On the evening of November 12, numerous Vietnamese test-takers who sat for IELTS between mid-2023 and September 2025 reported receiving emails from the two test providers about updates to their results.

According to the notification, a technical issue had affected the scoring of the Listening and/or Reading sections, leading to increases or decreases in some candidates’ scores.

“We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. The technical issue has been resolved, and we have enhanced our systems and procedures to prevent this from recurring,” the message stated.

To address the situation, the British Council and IDP have offered two options to affected candidates: a full refund of the test fee or a free retake. Candidates must confirm their choice by May 1, 2026. Regardless of the option chosen, cases will be processed within 60 business days from the date of confirmation.

Nguyen Hoang Anh, a student in Hanoi, shared with VietNamNet that she received an email from IDP on November 12, informing her of a revised score  -  more than a year after she had taken the test in June 2024.

“IDP said my Reading score increased from 7.0 to 8.0,” Hoang Anh said. However, she noted that the new score was no longer relevant since she had already used the original results for her university application.

“That test made me doubt my reading ability. I thought my skills were weak, and it really affected my confidence,” she added.

Hieu Minh, an IELTS instructor in Hanoi, confirmed that several of his students also received similar notices from IDP and the British Council on the same day.

One student, who took the test on May 19, 2024, saw their Reading score rise from 7.0 to 8.0, increasing the overall band score to 7.5. Another student who tested on July 19, 2025, reported an increase from 7.0 to 7.5 in Reading.

“These students had used their IELTS scores for graduation requirements, job applications, or study abroad submissions. The unexpected change negatively affected different groups,” Minh explained.

In some cases, students who failed to meet score requirements had to pay for additional test prep and retake the exam.

“Others who met entry requirements with the original score didn’t retake the test. But because their real ability was underestimated, they missed out on high-value scholarships,” Minh added.

Despite the disruption, Minh acknowledged the transparency shown by IDP and the British Council in owning up to the mistake. He praised their response policies  -  offering a retest or a refund  -  as the best solutions under the circumstances.

Less than 1% of global test-takers affected

In emails sent to affected candidates, the test organizers included a link to a Q&A section addressing the incident and the technical issue that led to the incorrect scores.

They clarified that the “internal technical issue” was not the result of a cyberattack and had affected fewer than 1% of all IELTS tests worldwide.

The issue has now been completely resolved, and additional safeguards have been implemented to prevent recurrence.

The British Council and IDP stated that upon discovering the error, they immediately launched a comprehensive investigation to determine its scope and ensure that no candidate would be unfairly impacted.

“The updated scores are now the final official scores. Previous score reports are no longer valid. If you need supporting documents or explanation letters for educational institutions, employers, or immigration authorities, we are ready to provide them,” the organizations said.

Thuy Nga