In the year 2023, IELTS officially launched One Skill Retake, commonly known as OSR in India. Although in the beginning OSR was available only at a few select test centres in India, by September 2023, it was made available across all the test centres in India.

What is OSR?

OSR is a facility which allows you to retake one module of the test if you did not achieve your desired score in the original attempt. 

So, for example, let’s say you took the IELTS test and your target score was to achieve an overall band score of 7.5 with a minimum of band 7 in each module. Now, upon receiving the results, you notice that you achieved your overall score of 7.5 as per your target but, you failed to achieve a band 7 in one of the modules, writing for instance, and ended up scoring 6.5 in that module.

In such cases, you have the opportunity to retake just the writing module giving yourself another chance to reach your target but this time, instead of preparing for all the four modules again, you need only focus on one module in which you originally failed to achieve your target score.

Who can apply for OSR?

In order to qualify for OSR, you must satisfy a variety of conditions:

  • You must have taken the original IELTS test attempt on Computer.
  • You must have taken the original IELTS test at an OSR-enabled test centre (although now it is available across all the test centres, it would be a good idea to check in advance).
  • You must book the OSR within 60 days of your original IELTS test date.
  • You are allowed to retake only one skill through OSR.
  • You are allowed to apply for OSR only once for each original IELTS test.

Assuming that you qualify to apply for OSR having satisfied all the conditions mentioned above, after the retake, you will receive a new Test Report Form (TRF) showing your updated score for the retaken skill, and your original scores for the other three skills. 

So, for example, let’s assume your original score was an overall 7.5 with a band 8.5 in listening, 7.5 in reading, 6.5 in writing and 7.0 in speaking. If you took OSR for the writing module and managed to achieve a band 7.0, then your new TRF will all your original scores for the other skills but the updated score for writing and updated overall score. Depending on your requirements, you are allowed to use either your original TRF or the new OSR TRF.

Is OSR accepted by all the universities and immigration authorities?

To answer it in a nutshell, whether OSR is accepted, depends on the organisation. Many universities and institutions worldwide now accept OSR, particularly in countries such as Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK and the US, and the list continues to grow. However, not every university, employer, licensing body or immigration authority accepts OSR, so you should always verify the specific requirements before relying on your OSR score.

What are the benefits of OSR?

  • Cost: As of July 2026, when this article was written, the cost to take the IELTS test is ₹19,000 while the cost of OSR is ₹12,650. Hence, it is clear that OSR has a lower cost than retaking the full IELTS should you fail to achieve your target score because of just one module.
  • Time: If you could not achieve your desired score in the IELTS test because of poor performance in just one module, you should be allowed to retake the test for just that module. OSR allows you to do just that. Instead of preparing for all the four modules again, you can save a lot of time by only focussing on one and retake the test. This saved time also means a faster route to meeting admission or visa score requirements.
  • Stress: Having to prepare for all the four modules again just because you could not achieve your target score in one module is highly stressful. However, with OSR, you need not stress yourself about having to go through all that hard work again for the modules in which you have already proven yourself. Instead you can relax by focusing on a single skill.

Are there any limitations to OSR?

Apart from OSR being available only if you satisfy a variety of conditions such as having taken the original attempt on computer, booking OSR within 60 days and others as mentioned above. Some minor limitations remain such as being allowed to retake only one skill and only one OSR per original test. The only major limitation is that OSR acceptance is not universal as of now and you should confirm whether your receiving institution allows OSR score to be submitted. However, this appears only to be a temporary drawback since the list of accepting organisations keeps on growing.

How to apply for OSR?

The procedure to apply for OSR is quite simple and straight forward. Once you have taken the original IELTS test (satisfying all the conditions mentioned before), and once your results have been published, you can log in to the candidate section of your IELTS test where you can access your TRF and in the same section, you will also see an option saying OSR if you are eligible to apply for it. If you are ready to do so, you can click that option and follow the subsequent steps to book your OSR.

With that, as always, should you have any further questions, you must know that Amin Migration is always there to support you throughout your IELTS preparation. Be it for studying abroad or settling somewhere new, allow us to be your one-stop guide to ensure smooth process and satisfactory results.