IELTS preparation
Practise IELTS the way you will sit it.
Full mock tests you can take online, free, with no account. Listening and Reading are marked the moment you submit and every question comes with an explanation that tells you where in the text the answer was. Writing and Speaking give you the real prompts under real timing, with model answers and examiner notes to mark yourself against.
5 full papers 400 marked questions All content written in house Verified 2026-07-28
Changing in 2026
Paper-based IELTS is being withdrawn during 2026
IELTS is moving to computer delivery worldwide. In most markets the last paper-based test date was 27 June 2026, though the exact timing varies by market and IDP Nepal was still listing paper sittings after that date. Results from a paper test you have already taken remain valid for two years, so nothing you hold is affected. If you are booking now, book the computer test: it has more sittings, faster results, and it is the only version that offers One Skill Retake.
One Skill Retake
If you meet your target in three skills and miss it in the fourth, you can retake that single skill instead of sitting the whole test again. You must book it within 60 days of the original test, and it is available on computer-delivered IELTS only. The retake produces a fresh Test Report Form combining your original three scores with the new one. Not every institution accepts a One Skill Retake result, so check with your university before relying on it.
What the test actually involves
Listening, Reading and Writing are sat back to back with no break, a little under three hours in total. Speaking is usually a separate appointment within a few days either side.
| Skill | Time | What you face |
|---|---|---|
| Listening | About 30 minutes | Four sections, 40 questions. The recording plays once. |
| Reading | 60 minutes | Three passages, 40 questions. No extra time to transfer answers on the computer test. |
| Writing | 60 minutes | Task 1 of 150 words in 20 minutes, then Task 2 of 250 words in 40. |
| Speaking | 11 to 14 minutes | A face-to-face interview in three parts, usually scheduled on a separate day. |
What it costs in Nepal
These are IDP Nepal's published prices, verified 2026-07-28. The British Council has historically charged the same in Nepal, but we could not reach its fee page on that date, so confirm with whichever provider you book before you pay.
| Test | Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS on Computer, Academic or General Training | NPR 36,000 | The standard option, and the one almost every university applicant sits. |
| IELTS for UKVI on Computer | NPR 36,400 | Required only when a UK visa application specifies a Secure English Language Test. Confirm with your CAS letter before paying the difference. |
| IELTS for UKVI on Paper | NPR 39,600 | The most expensive option and increasingly hard to book as paper delivery is withdrawn. |
| IELTS Life Skills A1 or B1 | NPR 29,000 | A speaking and listening test for family and settlement visas. It is not accepted for university admission. |
Results arrive in usually three to five days, and often faster. on the computer test. Full booking detail, centre addresses and payment methods are on the IELTS fees and test centres page.
The score you actually need
Almost every requirement below has a per-band condition attached to it. The overall figure is the one people quote and the per-band floor is the one that fails applications.
Most master's programmes in the USA, Canada, Australia and the UK6.5 overall, with no band below 6.0
The per-band floor fails more applicants than the overall figure does.
Many undergraduate and pathway programmes6.0 overall, sometimes 5.5 in individual bands
Foundation programmes will often take 5.5 overall.
Nursing registration in Australia, through AHPRA7.0 in every one of the four bands
No exceptions and no averaging. This single rule stops more qualified Nepali nurses than any clinical assessment.
Nursing registration in the UK, through the NMC7.0 overall, with 6.5 permitted in writing
The writing concession is the only one the NMC allows.
Australian student visa, Subclass 500Commonly 5.5 overall
Visa minimums sit below university minimums, so the university requirement is almost always the one that binds.
Already have a score from another test? Convert between IELTS, PTE, TOEFL and Duolingo.
A preparation sequence that works
Roughly eight weeks for most people. The order matters more than the length: everything after step one depends on knowing where your marks are actually going.
- 1
Sit one full paper before you study anything
Take a complete Listening and Reading paper under timed conditions in week one. Almost everybody skips this and almost everybody regrets it, because without a baseline you spend the first month studying the skill you enjoy rather than the one costing you marks.
- 2
Work on question formats, not topics
IELTS marks cluster by format. If you lost six marks on True, False, Not Given and none on completion tasks, another full paper teaches you very little. Drill the one format for a week instead.
- 3
Fix Writing Task 2 before Task 1
Task 2 is worth twice as much as Task 1 in the Writing band. If your time is limited, put it into essays and into reading model answers closely enough to see how they are structured.
- 4
Speak out loud every day, even alone
Record two minutes on a cue card and listen back. It is uncomfortable and it works faster than any other Speaking activity, because you hear the repetition and the trailing sentences that the examiner hears.
- 5
Rebuild exam conditions in the last fortnight
Stop pausing the Listening recording, stop looking up words mid-passage and sit Reading against a 60-minute clock. Candidates lose bands to pacing far more often than to vocabulary.
- 6
Book the computer test and know the retake rule
Computer delivery has more sittings, faster results, and it is the only version offering One Skill Retake if you miss your target in one skill.
Questions people ask before booking
- Are these IELTS mock tests really free?
- Yes. You can sit a full paper, get it marked and read every explanation without an account and without paying. Signing in is optional and only exists so your scores are saved across sessions.
- How accurate is the band score from an online mock test?
- Treat it as a study signal rather than a prediction. IELTS equates every live version of the test separately, so the raw score needed for a given band moves by a mark or two between papers. Our conversion uses the widely published averages, which is close enough to tell you whether you are near your target and not close enough to promise a result.
- What is a good IELTS score for studying abroad?
- For most master's programmes, 6.5 overall with no band below 6.0 is the working floor. Undergraduate and pathway courses often accept 6.0. Nursing is the strictest case: AHPRA in Australia wants 7.0 in every band, and the UK's NMC wants 7.0 overall with 6.5 allowed in writing.
- How much does IELTS cost in Nepal in 2026?
- IELTS on Computer costs NPR 36,000. IELTS for UKVI on Computer is NPR 36,400 and the paper version of UKVI is NPR 39,600. These are IDP Nepal's published prices, verified 2026-07-28. The British Council has historically charged the same in Nepal, so confirm with whichever provider you book.
- Is paper-based IELTS still available?
- It is being withdrawn during 2026. In most markets the last paper sitting was 27 June 2026, though the timing varies by market. Book the computer test: results are faster and it is the only version that offers One Skill Retake. Paper results you already hold remain valid for two years.
- How long should I prepare for IELTS?
- Somebody who already studies in English and reads regularly often needs four to six weeks. Somebody starting from a weaker base, or targeting 7.0 for nursing registration, should plan on three to four months. The honest way to find out is to sit a full paper before you start.
- Can I retake just one part of the test?
- Yes, through One Skill Retake, which is available on computer-delivered IELTS only. You must book it within 60 days of the original test. Not every institution accepts a One Skill Retake result, so confirm with your university first.