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IELTS General Training vs Academic: Which One Do You Need?
Booking the wrong IELTS version costs the fee and the waiting time, and it happens often. Here is what actually differs between the two papers and how to decide in one minute.
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Written and reviewed by Mourade Boulanouar — Founder & Head of Teaching, EnglifyLast reviewed
In short
IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training share the same Listening and Speaking papers and differ in Reading and Writing Task 1. Academic Reading uses academic passages and Task 1 asks you to describe a chart, graph or process; General Training Reading uses workplace and everyday texts and Task 1 asks for a letter. Academic is normally required for university admission, and General Training is the version accepted for Canadian economic immigration such as Express Entry and for many work applications. Always confirm the requirement with the institution or programme before booking, because the score from one version is not accepted in place of the other.
Key facts
- Listening and Speaking are identical in both versions
- Academic Reading: academic passages; General Reading: everyday and workplace texts
- Academic Writing Task 1: chart or process description; General Task 1: a letter
- Writing Task 2 is an essay in both, with slightly more everyday topics in General
- University admission usually needs Academic; Canadian immigration usually needs General Training
- Both are scored 0–9 per section, and both are valid for two years
Related questions
What is identical
Listening is the same paper in both versions: four recordings, forty questions, one hearing only. Speaking is also the same: a face-to-face interview in three parts, about eleven to fourteen minutes.
So half of your preparation is shared. If you already trained Listening and Speaking for one version, none of that work is wasted if you switch.
What differs in Reading
- Academic: three long passages from books, journals and reports, with academic vocabulary
- General Training: shorter everyday texts — notices, advertisements, workplace documents — then one longer passage
- Question types are the same in both: matching, True/False/Not Given, completion, headings
- Bands are calculated differently, so a raw score in one version does not transfer to the other
What differs in Writing Task 1
This is the biggest difference and the one that decides your preparation. Academic Task 1 gives you a chart, table, map or process and asks for a 150-word description with comparisons and trends — a specific vocabulary you have to build.
General Training Task 1 asks for a letter of at least 150 words: complaining, requesting, explaining, thanking or applying. It is scored partly on tone, so the same content in the wrong register loses marks. Formal, semi-formal and informal letters each have their own openings and closings, and learning them is far quicker than learning chart language.
How to choose in one minute
- Applying to a university or a master's programme — almost always Academic. Check the admissions page.
- Applying for Canadian permanent residence through Express Entry — General Training.
- Applying for a work visa or professional registration — check the body's requirement; it is often General Training.
- Not sure — ask the institution or programme directly in writing before you book. Test centres cannot decide for you.
Preparing the version you will actually sit
Once the version is settled, the preparation stops being generic. At Englify the plan is built around the paper you will sit and, for Canadian applicants, around your weakest section — because Canada converts your bands into CLB levels and counts the lowest one.
Classes are live on Google Meet with Moroccan teachers based in Morocco, one-to-one at 100 MAD per hour or in small groups, and start with a free assessment that gives you a band estimate per section. Englify prepares candidates but is not an exam centre: you book the official test with an approved centre in Morocco.
Frequently asked questions
- Is General Training easier than Academic?
- The texts and the Task 1 topic are more everyday, but the band scale is adjusted, so it is not a shortcut to a higher score. Candidates who need General Training simply have less specialised vocabulary to build, especially in Writing Task 1.
- Can I use an Academic score for Canadian immigration?
- IELTS General Training is the version accepted for Canadian economic immigration programmes. Confirm the current requirement on the official IRCC website before booking, because it is your application that is at stake, not the test fee alone.
- How long is an IELTS score valid?
- Two years for both versions. Programmes may additionally require a score issued within a shorter window, so check the deadline you are working towards before booking a date.
- How much do English lessons cost in Morocco?
- At Englify, small-group online English classes are the most affordable option and private one-to-one classes cost more per hour, because a private teacher works with one student only. Current group and private prices are confirmed on WhatsApp (+212 724 744 137) and on our prices page, since they depend on the format, the number of hours per week and the length of the plan. The trial class is free and no card is required.
- Are Englify classes online or in person?
- Every class is 100% online and live on Google Meet, at Morocco time. Nothing is pre-recorded: a teacher is in the room with you, correcting you as you speak. Students join from Casablanca, Rabat, Marrakech, Tangier, Fez, Agadir and smaller cities, and from abroad.
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Prepare your IELTS General Training score
Book a free trial class with a level assessment, tell us the score your Canadian application needs, and get a realistic plan. Private one-to-one classes cost 100 MAD per hour.