p.s. on iELTS

for those folks who are considering taking this test, particularly nurses, IELTS is administered practically every weekend here in manila. you need to check the British Council website for its timetable though.

as i've noted earlier, there are 4 stages. Listening, Reading and Writing tests are usually given on a single day (Saturday) and usually last around 3 hours. no need to bring pencils or paper as they're supplied by the examiners. the Speaking test (basically a 15-minute interview) is usually given separately, sometimes on the same day after the 3 tests. they'll inform you about your schedule right after the exam, or — as in my case — your interview could be scheduled as early 2 days before the exam proper.

the test will cost you P8,640. required documents: usually a copy of whatever ID you plan to use (passport, SSS, BIR), a manager's check for the exam fee, a filled-out application form. you may submit them straight to their office, by mail, or via DHL, at least 2 weeks before your target exam date. you will receive a confirmation receipt a week later.

Tip: if you want to get a good score, choose a test date that's at least a month away so you'll have enough time to review. one of the examinees told me that you can review at the British Council (apparently covered by the fees you're paying). i haven't tried this though coz it's much too far from where i live.

as for test scores, you'll need at least 6.5 if you want to work in europe, canada, new zealand, australia, etc. (however, many employers will accept 6 or even 5.5 as long as the job isn't too linguistically demanding). if you plan to study in these places, a score of 7 will land you in a good university, although it also depends on the course you want to take. a band score of 7.5 would be better though (enough for postgraduate courses). as a yardstick, note that even UP requires a score of 7.5 for its foreign students.