IELTS test cities in Kenya by provider
City lists come from IDP's Kenya test centre finder and the British Council's booking system, searched for sessions up to March 2027. The British Council's dates page names nine Kenyan locations, adding Nyeri, Meru, Kisii and Kakamega, but none of those four had bookable sessions when we checked, so ask the British Council before planning around them. We do not list addresses because venues change.
| City | IDP | British Council | Formats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nairobi | Yes (Westlands) | Yes, several venues | Computer, Writing on paper, UKVI, Life Skills (British Council) |
| Eldoret | Yes | Yes, several venues | Computer; British Council also Writing on paper and UKVI |
| Mombasa | No | Yes | Computer, UKVI |
| Kisumu | No | Yes | Computer |
| Nakuru | No | Yes | Computer |
| Nyeri, Meru, Kisii, Kakamega | No | Named on its page; no sessions seen | Check with the British Council |
How to choose a centre
The fee is the same everywhere (KES 41,580 for IELTS on computer), so choose on date and distance. Nairobi has by far the most sessions: IDP showed 446 upcoming Nairobi sessions on 10 October 2026, and the British Council about two thirds of its Kenyan dates there. Mombasa, Kisumu and Nakuru had only a handful of British Council dates each over the next five months, so book early if you want a local seat (IDP Nairobi, IDP Eldoret).
For a UK visa, check the city first. The British Council's UKVI page says UKVI runs in Nairobi, but its booking system also showed IELTS for UKVI in Eldoret and Mombasa; Life Skills A1 and B1 sessions were Nairobi only. IDP offers IELTS for UKVI in Nairobi. Nurses should book IELTS Academic at a centre, not IELTS Online, for the NMC.
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Booking an IELTS centre
Book online with the provider that runs the centre: IDP through its test-date pages, the British Council through its booking system. If you might need a One Skill Retake later, IDP marks its Nairobi centre as offering it, and the British Council offers it after any IELTS on computer test. Fees, payment methods and refund rules are in IELTS exam fee in Kenya.
Frequently asked questions
Which cities in Kenya have IELTS test centres?+
Nairobi and Eldoret with both providers, and Mombasa, Kisumu and Nakuru with the British Council, based on bookable sessions on 10 October 2026.
Where can I take IELTS for UKVI in Kenya?+
Nairobi with IDP; Nairobi, Eldoret and Mombasa with the British Council. Life Skills runs in Nairobi only.
Is paper-based IELTS available in Kenya?+
No. All tests are on computer. You can choose Writing on paper in Nairobi (both providers) or Eldoret (British Council) for KES 45,740.
Is there an IELTS centre in Kisumu?+
Yes, the British Council ran computer-based sessions in Kisumu, though only a few dates over the next five months when we checked.
Keep reading
Related
- IELTS exam fee in Kenya
- PTE test centres in Kenya
- IELTS One Skill Retake
- IELTS Life Skills
- IELTS for students from Kenya
- Free IELTS mock test with AI band score
- All 970 guides
Verified against the linked official sources on 10 October 2026. Rules change: confirm on the official page before you book or apply.
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