According to the 2026 IELTS Voices survey, Canada topped the list of preferred overseas study destinations for Indian respondents, with 30 % of the 973 Indians surveyed indicating it as their chosen country. Australia was selected by 9 % and the United Kingdom by 8 %. These selections contrast with the worldwide pattern, where the United States and Germany ranked lower among the options favored by Indian candidates.
Flexible Paths and Global Preferences
The survey gathered data from 8,395 individuals taking English-language tests or planning to do so, spanning 165 nations. India contributed the highest count of participants, totalling 973. On a global scale, 42 % of those sitting the IELTS for academic purposes reported they would keep more than one study location under consideration. The desire for flexibility also applies to test choice: 82 % of respondents worldwide said they would give priority to an English test with the broadest possible recognition.
Results show that Indian candidates are actively weighing several international education routes while arranging both their studies and longer-term residence abroad. Across all regions, the most frequently contemplated country was Australia at 18 %, followed by Canada at 17 %, the United Kingdom at 16 %, the United States at 9 % and Germany at 6 %.
When asked about preferred testing arrangements, participants were more than twice as likely to favour selecting a test from an authorised list of government-approved providers rather than using a single, mandated exam. Forty-three percent indicated a preference for a choice among approved providers, compared with 20 % who favored a single compulsory test. Simon Emmett, Chief Partner Officer at IDP Education, observed that “global test takers are ambitious and mobile.” He added that candidates routinely compare various pathways and requirements, urging the need for clearer, more consistent information on accepted English-language examinations. The study highlighted flexibility as a key factor for test takers handling evolving study, work and migration demands.
Investment in Language Skills
Nearly nine-in-ten respondents—89 %—stated that achieving successful outcomes was as important as, or more important than, opting for the lowest-cost test. About 41 % said they would choose the exam they believed offered the highest chance of success even if it meant a higher price. Among Indian participants planning to study abroad, 41 % indicated an intention to remain in their host country for three to five years, a figure that contrasts with 26 % of Chinese respondents reporting the same plan.
Sixty-seven percent of those surveyed reported that preparing for the IELTS boosted their confidence in speaking, as well as their academic or professional writing abilities. The questionnaire covered candidates pursuing different goals: 63 % were studying, 15 % sought migration, 13 % aimed for employment and 7 % required professional registration. Francesca Woodward, Global Managing Director of English at Cambridge University Press & Assessment, said, “Test takers are united in seeing English proficiency as an investment in their future.” The IELTS Voices research, produced in partnership with the British Council, IDP IELTS and Cambridge University Press & Assessment, represents the inaugural edition of an ongoing series examining attitudes, motivations and behaviours surrounding English-language testing.
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