You can book IELTS in Uzbekistan with two organisations: IDP, whose test centres are run by Edu Action, and the British Council. Both sell the same IELTS test, marked the same way. What differs is the price, the centres, the dates and how you pay.
All figures below were checked on the official pages on 28 September 2026 and link to their sources. Prices change, so the amount in the booking system on the day you pay is the one that counts.
How much IELTS costs in Uzbekistan
IDP shows its fee next to each test date on its Tashkent test dates page, and its centre operator Edu Action gives the same amount on its payment page. The British Council lists its fees on its booking page and in its registration system. Academic and General Training cost the same with each provider.
| Fee | IDP (Edu Action) | British Council |
|---|---|---|
| Academic or General Training, computer | 2,665,000 | 2,798,000 |
| IELTS for UKVI, Academic or General Training | Not listed on IDP Uzbekistan pages | 3,119,000 |
| IELTS for UKVI Life Skills A1 or B1 | Not listed on IDP Uzbekistan pages | 2,759,000 |
| One Skill Retake | Not published: check with the centre | Not published: check with the centre |
| Remark (Enquiry on Results) | 1,440,000, refunded if a band changes | 1,343,000, refunded if a score goes up |
| Extra copy of your result form | Check with the centre | 63,200 after 5 free copies |
On One Skill Retake, IDP's page says only that the price is the same for every skill, and the British Council's gives no amount. Remark fees: Edu Action and British Council. When a remark is worth paying for: IELTS remark (EOR).
The British Council's dates page still showed the old 2,664,000 UZS on 28 September, while its registration system, where you pay, showed 2,798,000 UZS.
Which provider fits your situation
The details follow below. If you want the short answer first, start from your situation:
| Your situation | What to check | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| You want to pay less | IDP was 133,000 UZS cheaper on 28 September | Compare the price in both booking systems on the day you pay |
| You have a results deadline | Published times: 1 to 5 days (IDP), typically within 2 days (British Council); both can take longer | Pick the earliest date that still leaves a margin of more than 5 days |
| You may need to move the date | A free transfer needs 15 or more days' notice; Edu Action's own page is stricter | Book well ahead, and with IDP confirm the rule with the centre in writing |
| You live outside Tashkent | Not every city has open dates at every moment | Search dates for your city in both systems before you decide |
What you get back if you change your plans
These rules are for standard IELTS Academic and General Training on computer. IELTS for UKVI and Life Skills have separate rules at the British Council. Days are counted from your Listening, Reading and Writing test date:
| When you ask | British Council | IDP (Edu Action) |
|---|---|---|
| 15 or more days before | Transfer free; cancel and get 75% back | Same on the IDP page |
| 5 to 14 days before | Transfer with a 25% fee; cancel with no refund | IDP page: transfer with a fee of up to 25%. Edu Action page: no transfer or cancellation. No refund |
| Less than 5 days before | No transfer (treated as a cancellation); no refund | No transfer; no refund |
Sources: IDP Uzbekistan and the British Council. With a British Council fee of 2,798,000 UZS, 75% back is 2,098,500 UZS, and a 25% transfer fee is 699,500 UZS.
Edu Action's policy page also allows only one transfer, to a date no more than 3 months later, and no refund for a test that has already been moved. If you book with IDP and might need to move, ask the centre in writing which rule applies.
Serious illness and emergencies are handled separately: both providers accept a case for special consideration, with evidence, before the test and up to two calendar days after it.
Where you can take IELTS: cities and centres
The official IELTS test centre finder showed 35 centres in Uzbekistan on 28 September 2026. Every one is listed as computer-delivered and as offering One Skill Retake.
| City | IDP (Edu Action) | British Council |
|---|---|---|
| Tashkent | 4 | 3 (one approved for UKVI) |
| Samarkand | 3 | 1 |
| Bukhara | 1 | 2 |
| Nukus | 1 | 3 |
| Fergana | 1 | 2 |
| Andijan | 1 | 1 |
| Namangan | 1 | 1 |
| Navoi | 1 | 1 |
| Karshi | 1 | 1 |
| Jizzakh | 1 | 1 |
| Termez | 1 | 1 |
| Urgench | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 17 | 18 |
A centre on the list doesn't mean there is a date next week. On 28 September, IDP's city pages showed open sessions only in Tashkent, Termez and Urgench. The British Council's registration system listed 13 cities, including Gulistan, which the finder doesn't show. There is no single national IELTS date: each centre publishes its own sessions, so search dates for your city first.
