Why do we need to take IELTS?

English language is global and the most common language spoken in the world. It's just that I am confused why other countries/jobs require you to take IELTS before you go abroad/get hired, even if you will not use all the different techniques, as long as you can communicate and understand others, there won't be a problem.

It is a requirement some colleges and companies ask for... it shows what your level is 

Is it mandatory to take all skills assessment, reading/speaking/writing/listening?, or can I just take 2 out of 4?

No, you need to take all the 4 skills. And Ielts is no joke it is expensive.

I know and it's crazy that IELTS is their basis.

Sheena wrote:

I am confused why other countries/jobs require you to take IELTS before you go abroad/get hired

You mean countries other than the US?

Yes, other countries in Europe also requires that. 

There are other options too like TOEFL and TESOL. But I think IELTS is the most widely accepted standard. 

East Asia like Japan prefers TOEFL, not sure with TESOL though.

I took the IELTS for a 1 yr. class but did not proceed with the assessment. Next time, I will just take the TOEFL instead. I was able to go abroad in the US for my internship without any language assessment, the filipino agencies are the only ones that are strict about it. 

I’m not sure, but I think if you pass the TOEFL, you can teach English language to some other countries like UK, Australia and some other countries in Asia.

I am a teacher actually and having the TOEFL is not enough to teach, you need further qualifications such as a Bachelor´s degree or the CELTA/TESOL/TEFL.

Aleksys.P wrote:

There are other options too like TOEFL and TESOL. But I think IELTS is the most widely accepted standard.

East Asia like Japan prefers TOEFL, not sure with TESOL though.

Yeah, there’s TOEFL but most colleagues and companies actually specify what they really want especially IELTS

Sheena wrote:

I’m not sure, but I think if you pass the TOEFL, you can teach English language to some other countries like UK, Australia and some other countries in Asia.

I doubt if its widely as recognized as IELTS though

I've been reading articles about backpackers blogs on how they earn to travel, some of them have a certificate for passing the TOEFL and they're able to teach english classes in the UK & Asia to support their needs, it's motivational & that's what inspired me to travel. 

Honestly I will never understand the importance of this, especially here in Nigeria. English is our official language, yet we are made to write this to study abroad. Not only is it really expensive, it's completely unnecessary IMO.

Because we need some 'standardised' tests to assess the level of proficiency. I could bring a certificate from some Ukrainian university nobody has heard of, and the committee / employer may doubt if this certificate is actually reliable. In the case of IELTS / TOEFL /FCE etc., they are all standardised so it is easier to judge the level of the speaker without organising a special placement test on site. 

And I do agree, the price is very high. Not all students can afford to take such a test. The same situation is with German language test (TestDaF). It costs a fortune and is also valid only for 2 years. 

I considered getting a certification when I was starting out but the costs are just...insane.

meifeng wrote:

Oghenekevwe wrote:

Honestly I will never understand the importance of this, especially here in Nigeria. English is our official language, yet we are made to write this to study abroad. Not only is it really expensive, it's completely unnecessary IMO.

I'm with you. Singapore's education system is also in English. I get really irritated when I get inconvenienced by other countries' ignorance. I actually fought doing these expensive and lengthy tests at my expense when I applied to graduate school. I am glad I fought it, because a year later, Singapore was included in the list of countries that didn't require English tests for applying to that school.

Wow, that is amazing!