Academic or General Training?
Which IELTS should you take? The differences between Academic and General Training, who needs which, and how preparation differs.
In this lesson you will
- Know which sections differ between the two versions
- Decide which version matches your goal
- Adapt your preparation to your version
Learn
Same in both: Listening and Speaking. Different: Reading and Writing.
Academic is usually required for university study and some professional registration (for example, some healthcare roles). Reading uses longer texts from books, journals and magazines; Writing Task 1 asks you to describe a graph, table, chart, process or map.
General Training is often used for migration, work experience and secondary education. Reading uses everyday and workplace texts, then one longer general-interest text; Writing Task 1 is a letter.
Always check with the university, employer or immigration authority which version and minimum band they require. Requirements differ between organisations and countries and can change.
| Academic | General Training | |
|---|---|---|
| Listening | Same | Same |
| Speaking | Same | Same |
| Reading | Academic texts | Everyday, workplace and general texts |
| Writing Task 1 | Describe visual data / process / map | Write a letter |
| Writing Task 2 | Essay | Essay (often more general topics) |
Examples
- A student applying for a master’s degree usually needs Academic.
- Someone applying for skilled migration may need General Training — check the official requirement.
- Both versions write a Task 2 essay of at least 250 words.
Vocabulary
requirement
something officially needed
migration
moving to live in another country
registration
official permission to work in a profession
version
one form of the test
minimum band
the lowest score accepted
Practice
Which sections are identical in both versions?
Speaking
Explain in one minute which IELTS version you need (or would need) and why.
Lesson quiz
Who should you ask about the version you need?
Review
Key points
- Listening and Speaking: same.
- Reading and Writing: different.
- Academic for study; General Training often for work/migration.
- Check the official requirement.
What you learned
- ✓ I know the difference between the versions.
- ✓ I know which one I need.
- ✓ I know how to check requirements.