What English test do I need for a UK visa?
Short answer
Usually an approved Secure English Language Test at B1 CEFR for work, family and settlement routes, and B2 for degree-level study. A degree taught in English, or citizenship of a majority English-speaking country, can be used instead. SELT results are valid for two years.
Most work, family and settlement routes require English at B1 CEFR; degree-level study generally requires B2. There are three ways to satisfy the requirement, and picking the wrong one is a common cause of refusal.
The three routes to proof
- An approved SELT. It must be a Secure English Language Test from an approved provider — for IELTS that means "IELTS for UKVI", not the general test. Check the minimum band scores for your specific route: the B1 requirement is typically measured on speaking and listening.
- A degree taught in English. A UK degree is straightforward — supply the certificate or a letter from the institution. A degree from an institution in a non-majority-English-speaking country can qualify, but you will need a letter confirming the language of instruction or a transcript showing it, and UKVI applies discretion. Where there is doubt, sitting a SELT is safer.
- Nationality exemption. Citizens of majority English-speaking countries — including Australia, Canada, Ireland, Jamaica, New Zealand, Trinidad and Tobago and the United States, among others — are exempt, based on nationality at the date of application and evidenced by passport. Permanent residents of those countries who are not citizens do not qualify.
Details that decide applications
- Validity: SELT results last two years. An expired certificate cannot be reused for a later stage of your immigration journey — plan test dates around your application dates.
- Cost: typically £140–£200 a sitting, with no government subsidy. Occasionally a council or charity funds tests for specific groups; ask locally before booking.
- Spouse and partner visas: the requirement falls on the applicant, not on the British or settled sponsor, who takes no test.
- Long residence ILR: the 10-year route requires B1 as well, alongside the Life in the UK test.
Finally, do not confuse the two requirements: the Life in the UK Test does not prove English language ability. Where a route requires both, you must satisfy each separately at the point of application.
Related guides
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