It is jointly managed by the British Council, IDP and Cambridge English,[6] and was established in 1989.

Institutions are advised not to consider a report older than two years to be valid, unless the user proves that they have worked to maintain their level.

As a result, the IELTS Revision Project was set up to oversee the redesign of the test.

The Academic version is for test takers who want to study at the tertiary level in an English-speaking country or seek professional registration.

[15] The difference between the Academic and General Training versions is the content, context, and purpose of the tasks.

Test takers should be careful when writing down their answers as they will lose marks for incorrect spelling and grammar.

[37] Just over half (51%) of test takers take IELTS to enter higher education in a foreign country.

As a general rule, the top ranked universities in the United States tend to require a higher IELTS band (typically 7.0).

A number of Commonwealth countries use IELTS scores as a proof of prospective immigrants' competence in English.

[43] Originally, applicants who could not achieve the required score could pay a NZ$20,000 fee instead, which would be fully or partially refunded later if the migrant were able to successfully take the test within a certain period (3 to 12 months) after his or her arrival to the country.

A few years later, the policy was changed: the fee was reduced, and, instead of being potentially refundable, it became treated as a "pre-purchase" of post-arrival ESL tuition.

[44] Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) uses IELTS and/or TEF as evidence of one's ability to communicate in English and/or French.

The CELPIP (Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program) test scores are an alternative to IELTS.

[47] There are different language requirements for different types of immigration program as shown below: Submitting one's IELTS scores is also one of the several ways to prove one's proficiency in an official language when applying for Canadian citizenship (minimum of CLB level 4 required).

[8] For UK visa purposes the test is designed to meet certain administrative requirements specified by UKVI.

The cost of taking the test, which varies by region but is generally considered expensive, can be a major barrier for test-takers from developing countries.

[55] For many, the test is prohibitively expensive, particularly if they need to retake it multiple times to achieve their desired score.

[56] In addition to cost, accessibility issues arise from the limited availability of IELTS test centers.

These centers are concentrated in urban areas, making it difficult for candidates in rural or remote locations to access testing facilities.

This uneven distribution of test centers disproportionately affects individuals from less economically developed regions.