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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.

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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.

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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.

Test center
Address
Tests
Contact
ILSC San FranciscoEmbarcadero Center 1, 433 California St Suite 210, San Francisco, CA 94104IELTS computer and paper-basedTel: +1 415 361 7866
Email: [email protected]
ELI San FranciscoOne Embarcadero Center, Lobby 1, San Francisco, CA, 94111IELTS paper-basedTel: +1 (415) 544 0311
Email: [email protected]
EC San Francisco433 California Street, Suite 210, San Francisco, CA 94104IELTS computer and paper-basedTel: 00 356 23790 555
Email: [email protected]

More IELTS Test Centers in California and Nearby San Francisco

Test center
Address
Tests
Contact
ELS Language Centers San Francisco300 Montgomery St #200, San Francisco, CA 94105IELTS
TOEFL
TOEIC
Tel: + 1 415 796 5347
Email: [email protected]
Eurocentres - San Diego415 Broadway, San Diego, CA 92101IELTS
TOEFL
TOEIC
BEC Vantage
T Tel: +1 619 233 0355
E Email: [email protected]
ELS Language Centers San Diego110 W C St Suite 1600, San Diego, CA 92101IELTS
TOEFL
TOEIC
T Tel: + 1 619 557 0148
Email: [email protected]
Eurocentres Long Beach City College - Concordia Offsite4901 E Carson Street, Long Beach California 90808IELTS
TOEFL
TOEIC
BEC Vantage
Tel: + 1 903-746-4150
Email: [email protected]
Fullerton/Eurocentres Long Beach City College - Concordia Offsite5400 Trabuco Rd., Suite 130 Office # 6Tel: 949-870-0723 or + 1 903-746-4150
Email:
i [email protected]
ELS Language Santa Monica1315 Third Street, 3rd Floor, Santa Monica Los Angeles 90401IELTS
TOEFL
TOEIC
Tel: + 1 310 526 5195
Email: [email protected]
Eurocentres - Concordia University Irvine1530 Concordia West, Irvine California 92612IELTS
TOEFL
TOEIC
BEC Vantage
Tel: + 1 903-746-4150
Email: [email protected]
English Language Center Los Angeles10850 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 210, Los Angeles California 90024IELTS
TOEFL
TOEIC
Tel: +1 310 470 3019
Email: [email protected]
California State University, East Bay-Hayward25800 Carlos Bee Blvd, Hayward California 94542Tel: + 1 510 885 7434
Email: [email protected]
Pomona (Eurocentres Concordia Offsite)5400 Trabuco Rd., Suite 130 Office # 6IELTS
TOEFL
TOEIC
BEC Vantage
Tel: + 1 903 746 4150
Email: [email protected]
ELC, Santa Barbara1100 Santa Barbara St, Santa Barbara California 93101IELTS
TOEFL
TOEIC
Tel: + 1 805 845 9097
Email: [email protected]
ELS Language Centers La Verne1886 Third Street, La Verne California 91750IELTS
TOEFL
TOEIC
Tel: + 1 909 596 3865
Email: [email protected]
Cal State Northridge, CSUN18111 Nordhoff St, Northridge California 91330Email: [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:

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.

ielts san francisco

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!

Upgrade Your IELTS Preparation With the Help of GlobalExam

However, it is surely more convenient and affordable to prepare for your IELTS test with GlobalExam, a fully online platform offering flexible, completely personalized study programs for the IELTS test! There are dozens of simulated exercises, tips to follow and traps to watch out for specific to the IELTS format, and even a personalized statistics feature to monitor your progress as you work toward your target score.

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.

Sign for a free trial with GlobalExam and get a full-length mock IELTS test so you can experience the pressure and timing of the real thing before you attempt the IELTS test. Let GlobalExam help you on your international adventure starting in San Francisco!