For a UK visa, the only centre marked as UKVI-approved in the finder was the British Council centre at the Tashkent Institute of Irrigation and Agricultural Mechanization Engineers. See which UK visas need IELTS for UKVI.
Paper is gone: IELTS in Uzbekistan is on computer
IELTS announced that "from mid-2026, we will no longer offer IELTS as a paper-based test. All IELTS tests will be delivered on computer. Exact timelines will vary by market." We found no statement about Uzbekistan specifically, but on 28 September 2026 all 35 centres in the finder were marked "Computer", and neither booking system offered paper or Writing on Paper sessions.
Listening, Reading and Writing are done on the computer with no break. Speaking is a face-to-face interview: at IDP on the same day, just before or after the other parts; at the British Council on the same day or up to a week before or after, in a slot you choose. What changes when you type: computer-delivered IELTS.
How to register for IELTS with IDP
- Choose Academic or General Training, as your university, employer or visa page requires (IELTS Academic vs General Training).
- Find a date. Open the IDP Uzbekistan test centre and dates page, choose your city, filter by test type, then press "Select and continue" on a session. Each session shows the price.
- Create your IDP account and fill in your details exactly as they appear in your passport or ID card. You will need to "upload a clear color scan or photo of your passport". If you are under 18, a parent or guardian must give written consent. Not a citizen of Uzbekistan? IDP's terms say that candidates taking the test outside their own country must use a passport.
- Pay. According to IDP and Edu Action: bank card online, the Uzum or Apelsin apps (search for IDP), bank transfer from any Uzbek bank (add your full name and test date, allow 3 working days) or in person at the Edu Action office with your original passport.
- Wait for the confirmation email with your time and venue. Results appear in your IDP account 1 to 5 days after the test (how to check your IELTS results).
How to register for IELTS with the British Council
- Choose Academic or General Training in the British Council registration system, then your city and date.
- Enter your details and upload a scan of your ID: a passport or national ID card valid on the day you book and on test day. If you register with the ID card issued since 1 January 2021, type your name exactly as on its front, apostrophes included. For a university abroad, the British Council recommends your international passport. Under 18: a parent completes the British Council's consent form (IELTS is not recommended under 16). Not a citizen of Uzbekistan? Ask the centre which document it accepts before you book.
- Pay within 3 working days. Options listed by the British Council: Payme, Click, Xazna and Uzum, direct debit from your bank, cash at a bank, or a Visa or MasterCard issued by a foreign bank (charged in pounds sterling). Quote your 15-digit reference number starting with "UZ" in every payment. If you pay late or without the reference, your date may change or your registration may be cancelled.
- Read the confirmation emails (time, address, Speaking slot, IELTS Ready Premium access). Results appear in the Test Taker Portal, typically within 2 days.
The British Council's FAQ warns that late documents or payment can turn a face-to-face Speaking slot into a video-call Speaking.
How far ahead to book
Check the nearest open dates for your city in the booking system. For standard IELTS, a free transfer has to be requested at least 15 days before the test, so if you book a date less than 15 days away, you start without that option. Two other deadlines: the British Council asks for six weeks' notice for special arrangements (for a disability or medical condition), and a One Skill Retake must be taken within 60 days of the full test, at IDP only with an IDP centre. More in our One Skill Retake guide.
How far ahead do learners plan? We looked at 1,799 GoPrep learners with a profile time zone of Tashkent or Samarkand (our proxy for Uzbekistan) who signed up between 28 July and 26 September 2026 and entered an exam date. The median gap between sign-up and the exam date in their profile was about 80 days. About 1 in 5 (341, or 19%) had a date within 30 days of signing up, and 43% more than 90 days away. We left out 154 profiles whose date was on or before the sign-up day. Learners can change this date, so it shows their current plan, not when they actually booked.
Module matters as much as the date: among learners in the same group who chose a module, 71% (1,186 of 1,673) prepare for Academic.
