English Language Tests
 Introduction
 SELTS
 Test Format
 Grading
 Test Fees
 UKVI Approved Test Centre UK Locations
 Alternative Tests
 How Valuable are the Tests
 Validity Length
 Which test to ask for?
Introduction
• 2014/15 73,465 students from the EU (excluding UK students)
139,320 from outside the EU studying in HE or FE in the UK.
• In order for these students to be able to gain from studying in the UK they must be able
to communicate and understand their lectures, peers and the wider community.
• Educational providers ask for the candidates to prove their level of English usually with
an internationally recognised English Language Test. The UK Home Office refers to these
tests as SELTs: Secure English Language Tests for the purposes of immigration.
• Educational providers can accept other English language tests that haven’t been
classified as SELTS, but as students are required to prove their level & abilities for visas
to study in the UK, they generally will provide a SELTs certificate
• Today’s webinar will look at the SELTs tests and the main alternatives, what their results
mean and how this will help to determine if a student is ready to study in the UK.
SELTS
• What are SELTs?
Secure English Language Tests
• April 2015: UK government changed the system for English Language tests
• They identified the Secure English Language Tests and approved a limited number
of test centres in the UK and overseas for where the SELTS could be sat.
• November 2015: new system came into effect and only the SELTS were
recognised for UK visa and immigration purposes.
• Now 2 awarding bodies English exams are recognised: Trinity College London and
Cambridge English Language Assessment who manage IELTS in the UK. For tests
taken outside of the UK the new system only recognises IELTS.
What are the Approved Tests?
European
Common
Framework
Reference for
Languages
Awarding Body
Level
Graded Examinations in Spoken English
(GESE)
Trinity College London
Elementary
Intermediate
A1 & B1
Integrated Skills in English (ISE)
Trinity College London
Pre-Intermediate
Intermediate
Upper-Intermediate
A2 – B2
Cambridge English Language
Assessment
Elementary
Intermediate
A1 & B1
Cambridge English Language
Assessment
Intermediate –
Proficient
B1-C2
Test
IELTS Life Skills
This new test has been designed to meet the
specific requirements of some UK visas for which
you only need to demonstrate Speaking and
Listening skills.
IELTS (Academic/General)
What are the Test Formats?
Graded Examinations in Spoken
English
Integrated Skills in English (ISE)
IELTS Life Skills
IELTS
Test levels Beginner – Advanced
UK Home Office accepts A1 & B1 test level
Oral exam one-to one with candidate and examiner.
Test ranges from 5-7 minutes for the lowest level to 25 minutes for the
highest
ISE Foundation (A2) – ISE Level III (C1)
UK Home Office accepts test for A2, B1 and B2
Reading & Writing Module 2 hours + Speaking and Listening Module from 13
minutes for foundation to 25 minutes for ISE III
Suitable to test student’s level for study
Tests A1 and B1 which is Elementary and Intermediate levels
UK home Office accepts the test for A1 and B1 levels
Test ranges from 16-18 minutes for A1 level to 22 minutes for B1.
Tests levels Beginner – Advanced
UK Home Office accepts the test results if it meets the entry requirements for the
course
Listening 30 minutes + 10 minutes
Reading 1 hour
Writing 1 hour
Speaking between 12 -15 minutes.
How are the Tests Graded?
Test
GESE
ISE
IELTS Life
Skills
IELTS
Grade
 Each phase of the speaking test is awarded a grade
between A-D
A – Distinction
B – Merit
C – Pass
D – Fail
Collection of Results
A provisional result is available soon after the
exam session from the test centre.
The official results and certificate are issued
to the test centre for distribution 6 – 8 weeks
after the test.

Each skill is awarded a result from Fail, Pass, Merit, to
Distinction
 Candidates will receive a module certificate for each
skill upon completion of each module.
 Candidates must achieve the minimum of pass in all 4
skills to be award the whole award
 The results come with a diagnostic diagram which
highlights the candidate’s strengths and areas for
improvement.
Pass or Fail
The certificate is sent out within 14 days of
the test.
IELTs Grade Bands are 0-9
1. – Did not answer question
2. – Non-User
9 – Expert
Test are available from test centre or online
13 days after test. If not collected in person,
the test results are posted out within 14-16
days of test.
Test results are normally available within 7 days of
your test
How much do SELTS cost?
Test
Fee
GESE
£150
ISE
£180
IELTS Life Skills
£150
IELTS
£150/155 – Standard
£200 – UKVI Test Version
• Only tests taken in a UK government approved Test Centre will be accepted for
UK visa applications.
• The approved test centres are set up to have a highly secure testing
environment and more rigorous checks in place.
• IELTS can be taken in a non-government approved centre and will cost £45/50
less than taken in the government approved centres.
• A student who does not need to apply for a visa, but needs to prove the
English ability to win a place with an educational provider and can apply for
the Standard test rather than the UKVI version.
Where can someone take the UKVI approved
tests?
Trinity College London
GESE & ISE
• London Holborn
• London Hammersmith
• London Croydon
• Belfast
• Cardiff
• Leeds
• Birmingham
• Glasgow
• Manchester
• Peterborough
Cambridge English Language
Assessment
IELTS & IELTS Life Skills
• Belfast
• Birmingham
• Cardiff
• Chelmsford
• Edinburgh
• London Central (X2)
• London North
• London West
• Manchester
• Portsmouth
Alternative Tests
• There are many alternative English Language tests from around the world. The most common alternative exams in the
UK are:
• FCE (Cambridge English: First – Upper-Intermediate/B2)
• CAE (Cambridge English: Advanced – Advanced/C1)
• CPE (Cambridge English: Proficiency – Proficient/C2)
• TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language – All levels)
• TOEIC (Test of English as International Communications – All Levels)
• Internal University certificates – various Higher Education providers will have their own ESOL department and
assessment scheme for international students.
TOEFL and TOEIC are tests devised by ETS (Education Testing Service) who are American and are the world's largest private
non-profit educational testing and assessment organisation.
Cambridge English offers the ‘Cambridge Suite’ which are English tests that range from beginners (PET) to proficient
speakers (CPE)
How Valuable are the Tests?
• The SELTs can show how likely a student will be able to cope in an
English-speaking learning environment but cannot be taken as a
guarantee that the student will be a success.
• The tests are standardised and formulaic – a good exam teacher can
prepare a student to gain a high grade despite having a weaker
understanding of English.
• Not everyone is good at taking tests – a student may have an
excellent grasp of English but have difficulty in achieving a good grade
in the tests.
Length of Validity
UKVI approved – 5 months max
•
The new system means only tests taken at an approved centre
since Nov 2015 are now accepted
•
This will change has the system becomes established
IELTs for no UKVI purposes - 2 years
Cambridge Suite – for life
Which test to ask for?
• A Provider needs to ask:
• Who are the students
• Will they need visas after the completion of their programme
Type of Student
Visa Required
Recommended Test for Provider to ask for
Tier 4
IELTS UKVI Standard
Tier 4
Short Term Study Visa
A language qualification is not required for
STSVs
IELTS UKVI Standard
Any UKVI approved or a recent Cambridge Suite/TOEFL certificate
N/A
IELTS - Standard
Cambridge Suite
TOEFL
– certificate awarded within 2 yrs
N/A
Any UKVI approved test
Cambridge Suite
TOEFL
Non EU Long-Time Study
Non EU Short – Time
Study
EU
UK resident
Question Time