Hundreds of displaced people will get the chance to take the world’s most trusted English language test for free, as the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) joins forces with IELTS.
IELTS, (International English Language Testing System), jointly owned by the British Council, IDP (International Development Program) and Cambridge University Press & Assessment, is trusted by governments, employers and thousands of universities around the world and has been helping people achieve their professional, personal and academic ambitions for over 35 years.
IELTS will work with UNHCR to provide opportunities for refugees who may otherwise not be able to achieve their ambitions due to financial, logistical or other difficulties.
The vast majority of refugees – 83 per cent – are hosted by low- and middle-income countries, where they often face limited prospects for access to higher education, employment or local integration. Refugees who are of university age and wish to continue their studies have few options, with only 7 per cent accessing higher education compared to a global average of 42 per cent.
Challenges faced by refugees in accessing quality training, education and decent work include under-utilization of skills, lack of recognition of qualifications, economic factors, policy restrictions, social and cultural factors and more.
Respected high-stakes English language tests like IELTS can be a key career and study requirement internationally, for refugees and non-refugees alike. In 2023, over 4 million IELTS tests were taken, in more than 140 countries worldwide.
Through partnering with UNHCR, and the provision of free tests, IELTS aims to enable refugees to build a long-term future via education and work. UNHCR will identify beneficiaries for the IELTS tests and will work with them to identify suitable locations and dates to take an IELTS test on paper or computer.
https://www.unhcr.org/news/announcements/refugees-receive-free-ielts-tests
