The British Council and IDP Education, two organizations that administer IELTS tests in Vietnam, have announced the temporary postponement of all tests scheduled to take place in the country from Thursday until further notice.

The British Council sent an email to IELTS test takers in Vietnam on Wednesday night notifying them that their upcoming exams would be postponed.

 “We apologize to inform you that all IELTS tests arranged by the British Council in Vietnam have now been suspended till further notice. As a result, your exam on November 10, 2022, must be canceled.

“This decision is beyond our control and will affect all foreign language examinations in Vietnam. The resumption of the test depends on the consent of the Ministry of Education and Training, with whom we are collaborating to obtain the required approvals as quickly as possible,” the email reads.

According to the email of the British Council, any candidates affected by this decision will be able to reschedule their test date at no charge, and the organization will notify them by email whenever the IELTS test is authorized to resume.

On Thursday noon, IDP Education also told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that the unit will also suspend all the IELTS tests across Vietnam from Thursday.

Many candidates who register for the IELTS exam at IDP were shocked by the news, since they believed their exams could take place normally and that the suspension only concerns the British Council.

The organization also made a statement on its website stating that the decision was beyond their control and that they will collaborate with the Ministry of Education and Training to resume the examination as soon as possible.

“We look forward to applicants' and parents' understanding and support in order to ensure the compliance and transparency that the IELTS exam is dedicated to around the world,” the announcement reads.

Currently, IDP provides IELTS tests in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, and 41 other localities with convenient locations for candidates.

In three major cities, candidates can select between a daily computer-based IELTS test schedule and a paper exam schedule that is held four times per month.

The declaration of both organizations came after the Ministry of Education and Training on Tuesday ordered education departments in all cities and provinces to review the organization of foreign language examinations in their regions and report to the ministry.

“We were shocked because we had carefully prepared for the test, but it was postponed at the last minute.

“The new date of the test has not yet been determined, therefore I am pretty concerned because I need my IELTS result in the near future,” an IELTS candidate told Tuoi Tre.

More than 140 countries recognize the IELTS certificate for entrance to educational institutions, employment, and immigration.

Numerous Vietnamese universities also use IELTS as one of the criteria for admission.

Like us on Facebook or  follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!