Graduating from a course, getting your driver’s licence, landing your dream job. These moments stay with us for life. We remember the nerves as we checked the mailbox or refreshed our inboxes to see our results.  

Most importantly, we remember the feeling of pride, recognition and opportunity that washed over us as we received the good news.  

This is what it is like for our test takers when they receive their desired IELTS score.  

This week, IDP IELTS hit a new milestone as 50,000 test takers proudly shared their IELTS score on social media using the new #myieltsresult feature that is built into our IELTS by IDP app and website.  

Scrolling through, you can hear the pride in test takers’ voices, and you can see their life is about to change as they embark on their global adventures.  

Obay Alkaseeh summed it up well when he said: “Glad to announce I have taken the IELTS test and achieved this amazing score. The best is yet to come.”

Another test taker from Bangladesh quoted “If you can dream it, you can do it.” 

IELTS test takers are proud as they know they have taken the gold standard of English language testing. It is the high-stakes test trusted by more organisations than any other around the world.  

It is a true, genuine reflection of their English ability. It is a mark of honour that proves candidates are a cut above the rest. 

It is not a computer-marked test that you can trick that sets you up to fail later when you don’t have the language skills you need to survive in the classroom or world abroad.  

Contrast the sense of pride and self-belief in the comments above with those published by the ABC last week.  

The ABC reporter was disheartened when she received advice that she spoke too much like a human and needed to learn tricks to beat an alternative English test, marked without any human intervention.   

“That made me even more upset. I recalled what Mum had taught me about working hard. I had put so much effort into my English skills, yet I couldn’t even get the scores I deserve. This is unfair,” the reporter said.   

We agree. Language and conversation connect us and unite us.  

We all know this. That is why IELTS has always focused on human-to-human conversation. IELTS has real, expert English examiners who speak to our test takers in a face-to-face environment. A test taker converses in a speaking test like they would in the workplace, classroom or social setting. 

In recent years, we have been helping test takers connect as a global community so they can learn from each other too. There is a special bond between IELTS test takers. An unwritten and unsaid acknowledgement that they are united because they chose the quality test, the test that opens more doors and is trusted by more organisations.  

More than 500,000 test takers are linked up through the IELTS by IDP app. The app features videos, lessons, and preparation support to help people achieve their best score.  

Coming soon is a new feature where test takers can share advice on improving their English directly with each other. This is how we learn, how we connect, and how we grow. 

Watching the IELTS community achieve their goals is a highlight of my role here at IDP.  

Assisting the next generation of learners open doors to their global goals is inspiring.  

Even better is knowing that the scores they earned are a true, trusted demonstration of their ability to communicate in English and they are well-equipped to thrive in their next chapter.