A Guide to the UK Visa English Language Requirement

By Madeline Haas - Legal Associate

15 Mar 2024

What is a UK Visa English Language Requirement?

Many UK visa applications require an applicant to demonstrate their proficiency in the English language. Where an immigration application has an English language requirement, failure to demonstrate that the requirement has been met will ordinarily result in a refusal.

The level of English necessary to meet the UK visa English language requirement varies between different types of application. If you are required to meet an English language requirement for a UK visa application, you ought to consider:

1. What is the required level of English proficiency that I need to demonstrate?

(and then, dependent on the answer to Question 1)

1. How can I prove that I meet the English language requirement?

The answer to both questions will be specific to the immigration application being made. 

Does my visa application fall under Appendix English Language?

Appendix English Language applies to a vast number of immigration applications, including:

• Student;
• Skilled Worker;
• Representative of an Overseas Business (Media Representative/Sole Representative);
• T2 Minister of Religion;
• International Sportsperson;
• UK Ancestry (Settlement only);
• Start-up;
• Innovator;
• Global Talent (Settlement only);
• Domestic Workers in a Private Household (Settlement only);
• Hong Kong British National (Overseas) (Settlement only);
• High Potential Individual;
• Settlement family life after a qualifying period of 10 years;
• Private Life (Settlement only);
• Scale Up;
• Appendix Child staying with or joining a Non-Parent Relative (Protection);
• Appendix Bereaved Partner;
• Appendix Victim of Domestic Abuse.

As the rules pertaining to Appendix English Language (and the above routes that rely on it) change regularly, you may wish to seek specialist advice if you have any particular concerns regarding your ability to meet this requirement. This article reflects the rules most recently updated on 22 February 2024.

It is important to note that while many immigration routes have English language requirements, not all applications rely on Appendix English Language to assess English proficiency (for instance, partner and family applications under Appendix FM do not rely on Appendix English Language.

If you are not sure whether your application has an English language requirement, you may wish to browse our personal and business immigration archives and find your specific immigration route.

Do I come from a majority English speaking country?

Applicants who are nationals of a majority English speaking country are able to meet the English language requirement under Appendix English Language by virtue of their nationality. Dual nationals will also meet this requirement where they hold one nationality from a majority English speaking country. 

The following countries are currently listed as ‘majority-English-speaking countries’ under Appendix English Language:

• 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; and,
• USA.

Can I use my degree to meet the English Language Requirement? 

In any application to which Appendix English Language applies, an academic degree taught or researched in English can be used to satisfy the English language requirement, subject to provision of the correct evidence. Applicants are able to rely on the following qualifications to meet the English Language requirement:

• A bachelor’s degree, master’s degree or doctorate awarded in the UK;
• A degree/degree-level qualification taught in a majority-English-speaking country (except Canada) or Ireland, meeting or exceeding the standard of a bachelor’s degree in the UK; or,
• A degree/degree-level qualification meeting or exceeding the standard of a bachelor’s degree in the UK that was taught or researched in English.

When relying on a degree awarded by a body from outside the UK, applicants must also provide a Visa and Nationality statement from Ecctis setting out how their qualification meets the requirements above.

What is a Secure English Language Test (SELT)?

A Secure English Language Test (SELT) is an approved test which allows applicants to demonstrate that they meet the English language requirement at a specific level. As set out above, the level of English proficiency that an applicant must demonstrate will depend on the type of application being made.

Which English Tests are Approved English Tests?

The GOV.UK website contains comprehensive lists of which tests are ‘approved tests’, both within the UK and outside the UK. 

Which English Language Skills are Tested?

SELTs can test an applicant’s skills in either two components ‘Speaking and Listening’ or four components ‘Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening’.

The following routes require that any SELT relied upon assesses Speaking and Listening skills:

• Citizenship applications;
• International Sportsperson;
• Parent or Partner;
• Representative of an Overseas Business (Media Representative/Sole Representative); and,
• Indefinite Leave to Remain.

Meanwhile, for the routes below, a SELT relied upon must assess Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening:

• Health and Care Worker;
• High Potential Individual;
• Innovator Founder;
• Minister of Religion;
• Scale-up Worker;
• Skilled Worker;
• Start-up; and,
• Student.

Where can I take a Secure English Language Test (SELT)?

