The format, band system and immigration equivalences of the IELTS General Training explained plainly, including the 2026 transition to the computer-based exam, plus the training we use at ULIC so you reach the band your visa requires.
| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Examining body | The IELTS Partners: British Council, IDP and Cambridge University Press & Assessment. |
| What it measures | Real-life English: for work, paperwork and everyday life. Four skills, each weighted equally. |
| Current format | Computer-based at an official centre since mid-2026. The paper exam has been discontinued; in selected markets there is the Writing on Paper option to handwrite only the Writing part. |
| Formats | Standard General Training or the UKVI version (SELT) for British visas. IELTS Online (from home) exists only for Academic: General Training is always taken at an official centre. |
| Recognition | The standard of migration systems: Canada (Express Entry), Australia and New Zealand (skilled visas) and the UK (UKVI version). |
| Retakes | No limit on attempts. Also, One Skill Retake allows you to retake a single skill within 60 days of the exam. |
| Approximate price (Spain) | Around €235 for the standard exam and €258 for UKVI, by centre and with possible rises. Confirm the current fee when you book. |
| Where to sit it | At an official IELTS centre in Spain. ULIC Centre is an IELTS affiliate: write to us and we handle your registration in the official exam. |
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One band. A life plan in another country.
The IELTS General Training is the IELTS version that measures real-life English: for work, paperwork and everyday life in an English-speaking country. It is run by the same bodies as the IELTS Academic (British Council, IDP and Cambridge University Press & Assessment), shares its band scale, Listening and Speaking, and differs in the Reading and the first Writing task.
In Spain it is the go-to exam for those emigrating: the points systems of Canada and Australia use it as the standard English test, and the UKVI version is used for work and residence visas in the UK. There is no pass or fail: each authority sets the minimum band it requires, almost always by skill and not only in the overall score.
Canada (Express Entry) and Australia (skilled visas) convert your bands directly into eligibility points. Half a band more can change your place in the queue.
Work texts, notices and paperwork in Reading, and a letter in Writing. It is trained differently from an academic exam: it is not an easy version of the Academic.
If a single skill falls below your visa minimum, you can retake only that skill within the next 60 days, without repeating the whole exam.
On 5 March 2026 the IELTS Partners announced the end of the paper exam. The whole exam moves to computer-based format at an official centre; the online-from-home format exists only for Academic.
The paper exam has been discontinued and General Training is taken by computer at an official British Council centre. The Writing on Paper option (handwriting only the Writing part) exists only in selected markets, so confirm it for your sitting before relying on it. IELTS Online from home exists only in the Academic version, not General Training.
| Skill | Parts | Questions | Time | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Listening | 4 | 40 | ~30 min | 25% |
| Reading | 3 | 40 | 60 min | 25% |
| Writing | 2 tasks | 2 | 60 min | 25% |
| Speaking | 3 | Guided interview | 11 to 14 min | 25% |
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| Part | Format | Context | Questions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Conversation between two people | Everyday situation (a booking, an enrolment) | 10 |
| 2 | Monologue | Everyday situation (an informative talk) | 10 |
| 3 | Conversation among up to four people | Academic or training context | 10 |
| 4 | Academic monologue | A lecture or talk | 10 |
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| Section | Text type | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Two or three short, practical texts | Daily life: notices, timetables, warnings, leaflets |
| 2 | Two work-related texts | Contracts, employee handbooks, job descriptions, internal training |
| 3 | One long text of general interest | Press, magazines or books: the closest to the Academic Reading |
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| Task | What is required | Minimum length | Recommended time | Weight within Writing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Write a letter: formal, semi-formal or informal depending on the situation | 150 words | 20 min | 1/3 |
| 2 | Opinion essay on a topic of general interest, with a slightly more personal register than in Academic | 250 words | 40 min | 2/3 |
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| Part | What happens | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 1 · Introduction | Personal questions: work, studies, hobbies, routine | 4 a 5 min |
| 2 · Long turn | A card with a topic, 1 minute to prepare and up to 2 minutes speaking alone | 3 a 4 min |
| 3 · Discussion | Analytical conversation on the Part 2 topic, with more abstract questions | 4 a 5 min |
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The General Training Reading seems easier because the texts are more everyday, but the conversion of correct answers to band is more demanding: for the same band you need more correct answers than in Academic. A 7.0 requires 34 or 35 correct out of 40, versus 30 in Academic. The difficulty does not disappear: it shifts from the text to precision.
The Task 1 letter has three possible registers (formal, semi-formal, informal) and choosing the wrong one costs points even if the English is correct. It is the cheapest error to fix with training and the most expensive to discover on exam day.
Each skill receives a band from 0 to 9, in half-band increments (6.5, 7.0, 7.5). There is no pass or fail: you meet the requirement or not according to the institution you are applying to.
