International English Language Testing System (IELTS), which has over three million people globally taking part in the test each year, continues to present opportunities to many Ghanaians who seek to pursue a career or education outside the country. 

The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is designed to help candidates work, study, or migrate to the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and other countries where English is the native language.

Currently, more than 10,000 employers, universities, schools, and immigration bodies around the world accept IELTS, with about 3,000 of these being in the United States of America (USA).

As the test continues to gain popularity in the country, some Ghanaian professionals have shared their experiences and expectations after taking the test.

Joyce, a Ghanaian nurse,    says the IELTS exam was a great experience for her, saying “I took the exams as a requirement in order to pursue a post-graduate program in nursing at a school in the USA.”

Joyce who has been working as a nurse in Ghana for over three years says her aspiration in the next two or three years is for her to be a well-trained professional, knowledgeable and highly skilled in caring for patients.

“I deem a career in nursing a noble one and once I find myself serving in this capacity, I should be able to give off my best.”

Also sharing his experience is an insurance professional, Kwame, who said his reason for writing the IELTS was to enable him to enter any of the top universities in the USA or Canada to pursue a master’s degree in management or an MBA.

“I've been in full-time employment for over four years and I realized that having an advanced degree, in addition, gives a person a considerable advantage in securing a promotion or better-paying jobs with fulfilling experiences”.

“Preparing for the exams would have been challenging had it not been the support of the British Council and their readiness to share valuable information and resources in a timely manner”.

Kwame was able to secure a pass based on the requirements of the institutions he applied to.  

According to Kwame, his aspiration is to be a business professional and earn his first managerial role when he returns to work after his study.

He believes that writing the IELTS exams has given him the opportunity to pursue his career aspirations with post-graduate studies in a world-class institution which will place his career on a more favourable growth trajectory.

Globally, the success rate of IELTS is above average and there is no pass mark. Success depends on the band score needed.

A candidate’s ability to listen, read, write and speak in English will be assessed during the test. IELTS is graded on a scale of one to nine with nine being the highest score. 

In preparing for the test, a candidate may opt to study on their own or join an accredited study centre for tutorials, which usually runs for four weeks.

IELTS is jointly owned by the British Council, IDP-Australia and Cambridge Assessment English. In Ghana, IELTS is managed by the British Council and can be written at any of the three test centres in Accra, Kumasi and Tamale.