WritingGlossary
Writing on Paper
An option that lets you handwrite the Writing section while the rest of the test is on computer. IELTS said it would be available in selected countries from mid-2026. It is not available for the UK visa version of IELTS.
IELTS says research found scores comparable between the paper based test and Writing on Paper, both overall and within each band, and that the skills assessed and the way results should be read do not change.
One practical consequence: a One Skill Retake has to use the same delivery mode as the original test, so choosing Writing on Paper means any retake is Writing on Paper too. Results from the paper based test stay valid to the end of the recommended two year period.
Checked against ielts.org's Writing on Paper page, its update for organisations and its announcement on test delivery on 26 September 2026.