IELTS

Dear Sushmeet,
Based on your profile you may target University of York, Dalhousie, Queens, Windsor, Regina and Brock. Please check the availability for spring intakes though.

It's not a good option to do MBA in Canada also in finance because you are from the engineering background and it will be difficult to cope up with the subjects. Try to study here in India itself.

Yes, you can assume that you have not scored less than 5.5 in any of the bands.

Hi Saurav,
You can start applying to universities without an IELTS score but whether you will get conditional offer or not will depend on the university. Many universities won't check your application till you submit your IELTS score and all other components but will allow you to submit the form, you can add IELTS score later. It is best you first check with the universities before submitting the application.

Hello Sandeep,
IELTS (International English Language Testing System) is the test for English language proficiency, required if you are planning to study or work abroad. The test checks you are reading, writing, listening and speaking skills. The scoring system is a band system which is 0 to 9. If you applying for studies a score of 6 is usually required. Read more about IELTS here:
http://takeielts.britishcouncil.org/choose-ielts/what-ielts

Hi Nainika,
Chances are very good with the scores you have given. Please submit your application on time. Every university has different deadlines and also requirements. You must focus on your overall application package , your SOP and LORs will also matter.

Hi,
IELTS or TOEFL is not required in Singapore if you passed out from an English medium school. But confirm the same from the university.

If you are preparing on your own, then I recommend books published by Cambridge, British Council or IDP. Cambridge has 11 volumes starting from 1 which has variety of questions for each component, with various difficulty levels. Start from Volume 1 and go up to 9. Once you have completed these 9 volumes, you can use 10 and 11 as mock tests (particularly for listening and reading).

Hi Sunny,
Yes, you can easily score well without any coaching. I have done the same and got a decent score of 7. I prepared for a couple of months and all you have to do is practice.