Information for Candidates - ielts

INFORMATION FOR IELTS TEST CANDIDATES 2011IELTS is the International English Language Testing System. It measures ability to communicate in English across allfour language skills – listening, reading, writing and speaking – for people who intend to study or work where Englishis the language of communication. IELTS is jointly managed by British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia and the Universityof Cambridge ESOL Examinations (Cambridge ESOL) through more than 350 locations in 120 countries.Applying for the testApplication requirementsThe completed test application material should be mailed to:ELS Language CenterAttn: IELTS Testing AdministratorMail SCB 1182115 Summit AvenueSt. Paul, Minnesota 55105U.S.A.Or emailed to: ielts.spa@els.edu.There are four required elements to an IELTS test application:1. Fully completed official IELTS application form. You can register online by visiting www.ielts.org.The application form is also downloadable from:a. www.ielts.orgb. www.els.edu – Click on “Testing Services”If you do not have a printer, the form can be mailed directly from our center on request.All questions on the application form must be fully completed. All four pages (1, 2, 3, 4) of the applicationmust be submitted, including page 4 which must be signed and dated. Pages i, ii, iii and iv should be retainedby the candidate and not submitted.2. 2 passport-sized photos attached to the application form as indicated. Both the photos must be the sameimage, be the same passport-size, have been taken in the last six months, and have a white background. Ifyou email the photographs, they must be sent in JPG format. You must also not wear eye glasses in thesephotos.3. A photocopy of your passport. The passport must be the same document that has been indicated on yourapplication form. The passport must be valid and unexpired and will need to be presented on the testdate. Make a photocopy of the page(s) containing the photo, date of birth, passport number, date of expiry,and signature (if any). If your passport contains a current extension stamp, please also include a photocopyof that page. No other form of identification is accepted.4. Test fee payment. The test fee payment is currently $185.00. The only forms of payment that are acceptedare cash (only payable in person at the test center before the test date – do not send cash in the mail),money order, cashier’s check (made payable to “ELS”) or credit card authorization. Please use the creditcard authorization form included at the end of this information. We do not accept personal checks aspayment.1

If incomplete applications are received there may be a delay in processing and confirming your test date.Examples of an incomplete application could be: questions on the application form not completed, application formnot signed, passport photos submitted with a red or green background, no photocopy of relevant passport page(s)submitted, photocopy of an expired passport submitted, payment made by personal check. Any of these examplesor others as noted above will result in the return of the candidate’s application.Candidates will not be registered for a test date until a correct and completed application is submitted and the centerwill not reserve a test date for candidates until the correct application information is received. Please let us know ifyou have any questions regarding these requirements.If you have not been sent an information packet by mail and have not received a copy of IELTS Information forCandidates 2009, please make sure you download it from www.ielts.org by clicking on ‘Test Takers’ and then‘Candidate Information’.The electronic link is: www.ielts.org/pdf/Information_for_Candidates_booklet.pdfCandidates are asked to read ‘Information for Candidates’ prior to the test date.Test date confirmationWithin 48-hours of receipt of your completed application (including passport copies, photographs and payment), youwill receive an automated email from the IELTS registration site, informing you that you are confirmed for aparticular test date. You will also receive an email from our centre the week of the test with more information. Allcorrespondence will be by email. Please check your email regularly, including a careful check of your junk mail box.Application deadlineRegistration is on a first-come, first-served basis and does not guarantee a first choice of test date. It is thereforeimportant that you register as quickly as possible since there is limited capacity for each test date. Test dates arenormally full about two weeks before the date. Applications are processed in the order that they are received andcandidates’ speaking test times are scheduled according to your registration date throughout the test day afternoon.The application form asks you to complete first and second choice test dates. Please complete both boxes for firstand second choice test dates. If your first test date choice is not available on receipt of your application, we willautomatically schedule you for your second test date choice. You must therefore be available to take the test onboth your first and second choice test dates.On test day / test scheduleCandidates are expected to arrive at the test center, located at 2100 Summit Avenue, St. Paul, Minnesota, no laterthan 8:00 a.m. Registration will begin at 8:15 a.m. The test begins at 9 a.m. and the total test time is 2 hours 45minutes (Listening, Reading and Writing). The Speaking test is scheduled on the same afternoon at any timebetween 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. You should therefore be prepared to remain at the test center the whole day.Please leave personal items (such as cell phones, cameras, iPods, calculators) at home or in your vehicle as you willnot be able to take them into the test room. Candidates must ensure that mobile phones and pagers which are leftoutside the test room are switched off. Any candidate who does not switch off their phone or pager, or takes anyelectronic device into the test room, will not be allowed to complete the test and will not receive an IELTS test resultor be eligible for refund or transfer.You do not need to bring pencils, erasers or pencil sharpeners, as these are provided to you in the test room. Youare allowed to bring into the test room, if required, up to: 2 pens, 2 pencils, 1 eraser, drinking water in a transparentbottle, reading glasses if needed (no case). If you need other forms of liquid or food in the test room for medicalreasons, you should request permission from the IELTS Test Administrator on duty before the test starts. Pleaselet us know well before the test date if you have any questions regarding what is and what is not permitted in thetest room. The test centre is not responsible for lost or stolen items.2

