The IELTS tests assess your level of English and certify it in the form of a score. This score is required for academic, work, or migration purposes in certain English-speaking countries since the IELTS tests are some of the world’s most widely accepted tests. More than 3 million people take the IELTS test every year in hundreds of test locations, including in San Francisco!
In this article, we’ll be discussing what to expect from the IELTS test how to register, and where to take the tests in and near San Francisco. Finally, we’ll give you our top tips on how best to prepare for the IELTS online.
Get all the information you need at a glance about how to prepare for and take the IELTS in the City by the Bay and how to meet your English proficiency goals.
Essential Information to Know About the IELTS Exam
If you intend to move abroad for your studies, for an international promotion at work, or if you just want to prove your English ability to boost your résumé, the IELTS test is one of the most popular ways to certify your English proficiency. As you might guess from its name, the International English Language Testing System is recognized all over the world, and as such, is administered all over the world at the same time.
The IELTS focuses on assessing your abilities in the four fundamental language skill areas: Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking.
IELTS San Francisco: Find All the Available Test Centers
There are two testing centers in San Francisco currently, plus one in the greater Bay Area. Testing dates for both versions usually occur weekly on Saturday. The IELTS is highly standardized, which means all tests are the same no matter where you choose to take them.
| ILSC San Francisco | Embarcadero Center 1, 433 California St Suite 210, San Francisco, CA 94104 | IELTS computer and paper-based | Tel: +1 415 361 7866 Email: [email protected] |
| ELI San Francisco | One Embarcadero Center, Lobby 1, San Francisco, CA, 94111 | IELTS paper-based | Tel: +1 (415) 544 0311 Email: [email protected] |
| EC San Francisco | 433 California Street, Suite 210, San Francisco, CA 94104 | IELTS computer and paper-based | Tel: 00 356 23790 555 Email: [email protected] |
More IELTS Test Centers in California and Nearby San Francisco
| ELS Language Centers San Francisco | 300 Montgomery St #200, San Francisco, CA 94105 | IELTS TOEFL TOEIC | Tel: + 1 415 796 5347 Email: [email protected] |
| Eurocentres - San Diego | 415 Broadway, San Diego, CA 92101 | IELTS TOEFL TOEIC BEC Vantage | T Tel: +1 619 233 0355 E Email: [email protected] |
| ELS Language Centers San Diego | 110 W C St Suite 1600, San Diego, CA 92101 | IELTS TOEFL TOEIC | T Tel: + 1 619 557 0148 Email: [email protected] |
| Eurocentres Long Beach City College - Concordia Offsite | 4901 E Carson Street, Long Beach California 90808 | IELTS TOEFL TOEIC BEC Vantage | Tel: + 1 903-746-4150 Email: [email protected] |
| Fullerton/Eurocentres Long Beach City College - Concordia Offsite | 5400 Trabuco Rd., Suite 130 Office # 6 | Tel: 949-870-0723 or + 1 903-746-4150 Email: i [email protected] |
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| ELS Language Santa Monica | 1315 Third Street, 3rd Floor, Santa Monica Los Angeles 90401 | IELTS TOEFL TOEIC | Tel: + 1 310 526 5195 Email: [email protected] |
| Eurocentres - Concordia University Irvine | 1530 Concordia West, Irvine California 92612 | IELTS TOEFL TOEIC BEC Vantage | Tel: + 1 903-746-4150 Email: [email protected] |
| English Language Center Los Angeles | 10850 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 210, Los Angeles California 90024 | IELTS TOEFL TOEIC | Tel: +1 310 470 3019 Email: [email protected] |
| California State University, East Bay-Hayward | 25800 Carlos Bee Blvd, Hayward California 94542 | Tel: + 1 510 885 7434 Email: [email protected] |
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| Pomona (Eurocentres Concordia Offsite) | 5400 Trabuco Rd., Suite 130 Office # 6 | IELTS TOEFL TOEIC BEC Vantage | Tel: + 1 903 746 4150 Email: [email protected] |
| ELC, Santa Barbara | 1100 Santa Barbara St, Santa Barbara California 93101 | IELTS TOEFL TOEIC | Tel: + 1 805 845 9097 Email: [email protected] |
| ELS Language Centers La Verne | 1886 Third Street, La Verne California 91750 | IELTS TOEFL TOEIC | Tel: + 1 909 596 3865 Email: [email protected] |
| Cal State Northridge, CSUN | 18111 Nordhoff St, Northridge California 91330 | Email: [email protected] |
Other IELTS Test Locations in the United States
We made a list of other numerous cities for the IELTS USA where you can take the test:
- NYC
- Seattle
- Boston
- Dallas
- Atlanta
- Denver
- Tampa
- Charlotte
- Houston
- San Diego
- Indianapolis
- Pittsburg
- Phoenix
- Arizona
- Newark
- Chicago
- Austin
- Portland
How to Start the Registration Process for the IELTS
The IELTS tests are produced and distributed by the British Council, which is the authorizing body that accredits various testing sites all over the world, including those in San Francisco.
