IELTS · UPDATED 2026-10-12
IELTS Academic or General Training: where to begin
Choose your test around your destination and purpose—not someone else’s choice.
Start with the requirement Before booking, check the exact test accepted by your university, professional body or destination authority. Requirements vary by course and purpose. IELTS Academic is commonly used for higher education and professional registration; General Training has a different reading and writing focus.
Know the four skills IELTS assesses Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. Academic and General Training share Listening and Speaking, while Reading and Writing differ. The IELTS Academic test takes approximately 2 hours and 45 minutes in total.
Build your preparation plan Try a sample task in each skill. Keep a simple error log: what went wrong, why it happened, and what you will try next. Balance timed practice with slower review. Avoid choosing a test purely because someone describes it as easy.
Your next step Write down your required overall score and any minimum skill scores. Confirm these directly with the receiving organisation before paying for a test. If you are in Lalitpur, contact Pranitech Solutions to discuss preparation and access to the practice software.
Official source: Read the provider’s guidance ↗