A special afternoon course in preparation for the IELTS examination is offered at Dorset College. This course can be taken in addition to the afternoon standard course or as a separate course. This course is the perfect way to prove your level of English and provides an independent benchmark of English language proficiency for employers and others.  More than 6000 organisations, including many government departments and universities, rely on IELTS. The IELTS scoring system is recognised globally, giving you a truly international result.

IELTS tests all four language skills – Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. The Speaking test is a face-to-face interview with a certified Examiner. It is interactive and as close to a real-life situation as a test can get.

Levels:                                                           All Levels   
Course Hours:                                              Monday to Friday - 14.45-18.00   
Course Dates:                                              25th of May  –  3rd of July     
                                                                        6th of July  –  14th of August
Course Fees:                                               €190 per week   
Examination Fees:                                       €190   
Class Size:                                                    12-15 Students per class  
Minimum Age:                                              Students must be 17 years of age.   
Examination Registration:                           Contact office for more details   

Format & Scoring
The IELTS test comprised of the following:
 

Listening:	(30 minutes); 40 items of four sections
Reading:	(60 minutes); 40 items of three sections
Writing:	(60 minutes); 150 and 250 words - 2 tasks
Speaking:	11 to 14 minutes

   
 
Levels:
IELTS is scored on a nine band scale, with each band related to      your English communication capability.

Level	Competence	Description
9	Expert User	Full command of the language.
8	Very Good User	Occasional mistakes but can handle complex arguments well
7	Good User	Has command of the language, but makes mistakes and misunderstandings in some situations. Generally handles complex language well and understands detailed reasoning
6	Competent User	Can manage English effectively, but makes mistakes and misunderstandings. Can use and understand fairly complex language, particularly in common situations
5	Modest User	Has a partial command English and can understand the overall meaning in most situations, though is likely to make many mistakes. Should be able to handle basic communication in field of work.
4	Limited User	Basic competence is limited to common situations. Has problems using complex language.
3	Extremely Limited Use	General meanings in very familiar situations are understood. Frequent breakdowns in communication occur
2	Intermittent User	No real communication is possible except for the most basic information
1	Non User	Can’t use the English language, except for a few words.