IELTS Academic or General Training: which one do you need?

The two share Listening and Speaking and differ in Reading and Writing. Which test each goal asks for, the Reading conversion that gives the same raw score a different band, how Writing Task 1 differs, and a full sample letter.

By Lora Kim3 November 20265 min read

A desk with academic books and an open textbook on one side and a suitcase, a map, keys and envelopes on the other

Image: generated

The first thing I check in a consultation is whether someone needs Academic or General Training (GT). Pick the wrong one and even the target score cannot be submitted: "I took GT because people said it was easier, and the university only accepts Academic" happens more often than you would think. Settle this before you start preparing.

What is the same, and what is not

Section	Academic	General Training
Listening (about 30 min)	Same	Same
Reading (60 min)	Three long passages from journals, books and newspapers	Everyday and workplace texts such as notices, adverts and job documents, ending with one longer passage
Writing Task 1 (about 20 min, 150+ words)	Describe visual information: a graph, table, map or process	Write a letter for a given situation
Writing Task 2 (about 40 min, 250+ words)	An essay	An essay, on slightly more everyday topics
Speaking (11 to 14 min)	Same	Same

Sources: IELTS (ielts.org) and IDP IELTS, Writing test format. The whole test takes 2 hours 45 minutes.

Choosing by goal

The official IELTS pages describe Academic as the test for undergraduate or postgraduate study and professional registration, such as doctors and nurses, and General Training as the test for those who wish to migrate to an English-speaking country or train or study below degree level.

Goal	Usually asks for	Where to check
University or graduate admission abroad	Academic	The admission requirements of the school and programme
Professional registration (nursing, medicine)	Academic	The registration body in that country
Migration or permanent residency	Often General Training	The immigration authority, visa by visa
Training or study below degree level	Often General Training	The provider
Work or a working holiday	Varies	The employer or the visa requirements

The only reliable answer is the official requirement of the organisation you are submitting to. Check the test type together with the minimum score per skill (for example 6.5 overall with no skill below 6.0). It changes from visa to visa within one country, and from programme to programme within one university.

Is General Training easier?

The texts may feel more familiar, but Reading is not easier. Both tests have 40 questions, yet you need more correct answers in GT for the same band, because the conversion is different.

Reading band	Academic (out of 40)	General Training (out of 40)
5.0	15	23
6.0	23	30
7.0	30	34
8.0	35	38

Source: correct answers and bands published on IDP IELTS, Reading band scores explained. They can vary slightly between papers.

Thirty correct answers is a 7.0 in Academic and a 6.0 in GT. A GT Reading 7.0 takes 34 out of 40: six mistakes at most. One more reason never to pick the test that does not fit your goal because it looks easier.

Writing Task 1: how different is it really?

Task 1 is where preparation splits the most. Same 20 minutes, same 150 words, completely different writing.

Academic: summarise and compare data

Academic Task 1, example question

The chart below shows the percentage of households with internet access in three countries in 2000, 2010 and 2020. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Academic Task 1 is not about copying every number. State the overall picture in a sentence or two first, then select the biggest changes and comparisons. No opinions.

Listing numbers

In 2000, Country A was 40%, Country B was 25% and Country C was 10%. In 2010, Country A was 70%...

Summarising and comparing

Overall, internet access rose sharply in all three countries, and Country A stayed ahead throughout, although the gap had narrowed considerably by 2020.

An Overall sentence like the one on the right carries a large share of Task Achievement.
Phrases for change and comparison (rose sharply, stayed ahead, the gap narrowed) need their own practice.

General Training: a letter that fits the situation

General Training Task 1, example question

You recently moved into a rented flat, and the heating has stopped working. Write a letter to your landlord. In your letter: describe the problem, explain how it is affecting you, and say what you would like the landlord to do.

In GT Task 1 the core skills are a tone that fits the reader and covering all three bullet points. A letter to a landlord is polite but firm; a letter to a friend is relaxed. Here is my sample answer to the question above.

General Training Task 1, sample answer (Lora)

Dear Mr Harris,

I am writing about the heating in Flat 4B, which I moved into at the start of this month. Since last Tuesday the radiators have stayed cold, even though the boiler appears to be switched on and the thermostat is set to 21 degrees. I have tried resetting the boiler as the manual describes, but this made no difference.

With temperatures dropping below freezing at night, the flat has become very difficult to live in. I work from home, so I have had to wear a coat at my desk, and I am worried that the damp patch forming near the bedroom window will get worse.

I would be grateful if you could arrange for an engineer to inspect the boiler this week. I am at home on weekdays and can give access at any time. If it would help, I can also send you photos of the error light on the boiler. Please let me know when someone will be able to come.

Yours sincerely,

Minji Park

One paragraph per bullet point: the problem, its effect, the action wanted. To a named reader: Dear Mr Harris, closing with Yours sincerely.

Reader	Tone	Opening	Closing
A friend	Relaxed	Dear Sam / Hi Sam	Best wishes, / Take care,
Someone you can name (landlord, manager)	Polite and clear	Dear Mr Harris	Yours sincerely,
Someone you cannot name (a company)	Formal	Dear Sir or Madam	Yours faithfully,

How preparation differs

Both: Listening, Speaking and Writing Task 2 preparation is the same.
Academic: learn the language of trends and comparisons for Task 1, and build the speed to read three long academic passages in 60 minutes.
General Training: practise matching a letter's purpose and tone, and train Reading accuracy. Six mistakes out of 40 is the limit for a 7.0.

In short: decide in this order

Find the test type and the minimum score per skill in the official requirements of the organisation you are applying to.
If they are unclear, ask the organisation directly. Do not guess.
Once the type is set, prepare Reading and Writing Task 1 for that test.
Check how far your current score is from the target before you set a timeline.

The Band-Up Course prepares all four skills toward your target score with daily assignments and a mock every weekend. See how the course runs.

See the Band-Up Course

Questions

Can I submit an Academic score where GT is asked for?

It depends on the organisation. Reading and Writing differ between the two, so they are often not interchangeable. Always check with the organisation you are submitting to.

Are Listening and Speaking scored differently?

No. Listening and Speaking are the same test in both, marked the same way.

Can I start studying before I know which test I need?

Yes: Listening, Speaking and Writing Task 2 are shared. Prepare Reading and Writing Task 1 once the test type is settled.

Sources

Checked on 3 November 2026. Exam rules can change, so check the official pages before you book.