Perth, the capital city of Western Australia, is ranked as one of the world's most liveable cities — particularly for international students. The cost of living is cheaper than in other major cities like Sydney and Melbourne, the climate is wonderful all year round, the crime rate is low and the city is globally accessible. (Perth is closer to Singapore and Jakarta than it is to Adelaide, meaning travelling home during semester break is a lot easier).
Plus, Perth boasts world-class academic facilities and has recently implemented an initiative whereby you can stay an extra year in Australia after graduation to kickstart your career if you study in Perth.
Where do I apply?
Once you've checked your eligibility to meet the registration criteria for a student visa and enrol in a university course or other class at the tertiary level, the process is fairly simple, particularly if English is your first language. If not, you just need to fulfil one other step — proving your English language proficiency.
How do I do that?
There are several tests that assess your language proficiency in reading, writing, speaking and listening. Possibly the most widely known is the International English Language Testing System — IELTS.
The IELTS exam gives you a ranking that is then used by the university admissions centre and individual universities to determine your eligibility to enrol and whether you have the skills to cope with an academic course conducted entirely in English.
This article will explore different facets of this exam, including strategies to help with IELTS preparation and suggestions for where to find IELTS classes.
A Few Facts About the International English Language Testing System
IELTS has been conducting English tests for over 25 years and is easily the most respected and globally accepted exam available.
In Australia, IELTS results are used to determine a candidate's eligibility to migrate, gain permanent residency, study at a tertiary institution, work or have their international qualifications recognised.
There are two tests available — IELTS General Training and IELTS Academic. To fulfil registration requirements to enrol in a university course, you must have completed the IELTS Academic exam and achieved at least a Band 6.
The IELTS exam ranks students over 10 levels, ranging from Band 0 (no English) to Band 9 (expert English). Universities will look at a potential student's overall score and their score for each component of the test, cross-checking the student has met the minimum requirement for academic reading, academic writing, speaking and listening, and the overall minimum.
Students are not on their own when it comes to preparing for the test. The official IELTS website will direct you to a number of free services to help you succeed, including online customer support, free IELTS support tools and IELTS preparation materials (some of which are free, while others must be purchased).
The website is full of easy-to-understand information about the IELTS exam and is recommended as your first point of call to find answers to any questions you may have, such as the difference between the types of tests, the tasks you have to do, options for taking the test (paper-based or computer-delivered) and how, when and where to book. You can also find more information about the differences between the two methods of delivery (online or paper).
Study for your exam with IELTS classes Melbourne on Superprof.
Once you've determined which test you need to take — IELTS General Training or IELTS Academic — and what level you need to aim for, it's time to knuckle down to start your preparation.
IELTS Preparation and Why It's Important
No student who wants to succeed would go into an exam situation unprepared — and your IELTS test is no different in that regard. Even if your reading and writing skills are finely honed, or your speaking and listening are at a near-native speaker proficiency level, it is still advised that you prepare using the official materials for a number of reasons.
Practise specific exam strategies
The IELTS test follows a specific structure, and time management is essential. Using the practice materials, particularly the practice tests is going to help you pace yourself during the exam, ensuring you have time to provide thought-out answers to all questions. Remember, too, there is an oral component in the speaking test, where you are required to have an interview in real-time. Practice is certainly required for this.
Understand the general content and types of questions you'll have to answer
The IELTS Academic exam is designed to assess a student's ability to perform in an English-speaking academic setting, so the questions in the test and the vocabulary students are expected to know may differ considerably from their general English studies in their respective countries.
Develop relevant skills
Completing IELTS-specific preparation allows students to hone their skills and language proficiency in areas that are not only relevant to the actual test but also to the situation they are going into — whether that be academic study, professional work or general day-to-day communication skills for potential migrants.
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If it seems daunting to be faced with such intensive preparation, don't worry — there's plenty of support and help out there.
Where to Find IELTS Classes in Perth
There are a large number of organisations, including universities and TAFE colleges, that offer IELTS classes for students needing support to prepare for their upcoming tests — whether they are sitting the General Training or Academic assessment.
These courses are offered both online and in-person and may run for periods of one week to several months. Often, students can continue to enrol week-by-week until they are ready to take the tests. Online classes are perfect if you live outside of Perth (Western Australia is a huge state) or in another city, such as Canberra or Brisbane. Although, of course, you can find IELTS training courses all over the country.
Courses can be run by native speakers of English but are also sometimes led by non-native speakers who have themselves scored highly on the proficiency test.
Let's take a look at a few classes you may want to investigate in Perth.
Apeiro Training Services
This centre offers two streams of training — IELTS Course Inclusion and IELTS Intensive Course. Each course provides updated study materials, customised lessons and flexible schedules. All teachers at Apeiro have extensive teaching experience and use a range of teaching methodologies to meet the individual needs of their students.
University of Western Australia
The Centre for English Language Teaching (CELT) at the university has two courses available to help students prepare for IELTS — a short 2-week course and an intensive 5-week course. The short course runs for a total of 15 hours with each class tailored to the needs and levels of the students. The intensive course is full-time for 5 weeks, 20 hours a week.
Phoenix Academy
The academy is an Australian-owned, family business that is a registered training provider specialising in English Language Intensive Courses (ELICOS). Their New Generation English course is designed to prepare students to take either the General Training or Academic IELTS exam but also caters for students who just want to improve their English.
Kingston International College
The college has a reputation for being one of the leading providers of preparation courses for IELTS. Teachers are experienced and students receive regular individualised feedback on their progress. Full-time, part-time and weekend class options are available.
Is tutoring an option?
Absolutely. If you require more one-on-one help or want to finetune and improve your proficiency in specific areas, a private tutor would be perfect. On the Superprof online tutoring platform, there are currently 23 tutors based in Perth, but over 9,000 tutors who specialise in IELTS training throughout Australia.
Some students might decide to only engage a tutor for a short amount of time, such as in the week before they are booked in to take their tests. Alternatively, some students may prefer to work with a tutor on a weekly basis throughout their preparation to ensure they are on top of new strategies and the knowledge and skills needed for speaking, writing, listening and reading.
As with a formal class, it is important to find a tutor who is a 'good fit'. This means that their teaching strategies align with your preferred way of learning and you feel comfortable working with them. It's important to remember that if you don't feel comfortable with your tutor or in a class, you won't learn. One of the benefits of finding a Superprof tutor is that most tutors on the platform offer the first-class or lesson for free — this way, both tutor and student can make sure they are a good fit.
Find your perfect IELTS tutor here on Superprof!
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