IELTS has confirmed that a “technical issue” affected a small number of tests taken between August 2023 and September 2025, resulting in incorrect Reading and Listening scores for some test-takers. The organization issued its sincere apologies and has already begun correcting the affected results.
What Happened
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The issue impacted certain Listening and Reading components in both the Academic and General Training versions of the test.
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Most of the changes were minor, but some test-takers saw half-band adjustments.
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IELTS says more than 99% of the tests during that period were not affected.
How It’s Being Handled
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Candidates who were impacted have been notified directly, and the updated test report forms are now available.
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IELTS is offering either a full refund or a free retake to those whose scores were changed.
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Recognizing organizations (universities, immigration bodies, employers) have also been informed of the corrections.
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Additional safeguards and quality checks have been put in place to ensure this does not happen again.
Why This Matters
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For affected students, the timing could be critical — many might have already submitted their original scores to universities or visa authorities.
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Some universities are reportedly reviewing the admission status of students whose IELTS scores were used during applications.
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The glitch highlights how important accurate testing is, especially when results affect academic admissions, job applications, or immigration.
What You Should Do If You Took IELTS Between Aug 2023 – Sept 2025
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Check your email for a message from IELTS or your test centre about score corrections.
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Log in to your test-taker portal to view your updated Test Report Form (TRF).
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Decide whether to accept the refund or schedule a free retake.
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If you’ve already used your test score for university applications or visa submissions, reach out to those institutions to explain the change and request any necessary documentation.
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Keep both the original and corrected TRFs for your records.