The IELTS Academic test consists of four parts: Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking. Listening and Reading are graded automatically and scored on a scale of 0 to 9. Writing and Speaking are assessed by examiners based on the following criteria: task response, coherence, vocabulary, and grammar.

For admission to universities abroad, an IELTS score of 6.5–7.5 is most often required. Universities in the USA, Canada, and the UK usually set the bar at 7.0 and above, while many programs in Europe and Asia accept scores of 6.0–6.5.

The first step

Take a full IELTS practice test. This will give you a realistic picture of your performance in all sections. Online level assessment tests are not suitable here, as they do not reveal weaknesses in Writing and Speaking.

Second step

Set a target score. For example, you might need a score of 7.0 for a master’s program in the UK or 6.5 for universities in Canada and Europe.

Third step

Choose an exam date. When there is a clear deadline, you can plan and manage the preparation process.

The preparation time depends on your initial level of English proficiency. For level B1, it usually takes 4-6 months of work, for B2 – 2-4 months, and for C1 – 1-2 months. The key here is regularity: it’s better to study for an hour almost every day than to cram from morning till night only once a month.

A realistic timeline helps avoid stress and allows for steady progress in all parts of the exam.

Self-study for the IELTS exam should cover all sections, as each one affects the overall score. A possible weekly self-study schedule could look like this:

2-3 days: Listening and Reading
2 days: Writing
2 days: Speaking and vocabulary work

This distribution will help you improve evenly across all sections and bring you closer to a good score on the exam.

Every two to three weeks, you should take a full practice test. It’s important not only to look at the final score, but also to analyze your mistakes: the types of questions you got wrong, time management issues, and weaknesses in Writing and Speaking. Your IELTS preparation plan should be adjusted based on this analysis.

How to prepare for the Listening section

The Listening section tests your ability to work with real speech under time constraints and with different accents. British, American, Canadian, and Australian accents are standard for IELTS Academic.

To improve your score in this section, it’s important to:

practice with official tests
learn to anticipate answers based on the questions
write down keywords, not entire sentences

This strategy makes your preparation for the Listening section as close as possible to the actual exam format.

How to prepare for the Reading section

The Reading section of the IELTS exam tests your ability to work with academic texts under time pressure. Most of the tasks are designed to confuse those who read the entire text word for word.

Effective preparation for IELTS Reading involves two techniques: skimming and scanning. Skimming is fast reading to understand the general idea, while scanning is searching for specific information. Instead of reading the text word by word, you learn to find the necessary fragments to answer specific questions. This allows you to complete the section within the 60-minute time limit.

How to prepare for the Writing section (Task 1 and Task 2)

Writing is the most challenging part of self-study because there is no automatic feedback. In Task 1, you need to be able to describe graphs, tables, and processes, and in Task 2, you need to write logical, well-argued essays.

The main elements of good writing are:

a clear introduction that restates the task
structured paragraphs with a single main idea
a conclusion that summarizes your position

Regular text review and working on typical mistakes are essential parts of preparation.

How to prepare for the Speaking test

Speaking is a test of your ability to communicate in academic and everyday English. The exam consists of three parts: short questions about yourself, a short monologue, and a discussion of abstract topics.

To improve your score, you need to practice your confidence above all else. Record your answers, analyze pauses, repetitions, and simple sentence structures. Examiners assess fluency, vocabulary range, and the ability to develop ideas.

For effective self-preparation for the IELTS exam, it’s important to use reliable resources.

Main resources:

Official Cambridge IELTS books
IELTS.org and British Council websites
Platforms like IELTS Online Tests
YouTube channels with analysis of Writing and Speaking sections

These materials are as close as possible to the real exam and provide an objective picture of your skill level.

The most common mistake is focusing solely on preparing for the Listening and Reading sections. While these sections do offer quick score improvements, the Writing and Speaking sections can ruin the overall result.

Another mistake is the lack of feedback. Without having your essays and speaking skills evaluated, you won’t know where you’re losing points.

Yet another mistake is the lack of consistency. Even a good plan and strong potential won’t help without discipline and systematic work.

When your practice tests consistently show the required score, you are within the time limit, and you don’t experience panic when switching between tasks, then you are ready. Otherwise, you should continue preparing.
When self-study is not enough:

Sometimes expert help is necessary. This applies to cases where a high score of 7.5–8.0 is needed, there is little time before the exam, or there are problems with Writing and Speaking. Targeted work with the best teachers of our SelfStartEnglish school will save you months of independent attempts.

How to prepare for the IELTS exam on your own

What you need to know about the IELTS Academic exam

Where to begin with self-study

How much time is needed to prepare for the IELTS exam?

Self-study plan for IELTS preparation

The best resources for self-study

Typical mistakes when preparing for an exam independently

How do you know when you're ready to take the exam?