IELTS China Refund Processing Time Window | Generated by AI
Question: How long does the IELTS China system take to refund the money?
Answer:
In mainland China, IELTS tests are managed through the NEEA (National Education Examinations Authority) system at ielts.neea.cn or ielts-main.neea.cn, often in partnership with the British Council.
Your refund status shows “正在处理” (processing) for ¥1,990 via Alipay (original payment method), applied on 2026-01-13.
Refund processing time in China:
- The refund is typically processed and received 4 to 6 weeks after the request is approved or after contacting the test center.
- For online payments (like Alipay) made within one year, the refund returns directly to the original payment card/method without bank fees.
- If the original card cannot receive it (or payment >1 year), it may be transferred via bank remittance to a provided account.
- Some sources mention up to 4-6 weeks for the refund to appear in your account, depending on the payment provider (e.g., Alipay may process faster, but official timelines allow this window).
Since your application was on January 13, 2026, and it’s now mid-January, the status is still in early processing. Refunds can take several weeks to fully credit to Alipay.
Recommendations:
- Check your NEEA account regularly for updates on status or balance.
- If no update after 4-6 weeks, contact the IELTS service hotline or your test center via the official NEEA IELTS website.
- The exact time can vary based on the reason for refund (e.g., cancellation timing, exceptional circumstances) and processing volume.
This is based on official and candidate-reported information for IELTS in China.
References:
- Zhihu discussion on IELTS refund in China
- Zhan.com IELTS refund process
- British Council Hong Kong/Taiwan refund notes (similar regional policy, up to 1 month)