Checked against official pages on 26 October 2026
IELTS fee in Korea (2026)
The 2026 IELTS fee in Korea is KRW 347,000 for Academic or General Training and KRW 389,000 for IELTS for UKVI. IDP and the British Council charge the same and use the same cancellation and date-change rules for standard IELTS. Enter your payment and test dates to see what you would get back or pay today.
IELTS test fees in Korea, 2026
| Test | Fee | Who it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Academic · General Training | KRW 347,000 | Most study, migration and work purposes |
| IELTS for UKVI | KRW 389,000 | Only when a UK visa asks for UKVI |
| IELTS Life Skills (A1 · B1) | KRW 312,000 | Speaking and listening test for some UK family and settlement visas |
| One Skill Retake | KRW 218,610 | One section again, within 60 days of the test |
| UKVI One Skill Retake | KRW 245,070 | One section of a UKVI test again |
IDP and the British Council charge the same. Since 22 March 2026 every IELTS in Korea is computer-delivered, so there is no format price difference either. Both say fees can move with the exchange rate, so check the amount on the booking screen before you pay.
Limited time: until 15 November 2026 the British Council offers a special price on weekday tests at its own Seoul centre (City Hall). The amount is shown on the booking site.
Refund and date-change calculator
Enter the day you paid and your test date. The application day starts as today; change it to see another day.
This follows IDP's own change and refund calculator and the British Council's published rules. On a boundary day the provider's screen decides. Illness and family emergencies are handled separately through Special Consideration.
IELTS refund and date-change rules (IDP and British Council)
Standard IELTS (Academic, General Training, One Skill Retake)
| When you cancel | Refund |
|---|---|
| Within 7 days of payment, test 8+ days away | Full fee (KRW 347,000) |
| From day 8 after payment, test 8+ days away | 75% (KRW 260,250) |
| Test 7 days away or less | None |
| When you change the date | Fee |
|---|---|
| 15+ days before the test | Free |
| 5 to 14 days before | KRW 86,750 (25% of the fee) |
| Within 4 days | Not possible |
The two providers use the same rules. The old IDP rule (KRW 70,000 to change, up to 4 days before) no longer applies. The British Council adds the price difference when someone who paid the old KRW 321,000 changes their date. IDP does not refund or move tests bought through vouchers or partner offers.
IELTS for UKVI and Life Skills
| When you cancel | Refund | UKVI | Life Skills |
|---|---|---|---|
| Within 7 days of payment | 100% | KRW 389,000 | KRW 312,000 |
| 15+ days before the test | 75% | KRW 291,750 | KRW 234,000 |
| 3 to 14 days before | 50% | KRW 194,500 | KRW 156,000 |
| 1 to 2 days before | 25% | KRW 97,250 | KRW 78,000 |
| On or after the test day | None | – | – |
A UKVI date change always costs 25% of the fee (UKVI KRW 97,250, Life Skills KRW 78,000), up to 15 days before at IDP and 8 days before at the British Council. The British Council does not move UKVI tests earlier; you would have to cancel and book again.
Costs beyond the test fee
| Item | Cost | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Remark (EOR) | KRW 160,000 (British Council) | Same however many sections; refunded in full if any score rises; within 6 weeks of the test |
| Sending electronic results | Free | IDP lets you add up to 5 institutions when you book |
| Paper original by post (IDP) | KRW 5,000 in Korea · KRW 35,000 abroad | Reissue is free; you pay postage only. Sent to institutions, not to you |
| Date change | KRW 0 to 86,750 | Free up to 15 days before |
The fee includes the provider's online preparation: candidate study materials and free practice tests at the British Council, and an online course developed with Macquarie University at IDP.
What reaching your target actually costs
The number that matters more than the fee is how many times you sit. If one section is short, a One Skill Retake costs KRW 128,390 less than the whole test again, but check first that your institution accepts it.
| Case | Academic · General | UKVI |
|---|---|---|
| Target on the first try | KRW 347,000 | KRW 389,000 |
| Plus one One Skill Retake | KRW 565,610 | KRW 634,070 |
| Whole test twice | KRW 694,000 | KRW 778,000 |
| Whole test three times | KRW 1,041,000 | KRW 1,167,000 |
To see which section is likely to fall short, put your mock-test score into the IELTS score calculator. It shows your Overall and what is left to the target.
IELTS fee rises in Korea
| Paid | Academic · General | UKVI | Life Skills | One Skill Retake |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 2025-08-15 | KRW 299,000 | KRW 333,000 | KRW 270,000 | KRW 191,620 |
| 2025-08-16 to 2026-07-01 | KRW 321,000 | KRW 359,000 | KRW 289,000 | KRW 191,620 |
| From 2026-07-02 | KRW 347,000 | KRW 389,000 | KRW 312,000 | KRW 218,610 |
This is the fee table IDP's change and refund calculator uses by payment date. In under a year from August 2025 the standard fee rose from KRW 299,000 to KRW 347,000, up KRW 48,000 (16%).
How to spend less on the test
- Choose UKVI only when a UK visa requires it; it costs KRW 42,000 more. For a UK degree-level Student visa, standard Academic is enough if the university accepts it.
- If your date might move, decide at least 15 days before; until then a change is free.
- If you booked the wrong test, cancel within 7 days of payment for a full refund.
- If you know where your results go, add the institutions when you book.
- If a score is far below what you expected, consider a remark; the British Council refunds the KRW 160,000 if any score rises.
- If you are not ready, moving the date is cheaper: free within the deadline, against KRW 347,000 for another sitting.
Discounts and fee support
- British Council: a limited-time price on weekday tests at its own Seoul centre until 15 November 2026. The amount is shown on the booking site.
- Local youth support: Gangnam-gu reimburses up to KRW 200,000 of language-test fees taken in 2026 for unemployed residents aged 19 to 39 (apply by email by 10 December, or until the budget runs out). Seoul and other districts and cities run similar schemes; search your area's youth test-fee support notice.
- Whether IELTS is on the list and which documents you need (results, receipt) differ between notices. Check before you sit the test.
- At IDP, tests bought through vouchers or partner offers cannot be changed or refunded. Use them only when your date is fixed.
Where to book IELTS in Korea
Book on the official IDP or British Council site: choose the test (Academic, General Training or UKVI), pick a date and centre, enter your passport details and pay; a confirmation email follows. Your Speaking time is set at booking, and the name must match your passport. IDP runs 10 centres in Seoul, Incheon, Daejeon, Daegu and Busan; the British Council 7 in Seoul, Daejeon, Daegu and Busan (September 2026).
Read next
Frequently asked questions
How much is the IELTS test fee in Korea in 2026?
Is IDP or the British Council cheaper?
When did the IELTS fee go up?
How much do I get back if I cancel?
What does it cost to change my test date?
How much is a remark (EOR)?
Does sending my results to a university cost money?
Is there any discount on the fee?
Can I get help paying the IELTS fee?
If you want to sit it only once
Send three lines on KakaoTalk: current score, target and test date. Brian reads it himself and replies with whether the date is realistic and which section to raise first. No charge for that.
Tell me your level, target and test date in KakaoTalk. The button also tries to copy a first message for you.
Sources (26 October 2026): IDP test fees · IDP change and refund calculator · British Council fees · British Council standard rules · British Council UKVI rules · British Council remarks · IDP results reissue · Gangnam-gu youth test-fee notice