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IELTS: free practice tests, format, band scores and fees

IELTS is an English test for study, work and migration. It has two versions, Academic and General Training, and each skill is scored in bands 0 to 9.

Free IELTS practice for every paper

The test at a glance

  • Listening4 parts, 40 questions, about 30 minutes; each recording is played once
  • Reading3 sections, 40 questions, 60 minutes
  • Writing2 tasks in 60 minutes, at least 150 and 250 words
  • Speaking3 parts, 11 to 14 minutes, face to face with an examiner
  • TotalAbout 165 minutes, on computer at a test centre
  • Results1 to 5 days after a test on computer

Academic or General Training?

AcademicGeneral Training
ForUniversity study and professional registrationMigration, training and study below degree level
Listening, SpeakingSame in bothSame in both
Reading3 long academic textsEveryday and work texts, then one longer text
Writing Task 1Describe a chart, table or diagramWrite a letter
Writing Task 2An essayAn essay

Each university, employer or authority decides which version and score it accepts: ask before you book.

Band scores

Each skill gets a band from 0 to 9, in whole or half bands, and your overall band is their average, rounded to the nearest half band. In Listening and Reading each correct answer is one mark out of 40. There is no official table that turns marks into bands, so our practice shows your number of correct answers.

UK visas: IELTS for UKVI

For a UK visa you need IELTS for UKVI, taken on computer at an IELTS for UKVI centre. GOV.UK sets the minimum band in each of the four skills:

LevelBand in each skill
B14
B25.5
C17
C28.5

A Skilled Worker visa, for example, needs B2. Settlement and citizenship use a different test, IELTS Life Skills B1.

Fees: set by each test centre

Test centreIELTS on computer
Paris€307
Frankfurt€286
Madrid€284
Rotterdam€283
University of Reading (UK)£235

Examples checked on 18 October 2026, the same price for Academic and General Training. Check the price when you book.

Good to know

  • Validity: IELTS recommends treating results as valid for 2 years.
  • One Skill Retake: retake a single skill within 60 days of a full test on computer, where the centre offers it.
  • Re-mark: an Enquiry on Results is answered within 21 days; the fee is refunded if your band changes.
  • Paper test: being withdrawn from mid-2026 (announced 5 March 2026); the European centres we checked offer the computer test.
  • IELTS Online: taken at home in some countries, Academic only, and not accepted for visas.

Independent practice

IELTS is a trademark of IDP Education, the British Council and Cambridge University Press & Assessment. FreeExamPath is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by them; our questions and sample answers are our own.

Official information

Questions about IELTS

How long is the IELTS test?

About 165 minutes: Listening about 30, Reading 60, Writing 60 and Speaking 11 to 14 minutes, the same for both versions.

What IELTS score do I need?

There is no pass mark: each university, employer or authority sets its own band. For UK visas, IELTS for UKVI with band 4 in each skill for B1 and 5.5 for B2.

How much does IELTS cost?

Each centre sets its fee: for example €307 in Paris, €286 in Frankfurt, €284 in Madrid and £235 at the University of Reading (autumn 2026).

Are these official IELTS practice tests?

No. They are our own free practice tests in the IELTS format, without sign-up, and show your number of correct answers rather than a band.

Official sources (22) · last checked 18 October 2026