Key Facts
| Transfer window (IDP terms) | within three months of original test date |
|---|---|
| Transfers per booking (IDP terms) | only once |
| Changes to details after the Test Report Form is issued | No modifications can be made |
| Notice for access arrangements | at least six weeks before your test |
| Speaking test slot at some centres | same day, or up to 7 days before or after your test date |
Figures correct at the time of writing. Confirm current fees and deadlines with the school or university directly.
To book an IELTS test, you choose the version that matches your purpose, select a centre and date through the British Council or IDP, and register with a passport or national ID that is checked again on test day. The version decision comes first, because IELTS Academic, General Training, IELTS for UKVI and IELTS Life Skills suit different applications and the receiving university, employer, professional body or Home Office route sets which one it accepts. Confirming that requirement before paying avoids rebooking.
The same identity document runs through every stage, from registration to check-in and the Speaking interview. Name changes, transfers and cancellations are handled by the test centre under the booking terms, and access arrangements for disabilities are requested early. Once the version is settled, preparation can start from the published Writing and Speaking criteria.
Which IELTS version should you book?
Book IELTS Academic if the test is for study in an English-speaking country or for professional registration, and IELTS General Training if it is for migrating to Australia, Canada, New Zealand or the UK, or for training or study below degree level. The Listening and Speaking tests are the same in both versions, whilst the Reading and Writing tests differ.
IELTS for UKVI is the version accepted by UK Visas and Immigration as proof of English for UK visas and citizenship, including Skilled Worker, Student and British citizenship applications. IELTS Life Skills is a UK government-approved Secure English Language Test (SELT) that assesses speaking and listening only.
GOV.UK states that the level required depends on your application route, that you should read the guidance for your immigration route, and that the test you book must be the one approved as a SELT. The choice of test is yours, so check the exact wording on the route page or the institution's entry requirements before you register.
How does booking work with the British Council or IDP, on paper or computer?
You book on the registration page of the British Council or IDP, whichever organisation runs the centre you want, by choosing the version, the delivery format, the city or centre and an available date. Both organisations administer the same test, so the decision between them usually comes down to which centre and date suit you.
Check which delivery formats the registration page offers for your chosen centre and date, since availability varies between venues. On IELTS on computer, paper and pencils are provided for notes, and the Speaking test takes place on the same day, before or after the other three parts. At other venues the Speaking slot can fall on a different day, and the confirmation you receive gives the time to attend.
IELTS Preparation tutors
Mark
Master TutorI have thirty years in education, including Head of English at an independent school and GCSE and A-Level examiner. I teach English, Literature, Language, Creative Writing and Critical Thinking, ages four to eighteen. I start from what a student can already do and adapt my methods to them.
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Johanna
Expert TutorI have two decades' teaching experience in English Literature, English Language and Philosophy, and hold a PhD in English Literature. I teach GCSE, A-Level, Oxbridge entrance and UCAS personal statements. My approach is person-centred, working through dialogue and ongoing assessment.
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Owen
Expert TutorI gained an MA and MPhil at Girton College, Cambridge, and am a British Council certified counsellor. I specialise in Oxbridge preparation and university admissions, and teach A-Level English Literature, French and German, using the discursive, oral-first style of an Oxbridge supervision.
Enquire about this tutorWhat ID is needed, and what happens if a name or ID changes?
You must bring the same passport or national identity card that you used to book, and the test staff check it before you enter the room and the examiner checks it again for the Speaking test. Without the right document you cannot sit the test. Taking the test outside your home country requires a passport, so use that at registration if you are abroad.
All personal details given at registration must match the identification document. If your ID changes after booking, tell the centre before the test date, because otherwise you cannot sit the test and are not eligible for a refund or transfer. Details may be corrected through the centre before your Test Report Form is issued, after which no modifications can be made, so check spelling carefully at registration.
How do transfers and cancellations work?
You can ask to move your booking to a new date at any time before the test, but the new date must fall within a set window of the original, and a request made very close to the test day may be treated as a cancellation. A later date is also treated as a cancellation, and each booking can be transferred once. Administration charges may apply.
