Staying cool during your IELTS test: our air-conditioned exam centres
Tom Steele
With a heatwave forecast to arrive this weekend, we know that comfort is on the minds of many test takers preparing to sit their IELTS or other exam. Warm weather is welcome on a day off, but a stuffy room is the last thing you want when you are working through a reading passage or composing an essay under timed conditions. The good news is that a number of MTS test centres are fully air conditioned, so you can keep your focus on doing your best rather than on the temperature.
With a heatwave forecast to arrive this weekend, we know that comfort is on the minds of many test takers preparing to sit their IELTS or other exam.
Warm weather is welcome on a day off, but a stuffy room is the last thing you want when you are working through a reading passage or composing an essay under timed conditions.
The good news is that a number of MTS test centres are fully air conditioned, so you can keep your focus on doing your best rather than on the temperature.
Our air conditioned test centres
The following MTS test centres are air conditioned and will be kept comfortable throughout your test:
Birmingham
Brighton
Cardiff
Edinburgh
Glasgow
London Chiswick
London Kings Cross
Manchester
Milton Keynes
If you are booked at one of these venues, you can arrive knowing the room will stay cool, whatever the weather is doing outside.
Sitting your test somewhere else?
If your centre is not on the list above, please do not worry. Our teams take test-day comfort seriously, and during warm weather they will do everything they can to keep rooms cool and well ventilated so that you can concentrate.
If you would feel more settled sitting your test at an air-conditioned centre – or simply on a cooler day – our MTS IELTS Transfer Promise lets you move your test date free of charge up to 24 hours before your test. You can request a change through our IELTS test transfer form, and there is no charge for doing so.
Simple ways to stay comfortable in hot weather
Whichever MTS centre you are sitting at, a little preparation goes a long way on a hot day:
Bring water. A clear, label-free bottle is usually allowed in the test room – check with your centre beforehand if you are unsure.
Dress in light layers. That way you can adjust easily, whether the room feels warm or the air conditioning is on.
Arrive in good time. Giving yourself a few extra minutes means you can settle, cool down and start the test feeling calm rather than rushed.
Keep hydrated the day before. Drinking plenty of water in the run-up to your test helps you feel sharper on the day.
A heatwave needn't stand between you and a strong performance. With a cool room, a clear plan and a little preparation, you can walk in ready to show what you can do – and we will be doing our part to make sure the conditions are on your side.
Good luck, and stay cool.