IELTS test takers in Vietnam can handwrite Writing section from October

IDP Vietnam said on Friday it would introduce the Writing on Paper option for candidates taking IELTS on computer, while the British Council Vietnam has also informed test takers of the new format.

Under the option, candidates will continue to complete Listening and Reading on a computer. Writing questions will be displayed on screen, but answers will be handwritten on paper provided at the test center.

The Speaking section will continue to be conducted face-to-face with an examiner.

The test structure, duration, and scoring criteria remain unchanged.

Listening takes 30 minutes and consists of four parts, while Reading lasts 60 minutes with three parts.

Writing takes 60 minutes and comprises two tasks requiring at least 150 and 250 words, respectively, while Speaking lasts 11-14 minutes and has three parts.

IDP and the British Council said results from the different formats are comparable and use the same scoring scale.

Nguyen Thanh Sang, IDP’s regional managing director for Vietnam and the Philippines, said this is the first time candidates taking IELTS on computer can choose to complete the Writing section by hand.

He said the option allows candidates to retain the faster results and modern testing process of computer-based IELTS while handwriting their Writing responses if they prefer.

According to the British Council, candidates choosing Writing on Paper can still receive their results within one to five days and use One Skill Retake.

Those retaking only Writing must use the same format as in their original test. Candidates who initially wrote their answers on paper cannot switch to typing for the retake.

Writing on Paper is currently unavailable for IELTS for UKVI, which is used for UK visa and immigration purposes.

The option was introduced by IELTS in mid-2026 and is being rolled out across individual countries.