You’ll need to start the registration process by opening an account on the British Council website. You may also book by mail, but we think that the easiest way to reserve a seat to take the IELTS test is online (you cannot register directly with the testing center). But act fast – demand may change depending on the date and availability is limited!
Once you open an account with the British Council, choose which month and IELTS testing center work best for you. Then, you’ll need to choose which version of the IELTS test you need: the Academic or General Training version. This will depend on the reason for which you need an IELTS score, so check with your requesting organization.
You will then find on the next page the confirmation of the date of your test with its arrival times and the start and end of the exam as well as its price. Note, however, that this date only corresponds to the passing of the Listening, Reading and Writing tests of the IELTS. It is in the next step that you can choose the date and time of the Speaking test by clicking on the “Choose Speaking test” link.
IELTS San Francisco: What Is the Price of the Exam?
You need to pay the test fee to finalize your registration for a test session. The test fee varies depending on the location from $225 to $310. If you’re not happy with your scores, you are welcome to re-register and take the test as many times as you need. Of course, this entails a considerable investment of time and money, so it is advised to prepare properly for the test beforehand to get a great score the first time!
What Are the Payment Methods?
You can pay online with your credit or debit card, directly on the website. If your center doesn’t have an online payment method, you will be guided through the process of how to pay offline.
The IELTS test results will be available 13 days after you took the test. The results of the computer-delivered test will be available in 3 to 5 days.
What Can You Bring With You on the Day of the Exam?
The day of the exam, you must bring:
- your ID card
- a pencil and a pen (the pencil will be used for the listening and reading tests)
- an eraser
We also advise you to bring:
- a transparent water bottle
You will not be able to take anything else into the testing room.
Turn off your cell phone and any other electronic device. You will be asked to place these devices with your other personal effects outside the testing room.
You will be able to leave all your personal belongings in a secure space. The examination center cannot be held responsible for loss or damage to your personal effects at the test site. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you leave your valuables, including cell phones and computers, at home.
What Is Available At the Test Locations in San Francisco?
The test locations provide wireless headphones for seamless listening experience with high quality audio. You will also have access to a computer if you choose the computer-based test.
Useful Tips That Will Help You Score High on Your IELTS Test
After you register, the time left until the test date is best spent preparing to get a top score. Since the IELTS tests are standardized, they follow a formal, predictable format, which some uninitiated test-takers find to be overwhelming. Even those who think they speak English “perfectly” already may trip up when it comes to the timing and pressure of the four sections of the IELTS test.
You may want to buy preparation materials in print or digitally or on apps. These should include questions from past tests, which you can practice on your own time. This is a great way to get the advice and tips you’ll need to improve your grammar and vocabulary at your own pace.
A good preparation will allow you to achieve the desired results. There are many resources to help you prepare for the IELTS test: websites, books from the biggest universities such as Cambridge, online programs with mock exams, practice sheets and everything you need to know about the exam and the four sections: Written, Listening, Reading, Speaking.
How can you prepare efficiently ?
Before starting your test training, you must remember to pre-assess your language level and identify your weaknesses and strengths in order to best detect the exercises that will allow you to progress at best.
It is also important to learn the format of the exam in order to train for everything that might come up during the exam. Otherwise, even if you have a good English level you will not be able to get the highest score.
However, beyond the quality of the media you choose to use, your progress will be more or less rapid depending on your working method. Coupled with diligent, regular and intensive work on quality materials, you will easily obtain the IELTS score that you have set yourself as a goal!
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Like with any test, preparing for the IELTS is a continuous and personal process, which ultimately relies on improving your English skills overall. This is why GlobalExam also provides general language development in addition to our valuable test-taking tips and strategies. The best part is a personal statistics feature that tracks your progress in real-time.
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