Guide · Last updated 22 September 2026
IELTS Exam Fee by Country (2026)
The standard IELTS fee in nine countries, in local currency, read from the providers' own pages and re-checked every month, with a guide for each country on how to pay, which ID gets you in, and what a re-mark or a date change costs.
What does IELTS cost in each country?
The fee for IELTS on Computer (Academic or General Training) as of 22 September 2026. Each figure is the one on that country's guide, which names the provider page it was read from and lists the UKVI, Life Skills and One Skill Retake fees alongside.
| Country | Standard fee | Providers | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bangladesh | ৳31,100 | British Council, IDP | Bangladesh fee guide |
| India | ₹19,000 | IDP only | India fee guide |
| Pakistan | PKR 75,600 to 76,240 | British Council, AEO (IDP) | Pakistan fee guide |
| Sri Lanka | LKR 77,000 | British Council, IDP | Sri Lanka fee guide |
| Nepal | NPR 36,000 | British Council, IDP | Nepal fee guide |
| Vietnam | VND 4,664,000 | IDP, British Council | Vietnam fee guide |
| Indonesia | Rp 3,600,000 | IDP, British Council, IALF | Indonesia fee guide |
| Kazakhstan | KZT 110,250 | British Council, IDP | Kazakhstan fee guide |
| United Arab Emirates | AED 1,470 at IDP, AED 1,590 at the British Council | IDP, British Council | UAE fee guide |
Fees are set in local currency and revised once or twice a year, so confirm the figure in the booking portal before you pay. A page that prints a fee without a checked-on date is not worth trusting.
What is the same everywhere?
The test. Whichever country and provider you book, the papers, the examiners' training, the band descriptors and the Test Report Form are identical, and the fee is the same for Academic and General Training. What differs by country is the currency, the accepted ID (a passport everywhere; a national ID card only where the provider says so), the payment methods, the refund clock (five weeks at most providers, fifteen days at IDP in Vietnam and Indonesia, five days at IDP in Sri Lanka) and how many days results take.
How do I pay the fee only once?
The fee is the same whether you pass or not, so the cheapest test is the one you sit once. Practise full papers until your mock band is stable at or above the score your destination asks for, then book. If one section lets you down on the day, check the country guide for the One Skill Retake price and ask the organisation you are applying to whether it accepts one. And make sure you are booking the right module: the Academic vs General Training guide explains which one each destination accepts.
Frequently asked questions
Is the IELTS fee the same at the British Council and IDP?
Usually, but not always. In Bangladesh, India (IDP only), Nepal and Kazakhstan the standard fee is identical. In Sri Lanka the standard fee matches but IDP charges less for UKVI and Life Skills. In the UAE the two now differ by AED 120 on the standard test, and in Pakistan AEO prices its Punjab centres PKR 640 above the rest of the country.
Why does the fee change during the year?
Providers set fees in local currency against a US dollar cost, so a weaker currency brings a rise. Bangladesh rose in September 2026, India in April, Sri Lanka in January and again in June, Pakistan in June, Indonesia in August. That is why every guide prints the date it was last checked and why we re-check monthly.
Can I sit IELTS in a country where it is cheaper?
Sometimes, with limits. You can book in another country if you hold a valid passport (national ID cards are only accepted by some providers for their own citizens), and IDP in the UAE does not let non-residents sit paper-based variants. Once you add travel, the saving rarely survives. Practise until your band is stable and pay once at home instead.
What does the fee include?
The full test (Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking), the provider’s official preparation materials and practice tests, your Test Report Form, and a number of additional TRFs sent to institutions. Re-marks, date changes and cancellations cost extra and are listed on each country guide.
Is One Skill Retake cheaper than sitting the whole test again?
Yes, where it is offered and priced: about two thirds of the full fee in India, Pakistan and Vietnam, about 60% in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, and 65% in the UAE. It must be taken within 60 days of the original test on a computer-delivered sitting, and the organisation you are applying to must accept it. Nepal and Kazakhstan offer it without publishing a price.
Pay the fee once, wherever you sit it
Practise free until your mock band matches your target. Then book with confidence.
Check my band free