1. Read through the handbook on the IELTS website, or read the information for candidates. You can also ask the British Council to send you an information pack.

2. Check the dates for the test days. You should choose 2 dates. If the test is full on your first choice we will register you on your second choice. If both sessions are full, we will contact you and give you other dates or a full refund.
You then have two choices as to how you would like to enrol for the test.

a) To apply online click on the online application link.

b) For postal applications follow the instructions in points 3 and 4 below.

3. Download and complete the application form or ask the British Council to send you a copy by post.
Check the dates for the test days. You should choose two dates. If the test is full on your first choice we will register you for your second choice. If both sessions are full, we will contact you and give you other dates or a full refund.
Please make sure that your application form is complete. Please note that at present we offer pen and paper test only.

4. Send your signed application form by post to British Council, Sennweg 2, PO Box 532, 3000 Bern 9. Included in the envelope MUST be

			two recent passport photographs
			a copy of your passport or National ID card, whichever you indicated on your application form
			proof of payment of the test fee which is CHF 320 (for bank details click here). Please write the month in which you want to take the exam on the payment receipt. Please do not send cash under any circumstances.
			and please write clearly on your application form which test centre you wish to take the test at.

Please note that we accept applications until 1 week before the test date, if there are seats available. If you want to be sure to have a place on a certain date, please apply as early as possible.

5. You will receive confirmation by email that we have received your application and at the same time we will inform you on which date it will be possible for you to sit the exam.

Please note that we will send out test confirmation and details regarding the test day ONLY by email if you indicate your email address on the application form.

6. Cancellations and Changes:
If you wish to cancel your test session, you will be refunded part of the fee, minus an administrative charge of CHF 50. Cancellations are only possible up to five weeks before the test date. Should you cancel later than that, we will retain the whole fee.
If you cannot attend because you are ill, we must receive a doctor's certificate within five working days of the test date. Could you also please let us know whether you would like to transfer to another test date, or have a refund of your test fee minus an administrative charge of CHF 50. We would also be grateful if you could let us know in advance that you will not be attending, so there will be no inconvenience for the other candidates.

If you wish to change the date of your test after having received confirmation from us, we will have to charge an administrative fee of CHF 50. A change of date is only possible up to five weeks before the test date. After that we will have to treat it as a cancellation.

7. Sending out results.
Your results will be sent to you on the 13th day after the test.  We send the results by regular mail and providing you live in Switzerland you should receive them the next day. Once the results have been posted we do not accept responsibility for non-arrival of the mail.  If you would like to have your results sent to you by registered post, please ring us in the office and we can discuss the necessary procedure.

We have recently introduced a new service which will allow you to have access to your results online by using the following link. You will be able to do this after 3pm on the 13th day after your test.