Azerbaijan
Uzbekistan
Tajikistan
South Korea
Official guidance reviewed 27 October 2026. Rules and approved test lists can change. Always check the live GOV.UK sources and your education sponsor before booking.
Start with your level of study.
Generally CEFR B1
Student-route English requirements generally cover reading, writing, speaking and listening.
Generally CEFR B2
A higher education provider with a track record of compliance may assess English itself and record its assessment on the CAS.
Exceptions and alternative evidence can apply, including relevant nationality, prior study, approved qualifications or a previous successful application. Eligibility depends on the exact immigration rules and evidence; these are not blanket exemptions.
When is a SELT needed?
If your route requires a Secure English Language Test, use a currently approved test version at an approved test centre. A general academic test accepted by a university is not automatically an approved SELT.
IELTS Academic and IELTS Academic for UKVI serve different booking requirements. The same distinction applies to PTE Academic and PTE Academic UKVI. TOEFL or Duolingo acceptance by a university does not make those assessments UKVI-approved SELTs.
Check the provider, version and location.
The GOV.UK list distinguishes tests taken inside and outside the UK. Approved providers include IELTS SELT Consortium, LANGUAGECERT and Pearson, with Trinity College London for tests in the UK and PSI Services (UK) Ltd for tests outside the UK, subject to the live list of test versions and centres.
Do not assume a two-skills speaking and listening test meets a four-skills Student-route requirement. SELT evidence generally needs to be from a test taken within the relevant two-year period; prior evidence provisions may apply.
Foundation and pre-sessional routes
Requirements depend on course level, sponsor, CAS arrangements and whether the route is standalone or combined with a degree. Ask your sponsor to confirm the exact evidence required. IELTS for UKVI is not required for every student travelling to the UK.