IELTS and CORONAVIRUS
Due to the recent Coronavirus crisis, IELTS has started the IELTS INDICATOR test for Academic candidates, as an alternative to the IELTS test. Now, there are many benefits and drawbacks of IELTS indicator test. Let’s dive deeper and figure out if this is an apt test for you or should you wait.
BENEFITS of IELTS INDICATOR Test
IELTS Indicator is an online test for students who are applying to an educational institution. Students can take this test from their home, they do not need to visit the official IELTS test centre. This test is an alternative with which you can safely demonstrate your language skills during the Covid-19 lockdown period. Essentially, this test is quite useful for both students and institutions, when it’s not possible to take the IELTS test at an official test centre. Moreover, the test is an official IELTS product that you can trust.
Yet, as a famous proverb goes:
“In every seed of good there is always a piece of bad.”
Marian Wright Edelman , American activist for children’s rights
There seem to be few downsides to this test.
DRAWBACKS of IELTS INDICATOR test
Interestingly, IELTS Indicator provides an indicative score only. As of now, it is not accepted by all organisations. Before you book the test, be sure to check with your university, college or educational institution. Firstly, you can check if your university accepts IELTS INDICATOR test here. Secondly, please call or email your prospective university course coordinator and get an update on the same, do not rely on the information given on any website or forum. It would be much wiser to get a confirmation, in writing, from the university.
For students, visa offices might not accept this test and you might have to apply for a general visa, which is much more expensive than a student visa and has its own merits and demerits. The test is available for a limited time in certain countries ( including India ) where IELTS testing is currently suspended or limited due to COVID-19.
Now, another concern is that IELTS Indicator is an Academic test only. This test is not available for IELTS General candidates or immigration purposes.
INFO about IELTS INDICATOR test
Moving on, the IELTS INDICATOR test is more or less similar to the IELTS test. It tests you on Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. The test is conducted over a video call with an IELTS test taker. It also uses the same format of an original IELTS test, with 40 questions for listening and reading sections, two writing tasks and a speaking session. The test would take approximately, 2 hours and 45 minutes for the listening, reading and writing section. Later, the speaking session is conducted separately.
Please note that you cannot pause the test in between (no bathroom breaks!) and also make sure you have a stable internet connection with power backup.
The test is available once a week and you can book it from here. It would cost you $149 and you may retake the test if you didn’t do well in the first attempt. However, I’m sure you understand that you’d need to pay $149 again if you choose to retake the IELTS INDICATOR test.
To sum it up, this test is a feasible alternative for students, especially in these difficult times. Nevertheless, I would recommend you to be cautious and also consider other looming factors before you jump into the wagon. If international flights are suspended in your region or country, then I’d say you wait for the original IELTS test, the one conducted in an official test centre. But again, it is difficult to assess all possible outcomes for everyone, so I leave the decision on you.
I’m sure you have many more questions on the test, I’d recommend you visit the IELTS INDICATOR FAQ section.
You can also visit the Official IELTS INDICATOR website here.
Justus Joseph