Test Day Logistics

• Arrive 30 minutes early. Test centres close check-in 15 minutes before the start, and latecomers forfeit the whole test.
• Bring your passport. The same ID you registered with — no exceptions. A driver's licence is not accepted.
• Eat a real breakfast. The paper test runs ~2h 45m with no food break. For IELTS on computer, it is ~2h 30m. You want stable blood sugar.
• Dress in layers. Test centres range from very cold to very warm. You cannot predict which.

Everything else goes into a locker. Even a basic digital watch is grounds for disqualification.

• Listening plays once. No replay, no repeats. If you miss an answer, move on and leave it blank; guess at the end.
• Paper test gives you 10 minutes to transfer answers. On computer, this is automatic.
• Reading has no extra transfer time. Answer directly on the answer sheet as you go.
• Writing has no formal warning. You should be at 20 minutes on Task 1 and moving to Task 2 — watch the clock yourself.
• Speaking is on a different day at many centres, and increasingly the same day at newer ones. Check your booking confirmation.

• Paper results are released after 13 days, computer results after 3–5.
• You will see results by email and can download a PDF test report form. The physical TRF is posted to you.
• You can request a remark ("Enquiry on Results") within 6 weeks. Fees apply but are refunded if your score goes up by a band.

The hardest part of the test is often Listening Section 1, which arrives with no warm-up. Before the audio starts, read through the questions, underline key words, and predict what kind of answer fills each gap. This 30 seconds of preparation is the single highest-value habit on test day.