IELTS Exam Fees in India 2026: Check Registration, Cancellation, Rescheduling Fees

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IELTS Academic vs General Training Fee

IELTS has 4 main test types for Indian students. Academic and General Training cost the same. UKVI costs INR 250 more because IDP shares your test details with the UK Home Office. Life Skills is cheaper because it tests only speaking and listening.

Select the right version at the time of IELTS registration. After registration, you can change the selected IELTS version. Any changes can be made by cancellation or rebooking, which means you lose part of the fee.

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IELTS Fee Breakdown by Test Type in 2026

IELTS has different versions of the test, which are available in online and offline mode. Applicants need to pay the fees accordingly. The fees for IELTS Academic and General Training are the same. The cost for the UKVI version is a bit more than Academic or General Training. 

If any applicant is unable to get their desired scores, they can appear for IELTS One Skill Retake. In this, applicants can give an exam of any 1 skill out of 4 and improve their overall scores. Applicants must check on the official website of their desired universities if they accept One Skill Retake scores.

You can retake within 60 days of your IELTS exam only if you have given it in computer-based mode.

Also read: Computer-Based vs Paper-Based IELTS: Which Is Better?

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IELTS Fee Including GST and Taxes in India

A common question is whether IDP charges an extra 18 percent GST on top of the base fee. The answer is no. The INR 19,000 you see on the IDP India booking page is the full, final amount. GST and all other taxes are already included.

Your card or bank account is charged exactly INR 19,000. There is no separate tax invoice at checkout. There is no extra processing charge for paying by card, UPI or net banking. 

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Additional IELTS Service Fees

Beyond the base fee, IDP charges for date changes, cancellations, score rechecking, and sending extra score reports. Most Indian candidates end up paying at least one of these during their study abroad cycle.

IELTS Rescheduling or Transfer Fee

You can reschedule your IELTS exam date up to 5 weeks before your original test date, or prepone up to 9 days before. This can be aligned only if IDP has a slot free, in peak season, this might be impossible due to high demand.

IELTS Rechecking Fee (Enquiry on Results)

If any applicant feels that their IELTS Results or any of their skills is not scored properly, they can apply for re-checking. To apply for this, applicants need to submit an EOR (Enquiry of Results) from their IDP account. Applicants can apply for it only within 6 weeks from the test date. 

The re-checking fees are: 

Additional Score Report Fee 2026

Applicants can send their scores to any 5 universities for free, which they select at the time of registration. Any further requirements will be charged at INR 350. You can select 5 more universities per day to send the scores once you receive your scores. If you require to send further to more universities, you can do it after a gap of 24 hours. 

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How to Pay the IELTS Exam Fee in India 

IDP accepts both online and offline payments. Online is faster because your slot is booked the moment your payment clears. Offline payments take 3 to 5 working days to confirm your slot.

You can pay the IELTS fee in India in these ways:

• Credit or debit card: Visa, Mastercard, American Express and RuPay cards from any Indian bank
• Net banking: All major Indian banks including SBI, HDFC, ICICI, Axis and Kotak
• UPI: Pay directly from your bank account through the IDP payment gateway
• Demand draft: Drawn in favor of "IDP EDUCATION INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED, payable at New Delhi"
• Bank deposit: Cash deposit at any ICICI or HDFC branch, using the deposit slip from the IDP website

You cannot pay cash directly at IDP branch offices. IDP does not offer EMI or part payments. You must pay the full INR 19,000 upfront.

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IELTS Fee Refund Policy

The IELTS cancellation rules in India depend on the test type. Academic and General Training use a 9-day rule. UKVI and Life Skills use a graded refund schedule tied to your test date. Check your IELTS test date before you request a cancellation, since the refund amount depends on how many days are left.

Cancellation for IELTS Academic or General Training

If you cancel 9 or more days before the test date, IDP reviews your request with supporting documents. On approval, the refund reaches you in 7 to 10 working days. If you cancel within 9 days of the test, IDP keeps 25 percent of the fee (around INR 4,750) and refunds the rest.

Cancellation for IELTS UKVI or Life Skills

UKVI and Life Skills follow a graded refund table:

Cancellation for One Skill Retake

If you cancel 4 or more days before your retake, IDP keeps 25 percent (around INR 3,200) as a processing charge and refunds the rest. If you cancel within 4 days, you get no refund.

Also read: IELTS Cancellation and Rescheduling Policy 2026

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City-Wise IELTS Fee 2026

The IELTS fee is the same across every IDP test center in India. Whether you book in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, or a smaller Tier 2 city, you pay INR 19,000. This is a fixed policy from IDP. There is no premium for metros and no discount for smaller cities. 

Slot availability, though, does change by city. Metros like Delhi, Bangalore, Mumbai, and Hyderabad offer 4 to 8 test dates every month. Tier 2 cities like Coimbatore, Nagpur or Ranchi may have only 1 or 2 dates a month. These slots fill up 6 to 8 weeks in advance during peak intake seasons (July to October and January to March).

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IELTS Fee vs Other English Tests Fee 2026

Indian test takers often weigh IELTS against TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, Duolingo English Test and OET before they pay. On price alone, IELTS is one of the costlier options. But it is also accepted by more universities and visa offices worldwide.

Here’s a comprehensive breakdown of the fees of IELTS and other English proficiency exams:

Duolingo is the cheapest but is not accepted by all top universities. OET is only for healthcare workers. For most study abroad plans covering the UK, Canada, Australia, USA, Ireland and New Zealand, IELTS remains the safest choice.

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IELTS Scholarships and Fee Waivers

IDP does not offer direct fee waivers for IELTS in India. But applicants can apply for IELTS Scholarships, which can help them financially. 2 reward scholarships for high scorers are:

• IELTS Prize by IDP (up to INR 5.3 lakh for Band 7.5+ students planning to study abroad)
• British Council IELTS Awards (partial tuition for a small pool each year).

Some universities abroad also refund the IELTS fee to enrolled students, which brings your net spend below INR 19,000.

Also read: Check How Indian Students Can Waive IELTS Fees 

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The IELTS exam fee in India for 2026 is about INR 19,000 for most test types. Extra services like rescheduling, cancellation, or rechecking cost additional money. Knowing these costs in advance helps you avoid unnecessary expenses. Planning properly can help you manage your budget better. Pick your date only after you confirm your IELTS eligibility and target band, prep for 6 to 8 weeks, and use One Skill Retake at INR 12,650 if you fall short in only one section.