The overall band is the arithmetic mean of the four skills, rounded to the nearest half band: an average of 6.25 rises to 6.5 and a 6.125 drops to 6.0.
| Band | CEFR level | What it means for immigration |
|---|---|---|
| 8.0 – 9.0 | C2 / C1 alto | "Superior English" in Australia: the top language score in skilled visas. |
| 7.0 – 7.5 | C1 | CLB 9+ in Canada with the per-skill minimums met: the threshold that triggers Express Entry points. |
| 5.5 – 6.5 | B2 | "Competent English" in Australia (6.0) and the range of most work visas. |
| 4.0 – 5.0 | B1 | The B1 threshold of UKVI work and residence visas in the UK (4.0). |
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| Destination | System | Common reference |
|---|---|---|
| Canada | CLB (Canadian Language Benchmarks) via Express Entry | CLB 9 = Listening 8.0, Reading 7.0, Writing 7.0, Speaking 7.0. Only accepts General Training for immigration, not Academic. |
| Australia | Skilled visa points | Competent 6.0, Proficient 7.0, Superior 8.0, in each skill. |
| United Kingdom | UKVI (SELT version of the exam) | B1 (4.0) for work and residence visas. The standard General Training is not valid: it must be the UKVI version. |
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These references change by country and visa type. Always verify the current official rules of your destination country before deciding on a date: governments change them without warning.
| Skill | What it assesses | Common trap for Spanish speakers |
|---|---|---|
| Listening | Detail, speaker attitude, following a thread | Misspelling the word in gap-fill answers: a correct answer spelled wrong is a fail |
| Reading | Locating precise information in practical texts | Getting complacent from the apparent ease and failing on imprecision: here each correct answer costs more band |
| Writing | Correct register in the letter, argument in the essay | Choosing the wrong register for the letter or copying it from a memorised template |
| Speaking | Fluency, coherence, vocabulary, pronunciation | One-sentence answers in Part 1 and running out of ideas at minute 2 of the Long turn |
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Immigration systems require per-skill minimums, so a single weak skill can sink a whole application. With One Skill Retake you retake only that skill, once, within 60 days of the exam, and receive a new Test Report Form with the updated score.
Check that your visa authority accepts it: Canada and Australian immigration generally accept it, but confirm it for your case. Also confirm availability and fee at the Madrid centres when booking.
Listening and Reading are scored by number of correct answers out of 40, with no penalty for wrong answers. These conversion tables are indicative: the IELTS Partners adjust the cut-offs slightly in each version of the exam. Note that the General Training Reading requires more correct answers than Academic for the same band.
| Correct (of 40) | Band |
|---|---|
| 39 – 40 | 9.0 |
| 37 – 38 | 8.5 |
| 35 – 36 | 8.0 |
| 32 – 34 | 7.5 |
| 30 – 31 | 7.0 |
| 26 – 29 | 6.5 |
| 23 – 25 | 6.0 |
| 18 – 22 | 5.5 |
| 16 – 17 | 5.0 |
| 13 – 15 | 4.5 |
| 10 – 12 | 4.0 |
| Correct (of 40) | Band |
|---|---|
| 40 | 9.0 |
| 39 | 8.5 |
| 37 – 38 | 8.0 |
| 36 | 7.5 |
| 34 – 35 | 7.0 |
| 32 – 33 | 6.5 |
| 30 – 31 | 6.0 |
| 27 – 29 | 5.5 |
| 23 – 26 | 5.0 |
| 19 – 22 | 4.5 |
| 15 – 18 | 4.0 |
Writing and Speaking do not work by correct answers: a certified examiner assesses them against 4 official criteria, each weighted equally. In Writing: Task Achievement/Response, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource and Grammatical Range and Accuracy. In Speaking: Fluency and Coherence, Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range and Accuracy and Pronunciation. Practical read of the tables: in General Training Reading you can only miss 5 or 6 questions for a 7.0, versus 8 or 10 in Academic. If your visa requires 7.0 per skill, Reading is where you most need to train precision.
The IELTS operates with a recommended validity of 2 years from the exam date, and in the case of General Training this is not a nuance: immigration authorities apply it strictly and with no usual exceptions. Canada requires the result to be valid at the time of submitting the Express Entry application; Australia and the UK have their own rules by visa type, some even longer (Australia accepts results up to 3 years old for certain visas), but the rule that governs is always that of your specific process.
The practical consequence: synchronise the exam with your migration timeline, not the other way round. Taking the IELTS before the rest of your file is under way (assessed qualification, documented experience, funds) risks it expiring mid-wait.
The best moment is when your file is less than 12 months from being submitted, with margin for a One Skill Retake if a skill falls short of the minimum. Take the exam when your migration timeline calls for it, not simply when your English level is ready.
