Exploring the Hidden Curriculum of IELTS: International Students’ Experiences of Transitioning into UK Universities

Many international students are required to take language tests such as the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) before entering UK universities. IELTS is usually seen as a standard test of English ability. However, this study asks whether IELTS does more than measure language proficiency. It explores whether the test also carries hidden expectations about how students should listen, read, write, speak, behave and prepare for university life. These hidden expectations are framed as part of a “hidden curriculum”, meaning lessons or messages that are not directly taught but are still communicated through educational systems and assessments. In IELTS, this means looking beyond the official purpose of the test to ask what kinds of language, knowledge, cultural familiarity and behaviour are indirectly rewarded. The study also uses the idea of cultural capital, which refers to forms of knowledge, language, behaviour and familiarity that are valued by institutions. This helps explain how certain ways of using English, interpreting texts, knowing British-oriented cultural norms and behaving in tests may become advantages in IELTS. The study explored the experiences of five international students who had taken IELTS before studying at UK universities. Data were collected through one online focus group and a follow-up interview. Participants shared their memories of preparing for and taking IELTS, as well as their later experiences of studying in the UK. The findings suggest that IELTS may contain several hidden expectations. Participants felt that IELTS preparation often encouraged them to memorise advanced vocabulary, sentence patterns and writing templates, rather than develop everyday communication skills. Some also felt that the test privileged British-oriented language norms, especially in listening tasks, where certain accents were treated as more familiar or standard. Reading tasks were also described as requiring particular ways of interpreting texts, which participants sometimes associated with Western academic expectations. The study also identified hidden expectations beyond academic and cultural knowledge. The test environment was described as strict and highly controlled, with limited space for breaks or bodily needs. Furthermore, the pressure of sitting a long and intense test was experienced as particularly difficult, especially by students who struggled with sustained concentration. The financial burden of IELTS was another factor raised in the discussion, as some participants felt that the difficulty of the test could push students into repeated attempts and further costs when trying to meet university entry requirements. In relation to students’ later university experiences, IELTS appeared to have mixed effects. Some participants appreciated that it gave them early exposure to academic and cultural topics related to life in the UK. However, others viewed IELTS as mainly useful as a certificate for university admission, rather than a promise of preparation for real academic or social communication.

This research matters because IELTS plays an important role in international students’ access to higher education. If the test rewards not only English ability, but also familiarity with particular academic and cultural norms, behavioural expectations and financial resources, then questions of fairness and inclusion need further attention. The findings may be useful for universities, language test providers, IELTS teachers and researchers interested in making language assessment more inclusive and responsive to international students’ real experiences