Guide: How to get a refund for IELTS or other international exams?

Guide: Procedure for refunding money paid for IELTS and other international exams

Starting in 2021, citizens of Uzbekistan who successfully passed international exams have the opportunity to get a refund of the money spent on the exam.

If the participant scores above the established minimum score, the full cost of the exam can be reimbursed. For example, for the IELTS exam, a score of at least 7 is required. This compensation is paid by the Youth Affairs Agency.

Who can receive compensation?

* Citizens of Uzbekistan who are under 31 years old at the time of taking the exam.

* Stateless persons permanently residing in the republic.

* If the exam was taken by a person under 16 years old, the application is submitted by his parents or legal representative (with a document confirming the right of representation).

For which exams is compensation provided?

There is a list of 18 international exams for which compensation is available. A minimum score or level must be achieved for each exam.

For the TestDaF, Goethe-Zertifikat, DELF, DALF, TCF, TOPIK, JLPT and HSK exams, compensation can be obtained even if the result is one level below the minimum level until January 1, 2027. This benefit is valid only for these 7 exams and for the specified period. There is no such relief for other exams.

Is it possible to get a refund for courses?

No. Although the service is called "compensation for study and exam costs" on the single portal, only the cost of the exam itself is covered. Courses, tutoring services and other preparation costs are not covered by the compensation.

When to apply?

The application must be submitted no later than 180 days from the date of receipt of the certificate. After this period, compensation will not be possible.

Where to submit the application?

The application can be submitted online through the Unified Interactive State Services Portal (my.gov.uz). The service is called "Application for reimbursement of expenses for studying and passing international exams".

The system is accessed via OneID or MyID, which helps to automatically fill in some of the personal data. The certificate and payment receipt are attached to the application in PDF format. The questionnaire must indicate the registration number of the certificate, the date of issue, and the organization where the exam was taken.

Will the money be transferred automatically after submitting the application?

No. Confirmation on the Unified Portal does not mean that the money has been transferred.

The Youth Affairs Agency will check the certificate within 12-15 business days (if confirmation is required from the organization that issued the certificate, this period may be extended to 42 days). After approval, an SMS message will be sent and a certificate granting the right to receive compensation will appear in the personal account on the my.gov.uz website. This certificate will be needed at the next stage.

How to withdraw money?

After the certificate confirming the right to compensation appears in the YIDXP, you need to wait another 12 days and only then send a request to the bank.

Compensation can be obtained through the "Treasury" application of Xalq Bank. The application can be downloaded from the App Store or Play Market. First, you need to register in the application (enter your phone number, create an account and set a password).

After entering the application, you will be required to undergo separate identification: indicate your passport series or JSHSHIR, date of birth and undergo biometric verification by scanning your face. Although registration and identification are one-time processes, identification may not pass on the first attempt, so you should be prepared to try again.

The bank card from which the money will be received must be separately attached to the application. Only after identification and linking the card will you be able to access the "Services" → "Social Services" → "International Exam (Cost Reimbursement)" section. In this section, you will need to send a request for a refund and attach a reference.

Does it have to be the card of the person who took the exam?

No. You can add any card to the application - it does not have to belong to the person who took the exam. Regardless of which card is linked, the money will go to that card.

Is the amount paid for the exam fully refundable?

Yes, 100% of the exam fee will be reimbursed. For example, currently, registration for the IELTS exam in Tashkent starts at 2,664,000 soums - this amount (or the amount actually paid) will be refunded.

Do I need to make an additional payment?

No. Both applying through My.gov and withdrawing money from the bank are free, no commission is charged.

Can I receive compensation in cash?

No. Payment is made only through the "Treasury" application, cash is not issued at the department.

Why does the message "Service unavailable" appear in the "Treasury" application?

This does not mean that compensation has been rejected. It is possible that the Youth Affairs Agency has exhausted the payment limit for the current period or new funding has not yet arrived - compensation funds are transferred every 15 days. As soon as new funding arrives, the payment will be reactivated in the "Treasury" application. You can find out when this will happen on the official Telegram channel of the Youth Affairs Agency - news about limits and funding stages is posted there.

Why was my application rejected?

Most often, applications are rejected due to errors in filling out the application, insufficient scores, or submission after 180 days from the date of receipt of the certificate. If the reason is an error in the application, you can immediately correct it and resubmit.

Can I receive compensation multiple times?

You can only receive it once for one exam. However, if you later take another type of exam (for example, TOEFL after IELTS) and score the required score, you can receive separate compensation for that as well.

I still have questions. Where can I contact you?

The Youth Affairs Agency maintains a Telegram channel where detailed instructions and explanations regarding the program are provided. If you encounter problems with the refund, you can contact the channel administrator at +998 71 209-01-04 (extensions: 305, 406).