IELTS, prepared for the band your offer names.

The most widely accepted English test, available in Academic and General Training. Diagnostic first, then coaching aimed only at the sections costing you marks.

12,000+
institutions accept it: 2h 45m
test duration: 0–9
band scale: 2 years
score validity: 6.5
commonly required

KEY TAKEAWAYS

What this page covers

IELTS tests four skills separately, and many universities set a minimum for each one as well as an overall band.
Academic is the version degree applications need; General Training is for work and migration.
The test runs 2 hours 45 minutes, with speaking sometimes scheduled on a different day.
Bands run from 0 to 9 in half-band steps, and scores stay valid for two years.
One Skill Retake lets you resit a single section within 60 days instead of paying for a full test.
Paper-based IELTS is being withdrawn globally, leaving computer-delivered as the standard format.

ABOUT THE TEST

Accepted almost everywhere, and the format rewards preparation.

IELTS tests four skills separately, which means an overall band can hide a weak section — and many universities set a floor for each one. Academic is the version required for degree study; General Training is for work and migration. Choosing the wrong one is a common and expensive mistake.

01Academic, not GeneralDegree applications need the Academic version.
02Section minimums matterA 7.0 overall with a 5.5 in writing can still be refused.
03Computer or paperSame content, different result turnaround.

What IELTS measures

IELTS assesses listening, reading, writing and speaking as four separate scores, then averages them into an overall band. That structure is the single most important thing to understand about it: an overall 7.0 built on a 5.5 in writing will still be refused by a university that sets 6.0 in every section, and a great many of them do.

Choosing the wrong version is the other common and expensive mistake. Academic is what degree applications need. General Training covers work, training and migration. They are not interchangeable, and a General Training score cannot be used for a university offer.

Exam pattern

Four sections in one sitting, though speaking may be scheduled separately within a few days of the written test.

Section	Time	Format	What it tests
Listening	30 minutes	40 questions	Conversations and monologues in everyday and academic settings
Reading	60 minutes	40 questions	Three long passages; academic texts in the Academic version
Writing	60 minutes	2 tasks	A data description and an argumentative essay
Speaking	11–14 minutes	3 parts	A face-to-face interview with a trained examiner

How bands are awarded

Each section is banded against published descriptors, then the four are averaged and rounded to the nearest half band. Understanding the rounding matters when you are one section short of a requirement.

Component	Detail
Band scale	0 to 9, reported in half-band steps
Overall band	The average of four section scores, rounded to the nearest 0.5
Section minimums	Set independently by each university, often 6.0 or 6.5
Validity	Two years from the test date

IELTS fees in Bangladesh

Both the British Council and IDP charge the same standardised fee for the same test type, so choose on venue and available dates rather than price.

Fee type	Amount (BDT)
IELTS Academic or General Training (computer)	৳24,950
IELTS for UKVI	৳27,450
IELTS Life Skills	৳20,850
One Skill Retake	৳14,175 – ৳18,700
Enquiry on Results (remark)	৳10,500
Additional score report	৳2,400 per institution (first five free)

Fees track the USD–BDT exchange rate and are revised periodically. Confirm the current amount on the official provider portal before you pay.

Booking and results

Sittings run several times a month at approved centres in Dhaka, Chattogram and Sylhet, and slots fill quickly in the months before a September intake. Book while your batch is still running rather than after it ends, so your preparation is at its peak on test day.

Computer-delivered results are released in a few days; paper results take around two weeks. If you fall short in exactly one section, decide between a One Skill Retake and an Enquiry on Results before either window closes, because both are time-limited.

COMMON QUESTIONS

Frequently asked questions

Should I take Academic or General Training?

Academic, in almost every case. It is the version universities require for degree-level study, and the reading and writing tasks are built around academic material. General Training is intended for work, training and migration routes. If you are applying to a university and also considering a migration pathway later, take Academic now — it satisfies the university, and you can sit General Training separately if a visa route ever requires it.

What band do I actually need?