IELTS Education

Disclaimer
The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is designed to be one of many factors
used by academic institutions, government agencies, professional bodies and employers in
determining whether a test taker can be admitted as a student or be considered for employment
or for citizenship purposes. IELTS is not designed to be the sole method of determining admission
or employment for the test taker. IELTS is made available worldwide to all persons, regardless of
age, gender, race, nationality or religion, but it is not recommended to persons under 16 years of
age.
British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia and Cambridge English Language Assessment and any other
party involved in creating, producing, or delivering IELTS shall not be liable for any direct,
incidental, consequential, indirect, special, punitive, or similar damages arising out of access to,
use of, acceptance by, or interpretation of the results by any third party, or any errors or
omissions in the content thereof.
IELTS test terms and conditions
You must:
1.1 provide proof of your identity (passport or National Identity Card) at registration. Contact the
test centre to confirm which type of identity document is accepted. Test takers taking the test
outside their own country must use a passport;
1.2 inform the test centre of any changes to your identity document before the test date. If you
do not do this you will not be allowed to take the test and you will not be eligible for a refund or
transfer;
1.3 bring the same identity document on the test day as the one recorded in your application. If
you do not do this you will not be allowed to take the test and you will not be eligible for a
refund or transfer;
1.4 arrive at the test centre before the scheduled test start time. If you arrive late, you will not be
allowed to take the test and you will not be eligible for a refund or transfer;
1.5 leave all personal belongings in the designated belongings area. The only items you may
bring into the test room are your approved identity document, standard pen(s), pencil(s) and
eraser(s), and a bottle of water (label-free). All electronic devices and all watches must be left in
the belongings area and must be switched off. You may be electronically scanned for devices at
any time during the test day. Any test taker who breaches these conditions will not receive an
IELTS test result or be eligible for a refund or transfer. While the test centre will take all reasonable
measures to secure your items in the belongings area, they cannot be held responsible for any
loss;
1.6 consent for your identity to be verified both at test registration and on test day. This may
include:
o having your photograph taken. You will be required to temporarily remove any covering from
your face. Any test taker who refuses to have a photograph taken will not be allowed to sit the
test and will not be entitled to a refund. The photograph taken by the test centre will appear on
your Test Report Form;
• providing a sample of your signature;

