How much is the IELTS exam fee in New Zealand in 2026?

For skilled residence visas, including the Skilled Migrant Category and Work to Residence, INZ accepts IELTS General Training or Academic and IELTS One Skill Retake. The principal applicant needs an overall 6.5, and a partner or dependent child aged 16 or over needs 5 (INZ skilled residence English).

The test must be taken in person at a test centre and be no more than two years old when you apply; at-home tests are not acceptable, which rules out IELTS Online for residence. Partners who score below 5 can pre-purchase English lessons instead, but principal applicants cannot.

More detail is in IELTS for the Skilled Migrant visa; nurses and doctors registering in New Zealand should read IELTS for nurses in New Zealand and IELTS for doctors in New Zealand.

IDP New Zealand publishes the same policy as IDP Australia (IDP NZ): you can change the date, format or module once free of charge, right up to the test date, through the centre where you booked. Request a module change at least 48 hours before; a booking cannot be moved to another centre.

If you are sick, contact the centre on the day for a free date change, or send a medical certificate dated on or before the test within 14 days. Missing the test without telling the centre forfeits the fee.