Russians could be fined or even jailed for taking IELTS

The Russian Prosecutor General's Office has declared the British Council an "undesirable organisation". This could have serious legal consequences for Russians taking the IELTS exam, writes Moscow Times. What threatens students and teachers, and how to avoid risks, explains Deutsche Welle.

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The British Council, founded in 1934 to develop cooperation in the field of education and culture, organizes the international English language exam IELTS, which is necessary for studying, working or immigrating not only to English-speaking countries, but also, for example, to Germany (for a student visa or “chance card”).

The Russian watchdog claims that the British Council promotes “British interests and values,” including LGBT propaganda, under the guise of educational activities. The FSB also accused the organization of “subversive work” together with the Oxford Russia Fund, which was declared “undesirable” in 2021. The Federal Service warned against interacting with them, citing administrative and criminal liability.

On the subject: How to prepare yourself for the IELTS and TOEFL exams

Taking IELTS, including abroad, can be regarded as financing an “undesirable” organization (Article 284.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, up to 5 years of imprisonment), and public distribution of British Council materials can be regarded as participation in its activities (Article 20.33 of the Code of Administrative Offenses, a fine of up to 15 thousand rubles for individuals and up to 100 thousand for legal entities). This is what international lawyer Artem Klyga and the founder of the “Ark” project Anastasia Burakova say.

To minimize risks, Burakova recommends that Russians planning to take IELTS exercise caution. In particular, she advises:

• Remove all references to the British Council from social media, personal websites and other public resources.
• Do not pay for the exam using bank cards belonging to people who live in Russia or regularly visit the country, in order to avoid accusations of financing an “undesirable” organization.
• Before crossing the Russian border, delete from electronic devices (phones, laptops) any information related to registration for the exam or obtaining an IELTS certificate, including emails, test tickets and the certificates themselves.
• Avoid public discussions about the exam, especially on social media, as even posts made before the British Council has declared them “objectionable” may result in administrative liability.

At the same time, Burakova emphasizes that the legal consequences do not apply to those who paid for or took IELTS before the British Council was officially recognized as an “undesirable” organization. However, any actions taken after this decision may be considered a violation of the law.

While taking IELTS through British Council centres can be risky, experts say the chances of prosecution are low as long as you keep the test under wraps.

“If you don’t publish information about taking the test yourself, law enforcement agencies are unlikely to find out about it,” Burakova noted.

However, she stresses the importance of caution, particularly when crossing the Russian border, where devices may be checked. Teachers, in turn, are adapting their programmes to focus on alternative exam options and informing students of the need to avoid any association with the British Council.

At the same time, it is important to note that the British Council is not the only organizer of the IELTS exam. It can also be taken at the centers of the Australian company IDP, which are represented in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey and a number of other countries popular among Russians for taking the test.

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This is also emphasized by Elena, an English teacher in the Russian Federation (name changed, as she spoke to journalists anonymously): “There is an alternative - taking the exam at IDP centers. Students will most likely consider this option, since not all foreign universities accept the results of alternative exams.”

Most of the colleagues with whom Elena managed to discuss the current situation have so far limited themselves to simply deleting links to the British Council from their websites and social networks, as well as clarifying the wording - now the exam is called IELTS IDP. At the same time, the teacher clarified, "from today on, all students who apply for preparation for this exam will be informed of the risks."

That is, Russians wishing to take IELTS can reduce risks by choosing IDP centers and following information security recommendations. In the context of tightening Russian legislation and increasing control over interactions with foreign organizations, caution is becoming a key factor for those seeking to continue their education or career abroad.

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