Who Accepts IELTS? How to Check an Organisation

Who accepts IELTS?

Universities, employers, governments and professional bodies accept IELTS. ielts.org has a search tool called Find an Organisation. You can filter it by type (education, employer, government or professional registration), by country and by city source: ielts.org.

Each educational institution or organisation sets its own level of IELTS scores source: IDP. So start with the search tool, then read the organisation's own page.

How to check an organisation

1. Find the organisation in ielts.org's search tool.
2. Open its own admissions or visa page. Note the score it asks for, the version it names and any rule on test dates.
3. Check how you plan to take the test. Some organisations treat IELTS Online or One Skill Retake differently.
4. If anything is unclear, ask the organisation. Do not rely on a forum or an agent.

Organisations that accept IELTS can choose to accept results for longer than the recommended two years source: ielts.org. Educational institutions may choose to accept results from IELTS Academic tests taken online source: ielts.org.

For a university, how to send IELTS results to universities covers the next step.

The UK

The UK asks for a secure English language test (SELT) for some visa and citizenship routes. The approved IELTS tests are IELTS for UKVI and IELTS Life Skills, from the IELTS SELT Consortium. It is one of several approved providers. The test must be taken at an approved test location. It must be awarded in the two years before your application. The test you need depends on the route source: GOV.UK.

There are two types of test. Some routes need all four skills. Others need only speaking and listening source: GOV.UK. See IELTS for UKVI explained.

Canada (Express Entry)

For Express Entry, you must take the IELTS General Training option. CELPIP-General and PTE Core are also approved. IELTS One Skill Retake is not accepted for Express Entry. Results must be less than 2 years old when you complete your profile and when you apply source: IRCC.

Other Canadian routes have their own rules. Check the page for your route.

Australia

Australia's Department of Home Affairs changed its approved tests on 7 August 2025. For tests taken on or after that date, it accepts IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training at a secure test centre. That includes One Skill Retake. It does not accept IELTS Online or any other test delivered completely online source: Home Affairs.

A test taken on or before 6 August 2025 may be used until 6 August 2028, depending on the visa. Validity for newer tests depends on the visa subclass source: Home Affairs. Check the page for your visa.

New Zealand (skilled residence visas)

For skilled residence visas, Immigration New Zealand accepts the IELTS General or Academic module, and One Skill Retake. You must take the test in person at a test centre. Your result must be no more than 2 years old when you apply. Tests taken at home are not acceptable source: Immigration New Zealand.

Scores and rules change

This guide does not list minimum scores, because they differ by route and change. The visa score requirements tool lists dated figures by route. To convert a General Training result to Canada's levels, use the IELTS to CLB calculator.

Check the government page for your route before you book. Which IELTS do I need? helps you pick the version.

All facts on this page were checked on the governments' and owners' own pages on 27 October 2026.