seltcentral

IELTS (UKVI)

IELTS is accepted as evidence of English language proficiency for study, work and migration
in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the UK.

Each country sets its own IELTS requirements. Scores requirements will also vary
depending on the requirements of your visa, and where you plan to study or work.

IELTS Academic, IELTS General Training and IELTS Life Skills are accepted by the UK Visas
and Immigration (UKVI) as proof of English proficiency for those wishing to live, work and
study in the UK.

 

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A limited number of test centres are now offering the IELTS for UKVI (Academic) online.
Please note that you will still be able to complete an IELTS paper test, if you prefer. Test takers who choose the new option will take their Listening, Reading and Writing components using a computer. The Speaking test will remain face-to-face, as we believe it is
the most effective way of assessing speaking skills and prompts a more realistic performance from test takers.

Length of test
Test Price
16-18 minutes
£150.00 GBP

A1 2 skills Listening and Speaking

A1 Listening and Speaking. CEFR level A1 is the minimum requirement for the following visa types:

  • Further Leave to Remain: for family route Leave to Remain
  • Representative of an Overseas Business
  • Tier 2 (Sportsperson)

Test format: Computer or paper IELTS Life Skills – A1 Speaking and Listening. Life Skills tests have two main parts

  • In the first part of the test, you will be expected to ask and answer questions on familiar topics.
  • The second part of the test is a combined Listening and Speaking task.
  • All Life Skills test takers will be asked to complete a task played on a CD.
  • When you complete the task, you’ll be assessed on your ability to listen for both the general meaning and detail.
  • You will say your answers, although you can make notes on paper while you listen to the CD.
  • Following this task, you will be asked to discuss, with the examiner and a partner, a theme related to what you have listened to on the CD.

A2 2 skills Listening and Speaking

A2 Listening and Speaking. CEFR level A2 is the minimum requirement for the following
visa types:

  • Further Leave to Remain: for family route Leave to Remain applications after 2.5 years in the UK (This test can only be taken in the UK)

Test format: Computer or paper IELTS Life Skills – A2 Speaking and Listening. Life Skills tests have two main parts.

  • In the first part of the test, you will be expected to ask and answer questions on familiar topics.
  • The second part of the test is a combined Listening and Speaking task.
  • All Life Skills test takers will be asked to complete a task played on a CD.
  • When you complete the task, you’ll be assessed on your ability to listen for both the general meaning and detail.
  • You will say your answers, although you can make notes on paper while you listen to the CD.
  • Following this task, you will be asked to discuss, with the examiner and a partner, a theme related to what you have listened to on the CD.
Length of test
Test Price
20 minutes
£150.00 GBP

Test focus: You will be assessed on your performance throughout the test by certificated
IELTS examiners. You will be marked on the four criteria:

  • fluency and coherence
  • lexical resource
  • grammatical range and accuracy

Test focus: You will be assessed on your performance throughout the test by certificated IELTS examiners. You will be marked on the four criteria:

  • fluency and coherence
  • lexical resource
  • grammatical range and accuracy
  • pronunciation

B1 2 skills Listening and Speaking

B1 Listening and Speaking. CEFR level B1 is the minimum requirement for the following
visa types:

  • Indefinite Leave to Remain: ILR (Settlement/Permanent Residency)
  • British Citizenship (Naturalisation) (This test can only be taken in the UK)

Test format: Computer or paper IELTS Life Skills – B1 Speaking and Listening. Life Skills tests have two main parts.

  • In the first part of the test, you will be expected to ask and answer questions on familiar topics.
  • The second part of the test is a combined Listening and Speaking task.
  • All Life Skills test takers will be asked to complete a task played on a CD
  • When you complete the task, you’ll be assessed on your ability to listen for both the general meaning and detail.
  • You will say your answers, although you can make notes on paper while you listen to the CD.
  • Following this task, you will be asked to discuss, with the examiner and a partner, a theme related to what you have listened to on the CD.
Length of test
Test Price
22 minutes
£150.00 GBP

B1 4 skills Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking

B1 Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. CEFR level B1 is the minimum requirement for
the following visa types:

  • Tier 2 (IELTS UKVI General)
  • Student visa (IELTS UKVI Academic) (this route replaces Tier 4 – below degree level) – (Check with your institution)
  • Tier 2 Health and Care visa

You’ll take the first three parts of the test on the same day, in the following order: Listening, Reading and Writing (there are no breaks between these tests). Your Speaking test will be held either on the same day or seven days before or after that, depending on local
arrangements.

