IELTS · Articles · October 20, 2026 · 5 min read
IELTS exam fee in India 2026: ₹19,000, UKVI, One Skill Retake, transfer and refund rules
The IELTS exam fee in India is ₹19,000 for both Academic and General Training. The price is the same in every city and for both ways of taking the test: fully on computer, or with the Writing section on paper. IELTS for UKVI costs ₹19,250.
We checked every figure on this page on the official IDP India site (ieltsidpindia.com) on 20 October 2026. IDP reviews the fee periodically, so look at the booking page before you pay.
IELTS fees in India by test type
| Test | Fee |
|---|---|
| IELTS on Computer, Academic or General Training | ₹19,000 |
| IELTS on Computer with Writing on Paper | ₹19,000 |
| IELTS for UKVI (on computer) | ₹19,250 |
| IELTS Life Skills A1 or B1 | ₹18,000 |
| One Skill Retake | ₹12,650 |
In India IELTS is booked through IDP. The fully paper-based test was discontinued in 2026; what remains on paper is only the Writing section, while Listening and Reading are done on computer. Speaking is face to face with an examiner in every format.
IELTS for UKVI
IELTS for UKVI is the same test as Academic or General Training, taken under the extra security rules the UK Home Office requires. You need it for many UK visas: work visas, family visas, and study below degree level. Universities admitting you to a degree course usually accept the standard IELTS Academic, so check your offer letter before paying the extra ₹250.
IELTS Life Skills (₹18,000) is a different, shorter test of speaking and listening at A1 or B1. It is only for certain UK family and settlement visas, not for study.
One Skill Retake: ₹12,650
If one section pulled your overall band down, you can retake just that section instead of the whole test.
- You have 60 days from your original test date to sit the retake.
- The original test must have been taken on computer.
- You can retake one skill: Listening, Reading, Writing or Speaking.
- You get a new Test Report Form and decide which result to send.
- It cannot be used for UK visas, and some organisations do not accept it at all. Canada’s Express Entry, for example, does not. Check with the university or immigration authority first.
A retake costs about two-thirds of a full test, so it pays off only when the other three sections already meet your target. To see whether one more half band in a single skill lifts your overall score, try the band score calculator.
Transfer (reschedule) fee
| Test | Transfer fee |
|---|---|
| IELTS on Computer / Writing on Paper | ₹4,750 |
| IELTS for UKVI (on computer) | ₹4,850 |
| IELTS Life Skills | ₹4,500 |
| One Skill Retake | ₹3,200 |
The timing rules on IDP India’s transfer and cancellation policy page are:
- IELTS on Computer, Writing on Paper, One Skill Retake. 15 days or more before the test: free transfer. 5–14 days before: transfer allowed with an administrative fee of up to 25% of the test fee. Within 4 days: no transfer; a request is treated as a cancellation.
- IELTS for UKVI and Life Skills. More than 14 days before the test: one transfer per booking, to a date within three months of the original one, with a fee of up to 25%. Within 14 days: treated as a cancellation.
Requests go through the Candidate Login on the IDP site or a paper form at the centre. The new date depends on availability.
Cancellation and refund
IELTS on Computer, Writing on Paper and One Skill Retake. Cancel 15 days or more before the test and you get your money back minus an administration fee of up to 25%. Within 14 days of the test the fee is not refunded.
IELTS for UKVI and Life Skills.
| When you cancel | Refund |
|---|---|
| More than 14 days before the test | 75% |
| 3–14 days before | 50% |
| Within 2 days of the test | 25% |
| On the test day or later | nothing |
Refunds arrive within 7–10 working days of the request. IDP may ask for supporting documents.
Note that IDP India’s fee page and its separate policy page did not match on 20 October 2026: the fee page still mentions a 9-day cut-off for cancelling a computer test and a 4-day cut-off for One Skill Retake. The rules above are from the dedicated policy page. Before you cancel, check the terms shown in your Candidate Login, since those are the ones that apply to your booking.
Other costs
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Enquiry on Results (remark), IELTS on Computer | ₹14,250 |
| Enquiry on Results, IELTS for UKVI | ₹14,400 |
| Enquiry on Results, One Skill Retake | ₹9,450 |
| Enquiry on Results, Life Skills | ₹13,500 |
| Extra Test Report Forms sent electronically | first 5 free, then ₹350 each |
A remark can be requested within 6 weeks of your test, and the fee is refunded if your band goes up. At ₹14,250 it is worth it only when you are a half band short of your target in one section and your performance felt clearly better than the result. How the bands are set is explained in the IELTS marking criteria.
You can send your result to up to five organisations a day; after that, log in again 24 hours later.
How to pay
IDP India accepts:
- Credit or debit card and net banking on the booking site.
- A demand draft payable to IDP Education India Private Limited, New Delhi.
- A deposit at an ICICI or HDFC bank branch using IDP’s deposit slip.
Common questions
Is the fee different for Academic and General Training? No. Both cost ₹19,000.
Is the fee different in Delhi, Mumbai, Chandigarh or Hyderabad? No. IDP charges the same fee at every centre in India.
Does the fee include GST? IDP’s refund rules speak of refunding the fee “inclusive of all taxes”, so the listed price is the full amount you pay.
How can I avoid paying twice? Most people retake IELTS because of one weak section, most often Writing or Speaking. Take a timed practice test first: a free IELTS mock test shows which section needs work before you spend ₹19,000. For the overall structure of the exam, see the IELTS test format.
How long is the result valid? Organisations usually accept results for two years. Details are in how long IELTS results are valid.