Ever wondered about the golden ticket that can open the door to your dreams of studying, working, or living in an English-speaking country? That’s the IELTS exam!
But maybe you’ve already set your sights on the IELTS exam and you envision yourself sipping coffee in a quaint European café or landing that ideal job down under.
Then it’s time to talk about a vital player in this international language game: the IELTS exam fee.
This post – written by an IELTS teacher and former examiner – will dive deep into the intricate world of IELTS fees and help you navigate the terrain of costs and possibilities.
Whether you’re a budget-conscious explorer or just curious about the financial side of language proficiency, here’s everything you need to know about the IELTS exam fee landscape in 119 countries.
What Is the IELTS Exam?
The IELTS exam is an English proficiency test that comes from the British Council and is gladly accepted by universities, employers, and immigration organizations worldwide. In fact, this is what the official IELTS website says:
The tricky to pronounce name (right?) stands for International English Language Testing System and measures your English language skills. More specifically, your ability to listen, read, write, and speak in English.
Your IELTS results can fall anywhere on a scale of 0 (alas, that’s possible!) to 9 (fortunately, that’s possible too!), with half Bands awarded as well. For example, you can get Band 6, Band 6.5, Band 8, or Band 8.5.
Though the offer has diversified to now include IELTS UKVI (UK Visas and Immigration) and IELTS Life Skills, the exam comes in 2 main flavors:
1. IELTS Academic: The Gourmet Experience
The IELTS Academic test is like indulging in a gourmet meal. It’s for those aspiring to pursue higher education or professional registration in an English-speaking environment.
Just as a gourmet dish is meticulously crafted for discerning palates, IELTS Academic challenges test-takers with complex language tasks, academic writing, and analytical reading.
2. IELTS General Training: The Comfort Food
On the other hand, IELTS General Training can be likened to a comforting home-cooked meal. It’s the go-to option for individuals seeking migration opportunities or non-academic training in English-speaking countries.
Much like comfort food, IELTS General Training is familiar, practical, and caters to everyday communication needs. It’s the linguistic equivalent of a warm bowl of soup on a rainy day.
While both versions assess your English skills in real-life situations, I’d recommend you take the former. It’s. So. Much. More. Valuable.
How Can You Prepare for IELTS?
My personal experience teaching IELTS strategies since 2015 has shown me that nothing can replace effective preparation for the exam if you want to get a good score.
Trust me, walking into the examination room brimming with confidence but having zero preparation is not a good idea! That’s because the IELTS test has very specific requirements and you need to meet expectations associated with it. So no matter how linguistically capable you already are, do train for IELTS before you pay to take it.
You can use previous test papers to become familiar with the types of tasks and to see sample answers. Cambridge makes these available.
Option 2 is to take an intensive course like the one the British Council offers: around 10 sessions over a month.
Or, if you’re the kind of person who likes studying
- at your own pace
- at 3 a.m. or 4 p.m.
- with the help of a teacher, but not the kind that nags you about anything you haven’t been able to do,
then an online course is your best bet.
Check out my own IELTS course on Udemy. I guarantee that it will quickly take you where you need to be.
If you’re just interested in exam strategies, read my essential IELTS reading tips.
Whatever you choose, I’d say preparation is key, given the high cost of the exam.
But wait, what is the cost?
What Is the IELTS Exam Fee?
The IELTS test fee is the sum of money paid to take:
- the Listening, Reading, and Writing tests in an examination room, alongside other candidates, and
- the Speaking test, individually, with 1 examiner in the room. This can be on the same day or 7 days before or after the other exam components.
Your IELTS scores will then be shared within 13 days of the exam date if you’ve taken the paper version and within 5 days if you’ve gone for the computer one. It doesn’t take weeks to find out how you did. Phew!
You’ll also get an IELTS certificate. Mind you, this is only valid for 2 years.☹
IELTS Exam Fee Structure in 2024: An A to Z List
Let’s talk numbers.
Some good news first: Whether you take the paper based or computer delivered IELTS, the cost is the same. No need to worry about paying extra if you can’t conceive of taking the test on paper as you’d rather rely on your mad typing skills. Or vice versa.
Now onto the tricky bit.
