English Tests for the UK: Visas, University, Settlement and Citizenship

Visas: you need an approved SELT

For most UK visas that ask for English, the Home Office accepts only a Secure English Language Test (SELT) from an approved provider. You must take it at an approved test location, and you must receive the result within two years before you apply. As of September 2026, the approved tests are:

• IELTS SELT Consortium: IELTS for UKVI (Academic or General Training) and IELTS Life Skills.
• Pearson: PTE Academic UKVI and PTE Home.
• LanguageCert: International ESOL SELT, Academic SELT and General SELT.
• Trinity College London: ISE and GESE SELTs (in the UK).
• PSI: Skills for English UKVI (outside the UK).

When you book, choose the UKVI version. IELTS for UKVI and PTE Academic UKVI have the same content and format as the standard tests, so our IELTS and PTE Academic practice tests prepare you for them. We do not offer practice for LanguageCert, Trinity, Skills for English, PTE Home or IELTS Life Skills.

Studying at a UK university

For degree-level study on a Student visa you need English at CEFR B2. You can prove it with a SELT, but a university that is a Higher Education Provider may also assess your English itself. This is why universities can accept tests that are not SELTs, such as TOEFL iBT, the Duolingo English Test or Cambridge C1 Advanced. For study below degree level, the requirement is B1 and a SELT is normally needed. Always check your university's list.

Work visas, settlement and citizenship

• Skilled Worker: new applicants have needed B2 since 8 January 2026. People who already held the visa before that date need only B1 when they extend.
• Settlement (ILR) and citizenship: you currently need a B1 speaking and listening qualification, such as a SELT at B1 or above.
• Coming change: from 26 March 2027, the requirement for settlement on many routes, including Skilled Worker and Global Talent, rises to B2.

Nurses and midwives

The NMC accepts only IELTS Academic and OET as English tests for registration, with minimum scores in each skill. That registration requirement is separate from your visa.

Preparing for a UKVI test

IELTS for UKVI uses the same Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking papers as IELTS Academic or General Training. PTE Academic UKVI is the same computer-based test as PTE Academic. The only differences are how you book and where you sit it: choose the UKVI option and take the test at an approved SELT centre. This means you can prepare with standard practice material. Start with a full timed test to find your weakest skill, then focus on that skill before you book. Check the CEFR level your visa route needs and the matching score for your test on GOV.UK, because different routes need different levels.

Ireland: English tests for study, work and nursing

Ireland is not part of the UK visa system, so the UK SELT rules do not apply there. Here is what Irish universities, employers and the nursing board ask for.

Study visas

Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) publishes minimum scores for students applying for a study visa. For higher education courses you need a result from a recognised provider, and the certificate must be issued within two years of your course start date. Foundation and second-level courses have a lower minimum than other courses. The list includes:

• IELTS Academic and IELTS UKVI
• TOEFL iBT
• PTE Academic
• Duolingo English Test
• Cambridge English exams
• LanguageCert, Trinity College London, Oxford Test of English, Skills for English and others

If you are coming for an English language course, you do not need a certificate from a test provider, though a visa officer may ask for other evidence. Colleges and universities also set their own scores, and these are often higher than the visa minimum. We do not offer practice for LanguageCert, Trinity, Oxford Test of English or Skills for English.

Nurses and midwives

NMBI accepts only IELTS Academic (including IELTS Academic for UKVI) and OET. It does not accept IELTS One Skill Retake, IELTS Online or OET@Home. Results must be less than two years old.

Registering with NMBI is a separate process from getting an employment permit or visa, so plan for both.

Work and citizenship

Ireland does not have a UK-style list of approved tests for work permits. Employers and professional regulators decide what English you need. For citizenship, there is no English test at present. In September 2026 the government announced plans for a longer residence period and a language and civics requirement. These are proposals and not yet law, so check the ISD website before you apply.

Until any change becomes law, citizenship applications are decided under the current rules.

Choosing and timing your test

The ISD list is broad, but your college may accept only some of the tests on it, so start with the test your offer letter names. The certificate must be issued within two years of your course start date. Book it close enough to your application that it will still be valid, but early enough to leave time for a resit. If you might later need a UK visa, IELTS Academic is a flexible choice, because its UKVI version has the same format. Nurses should take IELTS Academic or OET in person, because NMBI does not accept at-home versions.

Practising for your test

Our practice tests cover IELTS, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, the Duolingo English Test, the Cambridge exams and OET, and the first test of each exam is free. Start with a timed practice test to find your level, then compare your result with the minimum your college or regulator asks for.

English tests in other countries

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