Test resultsTest results are mailed by regular United States Postal Service (USPS) mail 13 calendar days after the test. If, forexample, a candidate takes the test on Saturday 15 th , then the results will be mailed on Friday 28 th . Results can onlybe issued by regular mail or be given to the candidate in person at the test center where they took the test.Candidates wishing to pick up their results in person need to arrange this with the test center before the 13 th dayafter the test and need to bring the same passport that was used for identification on test day. If the candidatewishes to nominate another person to pick up their results, this needs to be arranged with the test center before the13 th day. The nominated person needs to bring:1. An original letter from the candidate authorizing the pick-up.2. The nominated person’s own valid passport to be used for identification purposes.3. A photocopy of the candidate’s passport (the same passport used on test day).The candidate will automatically receive a Test Report Form to the address provided on their application form. OnlyONE Test Report Form is sent to the candidate. On their application form, the candidate may request up to fiveadditional Test Report Forms to be sent to academic institutions, government agencies, professional bodies and /oremployers (but not to an individual at a residential address). These Test Report Forms are mailed directly to thereceiving organization from the test center, or made available for electronic download, on the 13 th day.Requests in writing (letter, fax, or email) for additional Test Report Forms to be mailed may be made at any time upto two years after the test date. You can also fill out the online form to request further test report forms by visitingwww.ielts.org > Test Takers > USA Says Yes to IELTS > Test Report Forms. There is an administrative charge of $15for each additional Test Report Form requested more than one month after the test date. Additional Test ReportForms cannot be sent more than two years after the test date. Test centres are not permitted to give out test resultsover the telephone, by email or by fax to either candidates or receiving organizations.Candidates can preview their test results from the 13 th day after the test date, and the results will remain visiblefor 28 days. Candidates can visit the website, https://results.ielts.org, and enter in the information requested topreview their scores.Receiving organizationsThe www.ielts.org website has comprehensive information on organizations globally that accept IELTS band scores:- the Global Recognition Service is designed to help candidates to locate recognizing organizations that use IELTStest band score results for admissions and registration purposes. The GRS is an interactive tool and is available forfree at http://bandscore.ielts.org/.- a full list of educational institutions in the US that recognize IELTS, including the required band scores, is availablefor download from www.ielts.org > Test Takers > USA Says Yes to IELTS > IELTS USA Recognition List.Cancellation and test transferRequests for cancellation or postponement of the test should be made in writing. Candidates may request a test daycancellation more than five weeks prior to the selected test date and receive a full refund, less a 25% ($42.50)administrative charge. A candidate who cancels a test within the 5-week period prior to a test date will receive norefund. Failure to appear for the test without notification, or arriving too late on test day to be admitted for the test,are considered cancellations and no refund will be issued. Candidates who wish to transfer their test date within the5 weeks prior to the test will be considered a cancellation and will forfeit the test fee. Candidates will have to paythe entire test fee again to register on a different date, either at the same or at a different center.Candidates seeking cancellation or transfer within the five-week period prior to the test date can receive a refund ortransfer without charge if they can provide evidence that their ability to take the test has been affected by seriousillness or cause. A Test Day Refund/Transfer form should be requested from the test center and must be completedand returned not more than five working days after the test date, with full supporting documentation, beforerefunds or transfers can be considered. Refunds are paid by check and are made within one month of the refundbeing agreed.3

Enquiry on ResultsCandidates who are not satisfied with their results may request to apply for a rescoring of the test (called Enquiry onResults) at the center where they took the test. This application must be made within six weeks of the test date.The candidate can choose which modules to be re-marked (one, two, three or all of Listening, Reading, Writing andSpeaking). There is a fee for this service is $185.00. If the score on any module that is re-marked is increased, thereis a full refund. If there is no change in test scores, no refund is received. The Enquiry on Results process takes up totwo months from the point that test material is sent from the test center to the UK to be rescored.Test Dates 2011Saturday SaturdayJanuary 8 22February 12 26March 5 19April 2 16May 7 14June 4 25July 9 30August 13 27September 17 24October 8 22November 5 19December 3The Academic and General Modules are offered on all test dates bolded. The Academic Module ONLY is offered ondates NOT bolded.All tests are held in the Summit Classroom Building (lower level), 2100 Summit Avenue, St. Paul, Minnesota.Please check our website www.ielts.org to find out which test dates are currently available. Test dates normally fillup at least two weeks before the day.4

