IELTS exams canceled across mainland China due to technical issues

IELTS examinations organized by the British Council were abruptly canceled across multiple locations in mainland China on October 10 and 11 due to technical reasons. The disruption affected both full exams and individual component retakes.

In some instances, candidates were notified of the cancellation via text message while waiting to test, while others were instructed to leave the premises mid-exam, such as immediately after completing the listening section. The British Council confirmed that scores for portions of the exam already completed would not be released.

While the organizers have committed to issuing full refunds of registration fees within one working day, many students expressed frustration over unrecoverable costs related to travel, accommodation, and lost time. The sudden cancellation has caused significant distress for students currently in the peak application season for universities in Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, and Singapore, as they require timely language proficiency results to meet admission deadlines.

Official representatives stated that while they are working to address the technical issues, there are currently no specific arrangements for compensation regarding travel expenses or guaranteed priority rescheduling, though they are exploring the possibility of opening additional testing slots.