IELTS Steps

Always check which test you are required to take. For example, you can usually find this information on the admissions webpages of the university you are applying to. 

The IELTS test options are General Training, Academic, and UKVI. Universities and other educational institutions tend to require the Academic IELTS test.

Please choose how you wish to take your test – on paper or computer.

Upcoming test dates are available on the registration website. On average, we run IELTS on paper tests once per month on Saturdays and IELTS on computer tests twice per week.

Visit the British Council website for registration and booking here.

Choose the date that suits your schedule. Please take into account that results from the IELTS on paper and IELTS on computer tests are available 13 and 3-5 days after the test, respectively.

Please ensure you have the identification document that you will use on the test day at hand, to upload and complete your booking. Please see our requirements on acceptable identification (ID) documents. 

Registration closes when the test session becomes full, and it will no longer appear on the registration website. Please book as early as possible to leave enough time for preparation and to ensure you meet your application deadlines. 

Cancellations can sometimes occur, and we can put you on a waiting list. To request to be placed on a waiting list, please send an email to ielts@finnbrit.fi with your name and the test session date you would like to transfer to, and we will inform you should a place become available. 

You will receive messages as you progress through the above steps confirming where you are in the process. You will receive a confirmation of

1. your registration
2. your test booking
3. the approval of your ID document
4. your payment

You will receive the confirmation of the test date once all parts of your application are complete, including Finnbrit receiving a valid ID document and full payment. Please read through the confirmation as soon as you receive it, and mark the date, times, and location(s) in your diary.

Plan your preparation timeline. Depending on your language competency level, it may take weeks or even months of preparation to ensure you get the score you need. Make sure you understand the IELTS test format and what is expected of you on the test day. Once you are familiar with the IELTS test format, you should practice using focused preparation materials.

Finnbrit offers a wide selection of IELTS preparation possibilities. You can choose from a full-length IELTS Preparation Course, many on-demand modules, or one-to-one tutoring with an experienced IELTS tutor. For local Finnbrit IELTS preparation courses, both online and face-to-face, please see here.

The British Council offers an abundance of materials to help you prepare for the IELTS test. Please click here for the official candidate information booklet and here for British Council IELTS Preparation Materials. They also offer free sample materials and mobile applications such as IELTS Word Power and IELTS Prep. Preparation advice can also be found here on the British Council’s Learn English website.

Ensure you are at the location indicated by the address on the confirmation message in advance of the time booked for you. Ensure that you have all the necessary items with you. Click here for the timings and the items needed. If you arrive late, you will not be allowed to take the test and you will not be eligible for a refund or transfer.

The IELTS Test Report Form (or TRF) is the official confirmation of your test result that can be shared as proof of your English language proficiency.

If you have taken IELTS on paper, your results would be available 13 days after your test date. You will receive an email confirmation of the results’ release, and you will be able to see a summary of your result in your Test Taker Portal. The paper copy of the TRF will be delivered by post. Please allow at least seven working days for the postal delivery of the TRF. You can also request to collect the result from our test centre. This request should be made by email to IELTS@finnbrit.fi before the results are released. We cannot send IELTS on Paper results to test takers electronically.

If you have taken IELTS on computer, your results will be released 3-5 days after the test. You will receive an email confirmation of the results’ release. You will receive your results electronically only. You can download the electronic version (eTRF) from the Test Taker portal 3-8 days after your test. We will not issue an additional paper Test Report Form.

You can print your electronic Test Report Form (eTRF) to send it to the organisations you are applying to, or you can send it via email. Alternatively, you can send your results direct to the organization through the Test Taker portal.

IELTS for UKVI results are available after 3-5 days. You will receive an email confirmation of the results’ release, and you will be able to see a summary of your result in your Test Taker Portal. The paper copy of the TRF will be delivered by post. Please allow at least seven working days for the postal delivery of the TRF. You can also request to collect the result from our test centre. This request should be made by email to IELTS@finnbrit.fi before the results are released. We cannot send IELTS for UKVI results to test takers electronically.

Life Skills results are available 7 days after the test. You will receive an email confirmation of the results’ release, and you will be able to see a summary of your result in your Test Taker Portal. The paper copy of the TRF will be delivered by post. Please allow at least seven working days for the postal delivery of the TRF. You can also request to collect the result from our test centre. This request should be made by email to IELTS@finnbrit.fi before the results are released. We cannot send Life Skills results to test takers electronically.

If you lose your Test Report Form at any stage, or have questions about your results, please contact us.

Please keep your copy of the results report safe at all times and do not give it away. IELTS results are valid for two years and cannot be replaced.

We can send your results to a maximum of five institutions free of charge. Please enter the names and addresses of the institutions through the IELTS Test Taker Portal or send us an email with your name and test date to ielts@finnbrit.fi. Please include the words “Test Report Forms” and your test date in the subject line of the email. Some institutions can receive results electronically, via a secure results website, provided they have registered for the service. If the institution you are dealing with wants your IELTS results uploaded or submitted by email, that means they expect you to send your result form electronically (IELTS on Paper result forms need to be scanned or photographed), making it into a file such as PDF, and providing them with that image. Test centres are not able to issue IELTS on Paper results in the form of a PDF style file.

Click here to see how to interpret your IELTS results.

IELTS One Skill Retake is a new feature offering you the opportunity to retake just one section of IELTS – Listening, Reading, Writing, or Speaking, saving you time and money.
The format and timing of the test is the same as the section which examines the individual skill in a normal IELTS test.
If you choose IELTS One Skill Retake, you will receive a second Test Report Form with your IELTS One Skill Retake score, the scores from your original test and an overall CEFR score. You can choose whether you would like to use your old or new Test Report Form for the skill you retook.
IELTS One Skill Retake is available to test takers who have completed a full IELTS on Computer test and must be booked within 60 days of the original IELTS test being taken.
Find out more

If you wish to make an enquiry about your test results, or have any section of the test re-marked, you can submit an Enquiry on Results (EOR) request up to six weeks after your test date.

You can do this online through the Test Taker Portal or at the centre where you sat your test. There is a charge for having a section re-marked, but this will be refunded if your score increases for any section of the test.

The outcome of Enquiry on Result (EOR) can become available on the same day as your application or up to 21 days after your application. The time it takes depends on several factors, including the number of sections you’ve asked us to re-mark.

Please note that the only acceptable forms of ID are a

1. Valid passport 
2. National Identity Card issued by an EU/EEA country.

Unfortunately, we are not able to accept documents such as driving licenses or residence permits.

If you wish to register for the test, but do not have one of the above documents, please contact the Finnbrit office before booking a test.

Important: The same ID must be used to register and to identify yourself at the test.

The IELTS test has been designed to be a fair test. We make every effort to cater for the special requirements of our candidates. Please contact the Finnbrit office by email, attaching a medical certificate, to discuss your special requirements as soon as possible.

Please note that if your circumstances require special administrative arrangements to be made, for example, if you need extra time, or if you need to use technology such as a screen reader, you must give the test centre a minimum of six (6) weeks’ notice. Please note that it may take as long as three (3) months if you require a modified version of the test, for example, a large print or Braille version. This notice period is necessary for the modified test version to be prepared.

Examples of provisions are listed below.

If you have a visual impairment, we can provide
– enlarged print and Braille test papers
– an amanuensis to write answers
– a Braille word-processor

 If you have hearing difficulties, we can arrange
– special amplification equipment
– a lip-reading version of the Listening module

If you have learning difficulties, for example, dyslexia, we can arrange
-a word processor
-voice-activated software
-extra time for the Reading and Writing tests