Survey Series: What Motivated You To Start Preparing for the IELTS Exam?

Many people have various reasons for studying IELTS. Some don’t even have any reason – just doing it due to peer pressure. But, what would be a major reason? This thought led us to roll out a survey as king a simple, yet telling question that searches for reasons that motivate aspirants for IELTS exam preparation. Find out what they said and more based on the survey insights.

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Introduction: Survey Overview

All IELTS aspirants must have asked themselves at one point – why am I preparing for this exam? Or, they would set their goal on something and to achieve that goal, IELTS is a gateway, or rather, it is a powerful key that can open many international doors. We have always heard of our acquaintances preparing for IELTS and scoring a particular band score. But, what is the reason or what motivates them to study for this particular exam?

Here is the question and the options that we rolled out on our Instagram page to find the answer to our question:

What motivated you to start preparing for the IELTS exam?

• Apply to a university abroad

• For immigration purposes

• Job opportunities overseas

We were able to get a huge number of interaction from our IELTS community. The results were surprising to most of us and gave us an idea as to what really motivates the IELTS aspirant to prepare for the exam.

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The Result: What the Community Said

Here is a snapshot of the survey with the result from our Instagram page:

As it is evident, most of the IELTS aspirants regard job opportunities abroad as the reason for their motivation to prepare for the exam. We will be diving deep into each option to understand their relevance among the aspirants.

🎓Apply to A University Abroad (27%)

Remember watching those Hollywood movies with the main characters attending universities and wondering how their classroom activities felt like? Those were the times when we used to wish studying in such universities with a classroom full of foreigners. The thought itself is exciting – to have an exposure to a world and culture different from our own, helps in building our outlook towards life and fellow humans.

Fast-forward to now, that wish is more like a trend nowadays. And the main reason for it to happen is because of the IELTS exam. Whether it’s studying engineering in the UK, business in Australia, or public health in Canada, English-language universities across the globe require IELTS scores as part of the admissions process. The value of a getting a foreign degree is immense – international recognition, professional prestige, and better career opportunities down the road.

However, over the years, we have seen an overlap of academics and profession among the aspirants. Those who go abroad to study end up finding jobs and staying in the same country. This change has led to a spike in the number of students who wish to study abroad with the help of IELTS exam, as evident from the survey.

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🌍For Immigration Purposes (27%)

From the time of our forefathers immigration has been a constant occurrence, with significant increase over the past two decades. Those days were summed up with the tagline of “going to the land of opportunities” without any sort of degree or examination, but just a will to work. In the present age, we have seen various renditions of the same will but with specific qualifications.

Countries like Canada, Australia, and New Zealand use IELTS as part of their points-based immigration systems, which is the reason why immigration purposes matched with education as a motivator for preparing IELTS exam. The IELTS score makes a huge difference when applying for skilled worker or permanent resident (PR) programs. In some cases, they might be the only thing that makes you eligible for such programs.

When desires such as building a new life abroad – often for family or better lifestyle – comes into the picture, the IELTS exam isn’t just about passing a language test; it showcases readiness to join and integrate into a new society.

✅Job Opportunities Overseas (45%)

The influence of movies, songs, and our acquaintances has created a lasting impression of life abroad on our minds. The weather, the lifestyle, good food, better salary, work-life balance, etc. are the common benefits from working abroad. And, that is a major reason why almost half of the respondents have selected job opportunities abroad as their major motivation to prepare for the IELTS exam.

This data shows the glowing trend where professionals are actively seeking to expand their exposure and tap into the global markets. Many countries, like Canada and Australia, have made it mandatory to provide a proof of English proficiency for work permits, registrations, and licensing. In the booming field like nursing and engineering, IELTS score is a mandatory aspect for hiring.

Limited career growth and high cost of living, may have led to professionals seeking opportunities abroad. IELTS is the stepping stone for them to venture into global opportunities, better standard of living and higher wages.

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A Deeper Analysis of the Survey

The data from the survey paints a different picture of today’s IELTS aspirants than a decade back. While university admissions and immigration purposes were the top motivators, now career advancement has taken them over as the top motivator/reason for IELTS exam preparation. This shift can be summed up to be due to the following:

• The exponential growth of remote work especially post-pandemic, has opened up doors on a much larger level.
• Countries like Canada and Australia face severe shortages in skilled workers, which, in turn, provides opportunities for non-locals to immigrate and settle.
• Development of online platforms and global recruitment has exposed professionals to the possibilities that lie ahead of them.

On another note, this also suggests the birth of a more pragmatic generation, who do not blindly chase dreams but rather build strategic and financial plans to achieve them!

Conclusion: IELTS Supremacy

The simple, yet not-so-simple, survey question has led to a deeper understanding of the lives and ambitions of IELTS aspirants. Whether it’s for work, education, or immigration, the IELTS exam plays a crucial role in shaping futures. When preparing, ask yourself what is your motivation. Understanding this might help you in preparing better for the IELTS exam.

Do you want to say what is your motivation IELTS preparation? We would love to hear from you through our Instagram page. If you feel like you need a trusted mentor to guide you in your IELTS exam preparation, check out our IELTS course to get that dream band score and secure your future!