valuables, which will be placed in a locked closet. While the storage is very secure, please be aware that the center is not responsible for any lost or stolen items.
Candidates who arrive late for test registration will not be allowed to take their test and will lose the full test fee.
If you cannot attend a test because of a medical emergency, you must provide an authorised medical certificate within five days of the missed test. The certificate must be in English and must clearly state the reason for the absence. You can email a scanned copy to [email protected]
For candidates who has completed the Paper-Based IELTS test, you can request for additional TRFs to be sent to different institutions by clicking, Here. Please note it may take up to 3 business days to fully process your request and send your result to selected institutions.
For Candidates who has taken the computer-delivered IELTS test after the start of 2024, please log into your account, Here. Click on My Test, then click on Notify Institutions and input the name of the recognized organization and or academic institution in the search tab. The display menu will then provide a list of all recognized organizations and academic institutions available. It is critical that you select the correct recognized organization or academic institution.
Please be aware if you have chosen Only when I achieve the IELTS score/result, the test result will not be sent to the recognized organization or academic institution unless your scores have met all required pre-sets.
You may request a re-mark. This process is known as an Enquiry on Results (EOR) and must be request within six-weeks from your test date.
Please log into your account, Here. Click on My Test, then click on apply for re-mark/re-assessment, fill in and complete all necessary fields in order to submit the enquiry.
All re-mark requests must be made within six weeks of the test date. The re-marking process typically takes 2-4 weeks; however, please allow for delays due to holidays, volume and postal service.
Note: We will inform you of the outcome. If your results change, you will be asked to confirm.
Some additional facts about the EOR:
If you want to make a complaint regarding the conduct of your test, you must do so before you leave the test venue on the test day. Please speak to the Exams Manager about your complaint.
If you have a complaint that does not relate to the conduct of the test please contact the exams office .
If you are a refugee without an identity card or passport and you want to take an IELTS test, you may use your Canadian refugee claimant document. Please contact our office and we will assist with registration.
We will provide you with a log on sheet that can be used as your notepaper during the Listening and Reading tests.
The log on sheet will be collected after the Reading test, and a new notepaper will be given to you to use during the Writing test.
You must remain seated until the test is fully completed. Do not leave your seat until the entire test duration has passed and the “Well done, no more tests today” screen appears.
The following identification document(s) is accepted for the IELTS test:
The scanned document must be smaller than 1600 x 1600 pixels, and the full size should be 1.5 MB or less. At present, only JPEG, GIF or PNG files are supported. You can edit and re-upload your ID until it is accepted by test center.
If you should require assistance and or having trouble with uploading your ID document please email us at [email protected] and we will gladly provide support.
Common ID Errors:
For candidates who has taken the computer delivered test prior to 2024 please visit the provided link 5 days after the test date and candidates who has taken the paper based test 13 days after the test date, Here.
For candidates who has taken the computer-delivered test after the start of 2024, please log into your account, Here. Click on My Test, and all completed computer-delivered test result from the start of 2024 will be available for preview.
In certain circumstances beyond the test center’s control, we may need to cancel your test and reschedule it for a future date. These circumstances include, but are not limited to, extreme weather conditions, natural disasters, civil unrest, industrial action, global pandemics, or other force majeure events.
In such circumstances, the test center will notify you as early as possible and offer you the option of either transferring to a future test date or a full refund, based on your preference.
If your test is canceled or postponed due to other issues, such as technical failures or problems with the venue or environment, the test center will also notify you as early as possible and give you the option to either transfer to a future test date or a full refund.
Our center offers the One Skill Retake
You can now retake any one component of the IELTS test: Listening, Reading, Writing or Speaking without having to redo all four sections of the test.
You’re eligible to book IELTS One Skill Retake after you have recently completed a full test on computer and received your IELTS test score, from an eligible test center. You must book your IELTS One Skill Retake within 60 days of your original test date.
IELTS One Skill Retake is accepted* by various universities and professional bodies. Click here, to find out which organizations accept your IELTS One Skill Retake test scores.