• having your finger scan taken;
1.7 keep only the following items on your desk: your identity document, pen(s), pencil(s), eraser(s),
and a bottle of water (label-free);
1.8 tell the invigilator at once if you think you have not been given the correct question paper or
if the question paper is incomplete or illegible;
1.9 raise your hand if you need to ask the invigilator something. Test takers may not ask for, and
will not be given, any explanation of the test questions;
1.10 attend all four components of the test (listening, reading, writing or speaking). If you do not
attend all four components, you will not receive an IELTS test result. Exceptions are possible but
must be requested at registration and written approval must be received from the test centre; and
1.11 inform the invigilator on the day of the test if you believe that your performance may be
affected by ill health, by the way in which the test is delivered at the test centre or for any other
reason. If you have a complaint relating to the delivery of the test, you must submit your
complaint to the test centre before you leave the test centre on test day. Complaints relating to
the delivery of the test will not be accepted after test day.
2. Your IELTS test result
2.1 Results are issued by test centres, usually 13 days after the test.
2.2 You will receive only 1 copy of your results form (your “Test Report Form”). Replacement
copies are not issued in the event of loss or damage.
2.3 The Test Report Form will be issued in your name as it appears on the identity document used
at registration. If you find that your personal details are incorrect on the Test Report Form, please
contact the test centre where you took the test. Documentation must be provided to verify the
correct details. If you change your name
after receiving your Test Report Form, the name will not be changed on the Test Report Form.
2.4 Your result may not be issued in the required timeframe if the IELTS Test Partners decide that
it is necessary to review any matter associated with your test or the administration of your test. To
assist any investigation, you may be required to provide writing and speaking samples. In
exceptional circumstances, you may be required to re-take one or more IELTS components.
2.5 Your result may be cancelled after it has been issued if any irregularity is identified. You may
be required to re-take one or more IELTS components.
2.6 Your result will be disclosed to the educational institutions, governments (including visa
processing authorities), professional bodies and commercial organisations that recognise IELTS
scores (“Recognising Organisations”) which you nominated in your application or to which you
applied with your Test Report Form, for the purpose of allowing those organisations to verify the
result or to carry out any enquiries in relation to suspected malpractice.
2.7 If any of the data on the Test Report Form provided by you or your partner to Recognising
Organisations has been altered in any way, your original test result may be cancelled.
3. Cancelling your IELTS test or requesting a transfer
3.1. Please refer to the IELTS Cancellation policy to check your cancellation and transfer rights.
You will be asked to acknowledge you have read and agreed to the IELTS Cancellation Policy. In
addition, where your IELTS test is due to take place during the Cancellation Period (as defined in
the IELTS Cancellation Policy) you will confirm that you are requesting performance of services by
the relevant IELTS Test Partner during the Cancellation Period and you will acknowledge that your
rights to cancellation and refund will be lost 24 hours before the day of your IELTS test.
4 How IELTS uses your information
4.1 The IELTS Test Partners recognise and support the right of IELTS test takers to privacy.
4.2 When you provide your identity information the IELTS Test Partners link that information to
your IELTS test and test result on the Test Report Form. This enables you to submit your Test
Report Form to Recognising Organisations and for them to verify your result.
4.3 Test Report Forms will only be sent to those Recognising Organisations nominated by the test
taker in their application or at the request of the test taker after the issue of results. When a test
taker submits a Test Report Form to a Recognising Organisation they consent to the verification
of the result by that organisation.
4.4 The IELTS Test Partners or their authorised representatives may share test taker personal data
including without limitation test performance or score data or photographs taken by the test
centre with Recognising Organisations or law enforcement agencies and regulatory authorities
where required for verification purposes or other purposes to protect the IELTS test and its
stakeholders against any form of malpractice. Finger-scan data, where obtained, will not be
disclosed to any entity except the IELTS Test Partners.
4.5 The IELTS Test Partners will retain work produced by test takers in the IELTS test and may use
it for quality control purposes and for investigations into suspected malpractice. Test score data
and test responses, in an anonymous form, may also be used for informational, research,
statistical or training purposes.
5. Declaration
5.1 You acknowledge that the IELTS test is jointly owned by the IELTS Test Partners.
5.2 You certify that the information submitted in your IELTS test application is complete, true and
accurate.
5.3 You understand that the personal data submitted in your IELTS test application is collected for
the purposes of the IELTS test. You accept data, including, without limitation, test performance or
score data or photographs taken by the IELTS test centre and your test result may be disclosed by
the IELTS Test Partners to those Recognising Organisations to which you apply and to
governments (including visa processing authorities) for the purpose of allowing these
organisations to verify your test result or to carry out enquiries in relation to suspected
malpractice. If the IELTS Test Partners discover that a false or altered Test Report Form has been
provided to any of these Recognising Organisations or government authorities you further accept
that the IELTS Test Partners may inform the same and provide them with your personal data and
any relevant details relating to the work you produce as part of your test taking, including,
without limitation, test performance or score data or photographs taken by the IELTS test centre.
5.4 You understand that your personal data may be processed in an anonymous form for
statistical and research purposes for the development of Cambridge Assessment English
examinations. Cambridge Assessment English and the test centre administering the test confirm
that they will not disclose personal information about test takers to others except as stated in this
Declaration or to the extent permitted by law.
5.5 You understand that you may view a copy of my personal data submitted in your IELTS test
application by contacting ielts@cambridgeenglish.org.
5.6 You understand that if you want a copy of your finger scan it can only be provided as a Binary
Large Object (BLOB) and the request must be made to ielts@idp.com or ielts@britishcouncil.org.
You understand a fee will be charged for access to this information.
5.7 You understand that if the details submitted are incomplete your application may not be
processed. You further understand that completing and submitting your IELTS test application
does not guarantee enrolment on your preferred test date or at your preferred test location. You
understand that your enrolment will be confirmed by email.
5.8 You understand that any personal data collected during the identity verification process by
the test centre either at test registration or on test day will be processed and securely stored by
the IELTS Test Partners for the purpose of the IELTS test. You acknowledge that the photograph
taken of you by the test centre will be provided upon request to any Recognising Organisations
or government authorities (including visa processing authorities) to which you apply for the
purposes of allowing these organisations to verify your test results or to carry out enquiries in
relation to possible malpractice or test integrity issues. You understand that where finger-scan
data is obtained it will not be disclosed to any entity except the IELTS Test Partners.
5.9 You understand that you will have your photograph taken by the test centre to allow the Test
Report Form to be released. If you have not had your photograph taken by the test centre no
result will be issued.
5.10 You understand that the IELTS Test Partners have a responsibility to all test takers and
Recognising Organisations to ensure the highest confidence in the accuracy and integrity of test
results and that the IELTS Test Partners therefore reserve the right to withhold test results
temporarily or permanently, or to cancel test results which have been issued, if they consider
those results to be unreliable for reasons of suspected malpractice or any other irregularity in the
test process.
5.11 You understand that your result may not be issued 13 days after the test if any of the IELTS
Test Partners deem it necessary to review any matter associated with your test or the
administration of your test, including making enquiries as to whether any rules or regulations
have been breached. You understand that in exceptional circumstances you may be required to
re-take one or more IELTS components.
5.12 You understand that if you are suspected of engaging in any form of malpractice, or do
anything that might damage the integrity and security of IELTS, you may not receive a test result,
your test fee will not be refunded and you may be prohibited from taking the IELTS test in the
future. Despite and without limiting any of the terms of this declaration, you understand that
details of any malpractice (including evidence of suspected malpractice) that has been
established, is suspected, or is being formally investigated may be provided to Recognising
Organisations, including visa processing authorities and appropriate regulatory authorities, or
otherwise disclosed in accordance with the law, where required for verification purposes or other
purposes to protect the IELTS test and its stakeholders against any form of malpractice. You
further understand that suspected malpractice will be reported centrally to the IELTS Test Partners
and to any relevant test centre by the test centre where the suspected malpractice occurred.
5.13 You understand that if you engage in any form of malpractice, or do anything that might
damage the integrity and security of IELTS, you may be banned from taking the IELTS test in the
future. You understand that if you are banned you will receive a notification stating the length of
the ban. You understand that if you are subject to a ban and you register to take the test, you will
not receive a result and you will not be entitled to a refund.
5.14 You understand that if any other person attempts to take the IELTS test in your place (i.e. in
place of the person whose details are submitted through the ORPS to register for the relevant
IELTS Tests/Materials), both you and such person will be liable to prosecution. Details relating to
the situation may be provided to the relevant authorities, including visa processing authorities
and appropriate regulatory authorities.
5.15 You understand that the work you produce as part of the IELTS test will be the property of
the IELTS Test Partners. You hereby assign to the British Council, by way of present and future
assignment, all intellectual property rights (to the extent there are any) in the work you produce
as part of the IELTS test. Under no circumstances will IELTS tests be released to test takers or to
institutions or organisations, except in the investigation of suspected malpractice whereby the
work you produce as part of the IELTS test may be provided to relevant authorities.
5.16 You understand that your IELTS speaking test will be recorded. You also agree that an
observer may attend your IELTS speaking test as part of the monitoring process.
5.17 I may be filmed by CCTV for security and quality assurance purposes when registering for the
test and during the test. The video footage will be held for a period of 60 days after my test and
may be used for audit or investigation purposes. The footage may also be shared with
government agencies for those purposes.
5.18 You understand that you will be charged the full test fee upon registration. You understand
that if you request a transfer or cancel your test, your right to a refund will be determined in
accordance with local legislation.
5.19 You acknowledge that you have read, or will read before your IELTS test, the IELTS
Information for Test takers booklet
TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF SALE FOR BRITISH COUNCIL SALES OF IELTS FOR UKVI
Part1:
INTRODUCTION
1 About these Terms
1.1 These Terms apply to any purchase of IELTS Tests/Materials for UKVI testing in any country
outside the UK and the European Union offered by the British Council through this online
registration and payment system (the “Online Registration and Payment System” or “ORPS”).
1.2 Please read these Terms carefully before you submit your order. By clicking “I agree to the
terms and conditions of sale” before registering for a test or purchasing any other IELTS product
or service, you are confirming that you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not accept
these Terms, you will not be able to register and/or pay for any of the IELTS Tests/Materials from
the Online Registration and Payment System.
1.3 Any mandatory laws applicable in the jurisdiction in which the test taker is located shall
apply to the Contract, whether expressly set out herein or not.
PLEASE PAY PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO THE CANCELLATION TERMS SET OUT IN PART 5: TERMS
AND CONDITIONS FOR SITTING IELTS FOR UKVI AND USING IELTS SERVICES.
1.3 These Terms are structured in the following parts (in addition to this introduction):
Part
Title
Description
Part 1
Introduction
These terms apply to all orders.
Part 2
Definitions
Part 3
Terms and conditions for registering and paying for IELTS Tests/Materials
Part 4
Terms and conditions for use of Digital Content
These terms apply if you have ordered any Digital Content. These terms take precedence over the
terms and conditions for registering and paying for IELTS Tests/Materials.
Part 5
Terms and conditions for sitting IELTS for UKVI and using IELTS services
These terms apply to IELTS for UKVI testing and related services (including transfers, enquiries on
results, appeals and additional test report forms) and take precedence over the rest of the Terms.
2 About the British Council and IELTS
2.1 The UK Charity operates in different countries through local branch and/or affiliated
offices as well as locally incorporated subsidiaries (which together, including the UK Charity, are
“British Council Entities”) or via local independent test centres which are separate providers of
services to the British Council.
2.2 The IELTS test is jointly owned by the British Council UK Charity, IELTS Australia Pty Ltd
(ABN 84 008 664 766), and Cambridge Assessment English (part of the University of Cambridge),
collectively referred to as the “IELTS Test Partners”.
2.3 This Online Registration and Payment System is run by the British Council UK Charity and
is for individuals wanting to take an IELTS test with the British Council or purchase other IELTS
materials from the British Council. The IELTS Tests/Materials are sold either by the UK Charity or
another British Council Entity and the Online Registration and Payment System will indicate to
you which one is applicable for the sale to you and will be the “British Council” for the purposes
of these Terms.
2.4 IELTS Tests may be delivered by paper or by computer. You should check which version
you are booking. This should be made clear to you during the customer journey.
2.5 In certain circumstances you may use the services of a registration agent (“Registration
Agent”) to assist you with registering and paying for IELTS Tests/Materials. The relationship
between you and the Registration Agent is governed by a contract between you and them. For
the purposes of concluding a contract with the British Council through a Registration Agent you
warrant and represent to the British Council that the Registration Agent has the requisite
authority to assist you with this process in its entirety. The contract for the IELTS Test/Materials
will be between you and the British Council and you will sit the IELTS Test at a venue arranged by
the British Council. Reference made herein to “you” shall include your Registration Agent who is
acting on your behalf.
2.6 In certain circumstances you may be registering and paying for IELTS Tests/Materials
through an Independent Test Centre (“ITC”) associated with the British Council that delivers IELTS
Tests at venues arranged by the ITC. In these circumstances you, either directly or via the ITC (as
the ITC shall make clear to you) will pay the British Council for the British Council board fee for the
IELTS Test only if you are purchasing an IELTS Test. Any IELTS Test delivery and/or administration
charges that the ITC may charge you to sit the IELTS Test with the ITC shall be paid directly to the
ITC unless you are informed of another arrangement. Any contract between you and the ITC’s
services will be governed by a separate contract between you and them. Reference to “you” shall
include reference to your ITC who is acting on your behalf. For the purposes of concluding a
contract with the British Council through an ITC you warrant and represent to the British Council
that the ITC has the requisite authority to assist you with this process in its entirety. In certain
circumstances payment of the British Council Board Fee for the IELTS Test will be paid directly to
the ITC who may be acting as the British Council’s payment and collection agent. These payments
will be remitted to the British Council through separate payment arrangements and the Terms
should be read accordingly.
2.7 Registration Agents and ITCs are collectively referred to herein as “Representatives”.
PART 2:
DEFINITIONS:
1. Definitions and interpretation:
The following definitions and rules of interpretation apply in these Terms.
1.1 Definitions:
British Council means the UK Charity or other British Council Entity selling the IELTS
Tests/Materials to you as notified to you in the Online Registration and Payment System and the
Order Confirmation.
British Council Entities is defined in Part 1of these Terms.
Complaints Page means the complaints page at www.britishcouncil.org/contact
Contact Us Page means the contact us page at www.britishcouncil.org/contact/webform
Contract means the legally binding contract between you and the British Council on these Terms.
Digital Content means any IELTS Tests/Materials or part of any IELTS Tests/Materials that is
delivered online (including any online digital content and online services and whether real time
content or self-access).
IELTS Test Partners is defined in Part 1of these Terms.
IELTS Tests/Materials means IELTS tests, any remarked IELTS tests, IELTS preparation materials,
Test Report Forms, any associated hard or soft copy materials, services and digital content and
any other related services available to purchase through the Online Registration and Payment
System.
ITC has the meaning given to that term in clause 2.6 Part 1 of these Terms.
Online Registration and Payment System is defined in Part 1 of these Terms.
Order Acknowledgement means the order acknowledgement emailed to you which shows that
the British Council has received your order and is processing it.
Order Confirmation means an order confirmation emailed to you in accordance with clause 1.3 in
Part 3 of these Terms.
Payment Processor means the British Council’s designated third party payment gateway provider.
Recognising Organisations means the educational institutions, governments (including visa

