Currently, IELTS (International English Language Testing System) consists of two main types: IELTS Academic and IELTS General, serving different purposes. In Vietnam, IELTS Academic is more popular due to its benefits in academics and careers. In this article, ETES English for Study AbroadI will explain in detail about What is IELTS Academic? and the advantages of certification.

What is IELTS Academic?
IELTS Academic is an exam that assesses the English language ability of people who want to study at universities, colleges or intensive training programs in English. This test focuses on testing the language skills needed for an academic environment, including Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing with more academic and complex content than IELTS General. The IELTS Academic certificate is widely recognized by schools and educational institutions around the world.

How is IELTS Academic different from IELTS General?
Below is a table that distinguishes the differences between IELTS Academic and IELTS General according to the main criteria:
Criteria | IELTS Academic | IELTS General |
Purpose | Assess academic English proficiency, suitable for study abroad and research at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. | Assesses everyday English communication skills, suitable for people who want to immigrate, study a trade, or work. |
Reading Test | Long, scholarly passages from journals, research books, or scientific articles. | Shorter paragraphs, content close to everyday life, work or social environment. |
Writing Test | Writing Task 1 request description of graphs, figures or procedures; IELTS Writing Task 2 is an academic article, arguing about a topic. | Task 1 requires writing a letter; Task 2 is an essay with practical content related to life or work. |
Contestants | People who intend to study abroad, do research or work at organizations that use English. | People who complete vocational training, settle or immigrate to English-speaking countries. |
Academic level | Higher levels require more complex vocabulary and expression knowledge. | Focuses on everyday communication language, requiring a lower academic level. |
Who should take the IELTS Academic test?
IELTS Academic Suitable for those aiming to study at undergraduate and postgraduate levels in English-speaking countries, or work in an academic environment.
In Vietnam, students often use this certificate to apply for specialized schools, universities, or apply for jobs at international companies. Therefore, the IELTS test center In Vietnam, we mainly focus on IELTS Academic training.

IELTS Academic test structure
Besides understanding what IELTS Academic is, it is also important to understand IELTS test structure is also very important. Currently, the IELTS Academic test will have all four skills: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. Each test section has its own characteristics to comprehensively assess the candidate's English ability.

Listening Skills
The Listening test lasts 40 minutes and consists of four sections, each with 10 questions. Section 1 requires listening to specific information and filling in the gaps, while the following sections are of increasing difficulty with question types such as matching information, choosing answers, and filling in words.
Reading Skills
The Reading section consists of 40 questions based on 3 long passages. Common question types include circling, Yes/No/Not given, filling in the blanks and matching. The test time is 60 minutes.
Writing Skills
Exam IELTS Writing It lasts 60 minutes and consists of two parts. Task 1 requires you to write 150 words describing a chart or diagram, while Task 2 requires you to write a 250-word essay on a given topic.
Speaking skills
The Speaking test lasts about 15 minutes and is divided into 3 parts. The first part is personal questions, the second part requires candidates to prepare for 1 minute and speak for 2 minutes, and the third part requires more in-depth answers on the topic of part 2.
How to calculate IELTS Academic test score
The IELTS Academic test is scored on a scale of 0 – 9 for each skill: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. The overall score is the average of these 4 skills.
Total score = (Listening score + Reading score + Writing score + Speaking score) : 4

In there:
- Listening Skills: The Listening test consists of 40 questions, and each correct answer is worth 1 point. The total score for this section is determined based on the number of correct answers. After the scores are totaled, they are converted to a 9-point scale score using a score conversion table.
- Reading Skills: The Reading section also consists of 40 questions. Each correct answer is worth 1 point. The total score for the Reading section is calculated based on the number of correct answers and then converted to a score on a 9-point scale, also using a score conversion table.
- Writing Skills: The Writing test consists of two tasks: Task 1 and Task 2. Each task is scored on criteria such as organization, clarity, grammar, and vocabulary. The scores for Task 1 and Task 2 are added together, averaged, and converted to a 9-band score.
- Speaking Skills: The Speaking test is assessed on elements such as pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, and overall communicative ability. The Speaking score is calculated based on four main criteria: fluency, grammatical accuracy, vocabulary, and pronunciation. The final score for this test is aggregated and converted to a 9-point scale.
Overall Score: The overall score of the IELTS Academic test is calculated by averaging the scores of each section.
This average score will be rounded according to the rule:
- If the average score has an odd number of 0.25, round up to 0.5.
- If it is 0.75, round up to 1.0.
You have understood clearly about IELTS score scale yet? Learn now how to calculate IELTS Overall score most accurately to set effective learning goals.
Share effective ways to study and take the IELTS Academic test
Define goals
Set a specific target IELTS Academic score that you want to achieve based on the requirements of the university or institution you intend to apply to. Having a clear goal will help you stay focused and motivated during your studies.
Check current level
Before you start studying, take a placement test to assess your current ability in Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking. This will help you understand your strengths and weaknesses and identify areas for improvement.
Make an action plan to achieve your goals
Based on your test results and your goals, create a specific action plan. Your plan should include daily study time, review activities, and practice tests to track your progress.
Build a learning path and appropriate learning methods for each skill
Depending on your current level, build a suitable study path to achieve your desired IELTS total score.
- Listening Skills: Practice listening to lectures, news, and podcasts in English. Use practice tests to get familiar with the question format.
- Reading Skills: Read academic papers, scientific articles and IELTS Reading Practice with long passages. Focus on answering IELTS-style questions.
- Writing Skills: Write essays and describe graphs. Practice different types of essays and have someone with experience evaluate your writing.
- Speaking Skills: Practice speaking English with friends or through online study groups. Combine with topic-based speaking exercises and get feedback to improve your communication skills.
Take courses at reputable centers to achieve maximum effectiveness.
To achieve optimal results in the IELTS Academic exam, attending courses at reputable centers is very important. ETEST English for Study Abroad provide courses IELTS test preparation High quality, specially designed to fit your learning needs and score goals.
With the route learn IELTS Personalized with dedicated guidance from experienced instructors, ETEST Study Abroad English is committed to helping you effectively improve all skills: Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing and achieve your desired score.
Besides, ETEST Study Abroad English also provides courses IELTS 1 on 1, IELTS crash course especially helps students quickly overcome weaknesses and improve skills thanks to close supervision from instructors. With dedicated support and flexible learning methods, will help you confidently conquer the IELTS exam in the most effective way.
Hope through this article you have understood clearly about What is IELTS Academic? and gain useful knowledge for yourself. Contact ETEST Study Abroad English today for free consultation and start your journey to conquer IELTS successfully!
Read more useful articles IELTS Overview:
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