IELTS Validity: How Long is IELTS Score Valid in 2025?

Understanding the IELTS validity period is crucial for anyone planning to study, work, or migrate abroad. The IELTS exam assesses your English proficiency, but your IELTS score isn’t valid forever. Whether you’re curious about the IELTS result validity, the IELTS certificate validity, or how long IELTS scores are valid, this guide covers everything you need to know. From the IELTS exam validity period to the IELTS expiry date, we’ll clarify how long your results remain valid and when you might need to retake the test.

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The validity period of an IELTS score is 2 years from the date of your test result. This means that universities, immigration authorities, and even professional workplaces will consider your IELTS score validity for two years from the test date.

The IELTS validity period starts from the date of your test result and not the date you receive your score. For example, if you took the IELTS test on March 15, 2024, your score will be valid until March 15, 2026.

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Your IELTS validity can be checked using your Test Report Form (TRF) number. The TRF is the official document that contains your IELTS scores.

• You can verify your IELTS validity through the official IELTS Test Report Form (TRF) verification service on the test provider’s website.
• If your TRF is misplaced, you may request a reissue from the IELTS test centre where you took the exam.
• Universities and immigration authorities will require your TRF to verify your score validity, and thus, keeping it safe is essential.

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While IELTS has a standard 2-year validity, some institutions or countries may have different policies. Here’s how IELTS validity is considered in major study destinations:

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IELTS is widely accepted by over 3,400 universities and institutions in the USA, making it one of the most trusted English proficiency tests for students and professionals. Whether you’re applying for undergraduate or postgraduate programs, your IELTS scores play a crucial role in demonstrating your language skills.

While the standard IELTS validity in the USA is 2 years, it’s essential to stay informed, as some universities may have additional requirements or prefer more recent scores to ensure your English proficiency is up-to-date.

The standard IELTS validity period for the UK is 2 years, and this applies to most university admissions and visa applications, including Tier 4 Student Visas.

For immigration purposes, specific tests like the IELTS for UKVI may be required. While the 2-year validity is typical, some universities or employers may ask for more recent scores. For example, institutions like Oxford and Cambridge often prefer results that are no more than 12-18 months old to ensure up-to-date proficiency.

In Canada, IELTS is a widely accepted test by universities, employers, and Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for Permanent Residency (PR) applications. The IELTS validity period for academic admissions is 2 years, similar to other countries.

However, for PR applications, your IELTS score must be valid for the entire application process. Since IRCC takes approximately 6 months to process PR applications, it’s crucial to ensure your IELTS results remain valid during this time. If your score expires within the processing period, your application may be rejected, requiring you to retake the test.

IELTS is one of the widely recognised language proficiency in Australia. The IELTS validity period in Australia for admission and study visa purposes is 2 years. 

However, IELTS scores are valid for 3 years for Skilled Migration applications.  If you’re moving to work in Australia, taking IELTS is important, as many organisations ask for proof of English language skills.

This depends on the university or immigration requirement, but you should consider these aspects:

• University Admission: Your IELTS score should be valid at the time of application
• Visa Processing: Many countries require your IELTS to be valid when submitting your visa application
• Immigration/ Entry at Airport: Immigration officers can reject your entry if your IELTS has expired, particularly in countries like Australia and Canada, where English proficiency is tied to visa conditions.

To avoid issues – we recommend you to have your IELTS score validity throughout the entire process until you arrive in the country.

For September Intake:

• Take your IELTS around November of the previous year.
• This ensures that your results are ready to apply to universities as an early applicant (early admit deadlines are typically around December).
• Additionally, just in case your first IELTS attempt does not give you the desired score then you would still have time to prepare and retake the test before university deadlines.

For January Intake:

• Take IELTS around April of the previous year.
• This will allow enough time for university applications (typically between August and October).
• If required, then it will also give you a buffer to retake the exam in case the scores are not satisfactory for your university.
• Early applicants can complete their visa processing by November-December, ensuring they arrive before the intake starts in January.

If your IELTS score expires before university admission or visa application:

• You must retake the test to meet the requirements
• Most universities and visa offices do not accept expired IELTS scores
• Immigration officers may reject your visa or entry at the border if IELTS validity is a requirement for your visa type
• If your score is close to expiry, apply to universities and visas early to avoid retaking

There is no limit on the number of times you can take the IELTS. You can retake it as soon as you feel ready, but it’s recommended to prepare well before reattempting.

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All major English proficiency tests have a standard 2-year validity period.

Requesting an IELTS Enquiry on Results (EOR) (remark) does not have any impact on the IELTS validity period. However:

• If your score changes, the new score will replace the old one within the same validity period and you are eligible for a refund.
• If your score remains the same then the validity period remains unchanged

Your IELTS Test Report Form (TRF) is an essential document that universities and visa authorities use to verify your score. Here’s how to manage your TRF effectively:

1. How to Verify Your IELTS TRF?

• Universities and immigration authorities can verify your TRF through the IELTS Results Verification Service.
• You can also verify your own TRF online by entering your TRF number on the IELTS test provider’s official website.

2. Sending IELTS Scores to Universities

• You can send up to 5 free score reports to universities at the time of registration.
• Additional score reports can be requested for a fee from your IELTS test centre.
• Scores are sent electronically or via mail depending on the university’s preference.
• Some universities only accept scores sent directly from IELTS and do not accept scanned copies from students.

3. How Long Does It Take to Send IELTS Scores?

• Electronic score delivery: Takes 2–5 business days.
• Paper-based delivery: Takes 5–10 business days (plus postal delays).
• Urgent score sending options may be available for an extra fee.