processing authorities), professional bodies and commercial organisations that recognise IELTS
scores.
Registration Agent has the meaning given to that term in clause 2.5 of Part 1 of these Terms
Start Date means the date that you first access the IELTS Tests/Materials (whether that be the test
date, the course start date, the date you first access any Digital Content or another date). Where
the IELTS Tests/Materials include a test for writing, speaking, reading or listening skills the Start
Date shall be 24 hours before the date on which you start the first of these to occur in time.
Terms means these terms and conditions of sale and any other documents referred to in them.
Terms and Conditions for Use of Digital Content means the terms set out in Part 4 of these Terms.
Test Report Form means a copy of your results form for the IELTS test you have sat.
Representative has the meaning given in clause 2.7 of Part 1 of these Terms.
UK Charity means the British Council entity incorporated in England and Wales by Royal Charter
and registered as a charity (under number 209131 in England and Wales and number SC03773 in
Scotland), whose registered office is at 10 Spring Gardens, London, SW1A 2BN, United Kingdom.
you means the person agreeing to these Terms whether for yourself (either directly or via your
Representative) or on behalf of a child/dependent.
1.2 Interpretation:
(a) References to Parts are to the parts of these Terms and, unless stated otherwise,
references to clauses in a Part are to the clauses of that Part.
(b) Any words following the terms including, include, in particular, for example or any similar
expression are illustrative.
(c) Any references to calendar are to the Gregorian (western) calendar and any reference to
day means calendar day, or month means calendar month unless otherwise specified.
PART 3:
TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR REGISTERING AND PAYING FOR IELTS TESTS/MATERIALS:
1 How the Contract is formed
1.1 The pages of the Online Registration and Payment System will guide you/your
Representative through the steps you need to take to register yourself or your child/dependent
for the IELTS Test/Materials. The order process allows you to check and amend any errors before
submitting the order.
1.2 By submitting an order you confirm that you are at least 18 years of age and are
submitting the order for yourself or on behalf of another such as a child/dependent. Under 18s
who would like to order any IELTS Tests/Materials should ask their parent or guardian to submit
an order on their behalf. If a Representative is assisting you to submit an order on behalf of
yourself or your child/dependent see Part 1 clause 2 for further information about how the
contracts are formed between you and the British Council. 2
1.3 (a) Once you/your Representative have submitted your order you will receive an Order
Acknowledgement stating that the British Council has received your order and is processing it. In
relation to an order for an IELTS test you/your Representative will be requested to upload certain
ID documentation and a payment receipt (if applicable). Separate
acknowledgements/notifications will be sent to you/your Representative by email notifying
you/your Representative of the progress of these separate submissions and any complications
that have occurred.
(b) The British Council will need to receive payment for your order or in the case of some
ITCs, evidence that you have paid the ITC for your order. In relation to an IELTS Test this may be
submitted by you/your Representative via the ORPS or other payment methods may be available
which you/your Representative will be made aware of. Where payments are made through the
ORPS, once the Payment Processor receives a legitimate payment for the IELTS Tests/Materials
into its designated bank account, a payment receipt acknowledgement will be emailed to
you/your Representative.
(c) In relation to an IELTS test an Order Confirmation will be sent to you when the British
Council has reviewed and accepted your application, ID documentation and has received the
requisite payment or, in the case of certain ITCs, evidence of your payment to the ITC has been
uploaded onto the ORPS.
1.4 The Order Confirmation confirms the British Council’s acceptance of your order and the
Contract will only be formed, and become legally binding, when the Order Confirmation is sent to
your nominated email account. For the avoidance of doubt the Contract will be between you and
the British Council for the relevant IELTS Test/Materials (or part thereof – see Part 1).
2 Duration of the Contract
2.1 Unless cancelled earlier in accordance with these Terms, the Contract will terminate once
all IELTS Tests/Materials in your order have been delivered in full, at which point the obligations
set out in the Terms shall cease (except for the restrictions on use of IELTS Test/Materials set out
in clause 8 or the Terms and Conditions for Use of Digital Content, which will continue forever).
3 How to pay
3.1 All prices for IELTS Tests/Materials offered through the Online Registration and Payment
System will be displayed on the Online Registration and Payment System. All prices quoted
include applicable taxes and charges incurred by the British Council for use of debit or credit
cards unless otherwise stated. You may incur additional charges for the use of debit or credit
cards from your provider and such charges are in addition to the advertised price. Prices may
change from time to time, but this will not affect any order which has been confirmed by an
Order Confirmation. Your Representative may make additional charges to you for certain
products and services and your Representative should make this clear to you as well as what
applicable taxes and charges you may incur through placing an order through them.
3.2 Payment can be made by credit or debit card (or any other payment method permitted by
the Online Registration and Payment System such as gift vouchers) as explained in the order
process. In all cases the British Council treats payment as confirmation that the person using the
credit or debit card is the person authorised to use such credit card or debit card.
3.3 Payments by credit or debit card are processed immediately via the Payment Processor
over a secure link. No card details are held by the British Council.
3.4 For the avoidance of doubt, until you/your Representative has paid for the IELTS
Tests/Materials in full, or, in the case of certain ITCs, provide evidence that the ITC has received
your payment for the IELTS Tests/Materials, you shall have no right to access the relevant IELTS
Tests/Materials (by attending in person or online, or otherwise) and the British Council may
prevent you from accessing all or any part of the relevant IELTS Tests/Materials without liability to
you.
3.5 In certain jurisdictions the British Council will permit you to order or reserve IELTS
Tests/Materials online but allow you to pay for them through another method which may not be
the online payment method affiliated to the Online Registration and Payment System. If this
option is available to you it will be made clear during the order process. In this case the IELTS
Tests/Materials that you have ordered or reserved will be held by the British Council for you for a
period of 7 calendar days from the date of the Order Acknowledgement. If we have not received
full payment from you by midnight GMT on the 7th calendar day we will no longer have those
IELTS Tests/Materials reserved for you. No contract will have been formed between you and the
British Council until the British Council has sent you the Order Confirmation.
3.6 Any discount (by discount code or otherwise) is personal to you and cannot be
transferred. You will only be permitted to use one discount per purchase and any refund made to
you will not include the value of the discount. Discounts will expire three months from the date
of issue unless otherwise stated by the British Council.
4 Cancellation by the British Council
4.1 The British Council may cancel the Contract by giving you notice in writing (whether by
email or otherwise) for any reason at any time prior to the Start Date. If the British Council
cancels the Contract pursuant to this clause 4.1 it will refund the price paid by you for the relevant
IELTS Tests/Materials. Part 5 Section C explains in what circumstances you may be entitled to
additional compensation if the British Council cancels the Contract under this clause 4.1.
4.2 The British Council may also cancel the Contract at any time, without liability to you if:
(a) you breach these Terms (but not if the breach could reasonably be considered trivial); or
(b) the British Council is unable to provide the relevant IELTS Tests/Materials in full due to a
reason beyond its reasonable control.
4.3. If the British Council cancels the Contract under clause 4.2(a) the British Council will be
entitled to retain (or be paid the balance of, as the case may be) the price paid by you in full.
4.4 If the British Council cancels the Contract under clause 4.2(b) you will be entitled to choose
either: (i) to receive a full refund of the price paid; or (ii) (subject to availability) to access
alternative equivalent IELTS Tests/Materials. If you choose option (ii) and the price of the
alternative equivalent IELTS Tests/Materials is greater than the price paid for the cancelled IELTS
Tests/Materials, you will be required to pay the difference in accordance with those payment
terms set out in clause 3 or otherwise agreed with the British Council. If you choose option (ii)
and the price of the alternative equivalent IELTS Tests/Materials is lower than the price paid for
the cancelled IELTS Tests/Materials, the British Council will refund the difference. You must notify
the British Council in writing (see the Contact Us Page for the relevant contact details), of your
preferred option within fourteen (14) calendar days from you being notified by the British Council
that the relevant IELTS Tests/Materials have been cancelled. If the British Council does not hear
from you in the specified time period, the British Council will refund the sum due to you.
5 Equality, diversity and inclusion
5.1 The British Council seeks to ensure equal opportunities are provided to all individuals.
5.2 If you have a disability or special need, the British Council will make reasonable
adjustments to make sure that you have, as far as is reasonable, the same access to everything
that is involved in participating on the relevant IELTS Tests/Materials as a person without a
disability or special need.
5.3 Please provide the British Council with details of your disability and special needs as soon
as possible (ideally at least 12 weeks before the relevant Start Date).
6 Child protection
6.1 The British Council believes that all children have potential and that every child matters –
everywhere in the world. The British Council affirms the position that all children have the right to
be protected from all forms of abuse as set out in article 19 of the United Nations Convention on
the Rights of the Child.
7 Intellectual property
7.1 The copyright and all other intellectual property rights in all IELTS Tests/Materials shall
remain the sole and exclusive property of the British Council and its licensors. You undertake that
you will not copy or permit the copying of IELTS Tests/Materials (except for any copying
permitted by the Terms and Conditions for Use of Digital Content) or distribute any of these IELTS
Tests/Materials via internet or intranet, or disclose or permit the disclosure or sell or hire the same
to third parties.
7.2 The British Council agrees to grant to you, and to any child/dependent on whose behalf
you are submitting the order, a non-exclusive royalty free licence to use the relevant IELTS
Tests/Materials for the purposes of your study and research (or that of any child/dependent on
whose behalf you are submitting the order) in relation to the IELTS Tests/Materials but not for
commercial purposes.
8 The British Council’s liability to you
8.1 Nothing in the Terms shall limit or exclude the British Council’s liability (or the UK Charity’s
liability) for death and/or personal injury caused by the negligence of the British Council or the UK
Charity or any of their employees, partners or subcontractors, for fraudulent misrepresentation
and any other liabilities which cannot as a matter of law be limited and/or excluded.
8.2 Subject to clause 8.1, the British Council and the UK Charity do not accept responsibility
and expressly exclude liability for any loss or damage to your property – or that of any
child/dependent on whose behalf you are submitting the order – that occurs where the British
Council is delivering the IELTS Tests/Materials in person or online. When accessing any IELTS
Tests/Materials, you should take particular care not to leave any valuables (including mobile
devices, tablets or laptops) unattended at any time, and you should ensure that any
child/dependent on whose behalf you are submitting the order does the same.
8.3 Subject to clause 8.1, the British Council and the UK Charity shall not under any
circumstances whatsoever be liable to you or any child/dependent on whose behalf you are
submitting the order (whether for breach of contract, negligence, breach of statutory duty or
otherwise) for any:
(a) losses that were not foreseeable to both you and the British Council and/or the UK Charity
when the Contract was formed;
(b) losses that were not caused by any breach on the part of the British Council; or
(c) loss of profit, loss of business, business interruption or loss of business opportunity arising
under or in connection with the Contract.
8.4 Subject to clauses 8.1, 8.2 and 8.3, the British Council's liability in connection with the
Contract will be limited to the price paid by you for the IELTS Tests/Materials purchased under
that Contract.
9 Other important terms
9.1 The British Council may transfer the Contract (in whole or in part), or subcontract or
delegate the delivery of IELTS Tests/Materials in any manner at its sole discretion to: (i) any
separate entity controlled by the British Council or otherwise forms a part of the British Council
group of entities; or (ii) any provider of outsourcing or third party services that is engaged under
a service contract to provide services to the British Council.
9.2 The Contract is personal to you and so you cannot transfer any or all of your rights or
obligations under these Terms to another person without the prior written consent of the British
Council.
9.3 The British Council intends to rely upon these Terms as being the entire Contract between
you and the British Council in relation to the relevant IELTS Tests/Materials. To avoid any
misunderstandings about the content of the Contract, please make sure that you ask for any
changes, or additions, to the terms of the Contract be put in writing by a British Council
representative.
9.4 If the British Council does not insist immediately that you do anything you are required to
do under these Terms, or if the British Council delays in taking steps against you in respect of you
breaching this Contract, that will not mean that you do not have to do those things and it will not
prevent the British Council taking steps against you at a later date.
9.5 Each of the clauses of these Terms operates separately. If any court or relevant authority
decides that any of them are unlawful or unenforceable, the remaining clauses will remain in full
force and effect.
9.6 The British Council will always honour any mandatory laws (including any mandatory
consumer protections) that apply in the country where you are normally resident. Subject to this,
the laws of England apply to the Contract and any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection
with the Contract or its subject matter or formation (including non-contractual disputes or
claims). For the avoidance of doubt, this Contract is deemed to have been formed in England.
9.7 The British Council hopes to make your experience of dealing with the British Council an
excellent one and welcomes your comments, suggestions and details of satisfaction or
dissatisfaction. If you have any comments or complaints in relation to the Contract, please refer
to the Complaints Page (see the definition of “Complaints Page” for further details) and follow the
procedure set out there – or follow the appeals process referred to in Part 5 Section D if that
applies. In addition, please note that disputes may be submitted to the European Commission
online dispute resolution platform for online resolution by an independent body (without having
to go to court).
9.8 If a complaint, dispute or claim is not successfully resolved through discussions between
you and the British Council or through the European Commission online dispute resolution
platform, the courts of England will have non-exclusive jurisdiction over any claim arising from, or
related to, the Contract. This means that all claims relating to the Contract can be settled by a
judge (or a number of judges) in an English court but you or the British Council may, alternatively,
bring proceedings in your country of residence or any other relevant country.
9.9 The British Council may contact you or provide a notice referred to in this Contract
through the Online Registration and Payment System or by sending you an email to the
nominated email address provided by you during the order process.
10 Contacting the British Council
10.1 If you have any questions, comments or enquiries about the Contract or any IELTS
Tests/Materials, please contact the British Council by using the contact details on the Contact Us
Page (see the definition of “Contact Us Page” for further details).
PART 4:
TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR USE OF DIGITAL CONTENT:
1. Terms of use.
The following terms apply to you if you have purchased any Digital Content.
1.1 As the Digital Content will be provided through a third-party web browser (such as
Internet Explorer, Chrome and Firefox), you should also read the terms of use and privacy policy
that apply to your use of that web browser.
1.2 The British Council is the owner or the licensee of all intellectual property rights in the
Digital Content and in the design, structure, ‘look and feel’ and the arrangement of the Digital
Content.
1.3 On payment of the price for the Digital Content, the British Council hereby grants you, and
any child/dependent on whose behalf you are submitting the order, a non-exclusive, non-
transferable licence to access and use the Digital Content in accordance with these Terms and
Conditions for Use of Digital Content only.
1.4 You agree not to (and you must ensure that any child/dependent on whose behalf you are
submitting the order does not):
(a) provide access to the Digital Content to any other individual or legal entity;
(b) disrupt, interfere with or restrict the use of the services provided by the British Council;
(c) upload or display any comments or materials through your participation in the Digital
Content which are false, offensive, sexually explicit, defamatory, threatening, obscene or unlawful
or which infringe intellectual property rights;
(d) probe, scan or test the vulnerability of the Digital Content or attempt to circumvent or
hack any user authentication or security controls in respect of the Digital Content;
(e) reverse compile, disassemble, reverse engineer, decompile, copy, duplicate, modify or
adapt any software or other code or scripts forming part of the Digital Content (except to the
extent permitted by law) or attempt to transmit to or via the Digital Content any information that
contains a virus, worm, Trojan horse or other harmful or disruptive component;
(f) change, modify, delete, interfere with or misuse any files or other data created, owned or
provided by the British Council or any third party provided as part of the Digital Content (except
as expressly permitted under these Terms and Conditions for Use of Digital Content); or
(g) use the Digital Content in contravention of any applicable law.
1.5 The British Council will use reasonable endeavours to make the Digital Content available at
the date and time agreed on your Order Confirmation. However, owing to the nature of the
internet, the British Council does not and cannot guarantee that your use of the Digital Content
will be uninterrupted or error-free. The British Council is not responsible for any delays, delivery
failures, or any other loss or damage resulting from the transfer of data over communications
networks and facilities, including the internet, and you acknowledge that the Digital Content may
be subject to limitations, delays and other problems inherent in the use of such communications
facilities.
1.6 You are responsible for ensuring you have in place all hardware, software and
telecommunications necessary to use the Digital Content and will be responsible for all related
charges, including the fees of internet service providers.
1.7 The British Council encourages freedom of expression, but the views expressed by
individuals through the Digital Content may not represent the views of the British Council.
1.8 If defective Digital Content which the British Council has supplied damages a device or
Digital Content belonging to you and this is caused by the British Council’s failure to use
reasonable care and skill the British Council will either repair the damage or pay you
compensation for the damage caused. However, the British Council will not be liable for damage
which you could have avoided by following the British Council’s advice to apply an update offered
to you free of charge or for damage which was caused by you failing to correctly follow
installation instructions or to have in place the minimum system requirements advised by the
British Council.
PART 5:
TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR SITTING IELTS TESTS AND USING IELTS SERVICES:
The following terms and conditions apply to the Contract and form a legally binding part of the
Terms.
In the terms and conditions below, “you” refers to the individual taking the relevant IELTS
test. Consequently, if you (the person placing the order) are doing so on behalf of a
child/dependent, then you are responsible for ensuring that the test taker complies with the
terms and conditions set out in this Part 5.
Section B applies if you are registering for IELTS Life Skills. Section A applies for all other IELTS for
UKVI registrations.
Section C and Section D each apply to all registrations for IELTS for UKVI testing, including IELTS
Life Skills.
Section A – IELTS for UKVI
1 IELTS test terms and conditions
You must:
1.1 provide proof of your identity (passport or National Identity Card) at registration. Contact
the test centre to confirm which type of identity document is accepted. Candidates taking the test
1.2 inform the centre of any changes to your identity document before the test date. If you do
not do this you will not be allowed to take the test and you will not be eligible for a refund or
transfer;
1.3 bring the same identity document on the test day as the one recorded in your application.
If you do not do this you will not be allowed to take the test and you will not be eligible for a
refund or transfer;
1.4 arrive at the centre before the scheduled test start time. If you arrive late, you will not be
any time during the test day. Any candidate who breaches these conditions will not receive an
IELTS test result or be eligible for a refund or transfer. While the centre will take all reasonable
loss;
include:
having your photograph taken. You will be required to temporarily remove any covering from
your face. Any candidate who refuses to have a photograph taken will not be allowed to sit the
test and will not be entitled to a refund. The photograph taken by the centre will appear on your
Test Report Form;
providing a sample of your signature;
having your finger scan taken;
1.7 keep only the following items on your desk: your identity document, pen(s), pencil(s),
eraser(s), and a bottle of water (label-free);
1.8 tell the invigilator at once if you think you have not been provided with the correct test.
For computer-delivered IELTS, tell the invigilator at once if you don’t see the correct test on your
computer screen or if the test is incomplete or illegible;
1.9 raise your hand if you need to ask the invigilator something. Candidates may not ask for,
and will not be given, any explanation of the test questions;
1.10 attend all four sections of the test. If you do not attend all four sections, you will not
receive an IELTS test result. Exceptions are possible but must be requested at registration and
written approval must be received from the centre;
affected by ill health, by the way in which the test is delivered at the centre or for any other
complaint to the test centre before you leave the centre on test day. Complaints relating to the
delivery of the test will not be accepted after test day;
1.12 leave all test materials in the test room at the end of the test. The test materials include
question papers, Speaking booklets, answer sheets and rough paper. Any candidate who attempts
to remove test materials from the test room will not receive an IELTS test result.
You must not:
1.13 talk to or disturb other candidates once the test has started;
1.14 lend anything to, or borrow anything from, another candidate during the test;
1.15 eat or smoke in the test room;
1.16 leave the test room without the permission of the invigilator;
1.17 leave the test room at the end of the test until you have been told you can leave;
1.17 engage in any form of malpractice which may damage the integrity and security of the
IELTS test. Malpractice includes, but is not limited to:
attempting to cheat in any way, including using notes of any kind from any source.
helping another candidate to cheat.
impersonating another candidate or having another Candidate impersonate you.
copying the work of another candidate.
interfering with computer settings (if taking a computer-based test)
disrupting the test in any way.
reproducing any part of the test in any medium.
attempting to alter the data on the Test Report Form.
Candidates engaging in malpractice will not be allowed to complete the test and will not receive
an IELTS test result. Candidates engaging in malpractice may be banned from taking the test in
future, and may be liable to legal action. Candidates engaging in malpractice may be reported to
regulatory authorities globally.
2 Your IELTS result
2.1 Results are issued by centres, usually 13 days after the test for paper-based IELTS or 5–7
days for computer-delivered IELTS.
2.2 You will receive only one copy of your Test Report Form. Replacement copies are not
issued in the event of loss or damage.
2.3 The Test Report Form will be issued in your name as it appears on the identity document
used at registration. If you find that your personal details are incorrect on the Test Report Form,
please contact the centre where you took the test. Documentation must be provided to verify the
correct details. If you change your name on your ID after receiving your Test Report Form, the
name will not be changed on the Test Report Form.
2.4 Your result may not be issued 13 days (paper-based) or 5–7 days (computer delivered)
after the test if the IELTS Test Partners decide that it is necessary to review any matter associated
with your test or the administration of your test. To assist any investigation, you may be required
to provide writing and speaking samples. In exceptional circumstances, you may be required to
retake one or more IELTS sections.
2.5 Your result may be cancelled after it has been issued if any irregularity is identified. You
may be required to retake one or more IELTS sections.
2.6 Your result will be disclosed to the Recognising Organisations which you nominated in
your application or to which you applied with your Test Report Form, for the purpose of allowing
those organisations to verify the result or to carry out any enquiries in relation to suspected
malpractice.
2.7 If any of the data on the Test Report Form provided by you or your agent to Recognising
Organisations has been altered in any way, your original test result may be cancelled.
2.8 Candidates are not permitted access to the work they produce in the IELTS test.
3 How IELTS user your information
3.1 The IELTS Test Partners recognise and support the right of IELTS test candidates to privacy.
3.2 When you provide your identity information the IELTS Test Partners link that information
to your IELTS test and test result on the Test Report Form. This enables you to submit your Test
Report Form to Recognising Organisations and for them to verify your result.
3.3 Test Report Forms will only be sent to those Recognising Organisations nominated by the
candidate in their application or at the request of the candidate after the issue of results. When a
candidate submits a Test Report Form to a Recognising Organisation they consent to the
verification of the result by that organisation.
3.4 The IELTS Test Partners or their authorised representatives may share candidate personal
data, including, without limitation, test performance or score data, or photographs taken by the
test centre, with educational institutions, governments (including visa processing authorities),
professional bodies and commercial organisations that recognise IELTS scores (‘Recognising
Organisations’) or law enforcement agencies and regulatory authorities where required for
verification purposes or other purposes to protect the IELTS test and its stakeholders against any
form of malpractice.
3.5 Finger-scan data, where obtained, will not be disclosed to any entity except the IELTS Test
Partners.
3.6 The IELTS Test Partners will retain work produced by candidates in the IELTS test and may
use it for quality control purposes and for investigations into suspected malpractice. Test score
data and test responses, in an anonymous form, may also be used for informational, research,
statistical or training purposes.
IELTS for UKVI – Declaration

