IELTS photo requirements — TOEFL, PTE, Cambridge and university

Why test centres use the photo

The photo is uploaded to the exam portal at registration and printed onto your test report form (IELTS TRF) or test record (TOEFL, PTE). On test day, the test centre staff compare your face against the registration photo before admitting you to the exam room. A poor photo can delay check-in or, in rare cases, cause you to be turned away.

Universities, immigration authorities and employers receiving your score report see the same photo. Cambridge English exams print it directly on the certificate.

Background, framing and lighting

Background must be plain — light grey, off-white or white. The exam portals are less strict than government visa portals on background colour, but uniformity matters. Walls with textured wallpaper or visible decoration cause rejection.

Frame the head and shoulders, with the face centered and occupying 50-70% of the image height. Even lighting on both sides of the face; avoid hard shadows under the chin or to one side.

Expression, glasses and accessories

Expression should be neutral or a natural closed-mouth smile. Big smiles with visible teeth are tolerated by most exam portals — IELTS and TOEFL are more flexible than passport authorities — but a closed-mouth photo is the safest option.

Clear prescription glasses are permitted by IELTS, TOEFL, PTE and Cambridge, provided there is no glare on the lenses and the eyes are clearly visible. Sunglasses and tinted lenses are banned. This is a notable difference from passport and visa photo requirements.

File format and digital editing

JPG file under 1 MB is the universal exam portal accepted format. PNG is accepted by some portals but causes upload issues with others. PDF and HEIC are rejected everywhere.

Light editing — crop, brightness, contrast, clean background — is acceptable. Heavy filters that alter skin tone or facial geometry are rejected and can also trigger an identity-verification flag on test day if your live appearance differs significantly from the registration photo.

Recency, children and religious head coverings

Photo must be taken within the last 6 months. Most exam portals reject photos older than that during the registration check.

For under-16 IELTS Life Skills candidates, the photo must show a current likeness — a parent or guardian may register on the child's behalf. Religious head coverings (hijab, turban, dastar, kippah, sheitel) are accepted provided the face from chin to forehead is fully visible and not shadowed.

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