Which English proficiency tests does the UK accept?

Last updated on Jun 20, 2024

There are only six English proficiency tests that are accepted by the United Kingdom government for visas. However, universities in the UK accept many more.

Which English proficiency tests are accepted by the UK government?

If you need to get a visa for the UK, you need to take one of the six English proficiency tests accepted by the UK government, which are called "secure English language tests" (SELTs).

Pearson: "PTE Academic UKVI" or "PTE Home"
IELTS SELT Consortium: "IELTS for UKVI" or "IELTS Life Skills"
LanguageCert: "LanguageCert International ESOL SELT" or "LanguageCert Academic SELT", or "LanguageCert General SELT"
Trinity College London: "Secure English Language Tests for UKVI" (either "Integrated Skills in English (ISE)" or "Graded Examinations in Spoken English (GESE)")
PSI Services (UK) Ltd: "Skills for English UKVI"

Note ☝️ The tests offered by Trinity College London are only available if you currently live inside the UK. In addition, tests offered by "PSI Services (UK) Ltd" are only available if you live outside the UK.

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To learn about the PTE Academic, one of the test accepted by the UK government and other governments for visas, check out our article: All Question Types with Answers - Pearson Test of English Academic.

Another factor to consider is which areas of English you are required to demonstrate proficiency in. If you are applying for a UK visa as a student, you will need to take a test that assesses all four areas: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. However, if you are applying in other categories – for example, for citizenship or as a sportsperson – you just need to demonstrate your listening and speaking abilities.

Which English proficiency tests are accepted by UK universities?

UK universities accept more English proficiency tests than the UK government. So, if you don't need a UK visa, you have a lot more options. Most notably, you can submit scores from the Cambridge English Qualifications and the Duolingo English Test (DET).

The DET is rapidly growing in popularity. It's already accepted by the majority of universities in the US, and it is becoming popular is other countries, including the UK.

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To see which UK universities accept the DET, check out our other article: UK Universities Accepting Duolingo.

This is because the DET costs only $65, it lasts just 1 hour, and you take it from home. In addition, you get your results within 48 hours and it costs nothing to send your results to school. In other words, the DET is much cheaper and a lot more convenient than other English tests.

If you want to start preparing for the DET, then you should check out Arno. We give you unlimited practice questions for every question type on the test for free. If you upgrade to one of our paid plans, then you can get an instant estimated score and detailed feedback on your grammar and vocabulary that will enable you to raise your score. Using Arno to get ready is like having a private tutor that reads all your responses and gives you feedback.

Screenshot showing how Arno scores your response instantly and shows you how much advanced vocabulary you are using. — Arno scores your response instantly and shows you how much advanced vocabulary you are using.

Screenshot showing how Arno gives you detailed feedback on your grammar and vocabulary. — Arno gives you detailed feedback on your grammar and vocabulary.

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