IELTS for UKVI

What is IELTS for UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI)?

IELTS for UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) is a Secure English Language test (SELT) approved by the UK home office for visa applications to the United Kingdom.

What is the difference between IELTS and IELTS UKVI? And is there a difference in the test format between IELTS and IELTS for UKVI?

The Academic for UKVI test has the same content, test format, scoring, and difficulty level as the Academic test. The UKVI test is offered in a UKVI approved test centre that follows the administrative standards established by the UK Home Office. If you take the IELTS test for UKVI, your Test Report Form (TRF) will also look a bit different. And the same thing applies to IELTS General Training for UKVI.

IELTS Academic for UKVI

Most British universities and colleges accept IELTS Academic for UKVI results if you’re looking to study in the UK. IELTS Academic for UKVI is applicable to those who wish to take the test and pursue undergraduate or graduate studies in the UK through a student visa, and test takers who seek professional registration in the UK.

IELTS General Training for UKVI

IELTS General Training for UKVI is applicable to test takers who want to immigrate to the UK under specific visa categories, as well as for those who want to train or study below degree level.

IELTS Life Skills for UKVI

People who must verify their English-speaking and listening proficiency at Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) Levels A1 or B1 should take the IELTS Life Skills test. They are accepted by the UK Visas and Migration Department for certain visa types.

Only your speaking and listening skills are examined in IELTS Life Skills A1 and B1. Your capacity for information gathering, conversation, and communication will all be assessed.

IELTS Life Skills results differ from IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training results. You will either get a pass or fail result, not a band score. If you get a pass result, then this means that you can use your test result for your visa application.

Life Skills A1 is applicable for test takers who want to apply for “family of a settled person” visas, and Life Skills B1 is applicable for those who want to apply for indefinite leave to remain or citizenship.

The tests last between 16 and 22 minutes.

What is the required IELTS test score for UKVI?

To apply for any type of visa in the UK, you must take the IELTS for UKVI test. You can use your IELTS General Training or Academic for UKVI scores to apply for study, work, or migration visas all over the world. Note that IELTS General Training and IELTS Academic results and Test Report Form (TRF) can’t be used when applying for a UK visa.

There may be a minimum band score required to study, work, or migrate to a certain country or organisation. Before taking the IELTS test, make sure to check the required band score.

Remember that based on other factors, like the university or degree level, the IELTS test score for courses in the UK varies. However, most UK universities usually accept applicants with IELTS test scores between 6 and 7.

In more than 150 countries, more than 12,000 organisations accept the IELTS test as a reliable measure of your English-language proficiency. These organisations span a wide range, including universities, training institutions, government departments, and immigration offices, as well as business and professional organisations.