IELTS Indicator Test - All You Need to Know

Many of you might be desperate as IELTS exams are postponed indefinitely due to COVID-19 lockdown. To help students navigate through this difficult situation, IELTS has introduced the IELTS Indicator exam.

Similar to conventional IELTS exams, IELTS Indicator is a test that includes Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking modules. The test uses live IELTS questions that are evaluated by real IELTS examiners. Hence, IELTS Indicator provides a more accurate score and is more reliable than a mock test.

It is important to note that the IELTS Indicator test has the same structure, content and timing as that of a conventional IELTS exam. So, you need to complete the Listening, Reading and Writing in 2 hours and 45 minutes without any break in between. The Speaking test will be conducted on another day via Zoom.

Before you take the IELTS Indicator test from home, you need to ensure the following:-

• A calm and quiet environment where you can take the test without disruptions
• A laptop or computer in good condition
• A secure and fast internet connection
• A Safe Exam Browser (SEB) which needs to be downloaded and installed
• Headphones for the Listening section
• Web camera
• Zoom app – desktop version

One thing that deserves special mention is that only Academic IELTS can be taken from home currently.

IELTS Indicator test is currently available in the following regions:-

Argentina, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Mauritius, Mexico, Nepal, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan

Many students who were undergoing IELTS training at our Kottayam center have now booked for IELTS Indicator to secure admission for September 2020 intake in countries like the UK.

The Writing and Speaking sections will be evaluated by qualified IELTS examiners in the same way regular exams are scored.

With each day, more and more institutions are accepting IELTS Indicator results for academic purposes. IDP strongly implore you to confirm that your university or organisation will accept the Indicator results before you book and pay for the exam. Make sure that the target organization knows the difference between conventional IELTS and IELTS Indicator exams. Get a written confirmation from the institution stating that they accept IELTS Indicator.

It is also important to prepare well before you register and attend the IELTS Indicator exam. Students are now opting for IELTS Online classes as they have difficulty in attending classroom-based training sessions.

The main difference between conventional IELTS and IELTS Indicator exam is that the latter is considered an Indication rather than a formal statement of results. 

Currently, the Indicator tests take place once every week. Bookings can be made through the official website. The test fee is USD 149. For security reasons, test takers are required to provide their passport and identity verification documents. Make sure that you have those at your disposal during the Speaking test as well as other 3 sections.

It is worth mentioning that IELTS Indicator is designed for adults aged above or equal to 18. Those aged 16 or 17 years old must get a consent form signed by a parent/guardian and will also need to have a chaperone with them during their IELTS Indicator Speaking test.

IELTS Indicator test is time-bound. You cannot pause the test, come back and finish the remaining part later. Listening, Reading and Writing must be completed on 2 hours 45 minutes while Speaking test will be conducted separately. Here’s a section-wise breakdown of timing:-

• Listening: 30 minutes
• Reading: 60 minutes
• Writing: 50 minutes
• Speaking: 11 to 14 minutes

You will get the IELTS Indicator exam results within 7 days of completing all sections of the test. There will be an overall indicative band score and well as a score in each module of the test. Similar to the conventional IELTS exam, the indicative band score will be between 1 and 9.

The Best Kind of Exam for Nurses - IELTS or OET?

Indian nurses who wish to work abroad are often faced with the dilemma to choose the right exam to prove their English language proficiency.

First of all, there are two language tests to prove your English expertise – the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) and the Occupational English Test (OET). The Nursing and Midwifery Council (UK) accepts both these tests to ascertain whether your English knowledge is sufficient to work in the UK.

We get a lot of questions from nurses regarding these tests – which one is easier, which one will suit me more… the list goes on… I’d like to clarify that, at the end of the day, both these tests are designed to determine your expertise in the English language. First, we will analyse the differences and then the similarities between IELTS and OET.

So, what are the differences between IELTS and OET?

• Content (or Context) of the Exam

So, OET tests your knowledge in “healthcare English”. This includes testing your ability to communicate effectively in medical situations, understanding consultation with patients, writing letters (referral/ discharge), understanding and interpreting medical journal etc.

On the other hand, IELTS tests “academic English”. This includes testing your ability to write essays, understanding and interpreting lectures, understanding academic articles, discussing a wide range of issues – which can be social, political, educational, healthcare etc.

• Test Cost and Centers

At the time this article is published, OET exam costs much more than IELTS. The current exam fee for IELTS Academic mode is INR 13500* while that of OET is INR 29000* (approximately).

More exam dates and centers are available for IELTS than OET.

*Fee is expressed in Indian rupees. May vary according to exchange rate.

• Format of the Exam

IELTS Academic has the following exam format:-

The format of the OET exam is as follows:-

• Preparing for IELTS and OET

Preparing for OET includes familiarizing yourself with a multitude of healthcare-related and profession-specific language. The candidate must be able to follow and engage in a variety of medical and clinical scenarios including understanding healthcare-related texts and talks. They must be capable of writing a referral or discharge letter at an advanced level. To acquire these skills, most nurses seek help from a professional OET coaching center.

