COVID 19: Information for our global test taker community

COVID-19: Information for our global test taker community

29 January 2020

The IELTS Partners are committed to protecting the health of our test takers, while also trying to minimise disruption to life-changing opportunities for international higher education and migration.

IELTS Indicator

To address this, we have introduced IELTS Indicator, an online test aimed to help students progress their study abroad applications during this time of uncertainty.

You can learn more about IELTS Indicator here.

IELTS now open in more than 80 countries, including China

Suspended testing

Testing is currently suspended in the following locations in line with official requirements. Please note, however, that the situation is evolving quickly, and it is possible that tests in other locations may be suspended at short notice. If you have any queries, please contact your test centre.

Thank you for your co-operation and understanding.

Countries A-E

Countries F-L

Countries M-R

Countries S-Z

Find out more

Additional health and safety precautions on test day, including wearing a mask

The health of our test takers and staff is our key priority.

If you have been in contact with a person suspected to have been exposed to novel coronavirus, or if you are unwell, have a cough or fever, or are showing signs of being short of breath, please contact your test centre to reschedule your test or to arrange a refund.

We request that test takers follow official advice, including required self-isolation or quarantine restrictions in the country where they are taking the test.

Wearing a mask

As a precautionary health measure, until further notice, test takers, centre staff and examiners may wear a face mask covering their mouth and nose during the test.

Test takers are welcome to bring their own mask. Please be aware that you may be requested to uncover your face temporarily for some security checks.

Hygiene practices on test day

We have introduced additional health and safety measures at IELTS test centres on test day.

We ask all test takers in advance to help create a safe testing environment by washing their hands on arrival and throughout the test day.

More information on looking after your health is available on the World Health Organization website.

Collecting Test Report Forms (TRF) in Mainland China, Macau SAR and Mongolia

Test takers who have already taken their test will receive their TRF by mail.

If results are urgently needed and it is 5 to 7 days since your computer-delivered test or 13 days since your paper-based test, then please email your test centre.

If you have any queries about collecting your TRF, please contact your test centre.

Free preparation support for affected test takers

To help test takers improve their preparation during the suspension, the IELTS Partners are providing free support material.

For students in China, please visit https://www.chinaielts.org/ guide to access your free support material.

For other students, please visit: ielts.org/prepare.

We also invite you to join our global community of test takers on Facebook.com/IELTSOfficial/ and WeChat.

This is a space for you to learn from experts and share your IELTS experience with your peers around the globe.

Support for test takers with online tool

The IELTS Partners will be offering students an online tool to help them explore their English language skills, using real IELTS questions. Find out more.

Information for organisations who accept IELTS test scores

In locations where it is permitted to do so, IELTS testing is going ahead, with additional precautions in place to help protect the health and safety of our test takers and the teams in our centres.

In other locations, we have had to suspend IELTS testing, in line with official requirements and the guidance of healthcare authorities. In these locations, we are putting detailed plans in place to ensure that test takers are able to take their tests as soon as possible once the official restrictions are removed.

Unfortunately, many test takers in these locations will be delayed in sitting a test and subsequently sending their IELTS scores to institutions. We fully understand the impact that this may have on our test takers and on your organisation, and we are doing everything we can to minimise this impact.

As a temporary measure, due to the Covid-19 situation, test takers may only be issued with their Test Report Form (TRF) number, and their IELTS for UKVI number, where appropriate, for test dates from March 2020, and until further notice. Test takers may share this with organisations of their choice, when a paper TRF cannot be issued.

Organisations can log into the IELTS Results Verification Service and use the TRF number to confirm IELTS results. If you are not currently registered for this complimentary service, please register using the links below:

Global Organisations (excluding the US): Please click here to register for the IELTS Results Verification Service.
US Organisations: Please click here to learn more about the IELTS Results Service and register today.

Our goal is to continue to support you as you receive and process IELTS results during these challenging times. Once test centres have reopened, we will be able to provide Test Report Forms via postal delivery.

Introducing IELTS Indicator

To address this, we have introduced IELTS Indicator, an online test to help students progress their study abroad applications.

To find out more about this four skills test, and how you can use it to help your students, visit this page.

Contacts

Brian Smith: ielts.communications@idp.com
Stephen Carey: Ielts.organisations@britishcouncil.org
Kate McKeen: ielts@ieltsusa.org

The IELTS Partners are also looking into various solutions to support test takers, including:

Increased test session availability in regions impacted by suspensions as soon as we can restart testing. In particular, capability to double the paper-based test taker capacity in China as soon as we restart testing.
Supporting test takers with free preparation materials in readiness for their test.
Computer-delivered IELTS test sessions increased in frequency in affected areas, up to three times per day, seven days per week.
Larger test venues will be used to accommodate increased volumes of paper-based test takers.
More flexible use of Speaking examiners from around the world to ensure test takers can complete their Speaking tests as quickly as possible.

Ensuring quality of language testing during this situation IELTS is the gold standard of English language testing and we know the importance of students having the correct level of English to excel in their chosen course, and for them to get the maximum out of their social interactions on campus.

This depends on robust security measures to prevent malpractice and fraudulent behaviour. These measures support genuine test takers and protect the interests of the organizations who rely on the integrity of English language test results.

We welcome the opportunity to collaborate with organizations to discuss solutions that protect the integrity of English assessment in this situation.

We will be in contact with organizations as more solutions and support become available.

If you are test taker, and have any questions, or need more information, please contact us by filling in this form.