You make the following declaration:
I acknowledge that the IELTS test is jointly owned by British Council, IELTS Australia Pty Ltd (ABN
84 008 664 766), which is wholly owned by IDP Education Ltd (‘IDP: IELTS Australia’) and
Cambridge Assessment English (part of the University of Cambridge), collectively referred to as
the IELTS Test Partners.
I acknowledge that I have read the IELTS Information for Candidates booklet.
I acknowledge that I have read the ‘IELTS Notice to Candidates’ in this Application Form and
agree to abide by the IELTS test terms and conditions.
I understand that there may be local terms and conditions that I must comply with and that the
test centre will provide details of these on request.
I understand that if the details on this Application Form are not completed my application may
not be processed. I further understand that completing and submitting this form does not
guarantee registration on my preferred test date or at my preferred test location. I understand
that my registration will be confirmed in writing within 24 hours by the test centre. I further
understand that I will be contacted in the event that a test date cannot be made available to me
within 28 days of placing my application.
I certify that the information in my application is complete, true and accurate.
Personal information
I understand that:
It is necessary for my personal information to be collected and processed in order for me to take
the IELTS test, to verify my identity and to receive my results. This personal information is
collected and securely stored when I apply for and when I take the IELTS test and is used by the
IELTS Test Partners for the purpose of the IELTS test.
My personal information, including, without limitation, test performance or score data and my
test result may be disclosed by the IELTS Test Partners to Recognising Organisations to which I
apply and to governments (including visa processing authorities) for the purpose of allowing
these organisations to verify my test result.
My personal information may be processed in an anonymous form by the IELTS Test Partners for
statistical and research purposes.
My photograph will be taken by the test centre on test day and will appear on my Test Report
Form. This photograph will be provided to any Recognising Organisations or government
authorities to which I apply, to allow these organisations to verify my test result.
I will be required to verify my identity on test day by providing the identity document specified by
the test centre. I may also be requested to confirm my identity on test day by having a finger scan
taken. The finger scan is taken as a Binary Large Object (BLOB), and no image of my fingerprint
will be held. This biometric data will be held for 60 days after my test and will not be disclosed to
any entity except the IELTS Test Partners.
My Speaking test will be recorded. In the event the test does not record I will be required to
retake the Speaking test. An observer may attend my Speaking test as part of the examiner
monitoring process.
I may be filmed by CCTV for security and quality assurance purposes when registering for the test
and during the test. The video footage will be held for a period of 60 days after my test and may
be used for audit or investigation purposes. The footage may also be shared with government
agencies for those purposes.
I can access further details on how the IELTS Test Partners use my personal information (including
how long it is retained in different circumstances and how I can exercise my rights) at
ielts.org/privacy.
Test Fees and Refunds
I understand that:
I will be charged the full test fee upon registration.

