IDP was widely expected to be operational in China by the second half of 2025, but it surprised some test-takers by opening registration for the November 29-December 31 testing period early.
According to blog posts in China, registration opened around November 25, with all the test slots until the end of the year selling out in a matter of days.
“Wasn’t it originally said that it would officially enter the mainland in the second half of 2025? How come registration is now online?” one blogger posted.
While there is no difference between this test and the IELTS test already delivered in China by the British Council, test takers can now register for and take the test through IDP Education.
Both organisations – which own an equal one-third share of the IELTS test along with Cambridge English – offer the test at an equal fee of 2170 RMB, or roughly USD$298.
Unlike the British Council’s IELTS and TOEFL (owned by ETS) where test takers are offloaded to China’s National Education Examinations Authority for registration and payment, IDP manages these on its own platform, indicating a more seamless arrangement with NEEA, according to SELT expert Michael Goodine.
This allows test takers to register for the IDP exam before providing payment, which has been well received by online commentators – who have also welcomed the ability to reschedule the test once for free.
IDP testing is currently available in 14 cities in 10 provinces across mainland China including Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shandong, Hubei, Hunan, Guangdong, Chongqing, and Sichuan.
Unlike British Council test centres, which provide the option of taking a paper or computer test, IDP only offers computer-based tests, with all sections of the test for the most part completed in one day and the option to retake one section of the test expected in the future.
“The overall reaction seems extremely positive,” wrote Goodine: “Tutoring centre staff I’ve talked to report that they’ve already sent dozens of students to register for an IDP-administered IELTS… I think this is a big win for that firm.”
“I think this is good news for Chinese students as this provides more options to them … currently they can only attend the IELTS test in major cities or provinces, which they find costly to travel,” director of student services at Uoffer Global told The PIE News.
“Another highlight is that it allows flexibility. Some Chinese students might feel unprepared when it comes closer to the exam date or have a sudden change of schedule. The free reschedule allows greater flexibility and enables them to be well prepared for the examination.”
The overall reaction seems extremely positive
Michael Goodine, Test Resources
Up until now, IDP has held an agreement with the British Council, which has historically been responsible for all aspects of marketing and distribution of the test in China, with IDP receiving a royalty fee paid on a per-test basis.
Its recent expansion has given IDP direct access to the IELTS market in China, valued at $380m, making up 40% of the $1bn global IELTS market.
A report by Morgan Stanley estimated that IDP was planning to outsource its testing network to a “reputable operator with an already well-established geographic presence”, though it is yet to be disclosed which operator IDP has partnered with.
According to BONARD global consultancy,
Despite the entry of PTE, DET and LanguageCert into the English-testing market in China in recent years, institutions and agencies primarily still favour IELTS and TOEFL, with IELTS the most popular test brand among Chinese students, according to Grace Zhu, China branch director at BONARD global consultancy.
“For students, the key focus of attention in this market competition is whether this initiative can act as a catalyst for improving service quality … in terms of the convenience of the registration, availability of test seats in nearest centres and timely access to results,” Zhu told The PIE.
According to the Morgan Stanley, it is predicted that IDP will have a 40% share of IELTS in China by 2028, increasing the company’s earnings by an average of 5% from 2026-2028.
Experts have warned that the increased competition could have a significant impact on British Council’s market share in China, which currently represents about 50% of all IELTS testing administered by the British Council.
IDP has not yet released its test schedule for the new year, with British Council-administered tests available to book online. According to Chinese test-takers, the British Council usually requires test registration two months in advance, while IDP is understood to have a more flexible exam schedule.
