IELTS

IELTS (International English Language Testing System) is the most widely accepted English language exam in the world. For university admission you take the IELTS Academic version. In Baku the exam is run by the British Council and IDP; paper and computer formats are available.

Exam structure

• Listening — about 30 minutes, 40 questions
• Reading — 60 minutes, 3 academic texts, 40 questions
• Writing — 60 minutes, 2 tasks (describing a graph and an essay)
• Speaking — 11–14 minutes, a face-to-face interview with an examiner

Where is it required?

• Universities in the UK, Europe, Canada and Australia
• For master’s, usually an overall score of 6.0–7.0, with at least 5.5–6.5 in each section
• Chevening, Stipendium Hungaricum, the Swedish Institute and other scholarships
• When a UK visa is required: IELTS for UKVI version

Preparation tips

• Check the overall and section scores your target universities require in advance
• Build a plan of at least 6–8 weeks and take full tests under real conditions
• Feedback on Writing and Speaking is essential — it is hard to spot your own mistakes
• Take the exam at least 2 months before the application deadline so you can retake it if needed

Official source

Official website for registration, dates and fees: ielts.org

Note: the exam format and fees change from time to time. Check the official website before registering. Last updated: October 2026.

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