The official IELTS exam authorities have announced that new exam fee standards will take effect starting January 1, 2026. As Yinghua School primarily offers A-Level and HKDSE programs, we’re here to help students and parents sort through the key information and provide preparation planning guidelines tailored to the characteristics of our courses.

I. Details of the 2026 IELTS Exam Fee Adjustment

This adjustment involves the following major exam types:

• The IELTS exam (including both paper-based and computer-delivered formats) now costs RMB 1,990.
• The new fee for the IELTS test for UK visa and immigration purposes (UKVI, available in both paper-based and computer-delivered formats) is RMB 1,990.
• The fee for transferring or withdrawing from an exam has been uniformly adjusted to RMB 380.
• The fee for the IELTS Life Skills test, used for UK visas and immigration, remains unchanged.

Two Key reminders for integrating this school’s curriculum

This adjustment is directly related to the academic advancement pathways of our students. Therefore, each student should clearly identify their key preparation priorities based on their own courses and goals.

• A-Level students: If your primary study destinations include the UK, Australia, Canada, and other countries, most institutions generally require IELTS scores. In particular, students planning to apply for undergraduate or foundation programs at UK universities should pay close attention—when applying for a visa, you’ll typically need to submit your score report from the “IELTS for UK Visa and Immigration (UKVI)” test. This fee adjustment directly affects you, so please keep it in mind when planning your budget.
• Students enrolled in the HKDSE program: You have a wide range of university admission options. Whether you're applying to local Hong Kong universities, partner institutions on the Chinese mainland, or overseas universities, a strong IELTS score can significantly enhance your application competitiveness. Please pay attention to any changes in the fees for the standard IELTS test, and select the correct test type according to the requirements of your target institutions.

III. Exam Preparation Planning and School Support Recommendations

The adjustment of official fees marks a clear planning milestone. We advise students—especially those currently in Grades 10 and 11—to plan their exam preparation time more strategically and focus on genuinely enhancing their core competencies.

• Start systematic preparation as early as possible: Language skills cannot be mastered overnight. It’s recommended to begin systematic review early, in line with the pace of your school’s curriculum, to avoid cramming right before the exam.
• Leverage Key Holidays to Achieve Breakthroughs: Focused periods are the best time to address weaknesses and achieve a significant leap in capability. For example, the upcoming winter vacation presents a rare “golden window” for exam preparation. To help students make the most of this time, our school will be offering an intensive IELTS preparatory course during the winter break. This intensive course will be conducted in small classes, with a focus on strengthening students’ grammatical and vocabulary foundations, refining their writing logic, and enhancing their spoken expression. The goal is to specifically address each student’s individual weak points and help them strive for high scores on the IELTS exam.
• Actively leverage campus resources: In your daily studies, students should proactively make use of the academic English skills honed in A-Level and HKDSE English courses—these skills form the foundation for tackling the IELTS exam. At the same time, you can communicate more frequently with your university-admission counselors and, in light of the specific requirements of your target institutions, develop a clear, phased preparation plan tailored to your individual goals.

In the face of the various information and changes along the path of studying abroad, clear awareness and steady planning are especially important. We hope that students will take this adjustment in costs as a reminder to incorporate language preparation into their overall college application plans as early as possible and move forward steadily.

For specific arrangements and registration details regarding the winter vacation IELTS intensive classes, parents and students may contact their respective class teachers or the Admissions and AMC Office for further information.