IELTS for UK Student Visa

The Student visa does not use one identical English answer for every applicant. Course level and whether your sponsor can assess English make the biggest difference. Pick your route below.

GOV.UK lists four ways to prove your knowledge of English:

• A UK school qualification you began before 18: GCSE, A level, Scottish National Qualification level 4 or 5, or Scottish Higher or Advanced Higher in English.
• A degree-level qualification taught in English and awarded by a UK institution, even if you studied outside the UK.
• A degree from an institution outside the UK that was taught in English, confirmed by an Ecctis assessment as equivalent to a UK bachelor's degree or higher. This is the option many Indian graduates miss.
• A pass in a Secure English Language Test (SELT) from an approved provider, such as IELTS for UKVI.

You do not need to prove English at all if you are a national of one of the majority English-speaking countries on the GOV.UK list, a national of Canada, or you already proved your English in a previous visa application.

Many students mix up the university admission requirement with the visa evidence requirement. A university may accept one form of English proof for admission while the visa side still needs a different kind of evidence or an approved test format.

That is why the safest approach is to check both the university side and the immigration side before booking any exam.

At degree level or above, many students are assessed by their sponsor, so a SELT is not always required. Below degree level, and with sponsors that do not assess English themselves, a SELT such as IELTS for UKVI is the usual route. Never assume UKVI or non-UKVI by habit: ask your university which proof it will use for your CAS.

If you are still unsure about the two versions, read UKVI or regular IELTS for a UK visa before you book.

B2 is the visa level for degree-level study and above. B1 is the level below degree level. The key point is that this is a route-level distinction set by GOV.UK, while the actual IELTS band you need comes from your university or course provider, and is often higher than the visa minimum.

• What English proof the university accepts for the course, and the exact band in your offer
• Whether a UKVI-approved SELT is specifically required for your CAS
• Whether a degree taught in English or a UK school qualification already covers the requirement
• Your intake date and when scores must be ready (SELT results must be no older than 2 years when you apply)

Confirm your course level and whether your sponsor can assess English. Then check your scores with our band score calculator and build a personalised study plan. If your route needs a SELT, our UKVI-focused IELTS course is the next step.