IELTS exam fees vary globally, so I’ve compiled a breakdown of the IELTS test centers costs in 119 countries. Please note that these figures are subject to change, so always check the official IELTS website for the most accurate information.
If you don’t see a particular country on the list, it means the exam isn’t currently available there. One example would be Afghanistan.
1. Albania
EUR 175 to EUR 205
2. Algeria
DZD 24900 to DZD 34000
3. Argentina
ARS 195200
4. Armenia
AMD 95000 to 105000
5. Australia
AUD 410
6. Austria
EUR 185 to EUR 285
7. Azerbaijan
AZN 445
8. Bahrain
BH 133 to BH 143
9. Bangladesh
BDT 18600 to BDT 24850
10. Belarus
BYN 490 to 648
11. Belgium
EUR 177 to EUR 273
12. Bosnia and Herzegovina
BAM 325 to BAM 410
13. Botswana
BWP 2215.5 to BWP 3650
14. Brazil
BRL 1265
15. Brunei
B$ 245 to B$ 385
16. Bulgaria
BGN 360 to BGN 490
17. Cambodia
USD 185 to USD 200
18. Cameroon
XAF 116000 to XAF 187000
19. Canada
USD 309 to USD 335
20. Chile
CLP 238000
21. China
RMB 1550 to RMB 2070
22. Colombia
COP 920000
23. Costa Rica
USD 230
24. Croatia
HRK 1393.88 to HRK 2056.92
25. Cyprus
EUR 185 to EUR 240
26. The Czech Republic
CZK 4440 to CZK 7150
27. Denmark
DKK 2175
28. Dominican Republic
GBP 150 to GBP 200
29. Ecuador
USD 230
30. Egypt
EGP 4000 to 5500
31. El Salvador
MXN 5800
32. Estonia
EUR 230
33. Ethiopia
ETB 11000 to ETB 15000
34. Finland
EUR 375
35. France
EUR 185 to EUR 275
36. Georgia
GEL 644 to 725
37. Germany
EUR 185 to EUR 272
38. Ghana
GHS 2300 to GHS 3946
39. Greece
EUR 185 to EUR 240
40. Hong Kong
HK$ 1515 to HK$ 2530
41. Hungary
HUF 70000 to HUF 84000
42. India
INR 15350 to INR 16500
43. Indonesia
Rp 2600000 to Rp 3350000
44. Iraq
USD 183 to USD 300
45. Ireland
EUR 176 to EUR 220
46. Italy
EUR 185 to EUR 277
47. Japan
JPY 20500 to JPY 31500
48. Jordan
JOD 130 to JOD 190
49. Kazakhstan
KZT 75000 to KZT 93500
50. Kenya
KES 25300 to KES 35200
51. Korea
￦236000 to ￦333000
52. Kosovo
EUR 185
53. Kuwait
KWD 55 to KWD 93
54. Kyrgyz Republic
KGS 16000 to KGS 17500
55. Laos
USD 185
56. Latvia
EUR 245
57. Lebanon
USD 183 to USD 250
58. Libya
LYD 1700
59. Lithuania
EUR 227
60. Luxembourg
EUR 270
61. Macao
HKD 2680
62. Madagascar
EUR 256
63. Malawi
MWK 185000 to MWK 440000
64. Malaysia
MYR 792 to MYR 935
65. Maldives
MVR 3750
66. Malta
EUR 240
67. Mauritius
Rs 8400 to Rs 8800
68. Mexico
MXN 4165
69. Mongolia
MNT 760000
70. Montenegro
EUR 210
71. Morocco
MAD 1880 to MAD 2650
72. Mozambique
MZN 23455
73. Myanmar
MMK 450000 to MMK 582000
74. Namibia
NAD 5090
75. Nepal
NPR 22500 to NPR 32000
76. The Netherlands
EUR 185 to EUR 273
77. Nigeria
₦104,000 to ₦116,000
78. North Macedonia
MKD 14000 to MKD 15500
79. Norway
NOK 3375
80. Occupied Palestinian Territories
NIS 665 to NIS 1000
81. Oman
OMR 70 to OMR 103
82. Pakistan
PKR 40000 to PKR 63800
83. Panama
USD 194 to USD 255
84. Perú
PEN 950
85. Philippines
PHP 9500 to PHP 12720
86. Poland
PLN 820 to PLN 990
87. Portugal
EUR 185 to EUR 273
88. Qatar
QAR 665 to QAR 1320
89. Romania
RON 900 to RON 1165
90. Rwanda
RWF 221000 to RWF 300600
91. Saudi Arabia
SAR 770 to SAR 1480
92. Senegal
XOF 182800
93. Serbia
RSD 19500 to RSD 28700
94. Seychelles
USD 355
95. Sierra Leone
SLE 4110 to SLE 5407
96. Singapore
S$264 to S$398
97. Slovakia
EUR 230
98. Slovenia
EUR 185 to EUR 294
99. South Africa
ZAR 3150 to ZAR 4800
