IELTS exam fee in India: ₹19,000 (Sept 2026)
The IELTS exam fee in India is ₹19,000 for Academic or General Training, computer or paper, as of September 2026. IDP raised it from ₹18,000 on 1 April 2026. UKVI is ₹19,250. Life Skills is ₹18,000. One Skill Retake is ₹12,650. GST is in every figure. Confirm on the IDP India fee page before you pay.
Pick your test
University, NMC, and most professional registration routes.
₹19,000
Same price on computer or paper. Computer results in 3 to 5 days.
Same country, same fee
IELTS exam fee in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and every other city
IDP's own ranking page talks city-wise. The number does not change with the city. You pay the national fee, then pick a centre.
IELTS fee by test type in India
One provider, IDP, one schedule. Figures below are for September 2026 and include GST.
| Test type | Fee (INR) | Who takes it |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS Academic (computer or paper) | ₹19,000 | University admission, professional registration |
| IELTS General Training (computer or paper) | ₹19,000 | Migration, work, some training programmes |
| IELTS for UKVI (Academic or General) | ₹19,250 | UK visa and immigration routes that need a SELT |
| IELTS Life Skills (A1 and B1) | ₹18,000 | UK family and settlement visas, speaking and listening only |
| IELTS One Skill Retake | ₹12,650 | Re-sit one section within 60 days of your original test |
Source: IDP IELTS India fee schedule, official IELTS test fees, and IDP India booking. Fees are reviewed most years on 1 April.
IDP India
Live fee table for Academic, GT, UKVI, Life Skills and OSR.
IELTS.org
How fees work worldwide, and that they vary by country.
GOV.UK SELT list
If your visa needs UKVI, book that test, not regular IELTS.
Do IDP and the British Council charge different fees in India?
There is no British Council IELTS fee in India. IDP has been the only IELTS provider here since 25 July 2021, when it bought the British Council India IELTS operation. One fee, one booking site, one set of centres. Your Test Report Form is still accepted worldwide, because IELTS is the same test whoever runs the centre.
If a coaching centre still says "compare IDP and British Council prices in India", that advice is old. Read the British Council announcement of the sale.
If your plans change
What it costs to reschedule or cancel
Transfer to a later date
| Test type | Transfer fee |
|---|---|
| Academic or General Training | ₹4,750 |
| IELTS for UKVI | ₹4,850 |
| Life Skills | ₹4,500 |
| One Skill Retake | ₹3,200 |
Cancelling for a refund
Standard test: 9 or more days before, full refund minus 25%. Less than 9 days, you lose 25% and the rest comes back in 7 to 10 working days.
UKVI and Life Skills: 14 or more days, 75% back. 2 to 14 days, 50%. Under 2 days or after the test, nothing.
One Skill Retake: 4 or more days, 75% back. Less than 4 days, no refund. A doctor's note can change this if you miss the test through illness.
What the IELTS fee does and does not include
Included in ₹19,000
- +All four sections: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking
- +Your Test Report Form, online in 3 to 5 days after a computer test, about 13 days after paper
- +One free copy sent to a receiving organisation you name at booking
- +GST. The fee is the same in every Indian city
Not included
- -Extra Test Report Forms after test day (about ₹250 each inside India)
- -One Skill Retake, booked and paid separately
- -Any coaching, mocks, or practice material
Exam fee vs coaching fees
The ₹19,000 goes to IDP for the test. Coaching is a different bill. Local centres often ask ₹8,000 to ₹25,000. Our live IELTS online course for India starts at £79. I would not mix the two numbers when you budget, and I would not pay IDP until a mock says you are close.
The mistake I see most is students paying ₹19,000 twice. They book, sit underprepared, miss Writing by half a band, and re-book. One student, Heena, did exactly that before she came to class, then hit the band after four weeks of marked practice. If a full mock is still short, the cheapest next step is not IDP.
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IELTS exam fee in India: common questions
The IELTS exam fee in India is ₹19,000 for Academic or General Training, computer or paper, as of September 2026. IELTS for UKVI is ₹19,250. Life Skills is ₹18,000. One Skill Retake is ₹12,650. GST is included. Confirm the live figure on IDP before you pay.
No. IDP charges the same national fee at every centre in India. City landing pages that imply a local price are describing the same ₹19,000 test.
There is no British Council IELTS fee in India. IDP has been the only provider here since 25 July 2021, when it bought the British Council India IELTS business. One provider, one fee, one booking route.
No. Computer and paper cost the same. Computer is faster on results: 3 to 5 days, against about 13 days for paper.
You are paying for a globally accepted, recorded, double-marked test with a speaking interview. IDP also reviews the India fee most years on 1 April. The expensive mistake is sitting it twice. A second booking is another ₹19,000.
For most universities and visa bodies, an IELTS Test Report Form is treated as valid for two years from the test date. Some organisations set their own window. Check the body that will receive your TRF, not a forum screenshot.
Band 4.5 is a limited user. It is below the 6.0 to 7.0 most universities, NMC, and skilled visas ask for. Use the band calculator with your four skills if you have a TRF in front of you.
Only if you are already close, usually 6.0 or 6.5, and the miss is technique rather than English. From 5.0, a month is not a plan, it is a gamble. I would rather you take a mock first and then decide between a crash course and a full course.
A later date costs ₹4,750 for Academic or General Training, ₹4,850 for UKVI, ₹4,500 for Life Skills, and ₹3,200 for One Skill Retake. You can also move earlier, up to 9 days before the original date, if a seat is free.
Standard test: 9 or more days before, full refund minus 25%. Less than 9 days, you lose 25% and the rest returns in 7 to 10 working days. UKVI and Life Skills use 14-day and 2-day cut-offs. One Skill Retake: 4 or more days, 75% back.
Classroom centres often charge ₹8,000 to ₹25,000. That is separate from the IDP exam fee. Our live online course starts at £79 and includes marked Writing and Speaking. Enquire before you pay IDP if your mock is still short of the band.
Next steps
How to Book IELTS in India
IDP account, test type, date, centre, payment.
ExploreIELTS Exam Pattern
Sections, timing, and scoring before you pay.
ExploreOne Skill Retake in India
Re-sit one skill for ₹12,650 instead of the full fee.
ExploreOnline course for India
Live classes so you are less likely to pay IDP twice.
Explore FreeFree IELTS mock test
Timed practice before you spend ₹19,000.
Explore FreeBand score calculator
Turn four section scores into an overall band.
ExploreDo not pay IDP twice
A second IELTS booking is another ₹19,000. A live course that gets you there the first time is cheaper than a retake.