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More than 9,000 universities and organisations worldwide accept IELTS, including over 3,700 institutions and programmes in the USA. All US Ivy League colleges, 25 top national US universities and top 20 business programmes recognise IELTS scores. 2 million people around the world take IELTS each year and it has become the world’s most popular language test. There are more people taking IELTS to go to USA than taking TOEFL. register here |
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IELTS US Recognition |
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Top 199 US universities and their IELTS requirements Top 144 US universities of Science & Engineering and their IELTS requirements Top 101 US universities of Business Studies and their IELTS requirements List of USA universities and programmes which recognise IELTS |
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IELTS vs TOEFL: What Are the Differences?BACK TO TOP |
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The majority of the world’s English-speaking universities now accept both IELTS and TOEFL scores as proof of English ability. On the surface, IELTS and TOEFL are very similar: they both consist of four sections – listening, reading, writing and speaking – and they both test candidates on their ability to use English in academic situations. As a student, how are you meant to know which test to take? The answer ultimately depends on what you have studied up to now, and what things you do best. Here is a breakdown of the differences between IELTS and TOEFL. |
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| IELTS includes a variety of Englishes; TOEFL is a test of Standard American English | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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This is a rather obvious distinction but it may be the single most important factor determining which of the tests is chosen. IELTS consists of British regional accents and other varieties derived from British English such as Australian and South African English. As a result, you will hear a wider variety of accents, idioms and other colloquial expressions. On the other hand, if you have grown up with American cultural products like Hollywood movies, you might find the language of TOEFL more familiar to your ears. Your past experiences with English will guide you here. Otherwise, don’t worry too much about the differences between the varieties of English. In both TOEFL and IELTS you can use British, American, or other standard forms. Universities will not care which test you have taken or which variety of English you use, as long as you can demonstrate a good command of one variety of the language. |
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| IELTS is a human test; TOEFL is a computer-based test | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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This is arguably a more important distinction than the one above. The speaking section of IELTS consists of a face-to-face interview with a real human being. If you don’t understand a question in IELTS, you can ask for and receive help. This is a luxury that is not available to TOEFL candidates, who must follow the instructions of a computer. Do you prefer interacting with another person? If so, choose IELTS. Do you do well in solitary, computer-based tasks? If so, you may feel more relaxed if you take TOEFL. Also, if you prefer typing at a computer to writing by hand, you may find some parts of TOEFL easier, especially the writing section. |
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| IELTS separates the four skills; TOEFL integrates the four skills | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Both tests require you to show that you can manipulate the English language effectively. However, in TOEFL, integration of skills is more advanced. For example, in TOEFL you will have to read a passage, listen to a lecture or conversation, and then write a response to both. IELTS does not include such integrated tasks. In IELTS, the writing section is clearly a test of writing, the speaking test is clearly a test of speaking, and so on. |
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| IELTS includes a variety of comprehension checks; TOEFL is multiple-choice | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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While the writing and speaking sections of TOEFL demand quite challenging levels of information processing and recall, the listening and reading sections of TOEFL consist of simple multiple-choice questions. In IELTS, however, the listening and reading sections require you to do more complex tasks such as completing sentences, notes and summaries. You may even need to transform the language you hear into new forms. If you were looking for the easiest possible test, it would definitely be the listening and reading sections of TOEFL followed by the writing and speaking sections of IELTS! Unfortunately, at the time of writing, we don’t know of any schools offering this route. |
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IELTS Candidates talk about America |
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Study in the US ToolboxBACK TO TOP |
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Useful websites for studying in the US: • Peterson's Find-a-School Search Engine • Hobson's U.S. Education Guides • College Net - Internet Guide to Colleges and Universities • Council of Graduate Schools - Resources for Students • National Association for College Admission Counseling - International Student Resources • Princeton Review B-Schools and Careers • SmartStudent Guide to studying in the USA Download your free IELTS Guide to Studying in the USA FAQsBACK TO TOP |
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Does my school in the USA accept IELTS? IELTS is accepted by over 7,000 institutions and organisations worldwide. Whether you want to study overseas, immigrate, get a job or assess your real English communication ability…Whether you are going to the UK, Australia, New Zealand, the US, Canada, the Netherlands, France, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Japan or South Africa…you only need one English language proficiency test which is IELTS. Over 3,500 higher education institutions and programs in the USA accept IELTS scores as proof of English language proficiency. IELTS is trusted by the USA’s top 25 universities in 2011, and it is accepted by all Ivy League colleges. IELTS scores open doors to education and employment in the US. Major institutions all over the US recognize that IELTS gives an accurate reflection of your ability to understand, read, write and speak English. This is because the test has been developed by some of the world’s leading experts in English language assessment. How widely is IELTS accepted by the school and program in the USA? All Ivy League colleges, 25 top national US universities and top 20 business programs recognize IELTS scores. “We ask all our students to provide us with an IELTS score to enter our courses. We believe genuine students are happy to do so and we also tell students a current IELTS score is a good thing to have for university applications, too.” Said by Lesley Powell - Leeds City College, UK “Before deciding to accept the IELTS as an alternative to TOEFL, I sat for the exam myself and can attest to the genuine rigor it represents. Candidates are tested not just on comprehension of written and spoken English but further on understanding and producing English of an academic nature.” Said by James F Minter, Columbia University, New York Will it be different if I use IELTS other than TOEFL to apply for the U.S. school? Major institutions all over the US recognize that IELTS gives an accurate reflection of your ability to understand, read, write and speak English. IELTS is widely accepted by higher education institutions and programs in the USA, so it could be the ONLY English test you need when you apply for the school in the USA. Candidate can use either IELTS plus SAT or IELTS plus GRE/GMAT to apply for undergraduate or graduate programs in the USA. Many candidates have successfully accepted by top universities in the USA by using their IELTS score. Some of them were even granted full scholarship by using IELTS score when they applied. What is the minimum IELTS score required for undergraduate and graduate programmes in the USA? Most of the undergraduate programs require a minimum IELTS score of 5.5-6.0, whilst graduate programs require a minimum IELTS score of 6.5-7.0. With minimum IELTS score, you can be confident that your score will truly reflect your ability in real life situations and demonstrates your true ability to communicate in English across all four language skills. The Global Recognition System (GRS) on the IELTS website lists all the US institutions that accept the IELTS test and their score requirements; use this as a starting point to find an institution that suits you. Can I use IELTS to apply any scholarship in the USA? Yes. More and more Taiwanese students have successfully applied schools and scholarship by using IELTS score.This is because the test has been developed by some of the world’s leading experts in English language assessment IELTS vs TOEFL The tables summarise the results of two independent mapping exercises carried out by the IELTS partners, and ETS (TOEFL) which mapped each test against the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages [CEFR]. The tables should not be read as a concordance between IELTS and TOEFL nor used as a means of inter-test comparison for purposes such as establishing cut scores. The table should only be used for purposes of general understanding and interpretation of test scores in relation to CEFR. The CEFR was designed as a common framework of reference not as a tool for prescribing proficiency standards or equating levels of proficiency across different language tests. Common European Framework of Reference & Academic English Proficiency Tests
http://www.ets.org/Media/Research/pdf/CEF_Mapping_Study_Interim_Report.pdf 註2 ：此圖表僅供參考。若有變動，則以各考試官方網站公告為主。 |
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