IELTSVegaHow to book the IELTS test: IDP, British Council and booking in India
IELTS exam booking step by step: which official site to use, why India is IDP-only, the documents and fee, and booking IELTS for UKVI or at home.
Booking IELTS takes about fifteen minutes once you know which test you need. The exam is run by two organisations, the British Council and IDP, and you book through one of their official booking sites or at a test centre. Which one depends on your country, and in India the answer is only ever IDP. Here is the whole IELTS booking process, step by step.
Where to book IELTS: the official booking sites
Only book through an official channel. Agents can reserve a seat for you, but the booking itself is always made with the British Council or IDP, and the confirmation email comes from them.
| Where you are | Who runs IELTS | How to book |
|---|---|---|
| India | IDP only (since 25 July 2021) | IDP IELTS India website, or any IDP branch |
| UK | British Council and IDP | Either organisation's booking site; both offer IELTS for UKVI |
| Most other countries | British Council, IDP, or both | Search your city on ielts.org's test centre finder, then book with whichever runs that centre |
Can you book IELTS with the British Council in India?
No. The British Council stopped delivering IELTS in India on 25 July 2021, when IDP bought its Indian IELTS business. Every IELTS test in India, on computer or on paper, Academic, General Training or UKVI, is now booked and taken through IDP. The British Council in India still runs IELTS preparation courses, which is why its name keeps appearing in search results, but it does not sell test seats.
The test itself did not change. The same exam is marked to the same standard, and a result from an IDP centre is the same IELTS a British Council centre issues everywhere else. Universities and visa offices do not distinguish between them.
Step 1: Confirm which test you need
Check your university, employer or visa requirement for two things: the IELTS version (Academic or General Training) and the minimum band score, including any per-skill minimums. Booking the wrong version is the most common, and most costly, mistake, so confirm this first. If the score is for a UK visa, you need IELTS for UKVI, which is a separate product on the booking page.
Step 2: Choose your format and date
- Decide between computer-delivered (faster results, more dates) and paper-based.
- Pick a test date that leaves you enough preparation time: and, if results feed an application deadline, enough buffer afterwards.
- Note whether Speaking is on the same day or scheduled separately.
Step 3: Register and pay
Create an account on the official booking site for your country, select your test type, date and location, and complete payment. The fee varies by country: in India it is about INR 19,000 from 1 April 2026, and cards, net banking and UPI are all accepted. Your name, date of birth and passport number must match your passport exactly, because the same document is checked on test day.
Documents you need to book IELTS
If your passport is due to expire before test day, renew it first. Booking with one passport and arriving with a new one creates a mismatch the centre may refuse.
- A valid passport. In India the passport is required; a national ID card is not accepted for IELTS.
- A clear scan or photo of the passport's photo page to upload during registration.
- The same passport on test day. It is checked at registration and again before Speaking.
- An email address you check, because your confirmation, test day details and results notice all go there.
Booking IELTS for UKVI
IELTS for UKVI is booked the same way but is listed as its own test type, at centres approved by the UK Home Office. The paper is the same as regular IELTS Academic or General Training; the difference is the extra identity checks and the recording of the session. You cannot convert a regular IELTS booking into UKVI later, so choose it at the start if the result is for a UK visa application.
Booking IELTS Online (the at-home test)
IELTS Online is taken at home under a remote invigilator, and it is booked on the same sites. It must be booked at least 48 hours before the test. It is not the same as computer-delivered IELTS at a test centre, and it is not accepted for UK visa applications. Check that your university accepts it before you pay.
After you book: confirmation and your Speaking slot
You receive a confirmation email with your test date, venue and arrival time. Speaking is often on a different day from Listening, Reading and Writing. For IELTS on paper in India you can pick your Speaking slot during booking; if you do not, one is allocated about two days before the written test. Check that email carefully, because the Speaking time is the detail people miss.
Step 4: Prepare for test day
- Bring the same identity document you registered with, no exceptions.
- Arrive early; latecomers are usually refused entry.
- Know your test centre's rules on what you can bring into the room.
- For computer-delivered tests, arrive familiar with the on-screen interface.
Step 5: Get results and plan a retake if needed
Results (the Test Report Form) arrive within a few days for computer-delivered tests, or up to about two weeks for paper. If you fall short in one skill, you can now retake a single section with 'One Skill Retake' in many locations, rather than sitting the whole test again, check availability in your country.
Before you pay: the decisions that change your booking
Be ready before you book
The best time to book is when your practice scores are consistently at or above your target band. On IELTSVega you can benchmark yourself with full mock tests on real timing and get AI band scoring on Writing and Speaking, so you book your test date with confidence, not hope.