IELTS · Guides · October 24, 2026 · 4 min read
IELTS in Kazakhstan 2026: 110,250 KZT fee, test cities, registration and Kaspi payment
The IELTS fee in Kazakhstan is 110,250 KZT for Academic or General Training, and 121,000 KZT for IELTS for UKVI with British Council (IDP lists 123,000 KZT). Two organisers run the test: IDP in about 20 cities and British Council in 13. Almaty has computer-delivered sessions every day, three times a day.
We checked the figures below on the IDP Kazakhstan and British Council Kazakhstan sites; the test and UKVI fees were rechecked on the booking pages on 2 November 2026. Centres can change fees, so confirm the amount on the booking page before you pay.
IELTS fee in Kazakhstan
| Test | Fee |
|---|---|
| IELTS Academic or General Training (computer) | 110,250 KZT |
| IELTS for UKVI (Academic or General) | 121,000 KZT (British Council), 123,000 KZT (IDP) |
| IELTS Life Skills A1 or B1 (IDP) | 100,250 KZT |
| One Skill Retake (British Council) | 69,500 KZT |
The IDP fees are published on its centre pages. British Council shows its fee for the full test only in its booking system; One Skill Retake is listed in its FAQ (as of August 2026). IDP does not publish its One Skill Retake or remark fees, so check them when you book.
Test cities
- IDP: about 20 cities, including Almaty, Astana, Karaganda, Shymkent, Aktau, Aktobe, Atyrau, Kokshetau, Kostanay, Kyzylorda, Pavlodar, Petropavlovsk, Semey, Taldykorgan, Taraz, Turkestan, Uralsk and Ust-Kamenogorsk, plus SDU University in Kaskelen.
- British Council: Almaty, Astana, Aktau, Aktobe, Atyrau, Karagandy, Kostanay, Oskemen, Pavlodar, Shymkent, Taldykorgan, Taraz and Turkistan.
British Council runs the test on computer only. IDP’s Almaty centre lists sessions every day at 09:00, 13:00 and 16:30, all on computer. Speaking is face to face with an examiner, sometimes on a different day.
How to book and pay
- Choose the test. Academic for university, General Training for work and migration, IELTS for UKVI for most UK visas. See Academic vs General Training.
- Book online at ielts.idp.com/kazakhstan or kazakhstan.britishcouncil.org, or at an IDP office.
- ID. British Council accepts a Kazakh ID card or passport, the same one you registered with; electronic documents and eGov copies are not accepted. IDP asks for a passport scan. Foreign candidates need a passport. If you will use the result abroad, book with your passport.
- Pay. IDP accepts card payment and has an official Kaspi payment page. British Council accepts Visa or Mastercard, Kaspi, bank transfer or partner offices, in tenge only; payments from sanctioned banks are frozen.
Transfer and cancellation
| IDP | British Council | |
|---|---|---|
| 15 days or more before | free transfer, or cancel with 75% refund | free transfer, or cancel with a refund minus a 33,000 KZT fee |
| 5–14 days before | transfer with a fee of up to 25%; no refund | transfer for 33,000 KZT; no refund |
| Less than 5 days | no transfer, no refund | no transfer, no refund |
British Council allows up to five transfers in total. IDP lets you cancel a One Skill Retake with a full refund up to 72 hours before it.
Results and One Skill Retake
- Results: 1–2 days for British Council’s computer test and UKVI; 1–5 days with IDP; One Skill Retake in 3–5 days. Since 1 June 2026, British Council issues only an electronic Test Report Form. More in IELTS results.
- One Skill Retake: retake one section within 60 days of your test.
- Remark: apply within six weeks of the test.
What score you need in Kazakhstan
- Nazarbayev University, undergraduate: IELTS 6.0 overall with Writing 6.0 and at least 5.5 in the other sections. Conditional admission is possible from 5.0 with no section below 5.0; the Foundation Year needs 5.5. Applications for the current cycle close on 28 November 2026.
- Nazarbayev University, master’s: Academic IELTS 6.0, usually with Writing 6.0 and 5.5 in the other sections (some programmes accept Writing 5.5). IELTS Online is not accepted.
- Bolashak: at least IELTS Academic 5.5 for master’s and doctoral study abroad.
- KIMEP, bachelor’s: IELTS 5.5 with no section below 5.0.
Requirements as of 24 October 2026; check the official page before you apply. What each band means: IELTS bands and CEFR levels.
Common questions
IDP or British Council? The test and certificate are identical. IDP covers more cities and has daily sessions in Almaty; British Council’s transfer fee is fixed rather than a percentage.
Can I pay with Kaspi? Yes, both organisers accept Kaspi.
How do I avoid paying 110,250 KZT twice? Check your level first. The Nomto practice test uses the same on-screen format and gives a band for every section. Practise the question types that cost the most marks, such as matching headings and Task 1 line graphs.
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