Guide · Last updated 22 September 2026
IELTS One Skill Retake
The rules, what it costs in nine countries, which authorities accept it and which refuse it, and the one calculation that tells you whether to pay for it.
What are the rules?
| Rule | What ielts.org says |
|---|---|
| Which sections | Any one of Listening, Reading, Writing or Speaking |
| Which tests | IELTS Academic and General Training, including UKVI, when the full test was IELTS on computer |
| Window | Within 60 days of your full test |
| How often | One retake per full test |
| Your result | A new Test Report Form with the retaken score and the original three; you choose which form to use |
| Results timing | Within 3 to 5 days |
| Where | Widely available; confirm with your test centre |
A paper-based full test does not qualify, and in the UAE a test taken with Writing on Paper must be retaken in the same mode.
Who accepts a One Skill Retake result?
This is the question to settle before you pay. The test partners themselves say to check with the organisation first, and the answers differ sharply:
| Authority | Accepts it? | Source |
|---|---|---|
| UK Visas and Immigration | Yes | ielts.org, One Skill Retake page |
| Canada, Express Entry (IRCC) | No | canada.ca language-testing page: not accepted for Express Entry |
| UK Nursing and Midwifery Council | No | nmc.org.uk: individual domains cannot be retaken separately; two full sittings within 12 months can be combined |
| Australia, Department of Home Affairs | Stated by the IELTS partners; confirm on the department’s page | Cambridge (IELTS partner) One Skill Retake page |
| Immigration New Zealand | Stated by the IELTS partners; confirm on the department’s page | Cambridge (IELTS partner) One Skill Retake page |
| Universities and colleges | Most do, some do not | The admissions page, or an email to admissions |
What does it cost?
Roughly two thirds of the full fee wherever a price is published, which is the whole point: cheaper than a resit, but not cheap.
| Country | One Skill Retake | Full test | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| India | ₹12,650 | ₹19,000 | India fee guide |
| Bangladesh | ৳18,600 (UKVI ৳20,900) | ৳31,100 | Bangladesh fee guide |
| Pakistan | PKR 47,630 to 48,050 | PKR 75,600 to 76,240 | Pakistan fee guide |
| Sri Lanka | LKR 46,600 at IDP | LKR 77,000 | Sri Lanka fee guide |
| Vietnam | VND 2,940,000 (UKVI 3,320,000) | VND 4,664,000 | Vietnam fee guide |
| Indonesia | Rp 2,200,000 at IALF | Rp 3,600,000 | Indonesia fee guide |
| United Arab Emirates | AED 962 at IDP (UKVI 990) | AED 1,470 | UAE fee guide |
| Nepal | Not published | NPR 36,000 | Nepal fee guide |
| Kazakhstan | Not published | KZT 110,250 | Kazakhstan fee guide |
When is it worth paying for?
Three conditions, all of them. One section is short, not two: a second retake is not allowed, so two weak sections mean a full resit. The gap is half a band, at most one: a jump of 1.5 in Writing inside 60 days is rare, and the fee is lost if you miss. And the organisation accepts the result: for Canada PR or NMC registration the answer is no before you start. If all three hold, spend the 60 days on that one section only, and sit a full-length mock of it until the score is stable at target. Practise the other three anyway; the retake day still asks for one performance under the clock.
Frequently asked questions
What is IELTS One Skill Retake?
A second attempt at one section of IELTS, whether Listening, Reading, Writing or Speaking, within 60 days of your full test, without resitting the other three. It is available for Academic and General Training, only if the full test was IELTS on computer, and only once per full test. You get a new Test Report Form with the retaken score beside the original three, and you choose which form to send.
Does Canada accept One Skill Retake for Express Entry?
No. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada states on its Express Entry language-testing page that it does not accept IELTS One Skill Retake. If Canada PR is the goal and one section fell short, you need a full General Training test.
Does UKVI accept One Skill Retake?
Yes. ielts.org states that UK Visas and Immigration accepts IELTS One Skill Retake. The retake has to be taken at a UKVI test centre on computer, like the original UKVI test. Check the visa route you are applying under, since a sponsor can set its own rules.
Do nurses registering with the NMC get to retake one section?
No. The Nursing and Midwifery Council states that you cannot take or retake individual test domains separately. What it does allow is combining two full sittings within twelve months, with floors of 6.5 in Listening, Reading and Speaking and 6.0 in Writing in both.
Do Australia and New Zealand accept it?
The IELTS partners state that the governments of Australia and New Zealand accept One Skill Retake results for visa and migration purposes. We could not read that on a Home Affairs or Immigration New Zealand page ourselves, so confirm on the department’s English-requirement page before you rely on it.
How much does One Skill Retake cost?
About two thirds of the full test fee wherever it is priced: ₹12,650 in India, PKR 47,630 to 48,050 in Pakistan, ৳18,600 in Bangladesh, LKR 46,600 in Sri Lanka, VND 2,940,000 in Vietnam, Rp 2,200,000 at IALF in Indonesia and AED 962 in the UAE. Nepal and Kazakhstan offer it without publishing a price.
How long do One Skill Retake results take?
Within 3 to 5 days, according to ielts.org. Book the retake early inside the 60-day window so the new form arrives before your application deadline.
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