If I request a transfer or cancel my test, my right to a refund will be determined in accordance
with local legislation.
Test Integrity, Security and Malpractice
I understand that:
I must attend all four test sections in order to receive a test result and any exception to this must
be approved in advance by the test centre.
The IELTS Test Partners have a responsibility to all candidates and Recognising Organisations to
ensure the highest confidence in IELTS test results. The IELTS Test Partners may therefore be
required to withhold test results temporarily or permanently, or to cancel test results which have
been issued, if they consider those results to be unreliable for any reason.
My test result may not be issued 13 days (paper-based) or 5–7 days (computer-delivered) after
the test if any of the IELTS Test Partners consider it necessary to review any matter associated with
my test or the administration of my test, including making enquiries as to whether any rules or
regulations have been breached. I may be required to provide additional samples of my writing
and speaking for the purposes of assisting any investigation before or after the test. In
exceptional circumstances, I may be required to retake one or more IELTS components.
If I am suspected of engaging in any form of malpractice, if I refuse to comply with reasonable
requests to inspect personal items, or if I do anything that might damage the integrity and
security of IELTS, I may not receive a test result, my test fee will not be refunded and I may be
banned from taking the IELTS test in the future. If I am banned, I will receive a notification stating
the length of the ban. If I am subject to a ban and I register to take the test, I will not receive a
test result and I will not be entitled to a refund. If a result is issued to me while I am subject to a
ban, this result will be cancelled and I will not be entitled to a refund.
Details of any proven or suspected malpractice may be provided to Recognising Organisations,
including governments (including visa processing authorities) and appropriate regulatory
authorities, and centrally to the IELTS Test Partners. In instances where malpractice has been
proven, I may be liable to prosecution.
The work I produce in the IELTS test remains the property of the IELTS Test Partners and will not
be released to me. In cases of proven or suspected malpractice my work may be provided to
relevant authorities.
Disclaimer: The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is designed to be one of
many factors used by academic institutions, government, agencies, professional bodies and
employers in determining whether a test taker can be admitted as a student or be considered for
employment or for,
citizenship purposes. IELTS is not designed to be the sole method of determining admission or
employment for the test taker. IELTS is made available worldwide to all persons, regardless of age,
gender, race, nationality or religion, but it is not recommended to persons under 16 years of age.
British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia and Cambridge Assessment English and any other party
involved in creating, producing, or delivering IELTS shall not be liable for any direct, incidental,
consequential, indirect, special, punitive, or similar damages arising out of access to, use of,
acceptance by, interpretation of the results by any third party, or any errors or omissions in the
content thereof.
Section B – IELTS Life Skills
1 IELTS Life Skills terms and conditions
You must:
1.1 provide proof of your identity (passport or National Identity Card) at registration. Contact
the test centre to confirm which type of identity document is accepted. Candidates taking the test
1.2 inform the centre of any changes to your identity document before the test date. If you do
not do this you will not be allowed to take the test and you will not be eligible for a refund or
transfer;
1.3 bring the same identity document on the test day as the one recorded in your application.
If you do not do this you will not be allowed to take the test and you will not be eligible for a
refund or transfer;
1.4 arrive at the centre before the scheduled test start time. If you arrive late, you will not be
any time during the test day. Any candidate who breaches these conditions will not receive an
IELTS test result or be eligible for a refund or transfer. While the centre will take all reasonable
loss;
include:
having your photograph taken. You will be required to temporarily remove any covering from
your face. Any candidate who refuses to have a photograph taken will not be allowed to sit the
test and will not be entitled to a refund. The photograph taken by the centre will appear on your
Test Report Form;
providing a sample of your signature;
affected by ill health, by the way in which the test is delivered at the centre or for any other
complaint to the test centre before you leave the centre on test day. Complaints relating to the
delivery of the test will not be accepted after test day.
Any candidate who attempts to remove test materials from the test room will not receive an IELTS
Life Skills test result.
You must not:
1.8 eat or smoke in the test room.
1.9 engage in any form of malpractice which may damage the integrity and security of the
IELTS Life Skills test. Malpractice includes, but is not limited to:
attempting to cheat in any way, including using notes of any kind from any source;
helping another candidate to cheat;
impersonating another candidate or having another candidate impersonate you;
disrupting the test in any way;
reproducing any part of the test in any medium;
attempting to alter the data on the Test Report Form.
Candidates engaging in malpractice will not be allowed to complete the test and will not receive
an IELTS Life Skills test result. Candidates engaging in malpractice may be banned from taking the
test in future, and may be liable to legal action. Candidates engaging in malpractice may be
reported to regulatory authorities globally.
2 Your IELTS Life Skills result
2.1 Results are issued by centres, usually within 7 days of your test.
2.2 You will receive only one copy of your Test Report Form. Replacement copies are not
issued in the event of loss or damage.
2.3 The Test Report Form will be issued in your name as it appears on the identity document
used at registration. If you find that your personal details are incorrect on the Test Report Form,
please contact the centre where you took the test. Documentation must be provided to verify the
correct details. If you change your name on your ID after receiving your Test Report Form, the
name will not be changed on the Test Report Form.
2.4 Your result may not be issued within 7 days of the test if the IELTS Test Partners decide
that it is necessary to review any matter associated with your test or the administration of your
test. To assist any investigation, you may be required to provide speaking samples. In exceptional
circumstances, you may be required to retake the IELTS Life Skills test.
2.5 Your result may be cancelled after it has been issued if any irregularity is identified.
2.6 Your result will be disclosed to the UKVI for the purpose of allowing them to verify the
result or to carry out any enquiries in relation to suspected malpractice.
2.7 If any of the data on the Test Report Form provided by you or your agent to UKVI has
been altered in any way, your original test result may be cancelled.
2.8 Candidates are not permitted access to the work they produce in the IELTS Life Skills test.
3 How IELTS user your information
3.1 The IELTS Test Partners recognise and support the right of IELTS Life Skills test candidates
to privacy.
3.2 When you provide your identity information the IELTS Test Partners link that information
to your IELTS Life Skills test and test result on the Test Report Form.
3.3 The IELTS Test Partners or their authorised representatives may share candidate personal
data, including, without limitation, test performance or score data, or photographs or video
recordings taken by the test centre, with UKVI or law enforcement agencies and regulatory
authorities where required for verification purposes or other purposes to protect the IELTS Life
Skills test and its stakeholders against any form of malpractice. Finger-scan data, where obtained,
will not be disclosed to any entity except the IELTS Test Partners.
3.4 The IELTS Test Partners will retain work produced by candidates in the IELTS Life Skills test
and may use it for quality control purposes and for investigations into suspected malpractice. Test
score data and test responses, in an anonymous form, may also be used for informational,
research, statistical or training purposes.
Disclaimer: If you have taken an IELTS Life Skills test and passed it, you cannot retake it at the
same level for a period of two years. If you continue to register and take the test, you may not
receive your Test Report Form and a test fee refund.
4 IELTS Life Skills – Declaration
You make the following declaration:
I acknowledge that the IELTS Life Skills test is jointly owned by British Council, IELTS Australia Pty
Ltd (ABN 84 008 664 766), which is wholly owned by IDP Education Ltd (‘IDP: IELTS Australia’) and
Cambridge Assessment English (part of the University of Cambridge), collectively referred to as
the IELTS Test Partners.
I acknowledge that I have read the IELTS Life Skills guide for candidates and agents booklet.
I acknowledge that I have read the ‘IELTS Life Skills Notice to Candidates’ in this Application Form
and agree to abide by the IELTS Life Skills test terms and conditions.
I understand that there may be local terms and conditions that I must comply with and that the
test centre will provide details of these on request.
I understand that if the details on this Application Form are not completed my application may
not be processed. I further understand that completing and submitting this form does not
guarantee registration on my preferred test date or at my preferred test location. I understand
that my registration will be confirmed in writing within 24 hours by the test centre. I further
understand that I will be contacted in the event that a test date cannot be made available to me
within 28 days of placing my application.
I certify that the information in my application is complete, true and accurate.
Personal Information
I understand that:
It is necessary for my personal information to be collected and processed in order for me to take
the IELTS Life Skills test, to verify my identity and to receive my results. This personal information
is collected and securely stored when I apply for and when I take the IELTS Life Skills test and is
is collected and securely stored when I apply for and when I take the IELTS Life Skills test and is
used by the IELTS Test Partners for the purpose of the IELTS Life Skills test.
My personal information, including, without limitation, test performance or score data and my
test result may be disclosed by the IELTS Test Partners to Recognising Organisations to which I
apply and to UKVI for the purpose of allowing these organisations to verify my test result.
My personal information may be processed in an anonymous form by the IELTS Test Partners for
statistical and research purposes.
My photograph will be taken by the test centre on test day and will appear on my Test Report
Form. This photograph will be provided to any Recognising Organisations to which I apply and to
UKVI, to allow these organisations to verify my test result.
I will be required to verify my identity on test day by providing the identity document specified by
the test centre. I may also be requested to confirm my identity on test day by having a finger scan
taken. The finger scan is taken as a Binary Large Object (BLOB), and no image of my fingerprint
will be held. This biometric data will be held for 60 days after my test and will not be disclosed to
My IELTS Life Skills test will be audio- and video-recorded. This recording will be kept for a period
of one year to allow the test to be marked and where necessary the marks to be checked and
verified. In the event the test does not record I will be required to retake the test. An observer
may attend my test as part of the examiner monitoring process.
I may be filmed by CCTV for security and quality assurance purposes when registering for the test
and during the test. The video footage will be held for a period of 60 days after my test and may
be used for audit or investigation purposes. The footage may also be shared with government
agencies for those purposes.
I can access further details on how the IELTS Test Partners use my personal information (including
how long it is retained in different circumstances and how I can exercise my rights) at
ielts.org/privacy.
Test Fees and Refunds
I understand that:
I will be charged the full test fee upon registration.

