IELTS Task 2 Free University Education Essay

The issue of free university education is an essay topic that comes up in the IELTS test. This essay, therefore, provides you with some of the key arguments about this topic.

The essay is an agree/disagree essay, which means you are given one opinion and then asked if you agree with it or not.

So remember to make it clear in your essay which side you are on.

University education should be free to everyone, regardless of income.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Choosing a Side

Of course, you don’t have to firmly come down on one side – you could partly agree if there are some aspects of the arguments you agree with but some parts you disagree with.

In this essay, the writer believes free university education is the best policy, so s/he agrees with the opinion. This is made clear in the conclusion (though you can put your opinion in the introduction as well if you wish).

The writer presents both sides of the argument. This is a good idea as you may find it more difficult to come up with a lot of ideas for one side of an argument. It also shows you are able to see both sides of the argument – a good academic skill.

Free University Education Essay

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task. Write about the following topic: University education should be free to everyone, regardless of income. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own experience or knowledge. Write at least 250 words.

Model Answer:

Over recent years, more and more people have been attending university, and arguments have persisted as to whether students should pay for this privilege. Although there are convincing arguments on both sides, I strongly believe that it should be free.

One argument put forward in favor of charging students is that education is becoming more expensive to fund as universities grow in size. Consequently, making students pay may maintain standards and ensure the quality of the teaching. In addition, it is argued that most students benefit from university in terms of higher-paid jobs, so it is fair that they pay for at least some of the cost, especially given that the majority of students attending university are from the middle classes. Last but not least, in many countries, there is a shortage of people to do manual jobs such as plumbing and carpentry, so making university more expensive may encourage people to take up these jobs.

However, there are a number of arguments in favor of making university education free for all. Firstly, it will encourage more people to attend, and this will benefit society. This is because it will lead to a more productive and educated workforce. Research has generally shown that those countries that have a better-educated population via university have higher levels of innovation and productivity. In addition, there is the issue of equality of opportunity. If all students are required to pay, those on a low income may be dissuaded from attending, thus making it unfair. The reason for this is that they will likely not be able to secure financial support from their family, so they will be concerned about the debts they will incur in the future.

In conclusion, I am of the opinion that all education should remain equally available to all, regardless of income. This is not only fair but will also ensure that countries can prosper and develop into the future with a well-educated workforce.

326 Words

IELTS Score Evaluation for the Given Essay

1. Task Achievement: Band 7.0 – 7.5

✅ Strengths:

• The essay addresses the prompt clearly and maintains a strong stance throughout.
• The main points are well-developed and provide clear explanations.
• A balanced approach is taken by acknowledging counterarguments before refuting them.

🔻 Areas for Improvement:

• The thesis statement is a bit weak. Instead of just saying “I strongly believe that it should be free,” it would be stronger to briefly mention the two main reasons (fairness and societal benefits).
• Some ideas could be expanded further with real-world examples or data. For example, the argument about countries with better-educated populations being more innovative could benefit from a reference to actual countries (e.g., Finland or Germany).

Suggested Improvement:

• Strengthen the thesis statement to outline the argument more clearly.
• Provide real-world examples to enhance credibility.

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2. Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.5

✅ Strengths:

• Logical progression of ideas with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion.
• Effective use of cohesive devices like “however,” “in addition,” “firstly,” and “consequently.”

🔻 Areas for Improvement:

• Some transitions could be more natural and varied. For instance, “Last but not least” sounds somewhat informal for an academic essay.
• The link between ideas could be smoother. For example, the paragraph about manual jobs does not transition well into the next argument about free education.

Suggested Improvement:

• Use more sophisticated linking phrases (e.g., “Another compelling reason why some oppose free education is…” instead of “Last but not least”).
• Ensure that the counterargument flows smoothly into the rebuttal.

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3. Lexical Resource: Band 7.5 – 8.0

✅ Strengths:

• Good range of vocabulary (e.g., “persisted,” “privilege,” “equality of opportunity,” “dissuaded”).
• Paraphrasing is well-handled—the same ideas are expressed in different ways rather than repeated verbatim.

🔻 Areas for Improvement:

• Some word choices could be more precise. For example:
  • “Research has generally shown that those countries that have a better-educated population via university have higher levels of innovation and productivity.”
    → “Studies indicate that countries with widespread access to university education exhibit greater innovation and economic growth.” (More concise and sophisticated)
• Some phrases could be more formal. For example:
  • “Making students pay may maintain standards and ensure the quality of the teaching.”
    → “Requiring tuition fees could help sustain academic standards and teaching quality.” (More formal and precise)

Suggested Improvement:

• Use more precise academic vocabulary for key arguments.
• Avoid wordiness and simplify complex sentences while keeping a formal tone.

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4. Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.0 – 7.5

✅ Strengths:

• The essay demonstrates control over grammar with a range of sentence structures.
• Conditionals and passive voice are used effectively (e.g., “If all students are required to pay…”).

🔻 Areas for Improvement:

• Some sentences are too long and complex, making them harder to follow.
  • “If all students are required to pay, those on a low income may be dissuaded from attending, thus making it unfair.”
    → “Mandatory tuition fees may discourage low-income students from enrolling, creating an unfair disadvantage.” (More concise)
• A few article errors and awkward phrasing:
  • “One argument put forward in favor of charging students…”
    → “One argument in favor of tuition fees…” (More natural)

Suggested Improvement:

• Simplify overly complex sentences while maintaining clarity.
• Refine article usage and sentence flow for better readability.

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Overall IELTS Band Score Estimate: 7.5

Criterion	Score
Task Achievement	7.0 – 7.5
Coherence and Cohesion	7.5
Lexical Resource	7.5 – 8.0
Grammatical Range & Accuracy	7.0 – 7.5