IELTS photo size — exam portal upload dimensions

Exact dimensions and pixel size

Exam authorities standardise on 35×45 mm portrait at 300 DPI as the safe default — equivalent to roughly 413×531 pixels. This single format works for IELTS Academic and General, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, Cambridge English (KET/PET/FCE/CAE/CPE), and most university application portals that ask for a passport-style photo (UCAS, Common App, Coursera Verified, DAAD).

ETS TOEFL specifically caps file size at 240 KB; IELTS through IDP or the British Council typically accepts up to 1 MB; PearsonVUE for PTE accepts up to 5 MB but rejects anything below 300×300 pixels. complypic delivers a balanced JPEG around 200 KB that satisfies the tightest portal in the bundle while remaining sharp enough for printing.

Head height and framing

Exam portals are less strict on exact millimetre framing than passport authorities, but the operational target is the same 25-35 mm head height from chin to crown — about 50-70% of the frame. The face must be centered horizontally, eyes facing the camera, no head tilt.

Critically, test-day identity verification at the test centre uses the uploaded photo for in-person comparison. If your uploaded photo shows you with significantly different appearance (long hair vs short, beard vs clean-shaven), the invigilator may delay your sitting while supervisor approval is sought.

Background and colour

Plain white is the universal default for exam registration photos. Off-white and light cream are accepted by every major exam body. Avoid blue, grey, patterned, or textured backgrounds — although they technically pass IELTS portal validation, they fail at TOEFL ETS and at most U.S. university portals.

Photo must be in colour with natural skin tone. Heavy filtering or AI-smoothed skin is increasingly flagged by exam ID systems; the conservative choice is unedited skin texture on a plain white wall.

Glasses, expression, and recency

Glasses are permitted for IELTS, TOEFL, PTE and Cambridge — this is the key difference from passport and visa photos. As long as eyes are clearly visible behind the lenses (no glare, no reflection of the camera, no tinting), spectacles are fine. Remove glasses if your typical exam-day wear results in glare.

Expression: neutral or natural closed-mouth smile. The photo should have been taken within the last 6 months and represent your current appearance for test-day matching. Recency matters most when you have a long gap between registration and your sit-down date.

Exam portal upload requirements

IELTS via IDP or the British Council asks for JPEG under 1 MB at minimum 300×300 px. TOEFL ETS asks for JPEG under 240 KB at minimum 240×320 px. PTE Academic via PearsonVUE asks for JPEG under 5 MB and minimum 300×300 px. Cambridge English exams via local centres typically ask for a printed 35×45 mm photo plus a digital copy.

complypic generates a JPEG at 35×45 mm equivalent dimensions that satisfies all five portals simultaneously. The 4×6 inch print sheet is useful for paper-based university applications where physical photos are still required (graduate school admissions, fellowship applications).

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