2 million IELTS tests in the last year... and still growing!

ST. LOUIS, May 29, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The two million test figure represents 11% growth in the number of tests taken in the last 12 months and marks the eighteenth year of consecutive growth in IELTS test numbers.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130529/DC22373 )

The growth in test numbers also reflects the strong growth in the number of organizations turning to IELTS to meet their needs for language proficiency assessment. IELTS is now accepted by more than 8,000 educational institutions, employers, professional associations and governments in 135 countries around the world – including over 3,000 institutions and programs in the USA.

Making the announcement from the IELTS booth at the NAFSA conference in St. Louis, Missouri – Zach Johnson, CEO at IELTS USA said "of the two million tests, the numbers of people taking IELTS to go to the US continues to grow and all of the Top 25 US universities accepting foreign students accept IELTS as proof of English proficiency."

Globally, the demand for IELTS in countries such as China, India, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Turkey has remained high, with students taking the test for entry to educational institutions in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and USA, among many other destinations.

John Gildea, Head of IELTS at the British Council says "the phenomenal growth we've seen around the world is testament to the popularity of the test with test takers – and the organizations that trust IELTS scores as an accurate indicator of a person's ability to communicate in English."

John Belleville, Head of IELTS at IDP IELTS adds "IELTS is maintaining its position as the most secure high-stakes English proficiency test available, and is available to people in more than 900 locations around the world."

IELTS is jointly owned by the British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia and Cambridge English Language Assessment.

International English Language Testing System (IELTS)

IELTS is the International English Language Testing System, the world's most popular English language proficiency test with two million tests taken in the last year. Over 8,000 organizations trust and accept IELTS as a secure, valid and reliable indicator of true to life ability to communicate in English for education, immigration and professional accreditation. IELTS is jointly owned by British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia and Cambridge English Language Assessment.

British Council is the UK's international organization for education and cultural relations. Dedicated to building trust through the exchange of knowledge between people worldwide, the British Council is represented in over 100 countries.

IDP: IELTS Australia, a subsidiary of IDP Education, is one of the world's leading international education organizations offering student placement in Australia, the USA and the UK. IDP Education has 40 years' experience in international higher education, placing more than 32,000 students every year.

Cambridge English Language Assessment is the world's leading provider of exams for learners of English. Each year the exams are taken by more than 4 million people, in 135 countries.

IELTS USA is the U.S. division of IELTS located in Los Angeles, CA, responsible for U.S. stakeholder relations, as well as the management and delivery of the IELTS test center network throughout the USA.

About the test

Candidates are tested in listening, reading, writing and speaking. All tests are scored on a banded system from 1 (the lowest) through to 9 (the highest possible band score).

IELTS offers a choice of two versions, to serve both academic and non-academic purposes. IELTS Academic measures English language proficiency needed for an academic, higher learning environment. The tasks and texts are accessible to all test-takers, irrespective of their subject focus. IELTS General Training measures English language proficiency in a practical, everyday context. The tasks and texts reflect both workplace and social situations. General Training is suitable for immigration purposes to Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

A sample of higher education, government and professional associations who accept or require applicants to hold an IELTS test result include:

• Top Open Doors colleges and universities in the US, such as
  Yale University, University of Chicago – Urbana Champaign, University of Michigan, Boston University
• University of Cambridge, University of London, Imperial College, McGill University, Australian National University, University of Melbourne
• Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC)
• Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC)
• UK Home Office – Border Agency (UKBA)
• Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) and National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN), USA

SOURCE IELTS USA