IELTS announced changes on its official website last week. The new score report format will be applied from 17/7. This update aims to meet the design standards of Ofqual, the office of qualifications and examinations regulation in England.
Specifically, all score reports will include the Ofqual logo and the certification name according to the agency's standards.
IELTS stated that the test format, scoring process, and core value of the certificate remain unchanged. All score reports issued before and after 17/7 have the same legal validity. Test takers can continue to use their current certificates for university admission applications or visa issuance.
Test takers who received score reports from 6/2024 to 16/7 can register to exchange them for the new format featuring the Ofqual logo free of charge. The process involves filling out a registration form on the IELTS homepage; new score reports will be dispatched after 17/7.
IELTS also noted that this change is not mandatory and does not alter the two-year validity period of the original test results.
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IELTS will change its global score report design. *Photo: Study4*
This change coincides with Ofqual fining Cambridge English, the organization that developed and co-owns the IELTS exam, nearly 1,1 million USD. The reason was an automated scoring error that led to approximately 62,800 IELTS test takers receiving incorrect scores for their listening and reading skills from 8/2023 to 9/2025.
IELTS is a popular English language test for non-native English speakers. This test assesses four skills: listening, reading, writing, and speaking, on a 9-band scale. Annually, about 4 million test takers worldwide sit for this exam, according to the British Council.
In Vietnam, the British Council and IDP are the two authorized entities to administer and issue this certificate. Beyond studying abroad and immigration, IELTS is used for university admissions and recognizing graduation requirements. The Ministry of Education and Training exempts students with an IELTS 4.0 or higher from the English graduation exam.
Khanh Linh
