IELTS announced on 5 October 2021 that it would offer a new at-home option called IELTS Online. It is a version of IELTS Academic with the same content and format as the paper and computer tests taken at a centre, covering Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking.
Key facts
- Announced 5 October 2021
- Test IELTS Academic, taken at home
- Launch 2022, limited countries
- Speaking Live, face to face online with an examiner
How it was planned
The Speaking test would be held live and face to face online with a trained IELTS examiner, rather than recorded. IELTS said it had built its own secure remote proctoring platform and would use proctors it manages directly. It expected validated results as soon as three days after the test.
Timing
IELTS said the test would be available in a limited number of countries in 2022, without naming them, and promised more details later. It launched in August 2022, when IELTS put the results time at six to eight days and said the test was not accepted for migration.
Why it mattered
At-home testing had grown during the pandemic, and other providers already offered online tests. IELTS Online gave students an at-home IELTS option for the first time, but only for the Academic test.
What this means
This was an announcement of a future product. If you are considering IELTS Online today, read the current ielts.org pages rather than this early notice, because details such as results time and availability changed at launch. Check that each university you are applying to accepts IELTS Online specifically, and remember that it is not suitable for visa or migration applications. Ask your university which format it prefers.