ScoreFluentAn approved test centre
GOV.UK says your test must have been “sat at an approved test location”, and publishes lists of approved test centres inside and outside the UK. It last updated them on 12 October 2026. See why at-home tests do not count.
Which English test do you need for a UK work, family or settlement visa?
Match your route to the CEFR level GOV.UK asks for, then to the approved test products and the minimum grade each one needs.
Short answer: Skilled Worker applicants prove B2 in all four skills. Partners start at A1. Settlement and citizenship test speaking and listening only: B1 now, and B2 for settlement applications made on or after 26 March 2027. If you need a test, it must come from the GOV.UK approved SELT list and be taken at an approved centre. Student visas have their own guide.
What English level does each UK route need?
The level depends on the route, and on whether this is your first application, an extension or settlement. GOV.UK publishes the levels in its requirement levels table (last updated 7 August 2026) and on each route page. This table covers the work, family, settlement and citizenship routes. It does not cover every route, such as Health and Care Worker or Global Talent, so check the GOV.UK table for yours.
| Route | Level and skills | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Skilled Worker | B2 in reading, writing, speaking and understanding English. B1 if you held a Skilled Worker visa before 8 January 2026 and are extending or updating it. | GOV.UK: Skilled Worker knowledge of English |
| Scale-up | B2, except where your most recent permission was as a Scale-up worker subject to a B1 requirement. | GOV.UK: requirement levels table |
| Partner, spouse or parent: first application | A1 on the CEFR scale. | GOV.UK: family visa knowledge of English |
| Partner, spouse or parent: extension after 2.5 years | A2 in speaking and listening if you passed A1 first time. If you passed A2 or higher, you can reuse that result. | GOV.UK: family visa knowledge of English |
| Settlement (indefinite leave to remain) | Speaking and listening at B1 for applications made before 26 March 2027. B2 for applications made on or after 26 March 2027, unless an exemption applies. | Immigration Rules, HC 1691 |
| British citizenship | Speaking and listening at B1 or higher, from the SELT list, at an approved test centre. | GOV.UK: Form AN guidance |
Settlement from 26 March 2027: Statement of changes HC 1691 adds a B2 speaking and listening requirement, for applications made on or after that date, to the Skilled Worker, Scale-up, Settlement Family Life, Private Life and Long Residence appendices. The rules set B1 for applications made before it. The statement amends the Immigration Rules; the citizenship requirement is set out separately in the Form AN guidance, which still says B1. Source: HC 1691 and Form AN guidance, checked 16 October 2026.
Immigration Rules change often. The Home Office updated Appendix English Language as recently as 8 October 2026, so recheck the route page and the appendix before you book.
Which four-skill tests count for Skilled Worker, Scale-up and other B1 or B2 routes?
Routes that test all four skills use the four-component products on the GOV.UK approved list. The minimum grade is per skill, not an overall average. Test names and availability below follow the GOV.UK lists for tests taken in the UK and outside the UK, checked 16 October 2026.
| Test | Provider | Where | For B1 | For B2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IELTS for UKVI | IELTS SELT Consortium | In and outside the UK | 4.0 in each skill | 5.5 in each skill |
| LANGUAGECERT Academic SELT, or General SELT | LANGUAGECERT | In and outside the UK | 40 in each skill | 60 in each skill |
| PTE Academic UKVI | Pearson | In and outside the UK | 43 in each skill | 59 in each skill |
| Integrated Skills in English I (B1) or II (B2) | Trinity College London | In the UK only | Pass in each skill | Pass in each skill |
| Skills for English UKVI, four component | PSI Services (UK) Ltd | Outside the UK only | Pass in each skill | Pass in each skill |
The scales differ: IELTS uses 0 to 9 bands, LANGUAGECERT uses 0 to 100, and PTE uses 10 to 90. These are administrative thresholds on different scales, not a difficulty ranking. LANGUAGECERT's older International ESOL four-skill test was replaced on 6 July 2025; the LanguageCert UK visa guide covers the change.