If I request a transfer or cancel my test, my right to a refund will be determined in accordance
with local legislation.
Test Integrity, Security and Malpractice
I understand that:
The IELTS Test Partners have a responsibility to all candidates and Recognising Organisations to
ensure the highest confidence in IELTS Life Skills test results. The IELTS Test Partners may
therefore be required to withhold test results temporarily or permanently, or to cancel test results
which have been issued, if they consider those results to be unreliable for any reason.
My test result may not be issued 7 days after the test if any of the IELTS Test Partners consider it
necessary to review any matter associated with my test or the administration of my test, including
making enquiries as to whether any rules or regulations have been breached. I may be required to
provide additional samples of my speaking for the purposes of assisting any investigation before
or after the test. In exceptional circumstances, I may be required to retake the IELTS Life Skills test.
If I am suspected of engaging in any form of malpractice, or do anything that might damage the
integrity and security of the IELTS Life Skills test, I may not receive a test result, my test fee will not
be refunded and I may be banned from taking the IELTS Life Skills test in the future. If I am
banned I will receive a notification stating the length of the ban. If I am subject to a ban and I
register to take the test, I will not receive a test result and I will not be entitled to a refund. If a
result is issued to me while I am subject to a ban, this result will be cancelled and I will not be
entitled to a refund.
including UKVI and appropriate regulatory authorities, and centrally to the IELTS Test Partners. In
instances where malpractice has been proven, I may be liable to prosecution.
The work I produce in the IELTS Life Skills test remains the property of the IELTS Test Partners and
will not be released to me. In cases of proven or suspected malpractice my work may be provided
to relevant authorities.
Disclaimer: The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is designed to be one of
many factors used by academic institutions, government, agencies, professional bodies and
employers in determining whether a test taker can be admitted as a student or be considered for
employment or for, citizenship purposes. IELTS is not designed to be the sole method of
determining admission or employment for the test taker. IELTS is made available worldwide to all
persons, regardless of age, gender, race, nationality or religion, but it is not recommended to
persons under 16 years of age.
British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia and Cambridge Assessment English and any other party
involved in creating, producing, or delivering IELTS shall not be liable for any direct, incidental,
consequential, indirect, special, punitive, or similar damages arising out of access to, use of,
acceptance by, or interpretation of the results by any third party, or any errors or omissions in the
content thereof.
Section C – Cancellations and Transfers Policy for Test Takers
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.
Time to test date