IELTS Academic preparation involves grasping huge amounts of vocabulary on a wide variety of subjects (not just medical related). The candidates must be capable of reading and understanding texts quickly, understand lectures and discussions, separate facts from opinions. They must be capable of writing essays on a variety of subjects at an advanced language level. These essays must include high-level grammatical structures and complex sentences. To get expertise in the IELTS exam, many candidates rely on reputed IELTS coaching centers.

• Competition Level and Number of Test Takers

In the last year alone, over 3 million people have taken IELTS exam while OET was attempted by tens of thousands. This mere fact itself reflects the specialized nature of OET over IELTS.

• Recognition of Tests

IELTS Academic is recognized by universities, regulatory bodies and companies around the world. Immigration authorities accept IELTS General. Nurses looking for jobs in countries like the UK must take IELTS Academic.

OET is primarily recognized by healthcare regulatory bodies and healthcare-education bodies. OET is accepted in the UK, Ireland, New Zealand, Dubai, Ukraine, Namibia and Singapore.

• Scoring for IELTS and OET

In each module of IELTS, you are scored out of 9 and the overall score will be the average score in four modules. 9 is the highest band score.

In each OET module, the candidate will be graded between A to E grade, with a numerical equivalent. An overall grade is also calculated. A indicates high expertise in language while E is the lowest.

Let’s have a look at the similarities:-

1. Both tests take place on one day
2. Both IELTS and OET consists of 4 sub-sections – Writing, Reading, Listening and Speaking
3. There is no “pass or fail”. Instead, IELTS candidates will be given a band score out of 9 while a grade between A to E will be given to OET candidates. For a nursing job in the UK, the candidate must have at least IELTS 7 each in Reading, Listening and Speaking and a minimum 6.5 in Writing. For OET, it is B, each in Reading, Listening and Speaking and a minimum C+ in Writing
4. Both IELTS and OET were developed in the late 1980s. IELTS is owned by the British Council and IDP OET ownership is shared by Boxhill assessment.

Study in UK Without IELTS

This might come as a surprise to many of you, but it is possible for Indian students to study in the U.K. without IELTS. In order to obtain a U.K. study visa without IELTS, universities in the U.K., mainly consider your Class XII English score.

To cut to the chase, you can apply for U.K. student visa if you have secured a minimum of 70% in Class XII English. Upper age limit for UK student visa is 35 years. Universities prefer candidates with less or no career gap at all.

Following are the prominent U.K. universities offering admission to Indian students without IELTS.

• University of Bedfordshire
• University of  Hertfordshire
• University of  Greenwich
• Middlesex University
• Oxford Brookes University
• De-Montfort University
• University of  Sunderland
• University of  the West of England
• Teesside University
• University of  East London
• University of  South Wales

How Can You Apply?

The U.K. student visa application process can be sometimes daunting, so it is advisable get assistance from a qualified overseas education consultant.

You need to get the following documents in scanned format (JPEG or PDF).

● Passport (first two pages)

● Resume/CV

● 10th mark sheet

● 12th mark sheet

● Bachelors mark sheets (consolidated marks memo, provisional certificate and individual memos)

● IELTS/TOEFL score card

● Letter of Recommendation - 2

● Statement of Purpose

Ealoor Study Abroad is directly led by British Council Qualified Education Agent - Ref. GAL/16516. We do not charge any service fee for the processing. To start your UK student visa application without IELTS, click here.

One thing to note here is that this scheme is not applicable for nursing courses. In that case, most universities ask an IELTS score of 6.5 (with no band less than 6.0). An exception is possible if you have secured 65% for Class XII English (CBSE stream only).

Are There Any Intakes Before Fall 2020?

Yes. Admissions are open for May/ June/ July 2020 intakes at the following universities.

• University of Bedfordshire
• University of Bolton
• University of Salford
• Coventry University
• University of West London

University of Bedfordshire is a public university in England, United Kingdom. It is close to London only 30 minutes by train / bus. It has 4 campuses - Luton, Bedford, Putteridge Bury and Milton Keynes. So, if you are looking to study in London without clearing IELTS this is an optimal choice. Indian students who scored minimum 70% in English at class XII are exempted from IELTS for both UG and PG courses.

The University of Bolton is a public university in Bolton, Greater Manchester, England. You can apply without IELTS if you have secured at least 70% for English in Class XII.

Coventry University is in the city of Coventry, England. It has two campuses. The main campus is in Coventry city centre and other campus is located in the heart of London’s financial district. IELTS can be waived off if the student has 65% or above in English in HSC.

The University of West London is a public university in the United Kingdom which has campuses in Ealing and Brentford in Greater London, as well as in Reading, Berkshire. In order to apply without IELTS, you need to secure at least 70% for Class XII English.