Checked 23 September 2026
The IELTS exam, in the order you will actually need it
Booking, waiting, and what your score is worth afterwards. Every number on this page comes from an official source, linked at the bottom and dated, because most of what is written about IELTS logistics was true a year ago and is not true now.
Paper-based IELTS is going away
This is the part most guides still have wrong. On 5 March 2026 IELTS announced that from mid-2026 it would no longer offer a paper-based test, and that all tests would be delivered on computer. Timelines vary by market, and some finished well before the deadline: Taiwan from 1 February 2026, Bangladesh after 31 January 2026, Canada with a last test date of 27 June 2026.
If you prefer to compose by hand, selected markets offer Writing on Paper: you sit the test on computer and handwrite the Writing component. The Secure English Language Test for UK Visas and Immigration is available in the fully digital format only.
None of this changes what is being tested. The announcement is explicit that the skills assessed, the test construct and the interpretation of results are unchanged. What changes is the interface, and that is worth practising, because composing 250 words by keyboard under time pressure is a different skill from composing them by hand.
When your results arrive, and how long they last
On computer, ielts.org puts results at 1 to 2 days. IDP describes the same thing as typically 1 to 5 days, so plan against the wider figure if a deadline depends on it. The paper-based Test Report Form arrived 13 days after the test.
A Test Report Form is valid for two years from the test date. Treat that as a ceiling rather than a promise: universities and visa routes can and do impose shorter recency rules, so a score that is still technically valid may not be accepted for a particular application.
Retaking, and retaking just one skill
There is no limit on how many times you can sit IELTS and no enforced wait between attempts. The real constraint is the fee, and whether anything has changed in your preparation since the last attempt. Sitting the same test again without changing how you prepare mostly buys the same band a second time.
One Skill Retake is the cheaper move when three skills are already where you need them. You resit one skill within 60 days of the original test, in the same country, once per original test, for tests taken on computer. It is not currently available in the USA. You receive a new Test Report Form with the new score for that skill and your original scores for the other three, and you decide which report to send.
If you believe a skill was marked wrongly, an Enquiry on Results is a remark, and the request must be made within six weeks of the test date.
IELTS, TOEFL, PTE and Duolingo side by side
None of these is easier in the abstract, and anyone who tells you otherwise is guessing on your behalf. They differ in length, in scale, and in whether you speak to a person or to a microphone. The question that decides it is which tests your university or visa route accepts, which only they can answer.
| Test | Score scale | Length | Speaking |
|---|---|---|---|
| IELTS | 0 to 9, half bands | Listening 30 min, Reading 60, Writing 60, Speaking 11 to 14 | With a person |
| TOEFL iBT | 1 to 6 from 21 Jan 2026, plus 0 to 120 during a two-year transition | About 2 hours | Recorded |
| PTE Academic | 10 to 90 | About 2 hours | Recorded |
| Duolingo English Test | 10 to 160, 5-point steps | About 1 hour | Recorded |
TOEFL iBT changed scale on 21 January 2026. Comparison pages that show only 0 to 120 have not been updated since.
How to register, and what it costs
You register through the British Council or IDP, depending on which operates in your country. Both list the available test dates for your nearest centre, and you pick the date and the delivery mode at the point of booking. Bring the same identity document you registered with: centres check it against the booking, and a mismatch can cost you the sitting.
We do not publish a fee on this page. It is set per market, differs by test type, and changes without much announcement, so a number here would be wrong for most readers and could cost you money. The booking page for your own country carries the live figure.
Common questions
How long do IELTS results take?
If you took IELTS on computer, ielts.org states results are available in 1 to 2 days. IDP describes the same thing as typically 1 to 5 days, so treat 1 to 2 as the floor rather than a promise. For the paper-based test the Test Report Form was available 13 days after the test.
How long is an IELTS score valid?
Two years from the date of the test. That is the Test Report Form's own validity. Some universities and immigration routes apply a shorter recency rule of their own, so the two-year figure is a ceiling and not a guarantee that a given institution will accept a score that old.
How many times can I take IELTS?
There is no limit on the number of attempts, and no waiting period imposed between them. You can book the next available date. The practical limits are the fee and whether anything about your preparation has changed since the last attempt.
What is IELTS One Skill Retake?
It lets you resit one of the four skills instead of the whole test. You must take it within 60 days of the original test, in the same country, and you can use it once per original test. It is for tests taken on computer, and it is not currently available for tests taken in the USA. You receive a new Test Report Form carrying the new score for that skill and the original scores for the other three, and you choose which report to use.
Is IELTS still available on paper?
It is being withdrawn. IELTS announced on 5 March 2026 that from mid-2026 it would no longer offer a paper-based test and that all tests would be delivered on computer, with exact timelines varying by market. Some markets finished earlier than others: Taiwan from 1 February 2026, Bangladesh after 31 January 2026, and Canada with a last test date of 27 June 2026. Check your own country's booking page rather than assuming.
What is IELTS Writing on Paper?
In selected markets you take the test on computer but handwrite your answers to the Writing component. It is the middle option for candidates who compose better by hand. One Skill Retake is available for it, and must be taken in the same delivery mode as the original test.
What can I do if I think my IELTS score is wrong?
Request an Enquiry on Results, usually called a remark or a re-mark. The request must be made within six weeks of your test date, and you can ask for one skill or several to be looked at again.
Is IELTS easier than TOEFL, PTE or Duolingo?
No test is easier in general. They differ in length, in scale, and in how they assess speaking, so the one that suits you depends on how you work. IELTS is scored 0 to 9 in half bands. PTE Academic is 10 to 90. The Duolingo English Test is 10 to 160 in 5-point increments and runs about an hour. TOEFL iBT changed on 21 January 2026 to a 1 to 6 scale in half points, with a comparable 0 to 120 score also reported during a two-year transition. The question that actually decides it is which tests your university or visa route accepts, which you should confirm with them directly.
Does the move to computer change what IELTS tests?
No. The official announcement states that the update does not change the skills assessed, the test construct, or the way results should be interpreted by institutions. What changes is the interface, and that is worth practising on, because typing under time pressure is a different skill from writing under time pressure.
How much does IELTS cost?
The fee is set locally and differs by country and by test type, and it changes without much notice. We do not publish a figure here because a stale number could cost you money. Your test centre's booking page on the British Council or IDP site shows the live price for your country.
Knowing the rules is not the same as being ready
Everything above is logistics. The band itself comes from four criteria, and the fastest way to find out where you stand is to write one answer and have it marked. You can do that free, without an account.
Also useful: the score each country asks for, the writing checker, and 81 full reading tests with every answer explained.
Sources
Test delivery changes and the paper-based withdrawal: ielts.org. One Skill Retake: ielts.org. Results timing, validity and Enquiry on Results: takeielts.britishcouncil.org. Score scales: ets.org, pearsonpte.com and englishtest.duolingo.com. All read on 23 September 2026. Rules differ by country and change without notice, so confirm anything your application depends on with your own test centre.