Section outline

  • Learn about the IELTS Academic exam

    • If this section is at the top of the page, you have either not logged in to Moodle or have not been enrolled in the course. Contact language.center-heg@hefr.ch and we will be happy to give you more information

    • Logo of the IELTS exam

      Description of the exam

      The IELTS exam has four parts: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. Each part receives a ‘band score’ and contributes equally to the candidate’s overall band score. This means that there is not a C1 IELTS exam or a B2 IELTS exam, it is the same exam for everyone.

      IELTS band scores generally describe CEFR levels from A2-C2. The highest IELTS band score is 9.

      • B1 ≈ IELTS 4
      • B2 ≈ IELTS 5.5
      • C1 ≈ IELTS 7

      IELTS has an Academic exam and a General Training exam. Most candidates will take the Academic exam, and the course from the HEG Language Center will prepare you for the Academic exam. The exam is delivered on a computer in a test centre, but the speaking test is done in person. The exam takes about 3.5 hours, plus breaks. 

    • General tips for IELTS success

      Each part of the exam starts ‘easy’ and gets more difficult, but all questions are worth 1 point.

      Read the questions carefully! The instructions tell you EXACTLY how to answer the questions, but you always have to read them very carefully. Every exam is different with a variety of question types. Practicing exam tasks is an essential part of getting a satisfactory result.

      Time management is the biggest key to success:

      • Look ahead in the listening exam whenever you have time to read or check your answers.
      • There isn’t enough time to read the texts normally – use topic sentences to find the answers.

      Active listening/reading will make it easier to find the correct answer:

      • Predict the type of answer you expect to find (a date, a place, etc.).
      • Anticipate synonyms of words in the questions – the answers will be exactly from the texts, but the words in the questions will be paraphrased.

      Make sure to practice the speaking and writing tasks so you don’t lose any points or time because you didn’t know what to do. They seem simple, but you must follow all of the instructions.

      Take the free practice test available at https://www.roadtoielts.com/ to see what it's like. Scroll down a little bit to the section called "Syllabus and demo" and then click "Academic" under "Try the free version". 

  • Learn about the preparation course

    • How does the online preparation course work?

      The online course will give you the same preparation as the in-person course, using the same materials, in about the same amout of time (approximately 12-15 hours). Students can see exactly what they have to do to get ready, and the course will tell them how ready they are. Every week, there is an opportunity to get feedback from a teacher on your speaking and writing tasks. Watch the short video below (click "CC" on the video screen to turn on subtitles) to learn all the details. 
       
      ***The video mentions an exam on the computer, but the HEG now offers a paper-based exam in the school. If you prefer to take your exam on a computer, you can register yourself for a date at the exam centre in Bern. Please contact language.center-heg@hefr.ch for more information.
       

      What materials will we use in the courses?

      All course participants (online and in-person) will have access to the complete set of practice materials on the Road to IELTS website. Students will receive instructions about which tasks they should do, but they are welcome to do as much as they want.
       

      When does the online IELTS preparation course start?

      The online independent study IELTS preparation course is always available but feedback will only be provided between 10 March and 11 April (in the time before the next scheduled IELTS exam at the HEG). You can choose to receive a weekly email with goals and reminders to help you stay focused. You can also start the independent study course early to try it out and change to the in-person course if you are not satisfied. 
       

      When does the in-person IELTS preparation course meet?

      In-person classes for the spring semester are currently being planned. They will begin in the week starting 10 March.

      When can I take the IELTS exam? 

      The school is organising a paper-based IELTS Academic exam on 12 April 2025 at the HEG and the preparation courses are designed around this date. However, you can take the IELTS anytime! There are usually three or four dates each month. Check this page to see other dates and locations offered by our exam partner (make sure you are only looking at dates for the IELTS Academic exam). Please contact the Language Center before signing up for an alternate date.
       
      The deadline for registration for the next exam at the HEG is 28 February.
       

      Do I need to register for a course?

      Yes. Please register for a preparation course by 28 February. We will notify you by email and provide a link to choose whether you want to do the online independent study course or the in-person course. It is possible to try the online course and change if you don't like it. Send an email to language.center-heg@hefr.ch before 7 March if you want to change.
       

      Any questions?

      Send an email to language.center-heg@hefr.ch and we will be happy to provide more information.

  • External links

    • Practice materials

    • Road to IELTS logo

      Road to IELTS is the official practice material from the British Council, and everyone in the preparation course will have access to the complete package. All of the practice material is delivered in the web browser, with the same interface that is found in the real exam (all IELTS exams in Switzerland are given on a computer).

      There is one full set of free practice materials on Road to IELTS, scroll down a little bit and under "Syllabus and demo" you will see "Try the free version". Click on "Academic" to go to the free materials. You can watch a video about each part, get some tips and do some practice exercises. If you want to do a practice test, click on "Test practice" and choose the free set. You can do the practice test in the online environment or download a PDF (and the answer key) at the bottom of the page. Use the "Home" button in the top left to navigate back. 

      Participants in the HEG Language Center preparation course will have access to all 10 practice sets. If you want access on your own, you can request a price list from the publisher. In 2023, you could buy 6 exams for 31 days for $50, 10 exams plus grammar and writing tips for 31 days for $80 and 10 exams plus grammar and writing tips for 90 days for $160. 

    • IELTS Liz logoIELTS Liz is a private teacher's website with a huge amount of information, tips, model answers and practical exercises for all parts of the IELTS exam. This is an excellent resource if you cannot attend the preparation class.

    • IELTS buddy logo

      IELTS buddy is another fantastic self-study resource. It has lessons, strategies, tips, practice exams and sample answers.

    •  Ben Teaches English logo

      Ben Teaches English is an exam preparation website with a section dedicated to the IELTS exam. The tips are straightforward and practical and there are links to lots of free practice exams. 

    • Self-registration and payment for the IELTS Academic exam

      IELTS is offered around once or twice a month through our test partner in Bern, as well as other cities in Switzerland. The exam costs CHF 425 and is administered by Cambridge English Languages. You can visit their website to see the available dates and to register -- make sure to choose Type: Academic and Test-Category: IELTS.  Please use the links provided by your teacher if the school is paying for your exam!