In order to find out your level of English, it is enough to pass the usual test, but in order to get the official result, you need to pass a single international exam and get a certificate. IELTS is one of the main exams at the level of English, for the successful passing of which people from all over the world strive. A well-passed test opens the door to education, work, or immigration abroad. IELTS results are recognized in many countries of the world, such as Australia, Great Britain, Canada, New Zealand, Ireland, South Africa and many others.
Suppose that the years of preparation are behind and the long-awaited day has come, the exam is passed. How to find out IELTS results and what to do next? You will find the answer in the article.
What do IELTS results mean?
Before you know your result, you need to learn to understand it.
The total score for the exam is calculated as the arithmetic average of the total points for all four parts: listening, writing, reading and speaking. The more points you get for each piece, the higher the overall score. The maximum possible score is 9 points, while for tasks you can get both a whole score and half a point. Please note that IELTS cannot be passed, as the result reflects your level of English proficiency in accordance with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). Even if you got the lowest score, you have proven your starting level A1. You can only score 0 points in the exam only if the person does not answer any questions. However, a passing score for many foreign educational institutions or considering an application for an immigrant visa is a score of 6-6.5 points, confirming the average level of language proficiency.
Where to find IELTS results
After passing the exam, you will have to be patient, while the system processes your results and specialists will calculate points.
The results of the traditional test are published on the 13th day after the day of the exam and are available online for two weeks. If you have passed electronic testing, the system will process your result much faster - within a week. Do not wait for someone to call you or send an e-mail. After the deadline, you need to go to the site of the examination center, where you took the test, enter the data specified during registration into the form. However, remember that online results are for reference only. The real proof of passing the exam is a genuine certificate issued to you in the examination center or sent by mail.
What to do next
So, you got the results and were able to decipher them. If you are unsatisfied with the result, you can try to sign up for the next exam or file a paid appeal. If the result suits you, then you have two years to use the certificate. After two years, the IELTS results become invalid and you will have to take the exam again.
Having a certificate in your hands, you are free to use it at your own discretion: apply for an immigrant visa, send it to a potential employer or university, or simply put it in the archive of personal achievements. In addition, if you indicated organizations interested in passing the test when registering for the test, the examination center itself will notify them of your results.