IELTSMany learners are under the assumption that before going to study in Canada without IELTS test. Although some universities or colleges do not have a stipulated prerequisite, there are some good reasons why studying for and passing this exam would help you.
Proficiency in English is an absolute necessity if you want to do well in Canada during your studies. You do not have the skills needed to meet the admission criteria in Canada or any other English-speaking country, unless you are an O or A Level student or have studied at an English medium university.
English linguistic ability can also be checked. Some universities or colleges can test your English language proficiency upon arrival at the institution if you don’t have IELTS or TOEFL. NAIT, in Edmonton, Alberta, for example, does not require IELTS or TOEFL. But they will test you upon arrival. If you fail their exams before joining the chosen programme, you will be forced to take their English language programme. This implies that your study time in Canada will be extended and you will have to spend more money on these English language courses to cover the expenses. If you had taken an IELTS test preparation course and passed your exam with a 6.5 or 7 Band, this is time and money that you should have saved.
Improvement of writing skills: The standard of writing proficiency for academic studies in Canada is very high. Most learners do not have the requisite academic writing skills that are needed at a Canadian university or college, even if they are O Level or attend an English medium university in their home country. You should also assume that your term papers and/or thesis would do poorly. In an English-speaking country, even if you think you can get away with not writing the IELTS test, you can take an Exam Preparation course and learn how to write according to academic standards.
Save money and time: If you take your IELTS exam preparation course before you leave to study in Canada and write the exam, before going abroad, you can save both time and money. There will be at least 1 semester (4 months) of English language classes and they will cost you Canadian dollars.
Develop your listening abilities: You will have trained your ears to understand the pace at which a native English speaker speaks, especially if you take a preparation course from a native English speaker. You will find that English speakers speak very rapidly while you are in Canada and you might not comprehend what they are saying. That way, you will miss half of your lecture.
Canadian permanent residency requirement: Although IELTS may not be required by the university, the Canadian government does so. You would always have to write this examination in Canada even though you have graduated from a Canadian university or college and are applying for residency.
No, you don’t have to write the exam, but if you take into account the above advantages of writing the exam in your home country, you will want to reconsider and you may want to take an IELTS Exam Preparation Course along with writing the exam
