Special Circumstances
IELTS aims to assess the English language communication skills
of all test takers fairly and objectively.
Our test centres can make arrangements to accommodate special
circumstances or requirements to enable test takers to attend a
test centre, and to understand questions and tasks and give their
answers.
If you have a disability or another condition which might
require special arrangements, you should let the test centre at
which you will be doing your test know as soon as you can. Each
case is considered individually, so they will need a medical
certificate from you to put arrangements in place.
Test centres require three months’ notice to put special
arrangements in place. They need to confirm arrangements with
Cambridge ESOL, and modified versions of the test may need to be
prepared (for example, in Braille).
Visual difficulties
A range of options is available, including enlarged print, and
brailed question papers.
Answers may be recorded in a variety of ways, e.g. via an
amanuensis, or using a Braille machine or word-processor, and extra
time may be allowed for completion of Reading and Writing
Modules.
A special needs version of the Listening Module is also
available.
Hearing difficulties
If you have partial hearing loss and can hear with the help of
headphones or special amplification equipment you may ask for
permission to use this equipment when taking listening modules.
A lip-reading version of the Listening Module is available.
In the case of severe hearing difficulties, you can apply for
exemption from the Speaking and/or Listening Modules.
Learning difficulties (eg: dyslexia)
You can apply for up to 30 minutes extra time to complete the
Reading and Writing Modules, and can also apply to write your
answers using a typewriter or word-processor, if you normally write
this way.
Illness
If you are genuinely ill on the day of or during the test you
should let the test supervisor know. Special consideration may be
given to test takers who report their illness on the day of the
test.
