2025.06. 16 本文字数：2345，阅读时长大约4分钟 作者 | 第一财经 程程 一提起雅思考试，曾赴英国留学的莫莉（化名）觉得"非常折磨人"，"前后考了三次，雅思考试 的报名费、补习班和'机经'等资料花了4万~5万元。"她对第一财经记者表示。 像莫莉这样的"烤鸭"（指雅思考生）不在少数。英语语言考试雅思（IELTS）是海外留学与英 文能力的金标准之一。2023年，全球雅思考试人次达到400多万人的历史新高。而在中国内 地，过去15年里，雅思考试的报名费用从1450元上涨八次到2020年至今的2170元，涨幅逼近 50%。难以想象，雅思的考试机构竟然沦落到拆东墙补西墙，甚至打算变卖艺术收藏品。 早在今年1月初，雅思考试主办方之一英国文化教育协会（British Council）的首席执行官麦 克唐纳（Scott McDonald）就警告称，财政压力可能会导致该协会在十年内"消失"。"我这么 说不是为了吸引眼球，我认为这是事实。"他称。 另据知情人士透露，英国内阁大臣近日已要求英国文化教育协会制订两份支出计划，一份计划 维持名义现金金额不变，这意味着英国政府未来几年内不会追加对该协会的资助，预计此举将 ...

Core Viewpoint - The global study abroad market is facing fluctuations due to tightening immigration and visa policies in traditional study destinations like the US, Canada, Australia, and the UK, alongside budget cuts impacting organizations like the British Council [1][9] Group 1: Financial Challenges of the British Council - The British Council, a key player in the IELTS examination, is experiencing a financial crisis despite its long-standing presence and revenue from English language teaching and testing [4][5] - In the fiscal year 2018/2019, the British Council reported revenue of £727 million (approximately 7.1 billion RMB) from its English teaching and testing business, which constituted 58% of its total revenue [5] - The organization faced a net loss of £9.1 million in the 2020/2021 fiscal year, with available reserves dwindling to just £4 million [5][6] Group 2: Government Support and Budget Cuts - The UK government has requested the British Council to prepare two spending plans, one maintaining current cash levels and another requiring a 2% annual budget cut, potentially leading to the closure of offices in numerous countries [3][6] - The British Council has received a government loan of £197 million, with annual interest payments of £14 million, and the repayment period has been extended by 18 months [5][6] Group 3: Market Dynamics and Competition - The IELTS examination saw a record participation of over 4 million candidates globally in 2023, but the organization is still in a net loss position despite a revenue increase of over £110 million to £989 million in the latest fiscal year [6][7] - New competitors in the English language testing market, such as Duolingo English Test and Pearson's PTE Academic, are emerging, posing challenges to the traditional dominance of IELTS and TOEFL [8][9] - The tightening of visa policies and slow economic recovery post-pandemic have led to a decrease in demand for language exams, with fewer candidates needing to rush for test slots [9]