UK Student Visa Requires Secure English Test
UK Student visa applicants must take a Secure English Language Test at an approved centre. The test result is valid for two years.
International students applying for a UK visa must prove their English language ability by passing a Secure English Language Test (SELT). The specific test required depends on the immigration route, according to official Home Office guidance.
For a Student visa, applicants need a test assessing reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Other routes, like the Skilled Worker or High Potential Individual visas, also require this four-skills assessment.
Approved Test Providers and Tests
You can only take a SELT with an approved provider. The provider list differs depending on whether you are inside or outside the UK.
If you are in the UK, the approved providers are Trinity College London, IELTS SELT Consortium, LANGUAGECERT, and Pearson. If you are outside the UK, the approved providers are PSI Services (UK) Ltd, IELTS SELT Consortium, LANGUAGECERT, and Pearson.
You must book the specific test approved for SELT purposes. The approved tests are:
From 6 July 2025, the LANGUAGECERT ESOL SELT 4-skills test was replaced by the LANGUAGECERT Academic SELT and General SELT tests. Existing LANGUAGECERT ESOL SELT 4-skills results remain valid for two years.
Booking a Test and Proving Identity
Test results are only accepted if the test is on the approved list, taken at an approved test centre, and awarded within the two years before your application date. You should book directly through a provider's website.
If you are outside the UK, you may need to travel to another country if there is no approved test centre in your own. The details used to book your test must exactly match your passport or other identity document.
On test day, you must prove your identity with an original, valid, photographic document. Acceptable documents include a passport, a convention travel document, or a stateless persons travel document. For tests in the UK only, an eVisa share code is also acceptable. Emergency travel documents are not accepted.
After Passing the Test
After passing, you will receive a SELT unique reference number. You must use this number in your visa application. The reference number is called different things by different providers, such as a 'UER' for Trinity College London or a 'UKVI number' for IELTS.
You do not need to submit physical test result documents. The Home Office checks results online using the unique reference number you provide. Failure to include the correct reference number may lead to your application being refused.
