Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about the IELTS test.
IELTS frequently asked questions
I want to take IELTS with the British Council. What is the procedure for registering?
You can book your IELTS test online, on the British Council Ghana website: https://www.britishcouncil.org.gh/exam/ielts/book-test.
Why Take the IELTS with the British Council
Find out why millions of people take IELTS from the British Council to achieve their goals abroad or remotely.
What do I need to register for IELTS?
You will need a valid ID card to register for IELTS. You can use your National ID or passport if you are a Ghanaian citizen. If you are not a citizen of Ghana, please use your passport to register for IELTS.
How do I make payment after completing my registration?
Online
Payment can be made online with a bank card while registering on our website.
Offline
You can also make payment offline at any Standard Chartered Bank with your IELTS registration reference number.
Your payment should be made within two working days of your booking.
If you are unable to make payment two working days after booking your IELTS test, your registration will only be reinstated when your payment is received.
We will transfer your test to the next available date if the date you registered for is no longer available.
A confirmation email will be sent to you once registration is complete.
How do I make payment at the bank?
You will not need our account details to pay for your IELTS test because we have a British Council deposit slip at every Standard Chartered Bank in Ghana.
Complete the deposit slip at the bank by selecting the service you are paying for, filling in the details and inputting the last seven digits of your exam registration reference number.
Please make payment after that and allow a calendar day or two to receive a confirmation email.
How do I prepare for the IELTS test?
When you take IELTS with the British Council, you can access IELTS Ready Premium, our most comprehensive IELTS preparation course, for free. Worth $60, IELTS Ready Premium includes practice tests, video tutorials and interactive exercises to help you succeed. IELTS Ready Member is our free version of IELTS Ready Premium, which you can access before you register for IELTS. Find out more about IELTS Ready Member here: https://takeielts.britishcouncil.org/take-ielts/prepare/ielts-ready/member
You can also access IELTS Coach for one-on-one and group classes online.
Find practice tests, video tutorials, recommended books and more to help you prepare for IELTS on our website: https://www.britishcouncil.org.gh/exam/ielts/prepare
What are the IELTS band indicators?
You will receive a band score for each section of the IELTS test. Click here to find out how band scores are calculated.
What to expect on the Test Day
Wondering what to expect on your IELTS test day? Watch the video to find out what happens when you take IELTS with the British Council.
When will I get my IELTS results?
Please visit our Test Taker Portal to preview your IELTS band score.
When you take IELTS on Computer, your results will become available in 1-5 calendar days.
When you take IELTS on Paper, your results will become available 13 calendar days after you have taken the test.
When will I get a physical copy of my result?
If you have taken IELTS on Computer, you can download the electronic version of your Test Report Form (TRF) from the Taker Portal 1-5 days after your test. IELTS on Computer Test Report Forms are only available online.
If you have taken IELTS on Paper, a physical copy will be issued after your results are published on the Test Taker Portal. The Test Report Form should be delivered to your location for free via courier within 10 working days. We will send you an email after your test with a link so you can provide your location details for delivery.
What address am I to state when completing the courier form?
You are required to provide a valid physical address (location) for the courier of your test results to be completed. Please note that we do not deliver to post boxes or digital addresses.
Can I get my results over the phone or via email?
IELTS results will not be disclosed over the phone or via email. Please visit the Test Taker Portal to preview your results.
Learn more: https://youtu.be/H1jskuIdnp0
Can someone pick up my Test Report Form on my behalf?
To arrange for your Test Report Form to be collected on your behalf, please email infoghana@gh.britishcouncil.org with your request ahead of time. An authorisation form will be sent to you to complete and send back along with a copy of your ID and the authorised person’s ID. The person collecting your Test Report Form on your behalf must bring their ID along to the office.
How do I send my results to an institution?
When your IELTS results are ready, you can visit our test taker portal to request that we send your Test Report Form (TRF) directly to the institutions you are applying to, whether you have taken a computer-delivered or a paper-based test. If the institution you have applied to work or study at is not on the list of organisations for you to choose from, please reach out to infoghana@gh.britishcouncil.org for assistance. If you have taken IELTS UKVI, please email infoghana@britishcouncil.org to request an additional Test Report Form.
Institutions require original IELTS Test Report Forms as part of their application requirements.
We can send up to ten additional copies of your TRF directly to institutions you are applying to (e.g. universities, immigration officers, etc.). If you would like us to do this, kindly follow the link below to submit your request.
https://www.eventsforce.net/britishcouncil/3202/home
Please remember to provide the full postal address of the institutions you want us to send your Test Report Form. Without the complete address, we are not able to check whether the institution has access to the IELTS Test Report Form Verification Service that allows it to view your results after we have submitted them electronically. In case they do not access this service, we will send your TRF by post.
What does my IELTS score mean?
You will be awarded an IELTS band score from 0-9 for each test section, which reflects your proficiency in English.
Your TRF shows a score for each of the four skills (Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking), as well as an overall band score. You can score whole band scores (for example 5.0, 6.0, 7.0) or half band scores (e.g. 5.5, 6.5, 7.5) in each section of the test.
How long are my IELTS results valid for?
Whether you have taken IELTS on Computer or IELTS on Paper, organisations will usually not accept your results if they are more than two years old.
Can my IELTS test be re-marked?
If you did not receive the score you expected, you can apply for your test to be re-marked. This is called an Enquiry on Results (EOR). You can choose which test sections you want to be re-marked and will need to request this at the test centre where you took the test.
When and how can I get my IELTS test re-marked?
You must apply for a re-marking no later than six weeks after the test date, regardless of whether you have taken IELTS on Computer or IELTS on Paper. Request an Enquiry on Results by visiting the link below:
When will my re-mark request be completed?
Your Enquiry on Results result will normally be available in 2 to 21 days, depending on several factors including the number of sections requested for remark. If you have not received a response after 21 days, please contact your test centre.
Can I retake my IELTS test?
There are no restrictions on re-taking IELTS Academic, IELTS UKVI or IELTS General Training. You can book a new test as soon as you feel you are ready to do so. However, if you achieved a PASS for IELTS UKVI Life Skills, you will not be able to retake the test until your results expire.
If you take IELTS on Computer, you can apply for One Skill Retake and only rewrite the sections that require improvement. Find out more about One Skill Retake here: https://takeielts.britishcouncil.org/take-ielts/one-skill-retake/faqs