If you’re preparing your UK visa or citizenship application, a crucial update just dropped — and it could make your path to the UK smoother than ever. As of April 2025, the UK Home Office has expanded the list of accepted Secure English Language Tests (SELT), opening up fresh opportunities for visa applicants worldwide. Here’s your complete guide to what changed, what tests are now valid, and how to make your application count.
What’s the Big News?
The UK government has officially added new SELT formats under LANGUAGECERT, and reaffirmed its trust in providers like Pearson, Trinity College London, IELTS SELT Consortium, and PSI Services (UK) Ltd – Skills for English. This comes as a vital update for applicants seeking to prove their English proficiency through secure, verified assessments that align with immigration requirements.
Starting January 1, 2025, the old LANGUAGECERT ESOL SELT 4-skills test will be replaced with:
- LANGUAGECERT Academic SELT
- LANGUAGECERT General SELT
Don’t worry if you’ve already taken the older test — results remain valid for two years from the date awarded. Vouchers for the ESOL SELT test remain usable for 12 months from purchase.
Who Needs to Take an English Language Test?
English language proficiency is required for multiple visa categories, split into two groups based on the skills tested:
1# Full 4-Skills Test Required (Reading, Writing, Speaking, Listening):
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- Skilled Worker
- Health and Care Worker
- Start-up / Innovator Founder
- Student Visa
- High Potential Individual
- Minister of Religion
- Scale-up Worker
- Temporary Work – International Agreement
2# Speaking and Listening Only:
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- UK Citizenship
- Partner / Parent Visa
- International Sportsperson
- Settlement (Indefinite Leave to Remain)
- Representative of an Overseas Business.
Where and How to Take Your Tests?
If You’re in the UK: You can book a test with one of these UK-based approved providers:
-
- Pearson
- Trinity College London
- IELTS SELT Consortium
- LANGUAGECERT
If You’re Outside the UK: Your SELT options include:
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- Pearson
- PSI Services (Skills for English UKVI)
- IELTS SELT Consortium
- LANGUAGECERT
Approved test centers are expanding across countries. Make sure your test is:
-
- Taken at an approved location
- Listed on the Home Office’s approved test list
- Taken within two (02) years of your visa application.
Booking the SELT English Language Test in 2025
To book, visit the website of your chosen SELT provider as per this new update (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/prove-your-english-language-abilities-with-a-secure-english-language-test-selt). You’ll typically find test availability within 28 days, though slots may vary by location. Note: your booking details must match your ID documents (such as passport, BRP, or national ID card).
Accepted identity documents include:
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- Passport
- UK Biometric Residence Permit (BRP)
- Biometric Residence Card
- EEA National ID Card
- Valid Government-issued Photo ID (for tests outside the UK)
Emergency travel documents and photocopies are not accepted.
After the Test – What’s Next?
Once you pass, you’ll receive a SELT unique reference number, which you must include in your visa or nationality application. The reference codes vary by provider:
-
- Trinity College London: UER
- IELTS SELT Consortium: UKVI number
- LANGUAGECERT: Candidate URN
- Pearson: SELT URN
- PSI Skills for English: URN
No physical submission of test certificates is needed and the Home Office verifies your results directly using these codes.
