IELTS is jointly owned by British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia and the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations (Cambridge ESOL).

Cambridge ESOL takes responsibility for test design and production, while the British Council and IDP: IELTS Australia provide the network of exam centres around the world and provide the IELTS examiners.

In administering the test, there is no difference between British Council and IDP as an IELTS test centre.  Both test centres follows one standard --- the IELTS standard.

In British Council and IDP, IELTS marking is carried out by trained markers and examiners, working to clearly defined criteria and subject to extensive and detailed quality control procedures.

British Council and IDP only differ in some pre-test and post test services such as availability of assistance for test preparation and forwarding of additional test report forms and others.  These may be related to the thrust of the organisations.

British Council is UK’s international organisation for educational opportunity and cultural relations.  We offer IELTS test since IELTS qualification helps open doors to international education and employment all over the globe.  

We, at the British Council, would like those who take the IELTS test to succeed in their plans for development.  Understanding that UK is the world leader in English language teaching, we’ve been assisting test takers in ways that will help them develop their English and exams skills.

You can register for the earliest available IELTS test date. The deadline for registration is two weeks before the test date. Please note that test registration is subject to availability of test papers.

British Council conducts the IELTS test thrice a month in Manila. We also administer the test in the following cities:

	Bacolod			Cagayan de Oro			Iloilo			Pampanga
	Baguio			Cebu			Leyte
	Batangas			Davao			Naga

The IELTS test is the same in all test venues.

You can view the list of test dates and locations here

The IELTS test fee is Php8,986.00.  

This can be paid in cash or manager’s cheque payable to British Council.

Bank deposit facility is also available.

It is easy to register for an IELTS test at British Council Philippines.

There are four ways you can register for an IELTS test and you can choose based on the most convenient way for you. Registration can be done through the following:

• visit our office
• send it through courier
• course it through our registration agents
• use our IELTS Online Registration and Payment System

To know the procedures, please click on PAPER BASED APPLICATION if you choose to visit our office, send it through courier or register through our agents.

To know the procedure for using IELTS Online Registration and Payment System, please click ONLINE REGISTRATION.

The Academic module is for candidates wishing to study at undergraduate or postgraduate levels, and for those seeking professional registration.

The General Training module is for candidates wishing to migrate to an English speaking country (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and UK) and for those wishing to train or study at below degree level.

Each recognising organisation sets its own entry requirements. In some cases both modules may be accepted. If you are in doubt as to which module to take, you should contact the organisation you are applying to in order to check their requirements.  We are not allowed to tell you which module you should take.

Both modules cover all four language skills – listening, reading, writing and speaking. Everyone takes the same Listening and Speaking tests. There are different Reading and Writing tests for the Academic and General Training modules.

Note that you must know which version to take when you complete the IELTS Application Form.

The Listening, Reading and Writing tests are done in one sitting and take about 2 hours and 45 minutes to finish.

The Speaking test may be conducted up to 3 days before or after the other tests, or on the same day as the written examination.  

Below is allocated time per test:

• Listening (30 minutes plus 10 minutes transfer time)
• Reading (60 minutes)
• Writing (60 minutes) and
• Speaking (11–14 minutes)

If you registered through paper application, you will receive a phone call or an email from our office three to five working days before your test date if your speaking test will be scheduled before your written tests.  We will give you the date, time and venue of your speaking test.

Those who did not receive a call will find their speaking test schedule on the day of the written test.  

If you registered using our IELTS Online and Payment System, you are scheduled based on your preferred speaking test date.  We will contact you for the exact time and venue of your Speaking test through e-mail or phone call.

Your speaking test schedule is also indicated on the desk label placed on your table during the written exams.

The complete Speaking Test schedule will also be posted at the test venue after the written test.  

British Council pool of examiners consists of different nationalities.  

Examiners are recruited and trained in line with agreed IELTS standards.

They are required to demonstrate that they are marking to standard every two years in addition to on-going monitoring of their performance.

You need to bring the original valid ID you presented during registration.  Your ID will serve as your test permit to the venue.

You can also bring wood-clinched pencils, erasers, pencil sharpeners, and drinks in transparent bottles for your Listening, Reading and Writing tests.  You will not be allowed to bring other things inside the test venue except those indicated.

There is no dress code in taking the IELTS test.  

No credit will be given based on what you wear on the test day.

You need to take all four tests – Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking to receive an IELTS Test Report Form.

The test centre cannot issue an IELTS Test Report Form without the results of all the test components since the overall band score is computed based on these four tests.

We do not offer intensive review classes nor accredit schools or review centres.  

Candidate may check schools or centres that offer this service and choose based on their needs.

To help test takers in succeeding in their tests, we offer the One-day IELTS workshop and the IELTS Resource Centre.  We also compiled online resources to aid candidates in test preparation.  IELTS review materials are also available for sale at our office.

You can apply for a test date transfer or refund five (5) weeks before your test date.  You need to complete the transfer/refund request form and submit it together with supporting documents to our office.

If you will file your request less than five (5) weeks before the test date, your request may be granted if you can show evidence that your ability to take the test has been compromised due to the following:

• Serious illness – e.g. hospital admission or serious injury (Does not include minor illness such as mild cold)
• Loss or bereavement – death of a close family member
• Hardship/trauma – victim of crime, victim of a traffic accident
• Military service.

You will be required to provide supporting documents such as medical certificate from the hospital, death certificate, police report and other documents to support your claim.  

Your request will be reviewed and studied on a case to case basis and is subject for approval by the test administrator.  

For approved test date transfer request, the centre may charge a transfer fee of Php1000.  This amount has to be paid before the test date transfer can be finalized.

