How to Get IELTS Certificate - Complete Information

If you were thinking of getting an IELTS certificate, you should know that it is readily attainable, provided you follow some simple steps. The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) certificate is mandatory for those seeking admission into higher education institutions in English-speaking countries or even those seeking job opportunities and future residency prospects. The IELTS certificates are issued after IELTS results are declared. Scores in the IELTS exam results are an essential factor to be considered. Read on to know more about the details of IELTS results.

IELTS Result Declaration

The IELTS general result is easy to obtain. However, the announcement of the results depends on the test type and format of the IELTS exam you have attempted.

• You will get the computer-delivered results online within 3-5 days after the test date. 
• You will get the paper-based IELTS results online from 12 AM (GMT) on the 13th day after the IELTS examination date. 
• Candidates can get their IELTS Life Skills results (A1, A2, or B1 tests) online from 12 AM (GMT) on the 7th day after their IELTS examination date. 
• The IELTS testing center will dispatch the TRF to candidates’ postal addresses. It will be posted 3-5 days after the test date in the case of computer-based IELTS and 13 days after the test date if candidates have appeared for the paper-based IELTS test.

Test Report Form or TRF

The TRF or Test Report Form is issued 13 days after the IELTS test day.  It is the copy of your IELTS result and is, in a way, a mark sheet. A TRF carries the IELTS bands scored in the reading, writing, speaking, and listening test sections. As a candidate, you can collect the TRF from IDP IELTS office after the official declaration of the results. To get your TRF, you should carry your identity form filled out at the time of registration for the examination. Get in touch with an IELTS testing center for additional information. 

The candidates will get a single and original TRF until and unless they are applying for CIC (Citizenship and Immigration Canada) or even UKBA (United Kingdom Border Agency). Test-takers will get two test report forms only in these two cases. The proof of your application to UKBA or CIC should be submitted while receiving the reports. The TRF is a precious document that you should keep safely.

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Online IELTS Results

You can preview the IELTS results online. You have to enter some details to get the same. The online results are not the official ones. They are provisional until you get your TRF which is the official document. First, you have to fill up your given name or other names as mentioned in your IELTS application. Then comes the Family name, and if you do not have one, you have to enter just a hyphen (-). 

You will then have to enter your national ID or passport number in the online form and your date of birth. You can then submit the information to view your provisional IELTS results. 

Sending TRF to Institutions

You may be asked for up to five extra TRFs for submission to institutions like universities or professional organizations within one month from taking the IELTS examination. TRFs dispatched via courier will go through DHL, and you will have to pay the applicable charges. If the institution takes electronic scores, you can share them via the IDP IELTS office without any payments. TRFs exceeding five will come with extra charges and courier costs alongside. They are directly sent to institutions chosen by you. 

For requesting additional TRFs to send to institutions more than a month after taking the IELTS examination, you should complete the Application for the Issue of Additional TRFs form. There is an extra charge for every additional TRF you request after this one-month window, along with courier costs. You may also provide authorization to another individual to collect the test report form. Complete this TRFs-Payment Authorization Form and return the same with the Application for the Issue of Additional TRFs to your city's testing center for IELTS. The TRFs have a validity of two years. Test centers cannot provide results over the phone, email, or fax to any aspirant. 

IELTS Results: Re-mark

If you are not satisfied with your IELTS scores, you can apply for a revision through the Enquiry on Results (EOR) service. The review process is as follows:

• A senior examiner/marker will re-mark the test. They will not be aware of the original scores and mark new scores for all the sections.
• After re-marking, the test center will be informed about the result. If there is a change in the marks, a new TRF is issued. 

Points to note

• The request for re-marking should be made within six weeks of showing results on TRF. The request can be registered at your test center, and you can ask for a re-marking recommendation for the whole test or particular sections.
• The inquiry can be made after paying a result fee, which is refunded in case there is a change in the band score. 
• A response to re-mark is generally available within 2-21 days; however, it depends on other factors such as the number of sections requested for re-assessment.

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