IELTS for UKVI practice tests
Checked against official sources on 6 October 2026
IELTS for UKVI is the version of IELTS that the UK Home Office accepts for visas. The questions, the format, the level of difficulty and the scoring are the same as normal IELTS. What changes is where you sit it: in person, at a test centre approved for UK visa tests. So you prepare for it in exactly the same way, and every practice test on this site applies.
- Test content
- Same as IELTS
- Taken
- In person, approved centre
- Results valid
- 2 years
- Versions
- Academic, General, Life Skills
Practise for IELTS for UKVI
Choose the version you have booked. Listening and Reading tests are free and give an instant band score.
- General Training practiceAll four skills for IELTS for UKVI General Training, the version for work and migration.
- Academic practiceAll four skills for IELTS for UKVI Academic, the version for university and professional registration.
- 7 Listening testsFour recordings and 40 questions. Listening is the same test in Academic and General Training.
- 12 Reading tests6 Academic and 6 General Training tests, with the proof for every answer.
- Writing testA timed 60-minute test with both tasks, marked by AI against the four IELTS criteria.
- Speaking testSpeak out loud with an AI examiner through Parts 1, 2 and 3.
IELTS and IELTS for UKVI compared
| Feature | IELTS | IELTS for UKVI |
|---|---|---|
| Questions, format and timing | Four skills: Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking | The same |
| Difficulty and band scores | Bands 0 to 9 | The same |
| Where you take it | Any IELTS test centre | In person at an official IELTS for UKVI test centre |
| Accepted for a UK visa that needs a SELT | No | Yes |
| Result document | Test Report Form | Test Report Form with a UKVI number for your visa application |
A test that the Home Office accepts is called a secure English language test, or SELT. IELTS is one of the approved SELT providers. When you book, the name of the test must be IELTS for UKVI or IELTS Life Skills: a normal IELTS booking is not a SELT, even at the same centre.
The score each UK visa needs
| Visa | CEFR level | IELTS SELT |
|---|---|---|
| Skilled Worker, Health and Care Worker | B2 (all four skills) | IELTS for UKVI: 5.5 in each skill |
| Student (below degree level) | B1 (all four skills) | IELTS for UKVI: 4.0 in each skill |
| Family visa, first application | A1 (speaking and listening) | IELTS Life Skills A1: pass |
| Family visa, extension | A2 (speaking and listening) | IELTS Life Skills A2: pass |
| Settlement (ILR) and British citizenship | B1 (speaking and listening) | IELTS Life Skills B1: pass |
Which IELTS for UKVI test to book
IELTS for UKVI (Academic or General Training) tests all four skills and gives a band score for each. Work visas such as Skilled Worker need a minimum in every skill, so one low band can stop an application even when the others are high.
IELTS Life Skills (A1, A2 or B1) tests speaking and listening only, and the result is a pass or a fail. It is the test for family visas, settlement and citizenship. We have free practice tests for all three levels: A1, A2 and B1.
Students at degree level are a special case. A university can assess your English itself and may ask for a different test, so a normal IELTS result can be enough. Ask your university which test it wants before you book.
Before you book
- Book the test as IELTS for UKVI or IELTS Life Skills, at a centre on the approved list.
- Take an accepted identity document. The Home Office lists a passport or travel document, and inside the UK an eVisa.
- Keep your UKVI number. You enter it in the visa application.
- Results are valid for 2 years from the date they are awarded, so time the test with your application.
- Check whether you need a test at all. Nationals of some English-speaking countries and people with certain qualifications are exempt.
Questions
- Is IELTS for UKVI harder than IELTS?
- No. IELTS for UKVI has the same content, format, level of difficulty and scoring as IELTS. The difference is that it is taken at a test centre approved for UK visa tests, with extra security.
- Can I use normal IELTS practice tests to prepare for IELTS for UKVI?
- Yes. The questions and the marking are the same, so any IELTS Academic or General Training practice test prepares you for the UKVI version of that test.
- Can I use a normal IELTS result for a UK visa?
- Not when your visa needs a secure English language test (SELT). The Home Office only accepts IELTS tests booked as IELTS for UKVI or IELTS Life Skills and taken in person at an approved centre. Students at degree level are a partial exception, because a university can assess English in its own way.
- How long is an IELTS for UKVI result valid?
- SELT results are valid for 2 years from the date the test is awarded.
- What is the UKVI number?
- It is the reference number you get with your IELTS for UKVI result. You enter it in your visa application so the Home Office can check your result.
- What is IELTS Life Skills?
- A shorter test of speaking and listening only, at level A1, A2 or B1. You get a pass or a fail, not a band score. It is used for family visas, settlement and citizenship.
Find out your band today
Take a free full-length test and see your band the moment you finish, with the reason for every answer.
Official sources
- GOV.UK: Prove your English with a secure English language test (SELT)
- IELTS: Tests for UK Visas and Immigration
- IDP IELTS: Is there a difference between IELTS and IELTS for UKVI?
- GOV.UK: Student visa, knowledge of English
Visa rules change. Always confirm the requirement for your route on GOV.UK before you book a test.