Is IELTS computer-delivered in Indonesia?
The British Council's Indonesia pages say it no longer offers IELTS on paper from 21 June 2026 and that IELTS on computer is still available. IDP Indonesia's computer page and its July 2026 announcement describe computer delivery too, but IDP's pages still mention paper in places, even that computer page, and so do two British Council pages (see below), so confirm the format when you book. On computer, Listening, Reading and Writing are on screen and Speaking is a live session with an examiner.
This guide, as read in October 2026, covers IELTS Academic and General Training; ask the provider about UKVI tests.
Where to take IELTS on computer in Indonesia
You book the test with a provider, not with Band Booster. This guide uses the Indonesia pages of IDP and the British Council (on britishcouncilfoundation.id, called British Council Indonesia below).
IDP's test-locations page lists more than 30 test centres, including venues under other institutions' names, and it does not say who operates each. A separate IDP page on IELTS on computer names 13 IDP computer-based centres in Jakarta (several areas), Tangerang, Bandung, Bali, Makassar, Medan, Semarang, Surabaya and Yogyakarta.
British Council Indonesia says it offers IELTS on computer test dates in 15 cities: Medan, Padang, Jakarta, Bekasi, Depok, Bogor, Bandung, Tangerang, Semarang, Solo, Yogyakarta, Surabaya, Makassar, Manado and Denpasar. Centre lists change, so use each provider's locator and check the venue on your booking.
Paper or computer: where the sources disagree
- British Council Indonesia. A banner on its dates, fees and locations page says it no longer offers IELTS on paper in Indonesia from 21 June 2026. Yet its Indonesian-language IELTS Academic page still says you can choose paper-based or computer at its test centres, and a table row on its English UKVI page lists IELTS for UKVI as computer or paper (its Indonesian UKVI page mentions a computer-based test only).
- IDP Indonesia. An announcement on its paper-based IELTS page says that from July 2026 all IELTS tests will be delivered on computer, with IELTS Life Skills continuing on paper. Yet its test-locations page still says candidates can choose between the computer-delivered and paper-based formats, its paper-based page is still online, and its IELTS on computer page also still mentions paper.
- ielts.org. Its update of 5 March 2026 says IELTS will no longer be offered as a paper-based test from mid-2026, with timelines varying by market. It does not name Indonesia.
Prepare for computer delivery, and check your own booking. The format shown on your booking is what applies.
The Writing on Paper variant
ielts.org describes a Writing on Paper option (questions on screen, handwritten answers) in selected countries from mid-2026, without naming them. British Council Indonesia's English pages describe it as an option for IELTS on computer at its test centres, but they name no venues, its booking page lists IELTS Academic and General Training only as in-centre on computer, and there is no Indonesian-language page for it. IDP Indonesia's familiarisation-test page mentions it, but its test-dates, IELTS on computer and One Skill Retake pages do not say which centres or sessions offer it.
Computer vs paper IELTS: what is the same and what differs
IDP Indonesia says the test format, question types, time allocation and content are the same on computer as on paper, and that only the test-day experience differs. ielts.org says the delivery change does not alter the skills assessed or how institutions interpret results, and that IELTS keeps the same quality, validity, security and recognition. What differs, according to the sources:
- Answers. You enter them on the computer; Writing is typed, or handwritten in the Writing on Paper variant.
- One Skill Retake. It requires the original full test to have been taken on computer.
Section by section on computer
| Section | Time and parts | On computer |
|---|---|---|
| Listening | 30 minutes, 4 parts | Questions on screen; answers entered on the computer. |
| Reading | 60 minutes, 3 parts | Questions on screen; answers entered on the computer. |
| Writing | 60 minutes, 2 parts | Questions on screen; answers typed (handwritten in the Writing on Paper variant). |
| Speaking | 11 to 14 minutes, 3 parts | A live session with a trained examiner. ielts.org's ways-to-take page and IDP's English pages describe it as face to face, but ielts.org's Guide for Test Takers, IDP's Indonesian-language Speaking page and the British Council Indonesia Foundation's Academic and General Training pages also mention video call. IDP says it is taken before or after the other parts. |
Times and parts are from ielts.org. British Council Indonesia adds that Listening, Reading and Writing are completed on one day with no break, and that you can choose your Speaking slot.
