Six surprising things MTS’s IELTS test takers taught us so far this year

At MTS we deliver more IELTS tests than any other independent centre network in Europe. That means we get a remarkable window into who is taking the world's best-known English test; and why. We looked at all our IELTS registrations across our UK and Ireland venues in the first seven months of 2026, and some of what we found surprised even us.

Here are six things the data told us.

1. Our test rooms hosted 154 nationalities in seven months

Now that’s an international bunch! That's more nationalities than there are members of the Commonwealth, sitting the same test, across all MTS’s exam venues, between New Year's Day and early August - speaking more than 100 different first languages between them, from Yoruba and Malayalam to Ukrainian and Shona. If you want a picture of modern Britain and Ireland's connection to the world, an IELTS waiting room on a Saturday morning is hard to beat.

2. More than 1 in 10 IELTS test takers holds a British passport

This may or may not be a surprise to some of you, but 10% of our IELTS test takers are UK nationals. Why would a British citizen sit an English test? Because the traffic isn’t all one way. British passport holders overwhelmingly take IELTS to emigrate out of the UK, most often to Australia or Canada as the top two overseas destinations. Some Brits are also sitting an IELTS test in the UK in order to register as doctors, nurses, dentists, AHPs, and social care professionals – both for jobs here and for jobs abroad. English may be their first language, but the visa points system still needs to have the IELTS test results certificate.

3. The typical test taker is a 29-year-old professional woman

Forget any lingering image of IELTS as a students-only exam. The median age of our 2026 test takers is 29, and women outnumber men 59% to 41%, and nearly three-quarters of our IELTS test takers already hold a degree or postgraduate qualification. The single biggest occupational group? Health and social care, and among those registering for professional healthcare status (doctors, nurses and dentists), women lead by an even wider margin.

4. Saturdays are the most popular test day for IELTS but MTS runs IELTS exams all through the week to meet demand.

We run tests throughout the week, but our candidates do prefer weekend days (Saturdays and Sunday): Our IELTS high-stakes exams now fit around people’s real lives, which is exactly why we keep our most popular IELTS venues open, staffed and available at weekends and for mid-week sessions.

5. IELTS on Computer (Writing on Paper) is being chosen by IELTS test takers in the UK as a delivery option, even though IELTS on Paper (fully paper-based) ended in the UK in June 2026

Computer-based IELTS was still a novelty a few years ago. In 2025, 80% of our candidates choose to take IELTS on computer rather than on paper. That’s why we know that some test takers still prefer to handwrite their Writing test answers using a pen and paper. That’s why MTS is offering IELTS on Computer (Writing on Paper) in London and six other UK locations. More choice, more options, more happy customers! And the results timeframe for IELTS on Computer (Writing on Paper) is the same as the timeframe for a fully IELTS on Computer test.

6. Canada is the second-biggest destination - ahead of Australia and the USA

The UK itself is, unsurprisingly, the number-one destination that our UK and Ireland IELTS candidates are heading for (56%). But second place goes to Canada, the stated destination for nearly one in five test takers; comfortably ahead of Australia and far ahead of the United States. The Canadian dream is strongest among our Nigerian candidates, over half of whom name Canada as their destination, most of them taking the IELTS General Training module that Canadian immigration requires.

What this all means

Behind every one of MTS’s IELTS tests is a person changing their life; a nurse heading for professional registration, a student chasing a university offer, a family starting again on another continent. Our job is to make the exam itself the easy part: a seat available at short notice, a comfortable modern test room, a Saturday or mid-week slot that fits around real life, and a result they can trust - because we run Exams with Integrity.

Thinking about your own IELTS journey? Find your nearest MTS test centre and available dates here.

*Data: all IELTS registrations at MTS UK & Ireland venues, 1 January – 3 August 2026  Percentages rounded.