More than 14 days before the test:
If you cancel your IELTS test registration more than 14 days before the test you will receive a 75%
refund of the total test fee.
Within 14 days but more than two days before the test:
If you cancel your IELTS test registration within 14 days but more than two days before the test
you will receive a 50% refund of the total test fee.
Within two days of the test:

If you cancel your IELTS test registration within two days of the test you will receive a 25% refund
of the total test fee.
On the test day or after the test:

If you cancel your IELTS test registration on the test day or after the test no refund will be
provided.
Test taker exceptions

You may make a case for exceptional circumstances to your test centre before the test and up to
five working 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.
All cases for exceptional circumstances and supporting evidence must be received by your test
centre no later than five working days after the scheduled test date.
If your test centre approves your case, you will receive a full refund less an administration fee of
no more than 25% of the test fee.
If your test centre does not approve your case, then the terms given in Section 1 will apply.
We define exceptional circumstances as:
serious medical conditions which prevent you from attending or performing normally on 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.
Test centre exceptions
Under certain circumstances outside test centre control, we may have to cancel your test. These
circumstances include, and 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.
In cases where your test centre cancels a test under circumstances within its control then in
addition to a full refund or transfer to another test date, you may be eligible to apply for
compensation for expenses incurred. Your eligibility will be assessed as a reasonable claim or not
by the test centre and any compensation will be awarded depending on the following conditions:
The test centre will assess whether the decision to cancel is within or outside its control.
Any compensation awarded will be limited to travel and accommodation expenses only and
which are:
directly incurred as a result of planning your attendance on test day
evidenced by payment receipt(s)
evidenced that cancelled travel and/or accommodation charges are non-recoverable from vendor
benchmarked against lowest reasonable market rates for the expenses in question (this will be
carried out by the test centre).
If you travel further than the closest test venue to your normal place of residence, then the test
centre will not find your claim reasonable.
Transfers
More than 14 days before the test:
You may change your test date at any time more than 14 days before the test.
You must select a test date, where available, within the next three months from your original test
date. If your preferred test date is more than three months after your original test date, then your
transfer will be treated as a cancellation.
You can only transfer the same booking once.
Your test centre may charge an administration fee of up to 25% of the total test fee.
Within 14 days before the test:

