(Historical note: this thread is from the SDS-stream era. The Student Direct Stream has since been discontinued, so the SDS/non-SDS distinction below is historical context — but the core advice on Academic IELTS still reflects how colleges assess admissions.)An applicant asked which colleges accept General Training (GT) IELTS for study, and whether filing a study visa on a GT score is wise. The thread pushed back firmly:
- Prefer Academic IELTS for a study visa. The strongest advice: apply with Academic IELTS. Applying with General IELTS risked the file being processed outside the fast-track SDS category, which members associated with higher refusal chances.
- Policy vs practice diverged. One member correctly noted IRCC guidance at the time said General IELTS was acceptable for SDS. But another countered with cases they knew personally: files submitted with GT IELTS after that announcement were still processed as non-SDS and refused, with language cited in the refusal.
- No master list of GT-accepting colleges exists. For admissions, you must check each institution's requirements individually. Members mentioned Conestoga and Trent as examples known to consider General IELTS — but reportedly asked for a Duolingo test alongside it.
Bottom line from the thread: even where General IELTS is technically permitted, taking the Academic test removes an avoidable risk from both your admission and your visa file.