Unlike a school exam, you don't just show up to take IELTS. You register in advance through one of two official test administrators, choose a format and a date, pay a fee that varies significantly depending on where you live, and show up with the exact ID you registered with. Most of the confusion candidates run into isn't about the exam content, it's about this registration process. Here's how it actually works.
Step 1: Choose Academic or General Training
Decide this before you book, since it determines which version you register for. Academic is for university admission and professional registration; General Training is for immigration, work, and secondary education. Listening and Speaking are identical either way, only Reading and Writing differ. If you're unsure which one your situation needs, confirm with the institution or immigration program you're applying to before paying, since the two aren't interchangeable after the fact.
Step 2: Paper-Based or Computer-Delivered
Both formats test the same content to the same standard, and your certificate doesn't indicate which one you took. The practical differences are about logistics: computer-delivered IELTS is generally offered on far more dates per month than paper-based (some test centres run it several days a week), and results are typically available in 3-5 days, compared to about 13 days for paper-based. Handwriting your Writing answers on paper suits some candidates better than typing on a keyboard under time pressure, if you're not a fast, accurate typist, factor that into which format you choose, since Writing is timed identically either way.
Step 3: British Council or IDP
These are the two organisations authorised to administer IELTS (Cambridge Assessment English also administers it in some locations). It's the exact same test, scored to the same standard, your certificate doesn't say which one you registered with, and neither is more widely recognised than the other. In many countries only one operates locally; in others, both do, and the real difference is logistical, available test dates and centre locations in your city. Check both before booking rather than assuming your usual choice is best in your specific area. If you want the fuller comparison, see our British Council vs IDP guide.
What It Actually Costs
There is no single global IELTS fee, each country's administrator sets its own price, and Academic and General Training cost the same as each other. As illustrative 2026 examples: roughly £160-175 in the UK, $215-310 USD in the USA, around $273 USD (AUD 415-430) in Australia, ₹19,000 in India, and around AED 1,340 (roughly $365 USD) in the UAE. Treat these as ballpark figures only, fees change, and the only number that matters is the one shown when you book on your local British Council or IDP site. If your visa route specifically requires IELTS for UKVI rather than standard Academic or General Training, it's usually priced slightly differently and must be booked as that specific product, check which one your application actually requires before you pay, since a standard IELTS certificate won't be accepted where UKVI is specifically required.
Booking Online
Both British Council and IDP let you register directly on their websites: create an account, search test dates and centres near you, select Academic, General Training, or UKVI as required, and pay online. Online registration is the fastest method and gives you instant confirmation of your booked date and centre, there's rarely a reason to book any other way unless your local centre specifically requires it.
The Test-Day Detail Most People Miss
The name and ID document you register with must match exactly what you bring on test day, the same passport or national ID, spelled identically. A mismatch (a maiden name used at booking but not on your ID, a passport renewed with a slightly different transliteration) can get you turned away at the centre, with no guarantee of a refund. Double-check this before you book, not on the morning of the test.
Once your test is booked, the most useful thing you can do with the weeks before it is sit realistic, timed practice under real exam conditions. Start with a full free IELTS practice test to see where you currently stand.