IELTS Test Preparation Courses and Preparation MaterialTest Preparation Courses**At this time, the St. Paul Center is not offering test preparation courses.Practice materials can be purchased from our centre in person.Test Preparation MaterialTry an online practice Test, www.ielts-preparation.org.Other publications are available that are designed to help prepare candidates to take IELTS tests. A list of someavailable publications can be found at www.cambridgeesol.org/teach/ielts/publish_list.php. These publications areavailable from the publisher or on order from ESL bookstores. Useful websites to order these publications are:www.amazon.com, www.amazon.co.uk, www.bebc.co.uk, www.foyles.co.uk.There are free samples of IELTS test questions available at www.ielts.org/test_takers_information/test_sample.aspxIELTS Test Preparation teaching material is also available at www.cambridgeesol.org/teach/ielts/The ‘IELTS Scores Explained’ DVD provides information on what the IELTS band scores actually mean, and containsgeneral information about IELTS as well as a detailed description of the content of the test. In addition samples oftest material for all four modules are included and examples of candidates' Speaking and Writing performance atdifferent band levels are provided. This DVD is primarily of use to organizations that use IELTS scores to setappropriate standards of English language proficiency, but is also helpful to course designers, teachers, test takers,and anyone who needs to understand what IELTS scores mean in terms of language ability. The DVD can beordered by completing the form at www.ielts.org > Institutions > IELTS Scores Explained.5

Accommodation and directionsRecommended accommodationAccommodationType*AddressTelephonenumberWebsiteCost / Typeof room **DistancefromcenterBest Western –Bandana SquareBest Western – KellyInnDays Inn – St. PaulMidway1010 BandanaBlvd. W., St.Paul, MN55108161 St.AnthonyAvenue, St.Paul, MN551031964UniversityAve. W., St.Paul, MN55104City Center Hotel 411MinnesotaSt., St. Paul,MN 55101Vinokur MotelCrown Plaza899 ClevelandAvenue S., St.Paul, MN11 E. KelloggBlvd., St. Paul,MN 55101651-647-1637651-227-8711651-645-8681651-291-8800651-690-0152651-292-1900www.bestwestern.comwww.bestwesternminnesota.comwww.daysinn.comdaysinnmidway@aol.com$110.00 / pernight$120.00 / pernight$60.00 / pernight4 miles5.5 miles1.6 mileswww.citycenterhotelstpaul.com N/A 6.5 mileswww.cpstpaul.comN/A$144.00 / pernight2.0 miles6.5 miles*You can also search the web for other hotel / motel options in and around the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitanarea.**Room rates are subject to change and exclude service tax. Prices are based on availability, time of year, and lengthof stay. Please note these are estimated prices. Please make bookings directly with the organization listed.DirectionsIELTS Test Center, US 311, is located at the University of St. Thomas, Summit Classroom Building, 2100 SummitAvenue, St. Paul, Minnesota, 55105, USA.Tel: 651-962-5995Fax: 651-962-5991E-mail: ielts.spa@els.eduWe are open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.6

The centre is located at 2100 Summit Avenue, St. Paul, Minnesota. (We are building #82 on the campus map (seelink below)).Campus maps: http://www.stthomas.edu/campusmaps/stpaul/default.html.Campus parking map: http://www.stthomas.edu/parking/files/stpaul2Dparking.pdfPermits to park in the red and yellow lots from 6:00 p.m. Friday until 10: p.m. Sunday are not required, but overnightparking is not allowed. St. Paul visitor and hourly parking is available in the Anderson Parking Facility, MorrisonParking Ramp, and the McNeely Parking Ramp. Parking meters are also available in Lot G, Lot M, and Lot O.Street parking is also available all around campus (Summit Avenue, Finn Street, Grand Avenue, and ClevelandAvenue are the closest and most accessible to the Summit Classroom Building). You must watch for signs to ensureyou are not parking on restricted / permit-only streets.Please see the University of St. Thomas Public Safety and Parking website for further information:http://www.stthomas.edu/administration/safety/default.html.By carEast I-94 (from Minneapolis)Take I-94 east to the Cretin/Vandalia exit. Go right (south) on Cretin Avenue approximately one mile to SummitAvenue. Take a left on Summit Avenue. Go approximately ¼ mile and arrive at the Summit Classroom Building.West I-94 (from St. Paul)Take I-94 west to the Cretin/Vandalia exit. Go left (south) on Cretin Avenue approximately one mile to SummitAvenue. Take a left on Summit Avenue. Go approximately ¼ mile and arrive at the Summit Classroom Building.East I-494 (from the airport)Take I-494 east to Highway 5. Take Highway 5 east and exit at Shepard Road/Edgcumbe. There will be a fork in theroad. Veer left on Edgcumbe. At the second stoplight, turn left on St. Paul Avenue. In approximately 3/4 mile, St. PaulAvenue becomes Cleveland Avenue. Stay on Cleveland for approximately two miles. Turn left on Summit Avenue. Goapproximately ¼ mile, make a U-turn on Finn St., and arrive at the Summit Classroom Building.North I-35 (from Iowa)When I-35 splits into 35E and 35W, follow 35E. Take 35E north to the Randolph exit. Make a left on Randolph(crossing over 35E) and follow Randolph for approximately two miles to Cleveland Avenue. Make a right on ClevelandAvenue and go approximately 1.5 miles to Summit Avenue. Turn left on Summit. Go approximately ¼ mile, make a U-turn on Finn St., and arrive at the Summit Classroom Building.South I-35 (from Duluth)When I-35 splits into 35E and 35W, follow 35E. Take 35E to Exit I-94 going west. Take I-94 west to theCretin/Vandalia exit. Go left (south) on Cretin Avenue approximately one mile to Summit Avenue. Take a left onSummit Avenue. Go approximately ¼ mile and arrive at the Summit Classroom Building.Highway 169 (from Mankato, St. Peter)Take 169 north and exit on I-494 east to 35W north. Take 35W north to Exit I-94 going east to St. Paul. Take I-94 eastto the Cretin/Vandalia exit. Go right (south) on Cretin Avenue approximately one mile to Summit Avenue. Take a lefton Summit Avenue. Go approximately ¼ mile and arrive at the Summit Classroom Building.East I-694 (from Fridley, Columbia Heights)Take I-694 east to the 35W south exit. Take 35W south to Highway 280. On Highway 280, take the University Avenueexit. At the second stoplight, turn left on University. Go approximately 3/4 mile on University and turn right (south) onVandalia. Stay on Vandalia (which becomes Cretin Avenue once you are over the freeway) for approximately one anda half miles. Turn left on Summit Avenue. Go approximately ¼ mile and arrive at the Summit Classroom Building.7

By buswww.greyhound.comSt. Paul Greyhound Station166 University Avenue WestSt. Paul, MN 55103Directions to campus from the bus station:Start at 166 University Avenue WestTurn right on Rice StreetTurn right on St. Anthony AvenueTake left ramp onto I-94 WestTake exit #237 / Cretin Avenue / Vandalia StreetTurn left on Cretin Avenue NorthTurn left on Summit AvenueArrive at 2100 Summit AvenueBy trainwww.amtrak.comMidway Station730 Transfer RoadSt. Paul, Minnesota 55114Directions to campus from the train station:Start at 730 Transfer Road, going toward University Avenue West.Continue on Cleveland Avenue North.Turn right on Summit AvenueMake a u-turn at Finn Street South onto Summit Avenue.Arrive at 2100 Summit Avenue, St. Paul, Minnesota.By airMinneapolis – St. Paul International Airport: www.mspairport.com/From the airport:Take I-494 east to Highway 5. Take Highway 5 east and exit at Shepard Road/Edgcumbe. There will be a fork in theroad. Veer left on Edgcumbe. At the second stoplight, turn left on St. Paul Avenue. In approximately 3/4 mile, St. PaulAvenue becomes Cleveland Avenue. Stay on Cleveland for approximately two miles. Turn left on Summit Avenue. Goapproximately ¼ mile, make a U-turn on Finn St., and arrive at the Summit Classroom Building.MapConnect to a map of the area with the link below:http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=2100+summit+ave.,+st.+paul,+mn&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&resnum=1&ct=image.8

Credit card authorization formI hereby authorize St. Paul Center, US 311 to debit my_________________________________ card:(We accept VISA, MC, AMEX, DINERS, and JCP)Account Number:__ __ __ __ / __ __ __ __ / __ __ __ __ / __ __ __ __Expiration date:__________ / __________Month YearSecurity Code:_______________(Last 3 numbers in the signature line on the back of the card)Amount:$______________________________________Name on card:_______________________________________Purpose:Billing address:___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Signature:_____________________________________Date:_____________________________________ELS Language CenterAttn: IELTS Testing Administrator2115 Summit AvenueMail SCB 118St. Paul, Minnesota 55105U.S.A.Telephone: 651-962-5995Fax: 651-962-5991Email: ielts.spa@els.eduWebsite information: www.ielts.org9