Any transfer requests within 14 days of the test will be treated as a cancellation. Please refer to
Any transfer requests within 14 days of the test will be treated as a cancellation. Please refer to
Section A (Cancellations) of this policy.
Notes
Your test centre is responsible for issuing refunds and organizing transfers.
Under Section A.2, the test centre is responsible for decisions related to test taker claims for
exceptional circumstances.
Under Section A.3, the test centre is responsible for decisions related to compensation, including
eligibility and any amounts awarded.
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.
Section D – Additional terms relevant to IELTS Test/Materials
1 Exercising your rights
1.1 To exercise the right to cancel, you must provide the relevant IELTS Test Partner with a
clear statement in writing of your decision to cancel your IELTS test registration. You can do this
through the Online Registration and Payment System.
2 Enquiry on Results (EOR)
2.1 EOR is a post-test service available for test takers if they would like their IELTS scores to be
re-marked. Further information about EOR is provided through the Online Registration and
Payment System, and separate terms will apply to orders for an EOR.
3 Appeal
3.1 Appeal is a post-test service available for test takers if they are not satisfied with the
outcome of a previous decision. Further information about Appeals is provided through the
Online Registration and Payment System, and separate terms will apply to orders for an Appeal.
4 Additional Test Report Forms
4.1 Additional IELTS Test Report Forms can be ordered and paid for through the Online
Registration and Payment System. Further information about Additional Test Report Forms is
provided through the Online Registration and Payment System, and separate terms will apply to
orders for an Additional Test Report Form.
Payment terms for IELTS
By ticking the “I Accept” check box below, you confirm that you understand that you are
registering via the British Council’s Online Registration System to take the IELTS test with the
British Council (your “Test Registration”) and the payment relating to your Test Registration is
directly between the British Council and yourself. All aspects of your Test Registration relating to
payment terms, refund, cancellation and transfer are as per the policies stipulated below.
The British Council is incorporated in England and Wales by Royal Charter and registered as a
Charity (under number 209131 in England and Wales and number SC03773 in Scotland). British
Council Sri Lanka Head office is at 49 Alfred House Gardens, Colombo 03.
For the steps you need to take to make a Test Registration, please see our Register for IELTS tests
online page. The online registration process allows you to check and amend errors before
submitting your Test Registration to the British Council. Please take time to read and check your
Test Registration at each page of the online registration process.
After you make your Test Registration, the British Council will confirm its acceptance to you in the
form of an email from the relevant test centre of your enrolment on the relevant IELTS test (“
IELTS Test Confirmation”). The contract between you and the British Council will only be formed
when you are sent the Enrolment Confirmation. The contract between you and the British Council
is formed in the English language.
Fees
The price of your Test Registration will be quoted on the British Council’s Online Registration
System. Fees may change from time to time, but this will not affect any Test Registration which
has been confirmed by an Enrolment Confirmation.
Payment for your Test Registration will need to be made in advance through the British Council’s
Online Registration System.
Cancellation
You may cancel your Test Registration at any time prior to taking the IELTS test by notifying the
British Council if you change your mind or for any other reason you decide you do not want to
take the IELTS test. Your right to receive a refund will depend on how far in advance you cancel
your Test Registration. All Transfer/Refund requests will be subjected to the Policy set out below.
IELTS Refund and Test Day Transfer Policy
• All test fees are non-transferable to other people and centres.

• An admin fee is applicable for all refund and transfer requests.
• All transfer applications will be processed subject to availability of the test date.
Candidates may request a refund or a test day transfer for their IELTS Test in the following
circumstances:
More than 5 weeks before the IELTS Transfer You can request a refund or transfer without
test date before your written test date.
or
You can request for a new test date which
your current written test date.
Refund
Within 5 weeks before the IELTS test Transfer Requests will only be accepted under
date and up to 5 days after the test submission of the relevant documentary
date
or
• Illness or injury (supported by
certificate, on a letterhead with
SLMC number, which covers both
Refund writing test dates)
• Loss or bereavement of an immediate
(supported by a copy of the death
• Victim of emergency like accidents,
disasters
• Military service (supported by
• Passport submission for Visa processing
the receipt/ letter received after
You can request for a new test date which

your current written test date.
If you have completed at least one component,

given. However, you may apply for a test
one the criteria above. If approved, you
all components under the new test date.
Note for CD IELTS : Test day transfer applications should be submitted at least one week prior to
the selected new test date.
Documents Required:
Refund Transfer
All requests IELTS Refund or Test Day Transfer Form (completed)
Copy of bank passbook / statement Copy of passport

details page, depicting Account Name
and Number
Within 5 weeks before the IELTS test Supporting documentary evidence (e.g. original medical
date and up to 5 days after the test
date
Administration fees: LKR 5,300.00
For off-line payments, your refund will be made by electronic bank transfer into the bank account
indicated on your application form.
If you paid online by credit card, the refund amount will be credited to the card used at the point
of making your original booking.
Refund Application Processing Time
We aim to process all refund application within 30 days of receipt of your application subject to
the correct documentation being submitted.
Contacting the British Council
To cancel a Test Registration, change your Test Date, make amendment to the test module,
remarking, request a refund or applying for Special Consideration you must contact the British
Council in writing by sending an email to info.lk@britishcouncil.org

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Disclaimer

IELTS test terms and conditions

• providing a sample of your signature;

2. Your IELTS test result

3. Cancelling your IELTS test or requesting a transfer

4 How IELTS uses your information

These terms apply to all orders.

These terms apply to all orders.

These terms apply to all orders.

Terms and conditions for use of Digital Content

2 About the British Council and IELTS

1. Definitions and interpretation:

The following definitions and rules of interpretation apply in these Terms.

British Council Entities is defined in Part 1of these Terms.

Complaints Page means the complaints page at www.britishcouncil.org/contact

Contact Us Page means the contact us page at www.britishcouncil.org/contact/webform

IELTS Test Partners is defined in Part 1of these Terms.

Online Registration and Payment System is defined in Part 1 of these Terms.

Recognising Organisations means the educational institutions, governments (including visa

1 How the Contract is formed

2 Duration of the Contract

4 Cancellation by the British Council

5 Equality, diversity and inclusion

8 The British Council’s liability to you

9 Other important terms

10 Contacting the British Council

(g) use the Digital Content in contravention of any applicable law.

Section A – IELTS for UKVI

1 IELTS test terms and conditions

You must not:

1.15 eat or smoke in the test room;

3 How IELTS user your information

IELTS for UKVI – Declaration

I will be charged the full test fee upon registration.

Section B – IELTS Life Skills

1 IELTS Life Skills terms and conditions

You must not:

1.8 eat or smoke in the test room.

2 Your IELTS Life Skills result

4 IELTS Life Skills – Declaration

You make the following declaration:

I will be charged the full test fee upon registration.

Section C – Cancellations and Transfers Policy for Test Takers

Time to test date

Within two days of the test:

On the test day or after the test:

Test taker exceptions

We define exceptional circumstances as:

You can only transfer the same booking once.

Within 14 days before the test:

Section D – Additional terms relevant to IELTS Test/Materials

1 Exercising your rights

2 Enquiry on Results (EOR)

4 Additional Test Report Forms

Payment terms for IELTS

IELTS Refund and Test Day Transfer Policy

• All test fees are non-transferable to other people and centres.

You can request for a new test date which

If you have completed at least one component,

All requests IELTS Refund or Test Day Transfer Form (completed)

Copy of bank passbook / statement Copy of passport

Administration fees: LKR 5,300.00

Refund Application Processing Time

Contacting the British Council