Tests from other providers, including TOEFL iBT, MET, CELPIP and Cambridge C1 Advanced, are not on the list. Whether a university accepts them for admission is a separate question.
Which tests count when only speaking and listening are required?
Citizenship, settlement and the family-route extension ask for speaking and listening, not all four skills. The GOV.UK lists include two-component products for that, from A1 to B1.
| Test | Provider | Levels listed | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| IELTS Life Skills | IELTS SELT Consortium | A1, A2, B1 | In and outside the UK |
| LANGUAGECERT International ESOL SELT (Speaking and Listening) | LANGUAGECERT | A1, A2, B1 | In and outside the UK |
| PTE Home | Pearson | A1, A2, B1 | In and outside the UK |
| Graded Examinations in Spoken English (GESE) | Trinity College London | Grade 2 (A1), Grade 3 (A2), Grade 5 (B1) | In the UK only |
| Skills for English UKVI, two component | PSI Services (UK) Ltd | A1, A2, B1 | Outside the UK only |
None of the two-component products is listed above B1. In the GOV.UK pages we checked, we did not find a statement of which products will cover B2 speaking and listening for settlement applications from 26 March 2027. If you will apply after that date, check the list again before you book. Appendix English Language asks for an approved test passed “to the required level in each required component”, so confirm with the provider that the product you book covers speaking and listening at your level.
What rules apply on test day, and for how long is the result valid?
Two years
GOV.UK says SELT results are valid for two years from the date the test is awarded. The result must have been awarded in the two years before your application date.
The reference number
You quote the unique reference number (URN) from your SELT, which the Home Office checks on the provider's verification system. Keep the score report and the URN together.
Source: GOV.UK approved SELTs and knowledge of language and life caseworker guidance, checked 16 October 2026.
Who can skip the English test?
Some applicants prove English another way. The options differ by route, so read the route page before you decide a test is unnecessary.
- Nationality: GOV.UK lists countries whose nationals do not need to prove English for the Skilled Worker and family routes, including Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the USA. For citizenship, nationals of majority English-speaking countries are treated as meeting the English component.
- Degree: a degree from a UK institution counts for the Skilled Worker and family routes. A degree from outside the UK must have been taught in English and carry the required assessment; GOV.UK names Ecctis.
- UK school qualification: for Skilled Worker, GOV.UK accepts a GCSE, A level, Scottish National Qualification at level 4 or 5, or a Scottish Higher or Advanced Higher in English, begun before age 18.
- Age or health: on the family route, GOV.UK says applicants over 65 are exempt, and so are people whose physical or mental condition prevents them from meeting the requirement. Children, and adults coming to be cared for by a relative, also need no proof.
- Healthcare registration: for Skilled Worker, GOV.UK says doctors, dentists, nurses, midwives and vets can be exempt if they passed an assessment accepted by their regulated body. See the nursing registration guide for what the regulators accept.
- Earlier visas: proof from a previous successful application can count again. On the family route, GOV.UK says a result at B1 or higher can be reused for settlement while the test is still on the approved list. Settlement applications made on or after 26 March 2027 ask for B2.
Source: Skilled Worker, family visa and Form AN guidance, checked 16 October 2026.
How do you choose between approved tests?
- Confirm your route and level. Use the table above and the GOV.UK route page. Write down whether you need four skills or speaking and listening only.
- Match the exact product name. “IELTS for UKVI”, “PTE Academic UKVI” and “LANGUAGECERT Academic SELT” are regulated products. A similarly named global test does not carry a URN.
- Match your location. Trinity ISE is listed for the UK only and PSI Skills for English UKVI for outside the UK only.
- Only then compare formats. Try official sample tasks for two eligible products under time limits and compare speaking setup, writing tasks and the nearest centre dates. The exam comparison sets the formats side by side.
GOV.UK and the Home Office decide what counts; this page helps you shortlist. ScoreFluent is independent and is not affiliated with UK Visas and Immigration, IELTS, Pearson, LanguageCert, Trinity College London or PSI.
