What is the Right Time to Start the IELTS Preparation?

Unless you are planning to take up a language course or a course taught in another language, chances are that if you are planning to study abroad, you would need to show proficiency in the English Language by means of the widely accepted tests – IELTS or TOEFL. It could be a requirement with the chose university for admission or a visa…whatever be the case, you have to write the exam. But when should you do it? When to start preparing for the same? How long should one prepare for these exams? What’s the best time to write the exam?

To start answering one or all of the above, let us quickly recap the important aspects of the two exams.

	IELTS	TOEFL
Conducted by	International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is conducted by British Council, IDP IELTS Australia and Cambridge English Language Assessment.	Test of English as a Foreign Language is conducted by Educational Testing Services (ETS)
Accepted by/ for	Across Europe, Australia, Canada as well as USA and Singapore.	Across the USA and also in Europe, Australia, Canada but might vary from institute to institute
Test Structure	IELTS Academic Divided into 4 sections: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking	TOEFL is also broadly divided into Listening, Reading, Writing and speaking
Score Range	Scored on a band of 0 – 9 with 9 being an expert user.	the Internet-based test (iBT) is scored on a range of 0 – 120
Score Validity	Valid for 2 years	Valid for 2 years
Repetitions	Can be taken multiple numbers of times (on the days given)	Can be repeated multiple numbers of times provided there is a gap of 12 days between two consecutive attempt

Summarily, both the tests are similar in manner and conduct. As far as repeating them is concerned, they are similar too and hence would necessarily require a similar timeline. So, when do you start preparing? When do you write the exam?

You may also like:

The important point to note about both the exams is the validity of 2 years as against the validity of a GMAT/GRE score which is for 5 years. And since a normal timeline for study abroad aspirants – from deciding to go abroad to actually going abroad, is about 18 months, this validity is of great importance. Also, while some courses would require you to prove efficiency in the language, for some courses you might have to provide the score for visa purposes. Again, for admission processes, you would have to have the scores at least 12 months to 8 months ahead of the proposed intake when the application processes begin. For visa purposes, on the other hand, you might require it only at the time of applying for a visa, which would be about 4month before the session begins.

Understanding, hence, when you would be required to provide the scores is important. What we recommend, hence, is to be ready with the scores 12 months before the intended sessions. This provides the candidate with the option of applying to various session intakes across different countries where the scores are valid. Taking it too early could necessitate a re-take, and too late might cause unnecessary stress.

If, however, the course you are applying to does not require you to provide an IELTS/ TOEFL score, and you only need it for visa purposes, we suggest you keep it till the time you have started with the application process. Once the letters start to arrive, you can always register and write the exam. A word of caution though…do not keep it for the last minute. You might not get a date and the delay might cause a delay in your visa application as well. Hence, either way, a 12-month window before your intended departure is suitable. We always recommend…when planning to study abroad…starting early is the mantra for success.

If you have finalised neither of the two: IELTS or TOEFL, you might want to understand IELTS vs TOEFL vs PTE Academic: Which test you should take. In case you are confused between just IELTS or TOEFL, consider reading Choosing between TOEFL and IELTS: A Comparison.

With that said, starting to prepare for an IELTS/TOEFL is a simpler question to answer…the day you decide to go abroad for your studies is when you should ideally start preparing for these exams. Unless and until you have taken up a course which removes the necessity of a language proficiency test, these tests might be asked of you at any point. Hence, you can start preparing for these exams. Moreover, since the exams are necessarily about learning the language, preparing for them can never truly go waste. Just brush up your language, pay more emphasis on understanding the nuances, and make it a point to communicate – both verbal and written, in the language. So, even if you are still years from your intended study abroad journey…start prepping your language.

A right preparation demands a lot of focus and planning that can help you to improve your verbal score. In order to plan your preparation right, here are some of the easy ways to help you perform well on the test:

•         Start maintaining a vocabulary register
•         Try using flashcards as much as possible
•         Keep a good book on vocabulary
•         Start using online tools
•         Develop a good reading habit
•         Try reading articles from reputed journals
•         Start listening to English conversations in movies or TV serials or even various English news channels