This cancellation policy is applicable to all IELTS tests: General Training, Academic, IELTS for UKVI, and IELTS for UKVI Life Skills.

A. IELTS test cancellations

You can cancel your IELTS test registration at any time before taking your test by notifying your test centre. Refund terms depend upon when you cancel and whether exceptional circumstances apply.

A.1. Time to test date

  • More than 14 days before the test:

If you cancel your IELTS test registration more than 14 days before your test (excluding test day), you will receive a 75% refund of the total test fee.

  • Within 14 days but more than three days before the test:

If you cancel your IELTS test registration within 14 days but more than three days before the test (excluding test day), you will receive a 50% refund of the total test fee.

  • Within three days before the test:

If you cancel your IELTS test registration within three days before the test (or on the test day), you will not receive a refund.

A.2. Test-taker exceptions

You may make a case for exceptional circumstances to your test centre before the test and up to five days after the test date if you did not attend the test. Your test centre will respond to you within seven working days of receiving your case in writing. Your test centre will assess your case for exceptional circumstances.

If your test centre approves your case, you will receive a full refund of the test fee, minus a 25% administration fee. If your test centre does not approve your case, then the terms given in Section A.1. will apply.

We define exceptional circumstances as:

  • serious medical conditions which prevent you from attending or performing normally on your test day; such conditions require supporting evidence of a medical certificate from a qualified medical practitioner
  • evidence of bereavement, trauma or other forms of significant hardship
  • military service

A.3. Test centre exceptions

Under certain circumstances outside test centre control, we may have to cancel your test. These circumstances include, but are not limited to, extreme weather conditions, natural disaster, civil unrest and industrial action.

In these circumstances, your test centre will provide you with as much notice as possible and give you the choice of either a full refund, or a transfer to a future test date convenient to you.

B. Date transfers

You can request a single date transfer of your IELTS test, if you are within the following timeframes:

  • More than 14 days before the test:

If you are within this timeframe of your test date (excluding test day), you can do so for an additional 25% of the fee you initially paid.

  • Within 14 days but more than three days before the test:

If you are within this timeframe of your test date (excluding test day), you can do so for an additional 50% of the fee you initially paid.

In these first two cases, you must select a new test date within three months of the original date. If you wish to change your test date beyond three months after your original date, we will treat it as a cancellation.

  • Within three days before the test:

Any request for a date transfer made within three days prior to the test date will be treated as a cancellation.

Notes

  1. Your test centre is responsible for issuing refunds and organising transfers.
  2. Under Section A.2, the test centre is responsible for decisions related to test taker claims for exceptional circumstances.
  3. Under Section A.3, the test centre is responsible for decisions related to compensation, including eligibility and any amounts awarded.
  4. If local consumer protection law in the country where you have registered to take the IELTS test provides for cancellation and transfer rights which are more favourable to the test taker than the rights set out above, then local consumer protection law will apply.

If you need to cancel your IELTS test, please contact your test centre as soon as possible:

Country Email Contact
Trinidad and Tobago IELTSTrinidad@britishcouncil.org Phone: +18682355259
Whatsapp: +573503189800
Jamaica IELTSJamaica@britishcouncil.org Phone: +18769068962
Whatsapp: +573503189800
Cuba mx.exams@britishcouncil.org Phone: +525589202688
Whatsapp: +573503189800
Dominican Republic mx.exams@britishcouncil.org Phone: +525589202688
Whatsapp: +573503189800

IELTS Online

Please visit our Take IELTS site for the IELTS Online cancellation policy.