Frequently asked questions
Which English tests are accepted for a UK Skilled Worker visa?
If you prove English with a test, it must be on the GOV.UK approved SELT list at B2 in all four skills: IELTS for UKVI, LANGUAGECERT Academic or General SELT, PTE Academic UKVI, Trinity ISE II (UK only) or PSI Skills for English UKVI (outside the UK only). A UK degree, a degree taught in English with the required assessment, or a listed nationality can also satisfy the requirement.
What English level does a UK Skilled Worker visa need?
GOV.UK says you must prove you can read, write, speak and understand English to at least level B2. If you held a Skilled Worker visa before 8 January 2026 and are extending or updating it, B1 applies.
What English level does a UK spouse or partner visa need?
Your first application needs level A1 on the CEFR scale. To extend after 2.5 years you need A2 in speaking and listening, unless you passed A2 or higher the first time, in which case you can reuse that result.
What English test do you need to settle in the UK?
Settlement asks for speaking and listening: B1 for applications made before 26 March 2027 and B2 for applications made on or after that date, unless an exemption applies. The test must be on the SELT list, taken at an approved centre, and normally no more than two years before you apply.
What English test do you need for British citizenship?
You need a Home Office approved qualification at B1 CEFR or higher in speaking and listening, from the SELT list, taken at an approved test centre. Nationals of majority English-speaking countries are treated as meeting the English component, and so are people who got settlement on a B1 qualification.
Are TOEFL, MET, CELPIP or Cambridge accepted for UK work or family visas?
No. The approved SELT providers on GOV.UK are IELTS SELT Consortium, LANGUAGECERT, Pearson, Trinity College London and PSI Services. TOEFL iBT, MET, CELPIP and Cambridge C1 Advanced have no approved SELT product.
Can you take a UK visa English test at home?
No. GOV.UK says your test must have been sat at an approved test location, and it publishes the lists of approved test centres inside and outside the UK. An at-home version of a test with a similar name does not count.
How long is a SELT result valid for a UK visa?
GOV.UK says test results are valid for two years from the date the test is awarded, and the result must have been awarded in the two years before your application date.
Is IELTS Life Skills the same as IELTS for UKVI?
No. IELTS Life Skills tests speaking and listening only, at A1 to B1. IELTS for UKVI tests all four skills. GOV.UK lists them as separate products, so book the one your route names.
Does ScoreFluent offer UKVI test practice?
No. ScoreFluent has IELTS, PTE Academic and LanguageCert Academic practice, which share a format with the UKVI products, but the UKVI versions have separate booking and security rules. Practice estimates are not official scores.
Official sources
- GOV.UK: English language requirement levels for immigration applications →
- GOV.UK: approved secure English language tests and test centres →
- GOV.UK: list of approved SELTs taken in the UK (ODS) →
- GOV.UK: list of approved SELTs taken outside the UK (ODS) →
- GOV.UK: Skilled Worker visa, knowledge of English →
- GOV.UK: UK family visa, knowledge of English →
- GOV.UK: prove your knowledge of English for citizenship and settling →
- GOV.UK: knowledge of language and life in the UK, caseworker guidance →
- GOV.UK: Form AN guidance (naturalisation) →
- GOV.UK: statement of changes to the Immigration Rules, HC 1691 (5 March 2026) →
- GOV.UK: Immigration Rules, Appendix English Language →
Requirements change. Check the immigration authority and the receiving institution or programme again before booking a test or submitting an application.
Related destination guides
English tests for a UK Student visa
The Student route sets B2 or B1 by course level and lets some universities assess English themselves.
Read the guide →LanguageCert for UK visas
What changed in July 2025 and how the LANGUAGECERT SELT products differ.
Read the guide →At-home English tests
Why an online version of a test usually does not count for immigration.
Read the guide →Practise after you confirm the exact test.
ScoreFluent includes IELTS, PTE Academic and LanguageCert Academic practice. They share task formats with the UKVI products, but a UKVI booking is a separate, regulated product. ScoreFluent is not affiliated with UKVI or any exam owner.
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