The most repeated question. They are two different exams under the same brand, with the same band scale, the same Listening and the same Speaking. Two skills differ.
| IELTS General Training | IELTS Academic | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is for | Emigrating, working or training below university level in an English-speaking country | Studying a bachelor's or master's, registering in a regulated profession (healthcare, engineering) |
| Reading | Short, practical texts: notices, manuals, workplace rules, plus a long final text | 3 long texts of academic origin: books, specialist journals, analytical press |
| Writing Task 1 | Write a letter (formal, semi-formal or informal) | Describe and interpret a graph, table, map or process |
| Who asks for it | Immigration authorities (Canada, Australia, UK) and some employers | Universities and professional bodies, almost always by name |
| Common mistake | Taking Academic when the visa required General Training: Canada does not accept Academic for immigration | Taking General Training "because it seems easier" and discovering the university does not accept it |
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If your destination is a residence or work visa, General Training. If your destination is a university or a regulated profession, Academic. If in doubt, do not resolve it by booking: confirm the requirement in writing with the authority or institution before paying the fee.
| Standard General Training | IELTS UKVI General Training | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | The computer-based General Training exam at an official centre. | The same exam with a security protocol certified by the British government (SELT). |
| What it is valid for | Immigration to Canada, Australia and New Zealand, and accreditation before employers. | Work and residence visas in the UK. |
| Where it is taken | Official IELTS centres. Fewer dates than Academic, but still several a month in Madrid. | Only at authorised SELT centres. |
| Fee | Between €245 and €285 approximately by centre in 2026. | Its own, somewhat higher fee. |
| Document | Valid passport or DNI. | Usually, passport only. |
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If your destination is the UK, confirm BEFORE booking whether your visa requires the UKVI version. Standard General Training and UKVI are the same exam with a different security protocol, but the standard is not valid for British visas and the fee is not transferable.
ULIC Centre is an IELTS affiliate. Write to us and we handle your place in the official IELTS system, and you prepare for the exam with us while you wait for your sitting.
Computer-based registration allows much shorter lead times than the old paper exam, at the British Council's official centres in Spain (29 centres, including Madrid and Las Rozas).
Book a place in the official examIf your destination is the UK, confirm BEFORE booking whether your visa requires the UKVI version. The standard and UKVI are the same exam with a different security protocol, but the standard is not valid for British visas and the fee is not transferable.
IELTS Online (from home) exists only for Academic: General Training is always taken at an official centre.
| Use | Detail |
|---|---|
| Canada | Permanent residence applications: Express Entry and provincial programmes. Only accepts General Training for immigration. |
| Australia and New Zealand | Skilled visas that convert the certified English level into eligibility points. |
| United Kingdom | Work and residence visas with the UKVI version (SELT). |
| Employment abroad | Job offers that require proof of functional English with a per-skill result. |
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Official IELTS Affiliate
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Check that your visa authority accepts the One Skill Retake: Canada and Australian immigration generally accept it, but confirm it for your case. It is available in Spain, and its fee, lower than a full exam, is confirmed when we handle your registration.
If you already took an IELTS and a single skill fell short, One Skill Retake plus targeted training on that skill is the most efficient route to your visa minimum.
| IELTS General Training | IELTS Academic | PTE Core | LanguageCert | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type of result | Band 0 to 9, overall and by skill. | Band 0 to 9, overall and by skill. | Score 10 to 90. | Pass by CEFR level. |
| Best for | Emigrating to Canada, Australia or the UK (UKVI). | Studying a bachelor's or master's, regulated professions. | Immigration to Canada and Australia, 100% computer format. | UKVI visas and fast accreditation, at a centre or online. |
| Speaking format | Face to face, one-to-one with an examiner. | Face to face, one-to-one with an examiner. | Recorded, AI-assessed with human review. | Face to face or online with an examiner. |
| Unique trait | The historic standard of migration points systems. | One Skill Retake and maximum university acceptance. | Fast result, short exam (~2h). | Dates almost on demand. |
| Perception in Spain | The "emigration" exam, very well known. | The "study abroad" exam. | Growing official acceptance, still little known. | Emerging, strong in the UKVI niche. |
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If you have no dated migration project, you may not need the IELTS yet.
With the 2-year validity, a "just in case" IELTS usually expires unused. And if your goal is a university or a regulated profession, the exam you need is the IELTS Academic, not General Training. General Training really makes sense when your migration file names it: Canada, Australia or a UKVI visa. We would rather tell you straight before you invest time and money in the wrong exam.
Tell us your goal and we will tell you straight whether General Training, Academic, PTE Core or LanguageCert is right for you.
If I hadn't taken the classes, I wouldn't have done the exam half as well.
He needed a 4.5 in the IELTS General Training for the Australian Work & Holiday visa. He got a 7.0.
General Training punishes imprecision: a Reading where each mistake costs more band than in Academic, a letter with three possible registers and per-skill minimums that do not forgive a weak session. At ULIC we train against the exact band your visa requires, skill by skill, on screen, as in the real exam. These are the two relevant formats for IELTS General Training. Tap one to see the full format.
Concentrated training in the weeks before your date, 100% online and live, with full computer-based mock exams and skill-by-skill correction against your visa minimums.
Individual sessions focused on the skill that separates you from your minimum, usually Writing or Speaking, with correction against the examiner's official criteria. Ideal after a One Skill Retake: train only the skill you are retaking.
You already know the format, the equivalences and the deadlines. What decides your application is reaching the minimum in all four skills on the same day. At ULIC we have trained it since 2010, with mock exams under the same conditions as the real exam. And as an IELTS affiliate, you also register for the official exam with us.
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