Special Requirements

• Our official IELTS test centres can help if you have visual, hearing, speaking or learning difficulties. If you need a modified version of IELTS, please give the test centre three months’ notice.
• If special arrangements (for example, extra time) need to be made then please give the test centre six weeks' notice.
• Your English language ability will be assessed objectively, regardless of any disability or special needs that you may have.
• What do special arrangements include?
  • braille papers
  • special Listening CD with necessary stops and pauses
  • lip-reading version of the Listening test
  • enlarged print or Speaking task cards in Braille.

• What sort of help can I get?

  If you have a visual impairment, we can provide:

  • enlarged print
  • Braille test papers
  • an amanuensis to write the answers for you.

  If you have hearing difficulties, we can offer:

  • special amplification equipment
  • a lip-reading version of the Listening module.

  If you have dyslexia, we can arrange:

  • extra time for the Reading and Writing tests.
• Please contact your local test centre as soon as possible if you have special needs that may require a modified IELTS test version.
• Tell your centre if you have special requirements
• In order to ensure that the language ability of all test takers is assessed fairly and objectively, IELTS provides a comprehensive service for test takers who have special requirements, including specific learning difficulties, hearing difficulties, visual difficulties, medical conditions or infant feeding.
• If you require a modified version of the test, for example a Large Print or Braille version, you must give the test centre three months’ notice.
• This notice period is necessary for the modified test version to be prepared.
• If your circumstances require special administrative arrangements to be made, for example if you need extra time or you need to use access technology such as a screen reader, you must give the test centre six weeks’ notice.

• Special requirement

  Modified version of test
  Examples

  • Braille paper
  • Modified large papers
  • Enlarged written prompts on the Speaking task card
  • Special Listening test
  • Lip reading version of Listening test
  Notice period required

  3 months
• Special requirement

  Special administrative arrangements
  Examples

  • Extra time
  • Special amplification equipment
  • Word processing software
  • Voice-activated software
  Notice period required

  6 weeks

• Special requirement
  Examples
  Notice period required
• Modified version of test
  • Braille paper
  • Modified large papers
  • Enlarged written prompts on the Speaking task card
  • Special Listening test
  • Lip reading version of Listening test
  3 months
• Special administrative arrangements
  • Extra time
  • Special amplification equipment
  • Word processing software
  • Voice-activated software
  6 weeks

Please contact your test centre to discuss your requirements.

Any special arrangements agreed are in accordance with the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ).