Cambridge English exams for UK visas and immigration

IELTS for UKVI and IELTS Life Skills are the only Cambridge English exams included on the UK government list of Secure English Language Tests (SELT), which can be used for Visa and Immigration purposes:

IELTS for UKVI assesses all four language skills and is accepted by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) at levels B1 to C2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).
IELTS Life Skills assesses Speaking and Listening at CEFR level A1 and at CEFR Level B1.

Find a UKVI-approved IELTS test centre.

Most students applying for degree-level university study or higher (e.g. undergraduate and postgraduate) do not need to take a SELT test. This is because most universities and colleges in the UK set their own English-language requirements for students applying to study at degree level (or higher). So you can use Cambridge English’s C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency to support your application.

Find out which Cambridge English exams can be used for UK university applications.

If you do not come from the European Union, European Economic Area, Switzerland or ‘majority English speaking countries’ (as defined by the UK Home Office) and you are applying for a Foundation or Pre-Sessional course, you may need to take IELTS for UKVI or another SELT test.

To find out whether you need to take an approved test (SELT), what level you need to achieve and which exam you can use, contact UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) or the British Embassy or High Commission in your country.

IELTS is owned by the British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia and Cambridge Assessment English.

The following table shows the approved Secure English Language Tests offered by Cambridge English and the IELTS test partners.

Visa description	Minimum CEFR level required	Skills	IELTS test and minimum score required overall and in each skill¹
Tier 1 (General) visa	C1	Reading, Writing Speaking, and Listening	IELTS for UKVI – 7.0 overall, and for each of the four skills
Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) visa	B1	Reading, Writing Speaking, and Listening	IELTS for UKVI – 4.0 overall, and for each of the four skills
Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) visa	B1	Reading, Writing Speaking, and Listening	IELTS for UKVI – 4.0 overall, and for each of the four skills
Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur) visa	B1	Reading, Writing Speaking, and Listening	IELTS for UKVI – 4.0 overall, and for each of the four skills
Tier 2 (General) visa	B1	Reading, Writing Speaking, and Listening	IELTS for UKVI – 4.0 overall, and for each of the four skills
Tier 2 (Sportsperson) visa	A1	Speaking and Listening	IELTS Life Skills at A1 – Pass IELTS for UKVI – 4.0 in Speaking and Listening²
Tier 2 (Minister of Religion) visa	B2	Reading, Writing Speaking, and Listening	IELTS for UKVI – 5.5 overall, and for each of the four skills
Tier 4 (General) student visa – below degree level	B1	Reading, Writing Speaking, and Listening	IELTS for UKVI – 4.0 overall, and for each of the four skills
Tier 4 (General) student visa – degree level and above and including some pre-sessional courses³	B2	Reading, Writing Speaking, and Listening	IELTS for UKVI – 5.5 overall, and for each of the four skills Other Cambridge English exams can also be used at this level of study at Tier 4 Sponsor universities³
‘Family of a settled person’ visa	A1	Speaking and Listening	IELTS Life Skills at A1 – Pass IELTS for UKVI – 4.0 in Speaking and Listening²
Further leave to remain, for partners and parents on the family route after 2.5 years in the UK⁴	A2	Speaking and Listening	IELTS Life Skills at A2 – Pass IELTS for UKVI – 4.0 in Speaking and Listening²
Indefinite Leave to Remain (to settle) or Citizenship⁵	B1	Speaking and Listening	IELTS Life Skills at B1 – Pass IELTS for UKVI – 4.0 in Speaking and Listening²

¹Both General and Academic Training modules are accepted. The CEFR requirement for each skill must be met.
²IELTS for UKVI can be used where IELTS Life Skills is used; candidates would need to get 4.0 or above in Speaking and Listening (scores for Reading and Writing will be ignored).
³Universities on UKVI’s list of Tier 4 Sponsors decide which exams to accept when a SELT is not required, and these may include C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency.
⁴From 01 May 2017. For those on the 5-year route to settlement. Exemptions apply to partners of members of HM Forces, 10-year partner and parent routes, and partners granted leave under Part 8 of the Immigration Rules.
⁵From 12 November 2015, you can no longer use a result from a Cambridge English exam for Citizenship (naturalisation). From 19 November 2015, you can no longer use a result from a Cambridge English exam for Indefinite Leave to Remain (to settle). We strongly recommend taking IELTS for UKVI or IELTS Life Skills for these purposes.