IELTS - Exams - British Council



	Meet IELTS candidates Hear candidates talk about their experiences taking the IELTS test with British Council in this collection of videos.

	International English Language Testing System

The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) has been developed to give the fairest possible assessment of a candidates' all-round English language ability including listening, reading, writing and speaking.

Widely recognised as a requirement for entry into UK further and higher education courses, IELTS is owned, developed and delivered through the partnership of the British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia and the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations.

What is IELTS?

IELTS is designed to assess the language ability of candidates who need to study or work where English is the language of communication. Find out more

IELTS Test format

IELTS assesses candidates' ability to use English effectively in the four key language skill areas - listening, reading, writing and speaking. Find out more

Preparation course

Our IELTS Preparation Course gives you the knowledge and skills needed to prepare for IELTS test. Find out more

IELTS SELF PRACTICE

Practice makes perfect. The only way to ensure success in your exam, above all else, is to practice as much as you can. Check out some of the tips on self practice for IELTS. Find out more

Registration, dates and fees

Check the registration requirements, dates and fees for the IELTS exam.

On the test day

Find out what you can expect when you visit a British Council test location. Get the answers to your questions!

Exam results and what they mean

IELTS scores are trusted around the world. IELTS provides results for all levels of English: there is no such thing as a pass or fail. Find out more

IELTS practice materials

We have a wide range of IELTS preparation materials available, created by some of the world’s leading English language specialists.

IELTS tips

Dos and Don’ts to improve your IELTS performance in every module.

FREQUENT ASKED QUESTIONS

A comprehensive list of Frequently Asked Questions related to the IELTS exam.

Preview your IELTS test results

The British Council provides additional services to help candidates know how well they have done before the official IELTS Test Report Form is issued. The preview service can be accessed here: Test Results Preview.

Find out about results

IELTS scores are easy to understand and apply, and you are guaranteed to receive your results within 13 days of taking the test. Find out more

Why IELTS?

Over 1.7 million IELTS tests are taken each year. Find out why more people go more places with IELTS.