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IELTS (International English Language Testing System) Syllabus
English-language proficiency test accepted by U.S. universities for international admissions.. The complete IELTS (International English Language Testing System) outline — 6 subjects, 28 chapters and 120 topics — laid out so you can see exactly what has to be covered and tick each item off as you go.
IELTS (International English Language Testing System) subjects
Each subject below has its own page with the full chapter → topic → sub-topic tree and a set of real exam-style flashcards.
5 chapters · 24 topics · 6 sub-topics
Academic Reading5 chapters · 23 topics · 2 sub-topics
Academic Writing5 chapters · 22 topics · 8 sub-topics
Speaking5 chapters · 20 topics · 4 sub-topics
Grammar and Vocabulary Foundations4 chapters · 16 topics
Test Strategy and Admissions Requirements4 chapters · 15 topics · 2 sub-topics
IELTS (International English Language Testing System) flashcard decks
303 question-and-answer cards across 6 decks, written against this syllabus. Preview any deck free.
How to work through the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) syllabus
The outline on this page is arranged the way the syllabus itself is: subject, then chapter, then topic, then sub-topic. That last level is what most study plans skip, and it is where coverage actually goes wrong — a chapter marked "done" often has three sub-topics inside it that were never touched.
Weight your plan accordingly: Listening carries 24 topics while Test Strategy and Admissions Requirements carries 15. Giving both the same number of weeks is the most common planning mistake for IELTS (International English Language Testing System).
The ~95 hour estimate above is a first pass only: roughly 45 minutes per topic plus 12 minutes per sub-topic. Revision cycles, past papers and mocks sit on top of that number.
IELTS (International English Language Testing System) syllabus FAQ
What subjects are in the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) syllabus?
IELTS (International English Language Testing System) covers 6 subjects: Listening, Academic Reading, Academic Writing, Speaking, Grammar and Vocabulary Foundations and Test Strategy and Admissions Requirements. Together they contain 28 chapters and 120 named topics.
How much do you have to study for IELTS (International English Language Testing System)?
The full IELTS (International English Language Testing System) outline breaks down into 28 chapters, 120 topics and 22 sub-topics. Listening is the largest single subject with 24 topics across 5 chapters.
How long does it take to cover the whole IELTS (International English Language Testing System) syllabus?
Roughly 95 hours for one full pass. That estimate allows about 45 minutes per topic plus 12 minutes per sub-topic, so it is first-pass coverage — revision, past papers and mock tests sit on top of it. At 3 hours a day that is about 5 weeks.
Are there IELTS (International English Language Testing System) flashcards?
Yes — 303 question-and-answer flashcards across 6 decks, one per subject, written against this syllabus. A sample of every deck is readable on this site for free, and the complete decks are in the Examius app.
Is this IELTS (International English Language Testing System) syllabus free to use?
Yes. Every page here is free to read, and importing the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) syllabus into the Examius app to tick off topics as you finish them is free too, in United States and everywhere else. No account is needed to start.
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