IELTS, CELPIP, and PTE Core Re-evaluation: What You Need to Know

So if your results weren’t quite what you expected, it might be worth asking: should I take the exam again, or should I have it reviewed?

This guide explains how IELTS, CELPIP, and PTE Core re-evaluations work – and why, in some cases, they can be absolutely worth it.

IELTS Re-evaluation (Enquiry on Results) 

What It Is: The IELTS Enquiry on Results (EOR) process allows you to request a re-mark of one or more test sections – Listening, Reading, Writing, or Speaking – if you believe your score doesn’t reflect your performance. 

How to Apply: Applying requires applicants to follow these steps-

• Submit the EOR form to your test centre within six weeks of your test date. 

• Choose which sections you want re-marked. 

• Pay a fee (usually CAD $165 – $290, depending on location). 

Who Re-marks It: Your test is re-marked by senior IELTS examiners who had no part in your original scoring.

Processing Time: Usually between 2 and 21 days. 

What Happens Next:

• If your score increases, you’ll get a new Test Report Form (TRF), and your fee will be refunded.

• If your score doesn’t change, your original TRF remains valid, and the fee is not refunded.

CELPIP Re-evaluation 

What It Is: CELPIP offers a re-evaluation option for any of its four sections – Listening, Reading, Writing, or Speaking – if you think your score isn’t accurate.

How to Apply:

• Submit a request through your CELPIP account within six months of your test date (ideally within six weeks).

• Select one or multiple sections to review.

• Pay a fee starting from CAD 50 depending on which sections you want reviewed.

Who Re-marks It: Your test is reassessed by CELPIP evaluators who were not involved in the initial scoring.

Processing Time: Typically 1–2 weeks but sometimes can take 2–4 weeks.

What Happens Next: 

• If your score changes, you’ll get a refund.

• If it stays the same, the original result stands.

PTE Core Re-evaluation (Score Review) 

What It Is: The PTE Core (Pearson Test of English Core), now accepted by IRCC for immigration, allows candidates to request a Score Review if they believe there’s been an error.

How to Apply: Applicants must-

• Request a review via your PTE account within 14 calendar days of receiving your results.

• The review covers the entire test, not individual sections.

• The fee is USD 160 (≈ CAD 224).

Who Re-marks It: Pearson’s senior scoring team rechecks your results and verifies the AI-based marking process.

Processing Time: Usually within 15 business days.

What Happens Next:

• If your score changes, you’ll receive an updated report and a refund.

• If it doesn’t, your original score remains unchanged.

Why Re-evaluation Might Be Worth It 

This is the question every test-taker should ask before paying for a remark: What’s the potential payoff? 

If your scores are consistent across all sections, a re-evaluation is unlikely to make a big difference. But if one skill area is noticeably lower than the rest, and you genuinely believe you performed better, it might be worth reconsidering. 

For example, imagine you scored CLB 9 in Listening, Reading, and Writing, but only CLB 8 in Speaking. If you felt confident and fluent during your speaking test, that single lower score might not reflect your true performance. In that case, a re-evaluation could make sense. 

Here’s why it matters, small changes near a key CLB threshold (like CLB level 7 or 9) can have a big impact on your Express Entry CRS score. 

Moving from CLB 8 to CLB 9, can add more than 50 CRS points in some cases. That kind of boost could easily be the difference between receiving an ITA and staying in the pool. 

How often do scores actually change? 

Official bodies don’t publish statistics. However, IELTS tutors and test-prep communities generally agree that changes are uncommon, and when they do occur, they’re most often in the Writing or Speaking sections. For CELPIP and PTE Core, changes appear to be rare, since Listening and Reading sections are computer-scored and less open to interpretation. 

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