100. Spain
EUR 185 to EUR 258
101. Sri Lanka
LKR 55000 to LKR 75500
102. Sweden
SEK 3650
103. Switzerland
CHF 187 to CHF 442
104. Taiwan
TWD 5900 to TWD 8100
105. Tanzania
TZS 490000 to TZS 717000
106. Thailand
THB 6300 to THB 7990
107. Tunisia
TND 600 to TND 690
108. Turkey
TRY 5000 to TRY 6400
109. Uganda
UGX 717000 to UGX 1218000
110. Ukraine
UAH 5840
111. United Arab Emirates
AED 665 to AED 1880
112. United Kingdom
GBP 155 to GBP 210
113. United States
USD 195 to USD 310
114. Uruguay
USD 255
115. Uzbekistan
UZS 2170000 to UZS 2519990
116. Venezuela
USD 285
117. Vietnam
VND 4414000 to VND 5252000
118. Zambia
ZMW 3900 to ZMW 6280
119. Zimbabwe
USD 202 to USD 338
Key Considerations Regarding the IELTS Exam Fee
Refund Policy
Life happens, and sometimes you need to cancel your test date.
If you cancel your test up to 5 weeks before the test date, you’ll receive a refund minus an administration fee.
Unable to attend due to serious illness or loss? Your case will be considered on individual merits.
Look at the refund policy carefully so you can make informed decisions.
Fee Waivers or Discounts
Are there any ways to save on the IELTS exam fee?
Yes! 😊
Some organizations offer scholarships or bursaries that cover IELTS exam fees. If you’re a student or a refugee, you might benefit from these. For example, London Southbank University offers an IELTS waiver for international students who meet certain criteria.
It’s worth exploring opportunities with the organization responsible for administering the IELTS exam in your country or searching online for financial assistance options. Seek and – rest assured – you shall find.
Always be vigilant about the authenticity of such offers though. Steer clear of scams or fraudulent schemes.
Conclusion
The IELTS fee might seem hefty, but the exam is a stepping stone to global opportunities for IELTS test takers.
Now that you’re equipped with knowledge of the costs involved, you’re 1 step closer to your IELTS goal.
So, train for the exam, keep practicing, stay positive, and look forward to the day when you’ll hold that precious IELTS Test Certificate in your hands!
Happy studying.
You might also want to read about funny phrases in English, ways to choose the right English classes for you, the best English grammar books, how to break the cycle of anxiety performance, adult learning styles, and how to overcome learning limiting beliefs.
Here is the video version of this blog post:
FAQs
1. How much is the IELTS exam fee in USA?
Depending on the location, the IELTS exam fee in the US is between USD 195 and USD 310.
2. What is the cost of IELTS exam?
As it’s the most widely recognized language test in the world, the cost of the IELTS exam is high.
It also varies across locations and can go up to GBP 210 in the United Kingdom.
Have a look at my A to Z list above to find out the current IELTS exam fees in your country.
About Rebeca Duriga
Well-versed teacher, passionate writer with Googleable work, Udemy instructor, and someone who can’t resist a good story. I’m here to infuse joy into your learning journey, be it improving English, tackling IELTS, overcoming limiting beliefs, or conquering uni assignments with a sprinkle of AI support. Need motivation and inspiration as a student, adult learner, wordsmith in the making? Look no further.
