IELTS is the most common English language test according to the data, followed by the Pearson Test of English (PTE). Of the students who received a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS), 64.6% had taken an English test to meet language requirements, while the other 35.4% qualified through exemptions or previous qualifications.

This data comes as the UK government is reviewing English language qualifications used in visa applications. The information was shared by Enroly, an admissions platform that handles a third of international student applications to the UK.

Enroly's data shows that during the 2023/24 recruitment cycle, 64.6% of university offers that proceeded to the CAS stage were based on an English language test. However, only 51% of these students had taken a government-approved Secure English Language Test (SELT).

IELTS was the most popular test, used in 34.32% of CAS applications, with many universities using it alongside the CEFR framework to assess language skills. PTE was next, used by 7.9% of students. Other SELTs, like LanguageCert and PSI Services (UKVI), were used in less than 5% of cases.

Some universities accepted non-SELT tests like TOEFL, Duolingo, and Cambridge English exams. In total, 12.7% of students successfully used non-SELT tests to meet language requirements. Additionally, 27.92% were assessed based on previous qualifications, and 7.48% were exempt due to being from an English-speaking country or holding a previous student visa.

Universities often accept alternatives to English tests, like the WAEC from Nigeria or Standard XII from India, and degrees taught in English. The UK government is also considering launching its own language test as part of a reform in visa language assessments.

Enroly founder Jeff Williams highlighted that universities are effectively using a variety of methods to evaluate language skills. Enroly supports this process with AI-based technology, conducting around 50,000 interviews annually to further assess students’ English proficiency.

Source: PIENEWS