{
  "id": 14159405,
  "title": "British Council to resume IELTS exams after 4 days of cancellations across China",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/13/british-council-to-resume-ielts-exams-after-4-days-of-cancellations",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-13T09:00:09.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Reuters Business via SCMP",
    "slug": "reuters-business-via-scmp",
    "url": "https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370728/british-council-resume-ielts-exams-after-4-days-cancellations-across-china"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The British Council announced it would resume IELTS examinations in China on Wednesday, four days after cancellations halted the tests due to technical issues. The organization offered two free make-up sessions on October 19 and 20, and promised to reimburse travel and accommodation costs for affected candidates. Technical failures, which began on Saturday, affected all IELTS tests across China and were classified as force majeure. The British Council stated the disruptions were necessary to ensure the fairness and credibility of the test. Affected candidates will receive a full refund or a free transfer to another make-up session. The cancellations occurred during the crucial university application season for Chinese students seeking admission to universities in English-speaking countries. Despite the disruptions, IDP: IELTS Australia, an independent test centre operator, continued to hold examinations without interruption.",
  "summary": "The British Council said its IELTS examinations across China would resume Wednesday, ending four days of cancellations stemming from technical problems that left test takers scrambling at the height of the overseas university admissions season. The organisation announced on Tuesday afternoon that it would hold two free make-up sessions on October 19 and 20 for affected candidates and reimburse…",
  "key_points": [
    "British Council resumes IELTS exams in China on Wednesday",
    "Two free make-up sessions offered on October 19 and 20",
    "Technical failures classified as force majeure"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "South China Morning Post",
        "title": "British Council to resume IELTS exams after 4 days of cancellations across China",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/13/british-council-to-resume-ielts-exams-after-4-days-of-cancellations-14164806",
        "published": "2026-10-13T09:00:09.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}