British Council vs IDP IELTS Exam: Which One is Better?

If you want to take an IELTS exam, two of the most popular testing centers are the British Council and IDP. Which one is better? Read more to find out if there’s a difference between the IDP IELTS or BC IELTS.

Who Owns the IELTS Exam?

A common question that people have is who exactly owns the IELTS exam. It’s an easy answer! It’s jointly owned by the British Council and IDP, along with Cambridge English Language Assessment.

That’s why IDP and the British Council are some of the most popular IELTS testing centers in the world. Keep on reading to find out where you should take your test.

BC IELTS vs IDP ELTS: Test Difficulty

The British Council and IDP administer the IELTS exam but they do not write them. This is done by Cambridge English Language Assessment.

All the IELTS exams in the world are exactly the same. The questions do change from year to year, or in the case of a security breach.  In addition, the examiner on the speaking portion has 10-15 topics to choose from, which means that if you take the exam on the same day as your friend, you will very likely get different topics and questions.

This means that the test at the British Council and the test at IDP will be the same difficulty level. The speaking portion of the exam is graded in the exact same way.

IELTS IDP vs British Council: Grading

All IELTS speaking examiners:

• Are trained in exactly the same way, using the same materials.
• Get checked regularly to ensure they are administering the exam correctly.
• Get checked regularly to make sure that the scores are not too high or too low.
• Use the same set of exam questions.
• Are required to record each speaking test.

This means the IELTS speaking evaluation is exactly the same, no matter where you take the test.

For the IELTS writing portion, humans do grade it. However, similar to the speaking portion, these graders are trained in exactly the same way, they use the same criteria, and are also checked regularly to make sure that their scores are neither too high, nor too low.

The reading and IELTS listening portions are graded using a computer and there is either a right or wrong answer. They are administered by a computer and not a human. Find out more: Listening Band Scores and Reading Band Scores.

What does this mean? There is no difference in grading between these test centers.

Accents: BC vs IDP

IDP is an Australian company while the British Council is from the UK. For the IELTS speaking exam portion of the test, you can get an examiner with any accent. They will speak English fluently. For your response, you can speak in your natural accent.

For the listening portion of the test, you’ll hear a range of accents: UK, Australian, American, etc.

IDP IELTS vs British Council IELTS: How to Choose

There are a few factors to consider when trying to decide where to take your exam. In reality, choosing between IDP or BC isn’t that important. Here are some better things to consider:

• Choose a center that is close to your home so that you can arrive feeling fresh. The test takes a significant amount of time to complete.
• Pick a time that works for you. Some people are morning people, while others prefer later in the afternoon.
• See if the listening test uses speakers or headphones if you have a preference for this.
• Choose a test date that’s ideal for you. If you’re taking a preparation course, a week or two after the finish of this would be ideal.
• You’ll also need to consider when you might need the results. If they’re for something like university entrance, leave time to retake the test, in case you don’t get a high enough score for the first time.

Tips for Improving your IELTS Score

To score more highly on this exam, here are a few resources to check out:

IELTS Speaking Part 1 Topics

Speaking Part 2 Topics

IELTS Speaking Part 3 Questions

Reading Tips for IELTS

IDP vs BC: Summary

There’s no difference among any of the IELTS exam centers. The test, as well as the grading, is exactly the same so choose a time and place that’s convenient for you. British Council vs IDP: either one is fine!

IDP or IELTS FAQs

There are a number of common questions that people have about this. Here are the answer to some of the most popular ones.

Is IDP easier than British Council?

For the IELTS exam, IDP is not easier or more difficult than the British Council. The test is exactly the same, it’s administered in the same way and the grading is the same.

Which is Better, IELTS British Council or IDP?

Taking the IELTS at the British Council isn’t better, or worse than IDP. The test is exactly the same at both locations. The only slight differences could be in times and dates, or pricing.

 

Is IDP IELTS valid in Canada?

It doesn’t matter where you take the IELTS exam around the world. For example, you could take it at an IDP test center in Australia and it would be valid in Canada. The exam is the same, no matter which country or testing center you take it at.

Is the IELTS valid for 3 years now?

No, the IELTS is not valid for 3 years. It’s only valid for 2 years, from the time you get your results.

British Council vs IDP IELTS: Join the Conversation

Do you have any thoughts about where it’s best to take the IELTS exam, BC or IDP? Leave a comment below and let me know what you think about it. We’d love to hear from you.

Last update on 2025-05-14 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API