We have had many situations where individuals contact us wanting to apply for either entry to the UK, leave to remain or an extension of leave to remain and believe that they have completed the correct English language test.
The UK Home Office requirement is not to have completed ‘any’ English language test but the Home Office is very specific as to which English language test will be accepted.
There are two types of tests as different immigration routes require different levels of English language ability. The test you will need to take depends on what you are applying for.
The following application routes will require you to take a test that assesses your reading, writing, speaking and listening abilities:
- Health and care worker
- High potential individual
- Innovator founder
- Minister of religion
- Scale-up worker
- Skilled worker
- Start-up
- Student
For the following application route, individuals will need to take a test that assesses their speaking and listening abilities only:
- British citizenship
- International sportsperson
- Parent under the five-year route
- Partner under the five-year route
- Representative of an Overseas Business
- Settlement (also referred to as indefinite leave to remain)
The test you will need to have successful completed known as the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) will depend on the route you are applying under.
It is extremely important to be aware as to who are approved test providers as you must sit and pass the test with one of those approved providers only.
If you are in the UK
You can only take a SELT with one of the following providers:
- Pearson
- Trinity College London
- IELTS SELT Consortium
- Language Cert
If you are outside of the UK
You can only take a SELT with one of the following providers:
- Pearson
- PSI Services (UK) Ltd – Skills for English (UKVI)
- IELTS SELT Consortium
- Language Cert
So how do I find an approved test?
For the test you have sat to be accepted for the purposes of your immigration route, your test must:
- Be on the list of approved English Language Tests
- Have been sat at an approved test location
- Have been awarded in the two years before the date of your immigration application
The ‘list of approved English language tests’ has been assessed as meeting Home Office requirements under the secure English language testing arrangements. Only those tests and test levels specified are approved. If you intend to use an English language test in your immigration application, you must take one of the tests on the approved list.
You should make sure that the test you book is the one approved for SELT:
- IELTS SELT Consortium – ‘IELTS for UKVI’ or ‘IELTS Lifeskills’
- Language Cert – ‘Language Cert International ESOL SELT’ or ‘Language Cert Academic SELT’ or ‘Language Cert General SELT’
- Pearson – ‘PTE Academic UKVI’ or ‘PTE Home’
- PCI Services – ‘Skills for English UKVI’
- Trinity College London – ‘Secure English Language Tests for UKVI’ or ‘Integrated Skills in English (ISE)’ or ‘Graded Examinations in Spoken English (GESE)’
You will need to decide which test it is that you are required to take.
The list of approved tests gives the CEFR level and minimum grade requirements for each level.
Where two or more components (reading, writing, speaking and listening) of a test are examined and are awarded together, you must show that you achieved the required scores in all the relevant components with the same test centre provider as part of the combined test assessment.
In certain circumstances, if you failed one component of the test you may be allowed to sit that component again. You will need to check the test provider’s terms and conditions before you book a test.
The links are below for the list of approved secure English tests taken in the UK and taken outside of the UK.
In the UK:
List_of_approved_Secure_English_Language_Tests_taken_in_the_UK _5_.ods
Outside of the UK:
List_of_approved_Secure_English_Language_Tests_taken_outside_the_UK _1_.ods