IDP or British Council: what actually differs
IDP says that "taking your IELTS test at IDP is the same as taking one at British Council. In addition, the marking scheme and standards are exactly the same." So if you wonder whether one is easier, it isn't. The differences are practical:
| What | IDP (Edu Action) | British Council |
|---|---|---|
| Price, Academic or GT | 2,665,000 UZS | 2,798,000 UZS |
| Centres (ielts.org) | 17 in 12 cities | 18 in 12 cities |
| Speaking | Same day, before or after | Same day or up to a week apart, you choose the slot |
| Results | 1 to 5 days | Typically within 2 days |
| Payment | Card, Uzum, Apelsin, bank transfer, cash at the office | Payme, Click, Xazna, Uzum, bank, foreign card |
| Remark fee and request | 1,440,000 UZS, form by email to the centre | 1,343,000 UZS, online in the Test Taker Portal |
| IELTS for UKVI | Not listed on IDP Uzbekistan pages | Yes, in Tashkent |
| Included extras | Not stated | IELTS Ready Premium preparation access |
The published result times overlap, so they don't tell you who will be faster for you. Choose by the date you need, the price and a centre you can reach easily: arriving late can cost you the whole fee.
Practice: work out your booking deadlines
Try this before you read the answers. You register for British Council IELTS on computer on Monday 19 October 2026, for a test on Saturday 14 November 2026. Write down:
- the last day to pay;
- the last day to move the test for free;
- what happens if on Thursday 5 November you ask to move the test and don't apply for special consideration;
- what to do if you are 22, a citizen of Uzbekistan, and score 7.0.
| Question | Answer | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday 22 October | 3 working days after 19 October (if there is no public holiday) |
| Friday 30 October | Exactly 15 days before 14 November |
| Allowed, with a 25% fee (699,500 UZS) | 9 days before is in the 5 to 14 day window. Special consideration is a separate request with evidence, assessed case by case |
| Apply for compensation on my.gov.uz | Under 31 at the time of the exam, citizen, 7.0 or higher; apply within 180 days of the certificate date and keep your receipt |
Before you book and on test day: checklist
Before you book
- Your passport or ID card is valid now and will still be valid on test day. If you are not testing in your own country, have your passport ready.
- The name you type matches your document letter for letter.
- You know whether you need Academic, General Training or IELTS for UKVI.
- You know that a free transfer of standard IELTS must be requested at least 15 days before the test.
- You have compared dates in your city on the IDP Uzbekistan dates page and in the British Council system.
On test day (from the official IDP and British Council pages)
- Bring the same original passport or ID card you used to book. Copies are not accepted, and your ID is checked again before Speaking.
- Arrive early: Edu Action says 15 minutes before your Speaking registration time.
- Bring water only in a transparent bottle. No food in the test room.
- Leave your phone, smartwatch and any watch outside. Keeping a phone or electronic device with you means disqualification.
- The centre gives you pens and paper for notes.
- Expect a photo and a fingerprint scan at check-in. The photo appears on your result form.
FAQ
How much does IELTS cost in Uzbekistan in 2026?
On 28 September 2026, IELTS Academic or General Training on computer cost 2,665,000 UZS with IDP and 2,798,000 UZS with the British Council. IELTS for UKVI cost 3,119,000 UZS at the British Council. Fees change, so check the amount in the booking system on the day you pay.
Is IELTS easier with IDP or the British Council?
IDP states that the test and the marking scheme and standards are exactly the same at both providers. The differences are practical: price, centres, dates and how you request a remark.
Can I still take IELTS on paper in Uzbekistan?
On 28 September 2026, no paper sessions were available: every Uzbekistan centre in the official ielts.org finder is listed as computer-delivered, and neither booking system showed paper or Writing on Paper sessions. IELTS stopped offering the paper-based test from mid-2026, with timelines varying by country.
Can I get my IELTS fee back if I score 7.0?
Yes, if you qualify. Under Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 209, the state compensates the full fee for IELTS 7.0 or higher to citizens of Uzbekistan and stateless permanent residents who were under 31 at the time of the exam. Apply on my.gov.uz within 180 calendar days of the certificate date, with your payment receipt and certificate.
Next step
Booking takes one evening. Getting ready for the score you need takes longer. If you are weighing a course, compare IELTS course prices in Tashkent and ask 9 questions before you pay. Tell the quiz your target band, your exam date and the part of IELTS you find hardest, and GoPrep will build a study plan that fits the time you have before your test.
GoPrep Team
GoPrep guide authors
We write about IELTS preparation using platform data and official exam materials.
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