For approved refund request, an administrative fee of 25%of the test fee will be charged.  The refund will be issued through a cheque.

We will get back to you within five working days from the date of receipt of your refund/test date transfer requirements to inform you of the approval or disapproval of your request.

Your IELTS result will be available on the 13th calendar day after the written test.

You have the option to pick-up your IELTS Test Report Form at our office or request to have it couriered to your mailing address within the Philippines. You may also pick it up at the nearest LBC branch in your area if your address is out of the courier's delivery zone.

Option for the release of result should be communicated to our office during registration. If there is no option stated, the default mode of release is send it via courier to the mailing address.

IELTS results can also be viewed online.

You will receive only one copy of your Test Report Form.  The centre is not permitted to issue a replacement copy in the event of loss or damage.  However, we can forward additional copies directly to recognising organisations requesting for your test result as long as it is valid.  Results expire after two years from the test date.

To make a request, download the form here and send the completed form with the payment to our office.  The payment is for the courier fee.  

Below are the courier charges per address:

• Local (within the Philippines) – Php250.00
• International – Php1,400.00.

For local recipients, a letter of request from the institution or agency, stating the reason why a copy of the Test Report Form is needed, should be attached with the request form (not applicable for local embassies). It should be printed on their official stationery and signed by an authorised signatory.

Additional TRF requests are processed within 5 working days from the date of receipt of the form and payment.

IELTS result is only valid for two years from the test date.  This is to ensure the reliability of the test results since language skills of individuals may develop or deteriorate in a span of two years.

The IELTS system automatically deactivates IELTS result when it reaches its 2nd year.  It is not possible to extend the validity of the IELTS results.

There is no pass or fail in IELTS.

Candidates are graded on their performance in the test, using scores from 1 to 9 for each part of the test component – Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. Your results from the four parts then produce an Overall Band Score.

Candidates pass or fail based on the requirement of the institution where they will submit their IELTS results.  It is suggested to check with the institution their minimum band score requirement to determine if you pass or fail their English language requirement.

The Overall Band Score is calculated by taking the mean of the total of the four individual sub-test scores.

Overall Band Scores are reported to the nearest whole or half band. For the avoidance of doubt, the following rounding convention applies; if the average across the four skills ends in .25, it is rounded up to the next half band, and if it ends in .75, it is rounded up to the next whole band.

IELTS Listening and Reading papers contain 40 items and each correct item is awarded one mark; the maximum raw score a candidate can achieve on a paper is 40. Band scores ranging from Band 1 to Band 9 are awarded to candidates on the basis of their raw scores.

Although all IELTS test materials are pretested and trialled before being released as live tests, there are inevitably minor differences in the difficulty level across tests. In order to equate different test versions, the band score boundaries are set so that all candidates’ results relate to the same scale of achievement. This means, for example, that the Band 6 boundary may be set at a slightly different raw score across versions.

When marking the Writing and Speaking sub-tests, examiners use detailed performance descriptors which describe written and spoken performance at each of the 9 IELTS bands.

For writing tests, examiners award a band score for each of four criterion areas: Task Achievement (for Task 1), Task Response (for Task 2), Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource and Grammatical Range and Accuracy. The four criteria are equally weighted.

For speaking tests, examiners award a band score for each of four criterion areas: Fluency and Coherence, Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range and Accuracy and Pronunciation. The four criteria are equally weighted.

A public version of the descriptors can be downloaded here

Writing test Task 1 band descriptor

Writing test Task 2 band descriptor

Speaking Test band descriptor

You can also try the IELTS calculator here.

Source: www.ielts.org

You may apply for an Enquiry on Results (EOR) or remarking service for up to six weeks from the date after you have taken the test.  

For us to process the request, the following must be submitted to our office:

• Complete an EOR form
• Prepare EOR fee amounting GBP 60 (in pesos, please check with the British Council for the current rate).
• Mail completed EOR form and your original IELTS Test Report Form to our office together with a manager’s cheque payable to the British Council or personally submit them to our office.

We will send your test materials to British Council UK where a Senior Examiner will remark your test/s.  The score/s that will be given is/are considered final and no appeal can be made after.  The procedure takes around 8-10 weeks.

There is no restriction in the number of times you can take the IELTS test.  There is also no time restriction.  

You may register for the next available test date as soon as you are ready.

Your IELTS scores are based on your performance on the test day.  

Previous tests will not have an effect on your next exam.  IELTS results of a previous exam cannot also be transferred to the next test.

Yes.  We can conduct the IELTS test for those who have special needs.

In order to ensure that the language ability of all candidates is assessed fairly and objectively, IELTS provides a comprehensive service for candidates who have special requirements, including specific learning difficulties, hearing difficulties and visual difficulties.

If you require a modified version of the test, for example in Braille, you must give the test centre three months’ notice. This notice period is necessary for the modified test version to be prepared. If your circumstances require only special administrative arrangements to be made, such as extra time, you must give the test centre six weeks’ notice. Please contact us to discuss your requirements.

IELTS and TOEFL are tests of English language skills.

IELTS is an examination in English language proficiency prepared by the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations, in association with the British Council and IDP Australia. This examination is an internationally recognised examination in communicative skills in English in two modules - Academic and General training.  Test takers can choose between the two modules depending on their needs.  

IELTS results are used by people who wish to study, work or live in English-speaking countries.  It is accepted by thousands of organisations in over 135 countries.

The TOEFL exam, on the other hand, is an American test of English as a foreign language and is primarily used to access US university education.

The IELTS and the TOEFL are different exams and as such measure different aspects of English language ability. There is no direct comparison between the two tests.