Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, British Council IELTS has implemented some safety protocols at its official partner test centres to help protect the health and safety of all test takers and staff, and to limit the spread of the virus. Below are some of the frequently asked questions and answers.
Are IELTS test centres open?
You can use our “Select Province” filter at the top of this page to see which IELTS test centres are open near you. We are closely monitoring the restrictions and making updates regularly to give you the latest, most up to date information.
I have registered for an IELTS test, but due to COVID-19 restrictions, I am not sure if the test will happen. What should I do?
For questions regarding the status of your test, please contact your test center directly. Test centres usually send updates three to four days before the test. If you do not hear anything by then, please contact them either by email or by phone. They may take some time to respond to your request as they are not operating at full capacity due to the pandemic.
If your test is cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions, you will either be transferred to a later test date or will receive full refund.
I have been affected by COVID-19 or have been in contact with someone who has been affected by COVID-19 and I have scheduled an IELTS test. Can I attend my test?
Please Do Not attend your test if:
You are under 14-day compulsory quarantine, stay-at-home order, medical surveillance, or a self-quarantine order, as specified by the Provincial Government
You have been in contact with any person suspected to be exposed to COVID-19
You have a cold, fever, are short of breath or have flu-like symptoms
You have travelled in last 14 days and are still under quarantine period
If any of the above apply to you, you will not be able to take the test. Please contact your test centre by email and they will arrange a free reschedule or a full refund. Please also seek immediate medical help as appropriate.
Test centres may take some time to process your transfer or refund request as they are not operating at full capacity due to the pandemic. We appreciate your patience in this regard.
My test centre has rescheduled my test venue or speaking test time due to COVID-19. What should I do?
In some cases, your test centre may need to make changes to your test venue or speaking test time. In the event of any changes to your original registration, your test centre will send you an email to notify you of the change. Please read the email carefully to find the updated information.
For any other questions regarding rescheduling of your test, please contact your test center directly.
Can I travel to another province to take an IELTS test?
We understand that you may be considering available IELTS testing options in other provinces. There are currently travel restrictions and exemptions when moving between some provinces and territories in Canada. In most provinces you are required to self-isolate for 14 days when arriving or returning.
Please visit the link below for more information on those restrictions and what is expected when travelling between provinces.
Information on travel restrictions in Canada
What COVID-19 measures are being taken by the IELTS test centres on test day?
Your test centre may arrange staggered arrival times to avoid large gatherings of test takers coming into the test venue. You can get more details on COVID-19 related safety measures taken by your test centre on the instructions provided to you by the test centre. Please read them carefully and ensure that you arrive at the venue at your designated time.
Test centres will lso ask you to sign a self-declaration form to help them with the contact tracing in the event of any outbreak in their centre.
Rest assured all our test centres are required to carry out extensive cleaning and sanitizing before and after the test to ensure a safe and secure test environment.
What COVID-19 specific measures should I take on test day?
On test day:
- You should only bring the required items to your test as test centres may not be able to provide space to keep any additional belongings secure Only the test taker is allowed inside the test venue.
- You will be asked to sign a self-declaration form at the test venue
- Your temperature might be taken at the point of entry (if relevant)
- You will be asked to keep 2m distance from other test takers and staff at all times
- You will be requested to clean your hands upon arrival, either by washing them, or with hand sanitizer
- You must bring with you, and wear, a face mask that covers your mouth and nose. You may be requested to remove this momentarily for identification or other purposes. Staff and Examiners should also wear a face mask on test day
- To avoid long wait and large gathering, you may need to leave the venue temporarily after your listening/reading/writing test. In such a case, you should only return at least 15 minutes before your speaking test
What precautions should I take after the test?
As soon as the test is over you should not interact with any other test takers and you should leave the test venue immediately.
What should I do if I am diagnosed with COVID-19 fewer than 14 days after I took my test?
If you are diagnosed with COVID-19 fewer than 14 days after you took your IELTS test, you are requested to report this to your test centre by email. This will help ensure we can communicate with other test takers and follow government advice.
Our top priority is your health and safety.
How will my results be delivered?
Some test centres may send your Test Results Form (TRF) via regular mail or by courier. Due to the pandemic there might be delays in the delivery. Please do not forget to check with Test Day Supervisor about this before you leave the venue on the test day.
You are also able to view your results online through the test taker portal.
You can also view your TRF number in the test taker portal, if you need to produce that for your PR application or anything else.
How can I find out more about COVID-19?
For a list of useful links about COVID-19, please visit:
Government of Canada COVID-19 Page
Government of Canada Official Global Travel Advisories
The World Health Organization’s COVID-19 advice for the public
Links to COVID-19 information for Canadian Provinces:
Alberta
British Columbia
Manitoba
New Brunswick
Newfoundland & Labrador
Nova Scotia
Ontario
Prince Edward Island
Quebec
Saskatchewan
Links to COVID-19 information for Canadian Territories:
Northwest Territories
Nunavut
Yukon
