What IELTS Online is
According to IDP's Poland page, IELTS Online is the same test, with the same questions and format, as the IELTS Academic test taken in a test centre. The difference is where you sit it: at home, on your own computer, watched remotely. The ielts.org Poland listing shows British Council test centres and IELTS Online booking entries. Which provider offers IELTS Online in Poland, and when, is something to confirm on the provider's own page, because IDP describes the service as being rolled out to selected countries.
Who can take it
- Academic only. ielts.org states that IELTS Online is currently only available for the Academic test. If you need General Training, you need a test centre.
- Age. ielts.org says IELTS Online is currently available to test takers aged 18 and above.
- Residence. IDP says you must be a resident of the country where you book and sit the test, and physically in that country on test day. If your ID was not issued in Poland, you may be asked to prove residency.
What you need at home
The ielts.org page lists a Windows or macOS computer with a single screen and a microphone. Headphones are not allowed. You also need a stable internet connection and a quiet, private, well-lit space where nobody will interrupt you. Read the provider's system requirements before booking, since the full equipment list and the permitted and prohibited items are set out there.
How the test day works
| Part | Format |
|---|---|
| Speaking | Completed at least a day before the written test (IDP). ielts.org gives 11 to 14 minutes and IDP about 15; check the provider's page for the current format |
| Listening, Reading, Writing | Written session on your computer, about 2.5 hours in total according to IDP |
IDP says results usually arrive within 6 days after your last session. Session times and available days change, so we do not list them here.
Where IELTS Online is not accepted
ielts.org says IELTS Online is not accepted by governments and organisations for immigration or professional registration purposes. IDP's Poland page says visa and immigration applications need a test taken in an official test centre. Two examples of regulators that say the same in their own words:
- NMBI (Ireland) states that it does not accept IELTS online and does not accept IELTS One Skill Retake.
- The HCPC (UK) says the test needs to be taken at an official test centre and not at home.
Universities and employers decide for themselves. IDP's advice is to check whether your institution recognises IELTS Online before you book. Rules change, so treat this page as general information and confirm on the named official page.
No One Skill Retake online
IDP says One Skill Retake is not available for IELTS Online, and that to use it you must have sat your original test in a test centre.
Which option fits which reader
- Study applications where the university accepts IELTS Online: it may suit you, if you meet the residency rule.
- Visas, nursing, physiotherapy or other registration: plan for a test centre. See test centres in Poland and IELTS for UKVI in Poland.
- You want to know costs and dates: see fees and test dates in Poland.
How lessons with Mike can help with this
Mike is CELTA-certified, based in Hanoi, with 12+ years teaching English and IELTS in Vietnam, Turkey and Iran, and his own IELTS result is 8.5 in Speaking. He teaches every session himself, one-to-one and live on Google Meet, in English. He does not run or register the test and is not connected to the test providers. What he can do is practise the skills the test asks for: Writing Task 1 and Task 2 marked against the public band descriptors, Speaking Parts 1 to 3 in the real format with feedback in the moment, and Listening and Reading practice. Practising on a computer is useful if you plan to sit IELTS Online. The booking calendar shows each slot in your own time zone; Hanoi is 6 hours ahead of Poland in winter and 5 hours ahead in summer. Details are on the booking page, and you can read more about Mike.
