Here’s an article from the PIE by Polly Nash about the increased cost of taking the TOEFL iBT in the European Union. It includes this quote from an ETS rep:
“We recognise the importance of affordability for our test takers and remain committed to delivering the highest value through our assessments and services.”
That’s nice to hear.
My impression is that while Pearson, the British Council and IDP Education have all been remitting sales taxes to the relevant authorities for some time, ETS has only just started doing so.
But I could be wrong.
Here’s a digression:
The pricing of tests that operate on a global scale is a tricky thing. Test takers in some markets have to deal with price hikes every year. Sometimes they see the cost of a given test increase two or three times in a single calendar year. Test takers in other markets are mostly immune to price hikes. Accordingly, students occasionally feel like they are subsidizing test takers in more competitive and lucrative markets. I have a lot of admiration for companies that have implemented a single fixed price for everyone on the planet.