Students with aspirations to study abroad can now sign up to take the IELTS test in Sharjah.
The British Council reopened IELTS testing centres in the city on Saturday (July 25) and this follows on from their resumption in Dubai almost two months ago.
Students taking the test will have to follow a number of health and safety protocols and will not be able to attend the test if they are under a quarantine, self-quarantine, stay-at-home or medical surveillance order, as specified by the Sharjah authorities. They will also not be able to attend if they have a high temperature, persistent cough, difficulty breathing or other flu-like symptoms.
Precautionary measures in place include temperature screening at the test venue, ensuring staff and test takers always stay two metres apart, and the use of face masks, which must be worn by both staff and candidates.
Speaking about the reopening, Deep Adhikari, Director — Exams, The British Council Gulf South, said: “Safety is the top priority in our testing centres and we have very strict measures in place to keep all our candidates safe during this Covid-19 period. Having already began testing in Dubai, we know that students can test confidently with us.
“It has been a difficult year for students with international education ambitions, but we hope this news can help ease some of the disruption caused. Universities are now more flexible with online learning, and if faced with travel restrictions, students no longer have to put off their study plans.
“We look forward to providing assistance and again being part of their learning journey.”
For candidates not ready to take their IELTS test, the British Council is also offering several free resources. These include the IELTS Counselling service, where students are assigned a free personal counsellor throughout the learning journey. This provides students with a tailored study plan, a wealth of British Council study resources and feedback through regular calls and check-ins.
Registered test takers can also avail of the Road to IELTS - British Council’s most popular online preparation courses - which provides resources including advice and tutorials, 100 interactive activities and two practice tests for each of the four skills - Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking.
For those looking to complete their IELTS test online, they can also try out the free online computer-delivered IELTS familiarisation test ahead of the real examination.
Candidates wishing to book their IELTS test or find out more information can visit: www.britishcouncil.ae