How long do computer-delivered IELTS results take?
Most of the pages checked say results usually take 1 to 2 days, the longest range for IELTS on computer results is 5 days, and IDP Indonesia's own IELTS on computer page says 3 to 5 days. These are typical timings, not promises.
| Page | What it says |
|---|---|
| ielts.org | Results page: usually 1 to 2 days. Ways-to-take page: 1 to 5 days (Writing on Paper: up to 5 days). |
| British Council Indonesia | Main, dates and results pages: 1 to 2 days. Page on the IELTS on computer options: 1 to 3 days. |
| IDP Indonesia, IELTS on computer page | 3 to 5 days |
| IDP Indonesia, announcement on its paper-based page | Typically 1 to 2 days |
If you have a deadline, allow for the longer end. British Council Indonesia's results page also says the electronic Test Report Form can be downloaded 1 to 8 days after the test, so allow for that too if an application needs the form.
One Skill Retake and IELTS Online in Indonesia
One Skill Retake
ielts.org and British Council Indonesia say you can retake one skill, once per original test, within 60 days, after a full test on computer at a centre that offers it. IDP Indonesia says it is available at selected test centres and marks them on its test-locations page. See One Skill Retake or a full retake for the options.
IELTS Online
British Council Indonesia says it does not provide IELTS Online testing in Indonesia. IDP Indonesia's IELTS Online page is titled 'Service Discontinued' and says it is no longer available, although another line says bookings have been paused. The same page says candidates can still take IELTS on computer or on paper at IDP test centres, which conflicts with IDP's July 2026 announcement.
Computer-based IELTS tips
Try the providers' familiarisation tests
- IDP. Its computer-based familiarisation test simulates Listening, Academic Reading and Academic Writing. It has no time limit, and IDP notes that timing and the highlight and note functions differ from the real test.
- British Council Indonesia. Its familiarisation test is a full sample of Listening, Reading and Writing questions, about 2 hours 30 minutes in all. The page says no advance booking is needed.
General study advice (not guidance from IDP or the British Council)
- Time both Writing tasks in one sitting. Writing is 60 minutes: at least 150 words for Task 1 and 250 for Task 2, which counts twice as much. Type both against a timer and leave time to re-read.
- Read longer texts on screen. If you usually read on paper, practise a full Reading section on a screen.
- Enter Listening answers as you listen. The recording is played once, so practise typing short answers while the audio continues.
- Keep Speaking practice live. Speaking is still a conversation, so practise aloud with a person who can ask follow-up questions.
Where one-to-one lessons with Mike fit
Band Booster IELTS is a private tutoring service, not the exam board or a test centre. It does not register candidates, set exam fees or provide exam software, and it is not affiliated with IDP or the British Council. Mike holds the Cambridge CELTA, is based in Hanoi and teaches every session himself, live on Google Meet in English. His own IELTS result is 7.5 overall, with 8.5 in Speaking (see about Mike).
- Writing timing and typing. Bring Task 1 and Task 2 answers typed under the 60-minute limit; Mike marks them against the public band descriptors and gives feedback during the session. See IELTS Writing feedback.
- The three-part Speaking test. Parts 1, 2 and 3 in the real test format, with feedback in the moment. See IELTS Speaking coaching.
No band is promised: progress depends on your starting point and the work between sessions. The booking page shows each time in your own time zone, your price in your own currency before you pay, and the payment options. A paid 30-minute trial is available once per student, on a first booking. For Indonesian time zones compared with Hanoi, see the online IELTS tutor page for Indonesia.
Registering, fees and dates
IDP's Indonesia test dates page lists centres and links to their sessions, and British Council Indonesia's dates, fees and locations page lists its test dates, fees and locations. Fees and dates change, so this guide quotes none. The same topic for other places: Hanoi and mainland China.