There have been lot of confusions about which type IELTS international students need to sit for UK Student visa application.

With Student visa application, some prospective students must* submit an English language qualification which is included on the UK Home Office’s list of Secure English Language Tests (SELTs).

IELTS (International English Language Testing System) is one of the SELTs (Secure English Language Tests) widely used by international students – this IELTS is known as IELTS for UKVI. Please check HERE for more information.

Do you need IELTS academic, general or IELTS for UKVI?

• If you are applying for a bachelor or postgraduate degree course (without a pre-sessional course) to study at an HEP (Higher Education Provider) i.e. university with track records of compliance in the UK that is a Student Sponsor, then the HEP (university) can choose their own method of testing your English language ability for entry onto their courses – this means that it is not mandatory for you to sit IELTS for UKVI. Please check HERE for HEP with track records of compliance.

The Student Sponsor HEP (university) with track records of compliance may ensure your proficiency at CEFR B2 Level or above if required for the course in each of the   4 components (speaking, listening, reading and writing) by IELTS academic, IELTS General, IELTS for UKVI, Trinity College London (UK only), LanguageCert, Pearson, PSI Services or the HEP’s own English Test or other recognised English   tests of their choice (check with your chosen university for their English language entry requirements).

• If your Student Sponsor is not a UK HEP (university) with track records of compliance, you must demonstrate your English language proficiency at CEFR B2 Level by IELTS for UKVI or SELT from Trinity College London (UK only) or LanguageCert or Pearson or PSI Services.
• If you are applying to study a bachelor or postgraduate degree course with a pre-sessional course, a foundation course itself or English as a Foreign Language course at a HEP (university) or non-HEP, you must sit for IELTS for UKVI to demonstrate your English Language proficiency at minimum CEFR B1 Level. You may wish to sit other SELT tests too including Trinity College London (UK only), LanguageCert, Pearson, PSI Services.
• If you are applying to study an integrated bachelor or master degree course at a HEP (university) with track records of compliance that offers foundation & bachelor degree together or pre-master & master degree together on single CAS, then IELTS for UKVI i.e. SELT is not mandatory, regular academic IELTS or other approved English Test or universities’ own English test or other assessment (HEP assessment) is alright.

IELTS for UKVI – Key information

• IELTS for UKVI is held in UKVI approved test centres worldwide on separate test dates - you must confirm at the time of registration that you wish to use your test result for UK visa application
• IELTS for UKVI is designed to meet certain administrative requirements that are specific to UKVI
• Test Report Forms will be slightly different, to show that test takers have taken the test at an IELTS UK visa session

There are no differences in the test format or questions. The actual test taken is the same – same content, examiners, format, level of difficulty, scoring and so on

*some students will fall under the ‘Exceptions to the English language requirements’ and do not need to prove their knowledge of English – please check HERE for more information.

For detailed information about SELT, please check HERE.