Cancelling means notifying the test centre, and the refund depends on when you cancel and whether special circumstances apply. Examples of qualifying circumstances include bereavement, civil unrest and a domestic crisis, and you can apply to the centre for special consideration if illness, injury or another event outside your control prevents you attending or disadvantages you on the day. Policies vary by centre, so read the terms attached to your own booking.
What happens on test day?
Arrive early with your ID, because check-in varies between venues, and once you are checked in you can lock away your belongings before an invigilator guides you to your seat. The centre takes your photograph when you register on the day, so passport photographs are not needed.
Water is allowed in a clear, transparent bottle. Food, bags, keys, wallets, watches, smartwatches and fitness trackers are not allowed in the room, and phones and other electronic devices must be switched off and kept with your belongings in the designated area. Test rooms have wall clocks.
The Speaking test is a face-to-face interview with an examiner, and your ID is checked before you enter the interview room and again during the interview. Listening, Reading and Writing follow one another with no breaks between sections.
How do candidates ask for special requirements if they have a disability?
Contact your local test centre as early as you can, because the centre asks about your needs, confirms the booking deadline and makes the arrangements. It may ask for supporting documents such as a medical certificate, and all requests for access arrangements are subject to approval.
Most arrangements need at least six weeks' notice, while some, such as headphones or amplification equipment, need at least two weeks. If you cannot take one or two test components, you must apply for exemption before taking the test. Where you have difficulty on the day, inform the test centre immediately, and the centre may offer a test on the next available date.
How should candidates prepare once the test is booked?
Work from the published criteria, beginning with Writing, where Task 2 contributes twice as much as Task 1 to the Writing score. Practise Task 2, a point of view, argument or problem to discuss, in about 40 minutes and at least 250 words, then Task 1 in about 20 minutes and at least 150 words. On Academic, Task 1 describes a graph, table, chart or diagram in your own words.
Mark each response against the four Writing criteria: Task Achievement for Task 1 or Task Response for Task 2, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, and Grammatical Range and Accuracy. Record Speaking practice across the three parts, introduction and interview, long turn, and discussion, then listen back against Fluency and Coherence, Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range and Accuracy, and Pronunciation.
Finish by sitting Listening, Reading and Writing in one session under timed conditions, so that the Reading transfer time and the lack of breaks feel familiar before check-in.
Related guides
- What is IELTS? Format, versions and scoring
- IELTS for UKVI
- IELTS Life Skills A1, A2 and B1
- IELTS test fee in the UK
- IELTS results, validity and remarks
- IELTS score to CEFR level
- IELTS Academic or General Training?
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Read more about our IELTS preparation tutors, or send an enquiry and we will come back with tutor recommendations.
Frequently asked questions
- How long does the whole IELTS test take?
- The test time is 2 hours and 45 minutes in total. Listening takes approximately 30 minutes, Reading 60 minutes including transfer time, Writing 60 minutes and Speaking 11 to 14 minutes. Listening, Reading and Writing are taken together in one session, whilst the Speaking interview can be on the same day or on a different day, depending on your centre and delivery format.
- Is Academic harder than General Training?
- The official pages do not rank them by difficulty. They describe different purposes: Academic for study and professional registration, General Training for migration and for training or study below degree level. Listening and Speaking are identical, and only Reading and Writing differ, so the right choice is the one your institution or visa route names.
- Can candidates be exempted from Listening or Speaking?
- Exemption from one or two components is possible for some candidates with disabilities, but you must apply before taking the test. The centre decides on approval and usually asks for supporting evidence, such as a medical certificate. Contact the centre as early as possible so the request is settled before your booking is finalised.
- Who conducts the Speaking test?
- An examiner conducts the Speaking test as a face-to-face interview with you. It has three parts: introduction and interview, a long turn, and a discussion. The examiner checks your ID again during the interview, so keep the same passport or national ID you booked with available until you leave the room.
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