English test requirements for UK indefinite leave to remain

For indefinite leave to remain (ILR) in the UK, you will usually need to prove your knowledge of the English language at CEFR level B1 or higher in speaking and listening, unless you are exempt. You can meet the requirement with a degree taught in English, a UK degree, or a Secure English Language Test (SELT) from an approved provider. The specific evidence you can use depends on how you first entered the UK on a family route and on the level you already passed.

The official guidance for this article covers the English requirement for Student visas and for Family visas. For ILR specifically, the key rule is that if you passed a SELT at level B1 or higher for a family visa, you can reuse that result when you apply for settlement after five years, provided the test is still on the approved list and your certificate has not been withdrawn. If you passed only level A1, you will need to pass at least level A2 in speaking and listening to extend after 2.5 years, and you will need B1 for settlement. The sections below set out what the official guidance says.

Who does not need to prove English for ILR

You do not need to prove your knowledge of English for a family visa application if you are a national of one of the following countries or territories, or if you have completed a qualification equivalent to a UK degree in one of them:

• Antigua and Barbuda
• Australia
• the Bahamas
• Barbados
• Belize
• the British overseas territories
• Canada
• Dominica
• Grenada
• Guyana
• Jamaica
• Malta
• New Zealand
• St Kitts and Nevis
• St Lucia
• St Vincent and the Grenadines
• Trinidad and Tobago
• USA

You also do not need to prove English if you are applying as a child, as an adult coming to be cared for by a relative, if you have been in the UK on a family visa for five years and are extending as a partner or parent, if you are over 65, or if you have a physical or mental condition that prevents you from meeting the requirement. If you were given an exemption on your first family visa application, you will need to pass a test at level A1 when you apply to extend after 2.5 years.

For the Student visa route, the exemption list is similar but not identical. Nationals of the countries and territories listed above are exempt, as are nationals of Canada, applicants coming for a study abroad programme as part of a US university degree, and those who already proved their English level in a previous visa application. If you are applying for ILR after studying in the UK, your prior proof may carry forward, but you should check the specific ILR guidance because the official guidance here does not set out the ILR-specific reuse rules for student-route applicants.

The CEFR level required for ILR

The level you need depends on your route and on what you have already passed. For a family visa, you must pass at least level A1 on the CEFR scale for your first visa application. You can choose to take a higher level test. If you pass level B1 or higher, you can use that test result again when you apply for settlement after five years, provided the test is still on the approved list and your certificate has not been withdrawn.

If you passed only level A1 for your first family visa, you will need to pass at least level A2 in speaking and listening to extend after 2.5 years. If you passed level A2, B1, B2, C1 or C2, you can use that result again for the extension application as long as your test certificate has not been withdrawn. For settlement after five years, the requirement is B1 in speaking and listening. If you were given an exemption on your first application, you will need to pass a test at level A1 for the extension, and then B1 for settlement.

For the Student visa route, the English requirement is set by what you are studying. For a course at degree level or above, you must prove CEFR level B2. For a course below degree level, you must prove CEFR level B1. If you are studying at degree level or above with a Higher Education Provider, the provider can assess your English themselves and may ask you to do a different test, but that test must still be equivalent to CEFR level B2. If you later apply for ILR on the basis of having studied in the UK, the level you proved for the visa may be relevant, but the official guidance does not state how a student-route English result carries into an ILR application.

How to prove English: qualifications and tests

There are four ways to prove your knowledge of English for a Student visa: a UK school qualification, a degree from a UK institution, a degree from an institution outside the UK taught in English, or a SELT from an approved provider. For a family visa, the options are a degree from a UK institution, a degree from an institution outside the UK taught in English, or a SELT. If you already proved your English in a previous successful visa application, you may not have to prove it again.

UK school qualifications

If you have a qualification from a UK school that you began when you were under 18, you can use it to prove English for a Student visa. The qualification must be one of the following:

• a GCSE
• an A level
• Scottish National Qualification level 4 or 5
• Scottish Higher or Advanced Higher in English

This option is listed only for the Student visa route in the official guidance. It is not listed as a way to prove English for a family visa.

UK degrees

A degree-level qualification awarded by a UK institution proves English, even if you studied outside the UK, as long as it was taught in English. For a family visa, you only need your degree certificate if the qualification is from a UK institution. For a Student visa, the same rule applies: the qualification must have been taught in English and awarded by a UK institution.

Degrees from outside the UK

If your degree was taught in English but was not awarded by a UK institution, you will need to apply for an assessment from Ecctis. Ecctis will give you a code confirming that your qualification is equivalent to a UK bachelor’s degree or higher and was taught in English. If you have already been assessed by Ecctis, you do not need to reapply; you can use the certificate from your previous assessment instead. This applies to both the Student visa and family visa routes.

Secure English Language Test (SELT)

If you do not have any qualifications that prove your English, you will need to pass a SELT from an approved provider. For a family visa, you must pass at least level A1 for your first application. For a Student visa, the level depends on your course: B2 for degree level or above, B1 for below degree level. The test must be on the approved list of qualifications, and your test certificate must not have been withdrawn by the test provider.

What to do next and what to verify

Before you apply for ILR, check the official GOV.UK pages for the English requirement on the specific route you are using. The official guidance for this article covers the Student visa and family visa English requirements, but the ILR-specific guidance is set out in the “English language requirement: family members” guidance and in the settlement pages. If you are relying on a SELT result, confirm that your test is still on the approved list and that your certificate has not been withdrawn. If you are relying on a degree, check whether you need an Ecctis assessment and whether you already have one. If you are exempt by nationality, keep your passport or proof of nationality ready. Do not assume that a previous English result will carry forward; verify the specific rules for your route on the official pages.