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on November 28, 2023
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Presuming you are reading this as someone who is interested in moving to, living, and/or working in the UK, you might be interested in knowing what requirements you may need to fulfil with regard to English language capability. Indeed, you might have read or heard that you will be expected to take – and pass – an English language test when you apply for a UK visa.
As we will explore in further detail below, not all applicants for a UK work, study, or family visa will be required to take and pass an English language test. However, a significant number of such prospective migrants will need to do so, as well as many applicants for British citizenship.
Confusion can arise on this requirement, however, as the exact situation can vary from one UK visa to the next, and different levels of Secure English Language Tests – also known as SELTs – exist. These tests draw upon the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).
So, let’s gain some greater clarity on the subject of which visa and immigration applications will require the given applicant to take an English language test, and what else you will need to know about the testing system as someone aspiring to relocate to the UK.
There is not one, but two types of English language tests that those making a visa or citizenship application for the UK may be required to take. This is because different levels of English language capability are required for different UK immigration routes.
So, the test that you will be required to take, will depend on your chosen application route. If, for instance, you will be applying for any of the below UK visas, you will be expected to take a test that assesses your abilities in reading, writing, speaking, and listening:
Alternatively, you might be interested in one of the below application routes. If so, you will only need to take a test that assesses your abilities in speaking and listening:
To determine the exact CEFR level that you will require your English language test to be, you will need to consult the Home Office’s guidance for your specific immigration route. If, after checking such guidance, you are still in doubt as to what the exact requirements would be for you, our award-winning and experienced specialists in UK immigration law here at Cranbrook Legal can advise and assist. Please feel free to call 0208 215 0053 for more information.
In order to take a SELT that is valid for the purposes of your UK immigration application, you will need to make sure it is with a Home Office-approved test provider.
Whether you will be applying from within or outside the UK, the following three test providers are all approved by the UK Government:
For people who are currently in the UK, Trinity College London is another approved SELT provider. If, on the other hand, you are outside of the UK, you also have the option of taking a SELT with PSI Services (UK) Ltd – Skills for English (UKVI).
The results of the English language test that you take for your UK immigration application will only be accepted by the Home Office if you satisfy the below requirements:
The below are English language tests that have been approved for SELT, at the time of typing:
You will need to make your own decision as to which specific approved test you take.
Where multiple components (two or more of the total of four – reading, writing, speaking, and listening) of a test are assessed and awarded together, you will need to show that you achieved the necessary scores in all the relevant components with the same test centre provider, as part of the combined test assessment.
Presuming you have read all the above and have decided which specific English language test you intend to take, your next step will be to visit the website of your chosen provider to discover the available test dates and make your booking:
It should be possible for you to secure a test date within 28 days of when you book it, although it might not necessarily be at the test venue that is closest to you. There might not be an approved test location in your country, which may necessitate you travelling to another country in order to take the test.
When you book your English language test, the details that you provide will need to be the same as those on your passport or other identity document. Some candidates, for example, may have changed their surname, but they will still be required to book the test in the name that is displayed on their identity document or passport (whether that is the old or new name).
Please note that when you turn up at the venue for the test, you will need to provide evidence of your identity before you will be permitted to take the test.
The identity document that you provide will need to be current and valid, and it must be original, rather than a photocopy. There must also be a photo of you on the identity document, and the information on the document must match the details you gave at the time of your test booking. If there is a signature on your identity document, this will also be checked.
Whether you will be taking the test in the UK or outside of the UK, the following documents are all acceptable ones to use for identification purposes:
If you are a national of the European Economic Area (EEA), you will also be able to use your identity card as identification, if your English language test will be taken either in the UK, or outside the UK in the country where the identity card was issued.
For applicants who will be taking their English language test outside of the UK, a valid photographic government-issued identity card will also be acceptable as identification, if the test will be taking place in the same country that issued the document.
Please do not attempt to use emergency travel documents as proof of identity, as these will not be accepted for such purposes.
Not everyone who makes an immigration application for the UK will be required to fulfil an English language requirement. A given applicant may not need to meet the requirement at all if:
Nor is taking and passing an approved English language test at or above the required CEFR level, with an approved test provider, necessarily the only way in which applicants can meet the English language requirement.
An applicant may comply with the requirement, for instance, by being a national of a majority English speaking country, or holding an academic qualification that is either a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree or PhD awarded in the UK.
It may also be possible for you to use an academic qualification that you gained outside of the UK as the basis for meeting the English language requirement. However, in order for you to do this, Ecctis (formerly UK NARIC) will need to deem the qualification to meet or exceed the recognised standard of a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree or PhD in the UK. In addition, Ecctis will need to have confirmed that the degree was taught or researched in the English language, at or above the required CEFR level.
If you take and pass an approved English language test, you will be given a SELT unique reference number. You will be required to use this number in your application. Any failure to include your reference number in your application could mean that your application is refused.
The SELT unique reference number will be shown as one of the following on your test result:
You will not be required to provide any documents to show your English language test result as part of your UK immigration application. Instead, the SELT online verification system – as each approved SELT provider gives access to – will be used to check your test result and score.
The result of your SELT will be valid for two years from the date of the test being awarded. Do you have any further questions or concerns about any aspect of the English language requirement for your UK immigration or citizenship application, or in relation to any other part of the application process? If so, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our team at Cranbrook Legal; it can be a quick and easy process to arrange a free consultation with us.
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