Approximately 400 million people speak English as their first language, and estimates of non-native English-speakers vary from 470 million to more than a billion. Making English without a doubt the most useful language for global citizens to navigate through matters of travel, business and even romance.
IELTS, TOEFL and MUET are examinations which measure the ability to use and understand English in colleges or university campuses. These tests evaluate how well you can combine your listening, reading, writing and speaking skills.
IELTS and TOEFL are usually meant for foreign universities entry requirements while MUET is created for Malaysia public universities enrolment needs. IELTS and TOEFL are also among the most popular English language tests aimed at pre-university students planning to make the step to higher education.
What is it?
Recognition
Exam Fee
Result Expiry
Test Components
Components Specifications
Scoring
MUET
Malaysian University English Test
Largely recognized in Malaysia and Singapore only; mostly for University entrance and graduation purposes. Government servants also take MUET for promotion opportunities.
RM 100 (plus RM 1 for registration PIN purchase)
Valid for five (5) years from the date of result.
- Listening (30 min)
- Speaking (30 min)
- Reading (90 min)
- Writing (90 min)
Listening
- Listen to five recorded texts and answer by interpreting information and multiple-choice questions.
Speaking
- Tested as an individual presentation and followed by a group interaction.
Reading
- 50 multiple-choice questions based 6 short texts (at least one text with graphics).
Writing
(Handwritten essays)
- Interpret information from a nonlinear source to a linear text (no less than 150 words).
- Write an essay of at least 350 words on a given topic.
Band 1 lowest to Band 6 highest, overall score (maximum 300) from aggregate of separate scores in all four tests.
IELTS
International English Language Testing System
Used for educational, immigration and occupational purposes. Accepted by over 9,000 institutions across 130 countries worldwide. British and Australian universities more often accept IELTS scores.
RM 750 (inclusive of SST)
Valid for two (2) years after the test date.
- Listening (30 min)
- Speaking (15 min)
- Reading (60 min)
- Writing (60 min)
Listening
- Four recorded monologues and conversations. Answer questions while listening.
Speaking
- Face to face with examiner. Includes a short speech and a conversation component.
Reading
- Three long reading passages (including graphics) with tasks that include fill-in-the-bland and multiple-choice questions.
Writing
(Handwritten essays)
- Interpret information from a nonlinear source to a linear text (no less than 150 words)
- Write an essay of at least 250 words on a given topic.
Score from Band 1 to 9 (9 being the highest), overall score from average of separate scores in all four tests.
TOEFL
Test of English as a Foreign Language
Test ability to communicate in English in specifically academic, university and classroom-based settings. Accepted by over 8,500 institutions across 130 countries. American universities more often accept TOEFL scores.
RM 700 (inclusive of SST)
Valid for two (2) years after the test date.
- Listening (90 min)
- Speaking (20 min)
- Reading (60 min)
- Writing (60 min)
Listening
- 6-9 listening tasks, over five minutes. Cannot listen twice. Answer multiple-choice questions after full recording in finished.
Speaking
- Six questions, independent (2) and integrated (4) answered into a microphone which are recorded and sent to an examiners. 45-60 seconds provided to record response.
Reading
- 3 to 5 reading passages (about 700 words long) followed by 12-14 multiple-choice questions.
Writing
(Typed on computer)
- Integrated writing task (150 – 225 words)
- Independent writing task (300-350 words)
IBT: Score on a sliding scale frin 0 to 120.
