An internationally recognised test of English language proficiency is IELTS. It evaluates a person’s proficiency in all four language skills—listening, reading, writing, and speaking—across the English language. It is for those who want to study or work somewhere where English is the primary language of exchange. The Academic Version and the General Training Version of the IELTS are its two variants. The Academic Version is designed for students who wish to enrol in colleges, universities, and other higher education institutions as well as for professionals like doctors and nurses who want to study or work in an English-speaking nation.

The General Training Version is designed for individuals who desire to pursue nonacademic training in order to find employment or for immigration-related reasons. Most academic institutions in Australia, Britain, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, and South Africa, as well as more than 2,000 academic institutions in the United States and numerous professional organisations, recognise IELTS as a valid test score. It is also a requirement for immigration to Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.