Test format: IELTS UKVI Academic (Student visa) (Tier 4). IELTS UKVI General (Tier2).

The IELTS Listening test is designed to assess a wide range of listening skills, including:

  • how well you understand main ideas and specific factual information. Recordings are played 1 time

The IELTS Reading test is designed to assess a wide range of reading skills, including how well you

  • read for the general sense of a passage
  • read for the main ideas
  • read for detail
  • understand inferences and implied meaning
  • recognise a writer’s opinions, attitudes and purpose
  • follow the development of an argument
Length of test
Test Price
2hrs 54 minutes
£195.00 GBP

The IELTS Writing test is designed to assess a wide range of writing skills, including how
well you write a response appropriately.

  • organise ideas
  • use a range of vocabulary and grammar accurately
  • use a range of vocabulary and grammar accurately
  • You will talk to a certified examiner in the IELTS

Speaking test. The test is interactive, with the examiner and a partner, and as close to a reallife situation as a test can get. A variety of accents may be used, and the test will be recorded. The content of the IELTS Speaking test is the same for both the IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training tests. The IELTS Speaking test is designed to assess a wide range of skills. The examiner will want to see how well you can:

  • communicate opinions and information on everyday topics and common experiences.
  • speak at length on a given topic using appropriate language.
  • organise your ideas coherently.
  • express and justify your opinions
  • analyse, discuss and speculate about issues.

Test focus: You will be assessed on your performance throughout the test by certificated IELTS examiners. You will be marked on the four criteria:

  • fluency and coherence
  • lexical resource
  • grammatical range and accuracy
  • pronunciation

 

The IELTS Writing test is designed to assess a wide range of writing skills, including how
well you write a response appropriately

  • organise ideas
  • use a range of vocabulary and grammar accurately

You will talk to a certified examiner in the IELTS

Speaking test. The test is interactive, with the examiner and a partner, and as close to a reallife situation as a test can get. A variety of accents may be used, and the test will be
recorded. The content of the IELTS Speaking test is the same for both the IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training tests. The IELTS Speaking test is designed to assess a wide range of skills. The examiner will want to see how well you can:

  • communicate opinions and information on everyday topics and common experiences
  • speak at length on a given topic using appropriate language
  • organise your ideas coherently.
  • express and justify your opinions
  • analyse, discuss and speculate about issues.

Test focus: You will be assessed on your performance throughout the test by certificated IELTS examiners. You will be marked on the four criteria:

  • fluency and coherence
  • lexical resource
  • grammatical range and accuracy
  • pronunciation

Scores are reported in whole and half bands.
IELTS for UKVI – 5.5 overall, and in each of the four skills

B2 4 skills Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking

B2 Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. CEFR level B2 is the minimum requirement for
the following visa types:

  • Tier 2 (IELTS UKVI General) (Minister of Religion)
  • Innovator
  • Start-up
  • Student visa (IELTS UKVI Academic) (this route replaces Tier 4) -(degree level or
    above) – (Check with your institution)

You’ll take the first three parts of the test on the same day, in the following order: Listening, Reading and Writing (there are no breaks between these tests). Your Speaking test will be held either on the same day or seven days before or after that, depending on local arrangements.

Test format: Computer or paper IELTS UKVI Academic (Student visa) (Tier 4). IELTS UKVI General (Tier 2).

The IELTS Listening test is designed to assess a wide range of listening skills, including:

  • how well you understand main ideas and specific factual information. Recordings are played 1 time.

The IELTS Reading test is designed to assess a wide range of reading skills, including how well you

  • read for the general sense of a passage
  • read for the main ideas
  • read for detail
  • understand inferences and implied meaning
  • recognise a writer’s opinions, attitudes and purpose
  • follow the development of an argument
Length of test
Test Price
Test 1
Listening: 30 mins | Reading & Writing: 130 mins
Test 2
Speaking: 13 mins
Both tests can be taken on the same day or within 14 days of each other
£200.00 GBP