How to Register for IELTS: A Practical Booking Guide

Before you book — three things to confirm

Most lost test fees come from booking without checking these three points first. Spend ten minutes here and you save a hundred-something dollars.

1. Which version of IELTS do you need? Academic or General Training? UKVI? Life Skills? OET? Re-read your university offer or visa scheme to confirm the exact name. If you're unsure of the difference, see our post on Academic vs General Training.
2. Does your destination require a specific provider or test type? Most UK visa categories accept either British Council or IDP; some specifically demand "IELTS for UKVI" — that's a separate booking flow.
3. What is the application deadline you're targeting? Subtract two weeks from it for paper-based, one week for computer-delivered. That's your latest sittable date. Earlier is better — you may need to retake.

If any of those three is fuzzy, do not book yet. Email the institution or visa scheme and get the answer in writing.

Step 1: choose your provider

In most countries you can book IELTS through one of two organisations:

• British Council — operates IELTS in roughly 150 countries
• IDP IELTS — also global, with a particularly strong presence in Australia, India, and Southeast Asia

The test paper is identical between them. Same questions, same scoring, same band scale. You will not score higher with one provider than the other. Pick whichever has more dates near you, a more convenient location, or — in some markets — slightly cheaper fees.

In a few markets you'll also see Cambridge English and IELTS USA as the booking entry — these are partner organisations using the same test material.

Step 2: pick paper-based or computer-delivered

This is a delivery format choice, not a test version. Both work for both Academic and General Training.

Computer-delivered IELTS:

• More test dates (often 5+ days a week)
• Results in 3 to 5 days
• The clock and word count appear on screen
• Writing is typed — useful if your handwriting is slow or untidy
• Reading and Listening run at fixed timing (you can't skip ahead easily on Listening, but you can flag and revisit on Reading)

Paper-based IELTS:

• Fewer dates (typically once a week)
• Results in 13 days
• Writing is by hand on a separate answer sheet
• You can write quickly on the question paper for working

If you have any doubt, pick computer-delivered. The faster results window matters when you're juggling application deadlines, and the typing UI is more forgiving for Writing. Speaking is the same in both formats — face-to-face with a real examiner (or video-call examiner at some centres), not on a computer.

Step 3: pick a test centre and date

Open the booking site for British Council or IDP in your country, set Academic or General Training, set the format, and you'll see a list of upcoming test dates by city.

Booking decisions worth thinking about:

• City and venue: pick the closest centre you can. You should not be doing a five-hour bus journey the morning of test day.
• Date: at least 6 weeks before your application deadline if it's your first attempt — leaves room to retake if needed. If you're already prepared and confident, 2-3 weeks is enough.
• Speaking date: many centres offer Speaking on the same day or within seven days of the written sections. Same-day is more efficient but more tiring; check what's available.

Avoid booking the most popular centres on the most popular dates if you can — they fill up months in advance and the alternative is travelling further or waiting longer.

Step 4: registration and ID requirements

You will need:

• A valid passport in most countries (some accept national ID; check the booking site). Your name on your passport is what appears on your Test Report Form. It must match the name your university or visa office knows you by — if it doesn't, sort that out before booking.
• A recent passport-style photo (some centres take it on the day; others ask you to upload during booking)
• A credit/debit card to pay the test fee. Some centres accept bank transfer; expect to pay in full at booking — there is no payment plan.
• An email address that you check daily. All your test correspondence (test details, results link, score release) goes there.

Double-check the spelling of your name as you type it. Errors after the fact cost time and money to correct, and a name mismatch can invalidate your TRF for a visa application.

Step 5: what you'll receive after booking

Within a few minutes of payment you'll get a confirmation email with:

• Your candidate number
• Your test centre address and instructions on how to find it
• Your arrival time (usually 8:00–8:30 AM for written sections)
• Whether Speaking is on the same day or scheduled later
• A reminder of what to bring (passport mainly)

Save this email. Print it if your phone is unreliable on test day.

Test fee: what to expect

We deliberately don't quote fixed prices because they change every year and vary by country. Expect roughly:

• Standard IELTS: in the range of US$220–$260 in most countries. India and Vietnam are at the lower end; Western Europe and the US are at the upper end.
• IELTS for UKVI: usually slightly more than standard
• IELTS Life Skills: typically less than standard

Always check the current published fee on your provider's site for your country before booking. Some providers run small discount campaigns in low-demand months.

Cancelling, rescheduling and refunds

Rules vary by provider but the structure is consistent:

• More than 5 weeks before the test: typically refundable minus a small administrative fee (often 25% of the fee).
• Within 5 weeks: not refundable, but rescheduling once may be allowed for a fee.
• Medical reasons: many providers allow a refund or transfer if you submit a medical certificate within a few days of the missed test. There is paperwork; expect to chase.

Travel disruption, family events, and "I just don't feel ready" are not refund reasons. Build your test date so you're confident two weeks out — if you wait until the week-of to decide, you'll lose money either way.

Should you book a re-mark (Enquiry on Results)?

After your results, you have the option to request a re-mark within six weeks. This is called an Enquiry on Results (EOR).

Quick guidance:

• Re-marks rarely change Listening or Reading scores — those are objectively marked.
• Re-marks occasionally change Writing or Speaking by half a band, especially when you're on a borderline (e.g. you scored 6.5 in Writing and the average inside your TRF was 6.6).
• The fee is refunded if your score goes up. You lose it if the score stays the same.
• It's worth the cost when you're a single half-band away from a binding minimum, and a fool's errand otherwise.

Score delivery and sending results to institutions

After your test:

• Computer-delivered: results in 3–5 days via the candidate portal
• Paper-based: results in 13 days via the candidate portal

You can request your provider to send your TRF electronically to up to five institutions for free as part of the booking. Check the right boxes on the booking form — adding institutions later is sometimes possible but not always free.

What's next

You're booked. Now what?

• If you have weeks to prepare: start with our 30-day prep plan
• If you have a few days: read the test day survival guide
• If you want to know what test day actually feels like: take a free practice test in our test catalog — they run on the same UI as the computer-delivered exam

Good luck. The booking is done; the only thing left is the work.