Editorial Policy
Every piece of content on IELTS International is held to strict editorial standards. This page explains how we research, write, verify, and maintain our guides so you can trust the information you read.
How We Research
Our content is built on primary sources. For immigration score requirements, we consult official government websites — Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the UK Home Office, the Australian Department of Home Affairs, and Immigration New Zealand, among others.
For university IELTS requirements, we check each institution's official admissions pages and English language requirements directly. We cross-reference with QS World University Rankings and Times Higher Education for institutional data.
Score equivalency data comes from published concordance research by ETS (TOEFL), Pearson (PTE Academic), Cambridge Assessment, and the Council of Europe (CEFR). We never rely on unofficial or third-party conversion tables.
How We Write
Content is written by editors with direct experience in IELTS preparation and English language testing. Our writing process follows a clear structure:
- 1Research & outline
Primary source data is gathered and an outline is created before any writing begins.
- 2Draft & peer review
Drafts are reviewed by at least one other editor for accuracy, clarity, and completeness.
- 3Fact-check
All specific claims — score requirements, visa thresholds, test formats — are verified against official sources.
- 4Publish & date-stamp
Published content includes a 'Last verified' date so readers know when information was last confirmed.
How We Verify
Immigration policies and university requirements change. We follow a verification cycle to keep content accurate:
- •Score requirements are re-checked against official sources at least quarterly.
- •University pages are updated when new intake requirements are published.
- •Every content page displays a 'Last verified' date — if a page shows a date older than 6 months, treat specific numbers with caution and verify directly.
- •Readers can report outdated information via hello@ielts.international. We investigate and update within 48 hours.
Our Source Standards
We link directly to official sources wherever possible. Text-only citations are not acceptable for verifiable claims. Our source hierarchy:
Tier 1 — Official government and institutional sources
Immigration authority websites, university admissions pages, test provider documentation (IELTS.org, ETS, Pearson).
Tier 2 — Published research and concordance data
Peer-reviewed score concordance studies, official mapping documents, CEFR framework publications.
Tier 3 — Reputable educational references
QS Rankings, Times Higher Education, British Council resources.
Independence & Transparency
IELTS International is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to IDP, the British Council, Cambridge Assessment, or any official IELTS test provider. We are an independent educational resource.
Where we recommend preparation books, we list titles without affiliate links. Our goal is to provide accurate, unbiased information — not to sell products.
Corrections Policy
If we publish inaccurate information, we correct it promptly. Significant corrections are noted on the affected page. To report an error, email hello@ielts.international with the page URL and the specific issue.
Questions About Our Content?
If you have questions about our editorial process, sources, or accuracy, contact us anytime.
Email Us