Aravind in Pune booked his IELTS with “Aravind K.” as his name, because that was how he signed his daily emails. His passport showed his name as “Aravind Krishnan”. He spent a stressful week getting the booking corrected before test day.

If you are booking IELTS in India, you register online on IDP’s official IELTS website. You choose Academic, General Training or IELTS for UKVI, pick a city, date and time slot, enter your details exactly as they appear in your passport, and pay online. A valid passport is required.

Seven Steps to Book Your Test

  1. Confirm the exact version your organisation needs, comparing Academic vs General Training or checking IELTS for UKVI.
  2. Open IDP’s official IELTS website, choose “Book now” and select your test type: Academic, General Training or IELTS for UKVI.
  3. Choose your test city and format. As of October 2026, IDP India lists IELTS on Computer and IELTS Writing on Paper, and says IELTS on Paper has been discontinued.
  4. Pick a date and time slot from the calendar of available dates.
  5. Fill in your personal details so every character matches your passport, then upload a copy of your passport when asked.

Incorrect: “Aravind K.”

Correct: Aravind Krishnan, matching the passport surname and given name fields.

  1. Review your details, then pay online. IDP India’s pages list net banking, UPI and cards.
  2. Save your confirmation email, which carries your IDP login details, and use the free official practice tests.

Registration Fees and Additional Costs

As of October 2026, IDP India lists the fee as ₹19,000 for IELTS Academic and General Training, whether you take IELTS on Computer or Writing on Paper. IELTS for UKVI on computer is ₹19,250. Confirm the current fee on IDP’s official IELTS website before paying, as fees can change.

You may also pay extra to transfer or cancel, apply for an Enquiry on Results re-mark, take an IELTS One Skill Retake or send results to more than five organisations.

Passport and Identification Requirements

Incorrect: “Any photo ID works.”

Correct: In India, you need your original, valid passport. IDP India applies a “no passport, no test” policy.

Bring the same passport on test day that you used when booking. IDP India says “valid” means not expired and clearly legible. If your passport is being renewed or expires before your test date, contact IDP before test day.

To fix a mistake in your booking details, use the Data Verification Sheet in your candidate login and upload your passport copy. IDP India says corrections take 2 working days.

Cancellation, Transfer and Refund Rules

As of October 2026, IDP India’s policy page lets you transfer an IELTS on Computer or Writing on Paper booking free of charge 15 or more days before your test date. From 5 to 14 days before, an administration fee of up to 25 percent applies; within 4 days, a transfer counts as a cancellation.

Incorrect: “I can cancel and get my full fee back.”

Correct: Cancelling 15 or more days ahead costs an administration fee of up to 25 percent, and nothing is refunded within 14 days.

IELTS for UKVI has a tiered refund, from 75 percent more than 14 days before the test down to nothing on or after test day. If illness, injury or another exceptional event stops you attending, you can apply to your test centre for special consideration, but approval is not guaranteed. Notice periods can differ between IDP India’s pages, so confirm the current terms in your candidate login first.

How to Select Your Test Date

Leave a buffer between your test date and your university or visa deadlines. A re-mark must be requested within 6 weeks of the test and a One Skill Retake within 60 days, so a test taken days before a deadline leaves no room for either. IDP India says slots can fill up quickly in busy periods and larger cities, so register in advance.

You do not choose a Speaking slot for IELTS on Computer. As of October 2026, IDP India’s FAQ says Speaking is on the same day as the other three parts, and your candidate login shows the time a few days before. The official IELTS guide says Speaking can be up to a week before or after in other cases.

To plan around results and test day, see our guides to IELTS results and validity, the IELTS test day checklist and the full IELTS exam pattern.

Tip

Compare every character of your booking details with your passport before you pay.

Key Takeaways

  • Book IELTS in India online through IDP’s official IELTS website.
  • Enter your details exactly as shown in your valid passport.
  • Academic and General Training fees are ₹19,000 as of October 2026; confirm before paying.
  • Cancelling 15+ days ahead costs up to 25 percent; within 14 days, nothing is refunded.
  • For IELTS on Computer, Speaking is on the same day as the other parts.

The bottom line: Match your passport details character for character, confirm fees and cancellation terms on IDP’s official IELTS website, and leave a buffer before your deadline.