IELTS test day changes due to COVID-19

Are you heading into your IELTS test? Are you worried about how COVID-19 will affect your IELTS test day? There is a lot happening in the world right now, but know we are here to support you and help keep your work, study and migration goals on track.  

We have been following the advice of the World Health Organisation and relevant local governments to help create a healthy test day environment for all test takers. This includes additional safety measures to help protect you on your IELTS test day, as well as regular updates on IDP’s global community #inthistogther.  

Here is a summary of some of the additional precautions we have introduced for your test day: 

1. Ask you to sign a health declaration 

2. Test takers and staff may wear a mask 

3. Hand sanitisers readily available 

4. Test room disinfection & deep cleaning 

5. Additional spacing for test takers and reduced group sizes 

6. Partitions in IELTS on computer test rooms

For the health and safety of all test takers, the test centre will ask you to complete a self-declaration form confirming you are fit and healthy to sit your IELTS test. 

If you experience any of the following, ensure you contact your test centre immediately and discuss options to reschedule your test:

• If you have been in contact with a person suspected to have been exposed to novel corona virus 

• If you are unwell, have a cough or fever, or are showing flu-like symptoms such as a shortness of breath or sore throat 

• If you are currently under compulsory self-isolation 

Test centre staff and examiners may wear a face mask to cover their mouth and nose during your IELTS test. We also advise you bring your own mask and wear it throughout your test for your own safety. Test centre staff may ask you to uncover your face temporarily during security checks. 

As we know, washing your hands regularly can help prevent the spread of COVID-19  virus. You will be asked to wash your hands regularly throughout your test day, from when you arrive, right through to when you finish your test. Test centre staff will also have anti-bacterial hand sanitiser for you to use throughout the day. 

To ensure your safety, we will disinfect all test-related equipment. This includes items such as desks, chairs, headphones, keyboards and other items you will need to successfully complete your IELTS test.   

We will follow the social distancing guidelines outlined by the World Health Organisation for your safety. Test venues are providing more personal space for all test takers. This may include partitions to help separate desks in the IELTS on computer test rooms. 

Again, following the World Health Organisations guidelines, and to ensure your safety, all test venues will run test sessions at a reduced capacity to allow for ample spacing between test takers.  

Our IELTS on computer test rooms will be equipped with partitions to help protect test takers.

While IELTS testing has paused in some countries, use this time to study for your upcoming test. Here are some tips and official IELTS resources you can use to get ahead: 

• Set up a study plan to keep your work, study or migration goals on track. 

• Download our free practice tests to get a better understanding of the questions you might encounter.

• If you are taking IELTS on a computer, download our free support tools and get familiar with the test format. 

• Join the conversation online, with daily tips on preparation on our Facebook channels.  

• Watch our suite of preparation videos on our YouTube channel.

On a less serious note, some fun ways you can practice English at home, include: 

• Singing along to English songs 

• Watching films or television shows in English (with subtitles) 

• Listening to English radio, podcasts or audio books. 

And remember, we are here to help you achieve your work, study and migration goals.