Questions and Answers:

What help is available if you have special needs?

Test centres make every effort to cater for candidates with special needs, to enable them to best understand questions and tasks and to give their answers. It is our aim for the language level of all candidates, to be assessed fairly and objectively. If you require a modified version of the test, e.g. Braille, you must give the test centre three months’ notice. This notice period is necessary for the modified test version to be prepared. If your circumstances require special administrative arrangements only to be made, e.g. extra time, you must give the test centre six weeks’ notice. Full details of these arrangements are given on the IELTS website at www.ielts.org

What happens if you want to postpone or cancel your test?

Candidates who request a postponement or cancellation on their test within 5 weeks of the test date will be charged the full fee unless they are able to provide appropriate medical evidence to support their request. Medical evidence must be provided no later than 5 days after the test. An administrative fee may be deducted from any refund.

What happens if you are absent on the day of the test without giving prior notice?

Candidates will lose their test fee unless they are able to provide appropriate medical evidence to the centre to explain their absence. Medical evidence must be provided within 5 days of the test date. Refunds will only be provided for serious illness.

What happens if you do not transfer your listening or reading answers to the listening/ reading answer sheet before the end of the module?

Candidates are reminded during the test to transfer their answers to the answer sheet. In the listening test 10 minutes is allocated specifically for this purpose. In the reading test candidates may transfer their answers at any time during the one hour test period. If candidates do not transfer their answers in the test time they will not be given any extra time to do so. Responses provided on the question papers cannot be considered for making purposes.

What can you do if you are unhappy with your results?

Candidates may apply for re-mark (Enquiry on Results) at the centre where they took the test. This must be done within six weeks of the test date. The candidates can choose which modules are re-marked. There is a fee for this service which will be refunded should the score on any module be increased. Enquiry on results can take up to six weeks to complete.

How strictly is IELTS marked?

Candidates should take care when writing answers on the Listening and Reading Answer Sheets as incorrect spelling and grammar are penalised. Both UK and US varieties of spelling are acceptable.

If candidates are asked to write an answer using a certain number of words and/or (a) number(s), they will be, penalised if they exceed or do not meet this requirement. For example if a question specifies an answer using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS and the correct answer is “ Black leather coat, “ the answer “ coat of black leather” is incorrect.

In questions where candidates are expected to complete a gap, candidates should only transfer the necessary missing word(s) on to the Answer Sheet. For example if a candidate has to complete “in the……….” And the correct answer is “morning” the answer “in the morning” would be incorrect.

Candidates should read and follow the instructions and questions very carefully. In Listening especially, care also should be taken when transferring answers on to the Answer Sheet.

More samples of IELTS test material and information about the test are available on the IELTS web site: www.ielts.org.