Guide · IELTS fee · 3 min read
IELTS exam fee in Nepal, 2026: what you pay, where to book, and what a retake costs.
IELTS Academic and General Training cost Rs 36,000 in Nepal in 2026, and IELTS for UKVI costs Rs 36,400, paid to IDP or the British Council when you book. Since 27 June 2026, IELTS in Nepal is computer-delivered only, with results usually in 2 to 5 days. The fee is the same for every attempt, so the real cost of IELTS is how many times you sit it. That's why we tell students to book only when their mock scores are already at the target.
The short version
- IELTS Academic or General Training: Rs 36,000. IELTS for UKVI: Rs 36,400. Paid to IDP or the British Council, not to a class.
- Computer-delivered only in Nepal since 27 June 2026. Results usually in 2 to 5 days.
- Every attempt costs the full fee. Two attempts at Rs 36,000 cost more than a full 6-week class at Rs 12,500.
- Book Academic for study, UKVI only if your course or CAS asks for it, General Training for work or migration.
- Book when your last two mocks reach the target in every band, and leave time before your deadline for one retake.
The fee, version by version
| Version | Fee in Nepal (2026) | For |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS Academic | Rs 36,000 | University study abroad |
| IELTS General Training | Rs 36,000 | Work, migration, some vocational courses |
| IELTS for UKVI (Academic) | Rs 36,400 | UK courses below degree level, or when your CAS asks |
| IELTS Life Skills | Ask the provider | Some UK family and settlement visas, not study |
Paid to IDP or the British Council. Check the fee on their site the day you book; it changes from time to time.
What IELTS really costs you
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| One test | Rs 36,000 |
| A second test, after missing by half a band | Rs 36,000 more |
| Sending results to extra universities | Usually free online; ask the provider |
| Travel to Kathmandu for a student outside the valley | Bus and a night or two’s stay |
| Our 6-week class, level test and 4 mocks included | Rs 12,500 |
Most students who sit IELTS three or four times aren’t unlucky. They booked before their mocks said they were ready. The test fee doesn’t change between attempts; what changes is whether you knew your band before you paid.
How to book
- Choose the version using the table above. If in doubt, Academic.
- Check your passport. You’ll need it to book and on the day, and the name must match your application documents.
- Pick a date that gives your result 2 to 5 days to arrive, plus time for a retake before your deadline.
- Book with IDP or the British Council, online or at their office, and pay the fee.
- Read the confirmation: the venue, the arrival time, and the speaking test time, which can be on a different slot or day.
Picking the date
| Your deadline | Book the test |
|---|---|
| A university application with a fixed date | At least 4 weeks before, so a retake fits |
| Australia’s visa, with an offer already | When your mocks are ready; the score must be valid when you apply |
| A UK CAS that needs the score | Before the university’s CAS deadline, often 6 to 8 weeks before the course |
| Finland or Sweden’s January round | Mid-November at the latest |
On the day
- Bring the same passport you booked with.
- Arrive at the time on the confirmation, not the test start time.
- Listening, reading and writing are on a computer. Practise typing in English at exam pace; slow typing costs writing marks.
- Speaking is with an examiner, face to face, and lasts 11 to 14 minutes.
If you miss your target
| You missed by | What to do |
|---|---|
| Half a band in one skill | Ask the provider about a remark or a one-skill retake, if offered at your centre, and its fee. Or retake after 2 to 3 weeks on that skill |
| One band or more | Don’t rebook straight away. Find the reason first |
| Several skills | A full class, then a mock, then the test |
From our files. Sristi Maharjan from Kirtipur, a nursing graduate, needed 7 in listening, reading and speaking and 6.5 in writing for Australian registration. Her first attempt missed speaking by half a band. She had attended her batch, so the repeat batch was free; she paid only the second test fee, met the score in August 2026, and is applying for registration in Australia.
Our view
Treat Rs 36,000 as a fee you pay once. Take a free level test, join a class if the gap is more than half a band, and book only when your last two mocks reach your target in every band. Our IELTS classes run 6 weeks in classes of up to 12, and if you attend 90% of classes and still miss your target, the next batch is free.
