COVID-19 has imposed its own rules on the planet, forcing people to change plans and abandon ideas. The global higher education network QS has conducted a survey to see how the pandemic has impacted students’ desire to study abroad. In February, only 27% of 20,000 surveyed students said that coronavirus changed their plans for studying abroad. In March, the index reached 35%, and in April – 53%. Out of the 53%, 46% were going to postpone their education plans for a year.

Armenia is in the same boat. Due to the pandemic, international testing centers stopped working, so the students who planned to study abroad could not pass the required tests.

The most popular English test for those who want to study, work or live abroad is IELTS. In Armenia, it is conducted by the British Council, which has had to cancel 4 tests so far.

British Council Business Development and Exams Manager Inessa Muradyan has told Mediamax that around 5% of IELTS applicants (the yearly index) have canceled their tests.

Those waiting for resumption of the testing are offered an alternative – IELTS indicator. The students need to enter the system via their own PC, download the program that freezes all other activity on the computer and prevents interference, and answer questions live.

 

“IELTS indicator is the same IELTS test, adapted for the computer. The content is absolutely the same. It has all 4 components: listening, reading, writing, and oral speech. The duration and terms of the test and the indicator are identical too. The only difference is that the indicator is implemented online and a camera is required. IELTS is the only exam that secures communication in the oral speech component – it is held as an interview, which is recorded for reassessment. That is why the camera is required,” explained Inessa Muradyan.

The online IELTS indicator is held once a week in Armenia. According to Inessa Muradyan, this alternative product is not used in every country. In the places where the virus danger is lower, IELTS is conducted as usual, and some other countries are gradually switching to the indicator option.

 

“IELTS results are accepted by many companies, but it is impossible to get confirmations from every one of them that they will accept the indicator results. However, they signaled that an alternative was needed, so even if some higher education institutions refuse to accept the indicator results, their share will be small. This is why we ask the applicants to specify if the university they chose recognizes the results of IELTS indicator,” said Muradyan.

The payment procedure has been changed as well: for IELTS test, applicants pay AMD 97,000 (around USD 198), and for IELTS indicator – USD 149.

IELTS indicator applicants can access webinars and Facebook live sessions. The information about them is available on the website of the British Council.

Lusine Gharibyan