Administration of the IELTS Test

Registration for the IELTS

Test-takers registering for the IELTS must use the IELTS website, and registration may be competed either entirely online or via a downloadable registration form. Students who choose the latter option will submit the completed form directly to a specific test center. Available test centers and dates should be perused through the search feature on the IELTS website. Open test dates may be anywhere from a few weeks to six months in advance. Students should note that dates on the drop-down menus are listed in the standard European day-month-year format rather than the month-day-year scheme used in North America. For example, June 5, 2017 is listed as 05/06/2017 instead of 06/05/2017.

IELTS Identification Policies for Registration and Testing

Valid identification must be presented both at registration and when the student arrives at the test center, and the same identification must be used each time. IELTS will only accept two forms of identification: passports and national identity cards. For students taking the IELTS outside of their native country, only passports are allowed. Test-takers must also consent to additional verification of their identity, which may include taking photographs, recording signatures, and preserving finger scans. Students who do not fulfill and comply with all identification requirements will not be allowed to take the examination.

IELTS Test Center Policies

Aside from pens, pencils, identification documents, and bottled water, test-takers are not allowed to bring personal items into the test room. All electronic devices, including phones, laptops, and watches, are strictly prohibited while taking the IELTS, and test-takers may be subject to scans for these devices during the testing period. Storage space for personal belongings will be provided at the test center. Students must also leave all test materials in the test room at the conclusion of the exam, and they may not remove any exam booklets, answer sheets, or scratch paper. Test-takers must be present for all four sections of the test. Scores will not be issued to students who violate any of these policies.

IELTS Policies on Academic Honesty

In addition to the rules noted above, there are a number of IELTS policies intended to prevent academic dishonesty. Test-takers should be careful to follow all of these policies in order to prevent accusations of cheating. Do not attempt to communicate with another student in any way while taking the IELTS. Do not leave the test room without first asking permission from a test proctor. After you have finished the test, do not get up from your seat until your materials have been collected and you have been given permission to leave. Do not attempt to alter or reproduce test materials. Students may not take the test on behalf of someone else, and they must not misrepresent their identity either during registration or the testing period. The penalties for academic dishonesty are serious, and they can range from bans on future testing to possible legal action or notification of regulatory authorities worldwide.

IELTS Administration for Disabled Students

Accommodations for disabled students taking the IELTS may feature modified versions of the test and/or other special arrangements. Examples of modified IELTS assessments include Braille exams, listening CDs with stops and pauses, or large-print texts. Additional accommodations may alter the testing circumstances rather than the test itself. Extra exam time or extended breaks are examples of these sorts of accommodations. IELTS requires disabled students to notify test centers three months in advance if they are requesting a modified exam, or six weeks ahead if they desire special arrangements. Disabled test-takers in need of accommodations must provide a medical certificate that is dated no more than two years before registration.

IELTS Score Reporting

IELTS scores are issued by the individual test centers, and they are usually available 13 days after the test date. Students will receive only one copy of their score report, which IELTS refers to as a "Test Report Form." Students should be sure not to lose this form (replacement copies will not be provided in the event of loss or damage). Test results will also be disclosed to the organizations named by the student, but they will not be given to any other entity without the student's permission. The completed exams themselves will not be accessible to the student after the test. Scores may be involuntarily cancelled by IELTS for testing irregularities such as fraudulent registration information, alteration of testing materials, or suspected academic dishonesty.