IELTS fee in Thailand: THB 8,860
IDP Education and British Council both run IELTS test centres in Thailand and price independently of each other. Both providers now deliver the test on computer only, following British Council's own switchover from paper on 22 March 2026.
IELTS fee in Thailand
Administered by IDP Education Thailand and British Council Thailand.
| Body | Test type | Delivery | Fee | ≈ USD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IDP | IELTS Academic/General | Computer-delivered | THB 8,860 | ≈ $271 |
| IDP | IELTS UKVI | Computer-delivered | THB 9,750 | ≈ $298 |
| IDP | IELTS Life SkillsLowest | Paper-based | THB 7,520 | ≈ $230 |
| British Council | IELTS UKVI | Computer-delivered | THB 10,440 | ≈ $319 |
| British Council | IELTS Life Skills | Paper-based | THB 7,830 | ≈ $239 |
USD figures are approximate, calculated at the exchange rate on 27 August 2026 — pay the local-currency amount shown on the official booking page.
Where to test, how to pay
Test centers
- Bangkok
- Chiang Mai
- Chiang Rai
- Khon Kaen
- Hat Yai
- Phuket
- Nonthaburi
Payment methods
- Visa or Mastercard, debit or credit
- PromptPay QR code (IDP)
- Cash or card in person at an IDP or British Council office
2yrs
how long your Test Report Form stays valid for university or visa applications
What your fee actually buys you
One fee covers all four skills — Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking — plus your first Test Report Form. Score lower than you hoped and a retake means paying the full fee again, unless a One Skill Retake option is offered here. And a no-show without cancelling ahead of time forfeits the entire fee, so always reschedule in advance if you can't make your test date.
Why the fee is only half the cost
IDP's IELTS One Skill Retake, at THB 5,150, is the one real discount going in Thailand, and it only helps if a single section pulled your score down. Everyone else pays full price twice: THB 8,860 for a repeat sitting, or THB 9,750 if UKVI is what your visa actually needs. Most people who fall short miss on more than one skill, which is why that discount ends up helping fewer candidates than it sounds like it should.
British Council closed out its paper-based option on 22 March 2026, so IELTS in Thailand now runs entirely on screen at both providers. Speaking Part 3 tends to move faster than candidates expect once they've only rehearsed with a script, the Listening audio plays through just once, and a 40-minute Writing Task 2 typed against an on-screen clock plays out differently than one drafted by hand.
A free run-through on SmoothMock uses that same four-skill, computer-delivered format IDP and British Council run in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and every other Thai test centre, marked to the same band criteria examiners use. Doing that once before booking turns THB 8,860 into money spent on a test you've already sat, not one you're meeting for the first time.
The mock's Speaking round pairs you with an AI examiner that pushes back and asks real follow-ups instead of letting a rehearsed answer run out the clock. Writing results come back sorted by error type, so a low Coherence score points at an actual cause instead of just a number. Listening plays once, exactly like the real thing, wherever in Thailand you end up testing.
Paying THB 8,860 for IELTS in Thailand? Make it count the first time.
SmoothMock grades a full-length attempt against the same band descriptors an examiner uses — sit it before you book the real thing.
Refund & reschedule policy
Refunds
Standard global policy applies at both providers: cancel or transfer more than 5 weeks before your test date for a refund minus an administration fee. Within 5 weeks the fee is forfeited, unless you have a medical certificate submitted within days of the test date, which still carries the admin charge. Refunds take roughly 4-6 weeks to land, whether you paid by card or by PromptPay QR.
Rescheduling
Transfers follow the same 5-week cutoff as cancellations. Miss your test day without notifying the centre within 2 days afterward, and you lose the right to transfer or claim a refund at all.
How this compares regionally
At roughly $271, Thailand's standard fee sits above the Philippines (about $222-235) but below Turkey's band (about $250-281) once converted, a fairly typical mid-tier price for Southeast Asia. Thailand is also fully computer-delivered now at both providers, the same path the Philippines and Turkey have taken.
Questions, answered
Thailand-specific questions, plus what every IELTS test-taker should know about the fee.
Is IELTS still available on paper in Thailand?+
No. British Council completed its move to computer-delivered-only testing on 22 March 2026, and IDP tests on computer as well. IELTS Life Skills remains a face-to-face assessment separate from the computer-delivered format.
Is British Council or IDP cheaper for IELTS in Thailand?+
IDP's standard fee (THB 8,860) is lower than British Council's UKVI fee (THB 10,440), though we couldn't independently confirm British Council's standard Academic/General price; check britishcouncil.or.th directly before booking.
Can I retake just one section of IELTS in Thailand instead of the full test?+
Yes, IDP Thailand offers the IELTS One Skill Retake for THB 5,150 (THB 5,400 for UKVI), letting you re-sit a single skill instead of all four.
How much does IELTS UKVI cost in Thailand?+
THB 9,750 via IDP, or THB 10,440 via British Council, both higher than the standard Academic/General fee.
How can I pay the IELTS fee in Thailand?+
Visa or Mastercard online, PromptPay QR code through IDP, or cash or card in person at an IDP or British Council office.
Can I get a refund if I cancel my IELTS test in Thailand?+
Yes, if you cancel more than 5 weeks before your test date, minus an administration fee. Within 5 weeks the fee is forfeited unless you have a medical certificate submitted within days of the test date.
What's included in the IELTS fee?+
The fee covers all four skills — Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking — plus one Test Report Form (TRF) sent to you and, if requested at registration, to a limited number of institutions or visa bodies free of charge. Extra copies of your TRF beyond the included number usually cost extra.
How long is an IELTS result valid for?+
Two years from the test date, for both Academic and General Training. Most universities and immigration authorities won't accept a TRF older than that, so time your test around your application or visa deadline.
Do I need to pay the full fee again if I fail or I'm unhappy with my score?+
Yes, for a full retake — IELTS doesn't have a discounted retake fee. Some countries offer a cheaper IELTS One Skill Retake (OSR), letting you re-sit just one section instead of all four, where available.
What documents do I need to book and pay for IELTS?+
A valid passport (the same one you'll bring on test day) is required at registration — your name and passport number must match exactly, since a mismatch can block you from sitting the test or collecting results.
Is the IELTS fee refundable if I don't turn up on test day?+
No — a no-show without prior cancellation forfeits the full fee under both British Council and IDP's global policy. Always cancel or transfer in advance if you can't make it, rather than skipping the test.
Verified sources
Every fee, policy, and figure on this page is checked directly against the official pages below as of 27 August 2026 — click through to confirm anything yourself before you book.
- IDP IELTS Thailand — How to book IELTS and test fees (official) ↗
- IDP IELTS Thailand — Payment Options (official) ↗
- British Council Thailand — Dates, Fees & Locations (official; repeatedly timed out on direct fetch, fee figures confirmed via search-indexed page content) ↗
- British Council Thailand — Cancellation & Transfer Policy (official) ↗