A SELT must be taken with an approved test provider at an approved test centre.

Which Test Providers Are Approved?

If an applicant is taking an English language test within the UK, they can only take a SELT with:

• IELTS SELT Consortium;
• Pearson;
• LanguageCert; or,
• Trinity College London.

If an applicant is taking an English language test from outside the UK, the SELT must be taken with:

• IELTS SELT Consortium;
• Pearson;
• LanguageCert; or,
• PSI Services (UK) Ltd – Skills for English (UKVI). 

Which Test Centres Are Approved?

The GOV.UK website contains two lists which set out which test centres are approved both inside and outside the UK. It is important to check that your test is provided by an approved centre and to be aware that the list is subject to reviews and updates.

Can I rely on a GCSE or A Level in English to meet the English language requirement?

All routes which refer to Appendix English Language allow applicants to meet the English language requirement by relying on a GCSE, A Level or a Scottish equivalent in English Language or English Literature. The award must have been issued by an appropriately regulated body, and the applicant must have been awarded the GCSE/A level/Scottish equivalent following education in a UK-based school while under the age of 18.

If an applicant turned 18 during the academic year that they took their exams, they will still be able to rely on the GCSE or A Level equivalent to meet the requirement. 

As above, not all applications rely on Appendix English Language to assess English proficiency, including Appendix FM and citizenship applications. It is not currently possible to rely on a GCSE or A Level in English when applying under these routes.

I Met the English Language Requirement in a Previous Application – Do I Need to Take Another English Language Test?

If an applicant previously met the English language requirement relying on a SELT, they may be able to rely on the same SELT results, where:

• The previous application was successful; and,
• The level of English language ability demonstrated previously meets or exceeds the level required for the application they are now making.

This allows applicants to rely on a SELT that has expired, provided that the above requirements are met and sufficient evidence has been included in the application.

Am I Exempt From the English Language Requirement?

For an application  to which Appendix English Language applies, there are three general categories of exemption: 

Exemption 1: Applicants Who are Age 65 or Over

Applicants who are age 65 or over on the date of application do not need to meet the English language requirement.

Exemption 2: Applicants Who Have a Physical or Mental Condition Which Prevents Them From Meeting the Requirement

The Home Office Guidance on assessing the English language requirement sets out scenarios where an applicant may be exempt from the English language requirement as a result of a condition or disability. This includes circumstances where:

• An applicant suffers from a long-term or ongoing illness or disability that severely restricts their ability to learn English or to take an English language test;
• An applicant suffers from a serious or life-threatening illness, which may involve treatment over several months that severely restricts their ability to learn English or to take an English language test;
• An Applicant has a mental condition which prevents them from speaking or learning English to the standard required;
• An applicant is deaf and cannot meet the listening or speaking requirements;
• An applicant has a speech impediment or is unable to speak and has a limited ability to communicate in English.

The decision maker will consider various factors when assessing the circumstances and evidence, such as:

• Whether their condition affects the applicant’s ability to meet the requirement;
• How serious the condition is;
• How long the condition is likely to last; and,
• Whether the applicant’s condition is likely to improve.

Exemption 3: Adults Applying for Settlement as a Partner, Parent or Dependent Child (Limited Circumstances)

There are further provisions to allow adults applying for settlement as a partner, parent or dependent child exemption from the English language requirement in limited circumstances, subject to the provision of additional supporting evidence. Applicants must have spent 15 continuous years in the UK with permission, and must provide evidence of an English language speaking and listening qualification at CERF A2, ESOL entry level 2 or SCQF level 3. 

They must also provide evidence from a qualified English teacher confirming their attendance of an English language class for at least 75 guided hours in the 12 months preceding the application, and that, in the teacher’s professional view, the Applicant is unlikely to attain B1 level through further study.

Where an applicant is unable to provide evidence of an English language qualification at CEFR Level A2, the decision maker may still find it appropriate to exercise discretion and waive the requirement; although whether it is ‘appropriate’ to do so will depend on the applicant’s circumstances. You may wish to speak with a specialist immigration adviser if you are seeking to rely on discretion to meet an English language requirement.

Contact Our Immigration Barristers

For expert advice and assistance in relation to meeting the Appendix English Language Requirement, contact our immigration barristers in London on 0203 617 9173 or complete our enquiry form below.