If your UK visa needs an English test, it must be a Secure English Language Test (SELT) on the Home Office's approved list, taken at an approved test centre, and awarded in the two years before you apply. Outside the UK, four providers offer SELTs: the IELTS SELT Consortium (IELTS for UKVI), Pearson (PTE Academic UKVI), LanguageCert and PSI (Skills for English UKVI). For CEFR level B2, which the Student visa (degree level), Skilled Worker and Health and Care Worker routes require, the Home Office list sets a minimum of 5.5 in each IELTS for UKVI component or 59 in each PTE Academic UKVI component.
This guide explains which test to book, the minimum scores in each skill, who is exempt, and where the approved centres are in Nigeria and Ghana. It uses the Home Office lists published on GOV.UK.
General information, not immigration advice. Inspint is not linked to any test provider and does not help with applications. Always check the score your university or employer needs, which can be higher than the visa minimum.
Photo: Ridiculopathy / Wikimedia Commons, CC0
SELT, CEFR and "UKVI": the terms in plain English
- SELT (Secure English Language Test): a test approved by the Home Office for visa purposes. Only tests on the Home Office's list count.
- CEFR: the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. Levels run A1 (basic), A2, B1, B2 and C1 upwards. Each visa route sets the level you need.
- "4-facet" and "2-facet": a 4-facet test checks reading, writing, speaking and listening. A 2-facet test checks only speaking and listening, which some family and settlement routes use.
- "UKVI" versions: IELTS and PTE both have special visa versions, called IELTS for UKVI and PTE Academic UKVI. These are taken under the extra security the Home Office requires. GOV.UK tells applicants to make sure they book the version approved for SELT.
Which visas need which level?
GOV.UK's SELT guidance says the following routes need a 4-skill test (reading, writing, speaking and listening). They include Student, Skilled Worker, Health and Care Worker, High Potential Individual, Scale-up, Innovator Founder, Start-up and Minister of Religion.
Partner, parent, settlement and citizenship applications need a speaking and listening test instead.
The level depends on the route. On 10 November 2026, GOV.UK showed:
| Visa | CEFR level needed |
|---|---|
| Student: course at degree level or above | B2 |
| Student: course below degree level | B1 |
| Skilled Worker: new applicants | B2 |
| Skilled Worker: extending or updating a visa first held before 8 January 2026 | B1, and you do not need to prove it again |
| Health and Care Worker | B2 |
Minimum scores by test (approved tests taken outside the UK)
The table below comes from the Home Office "List of approved Secure English Language Tests taken outside the UK" published on GOV.UK. Scores are the minimum in each skill. A high overall score does not make up for one weak component.
| Test (provider) | B1 minimum | B2 minimum | C1 minimum |
|---|---|---|---|
| IELTS for UKVI, Academic or General Training (IELTS SELT Consortium) | 4.0 in each of the 4 skills | 5.5 in each | 7.0 in each |
| PTE Academic UKVI (Pearson) | 43 in each | 59 in each | 76 in each |
| LanguageCert Academic SELT (LanguageCert) | 40 in each | 60 in each | 75 in each |
| LanguageCert General SELT (LanguageCert) | 40 in each | 60 in each | 75 in each |
| Skills for English UKVI, 4 components (PSI) | Pass in each (B1 test) | Pass in each (B2 test) | Pass in each (C1 test) |
Source: Home Office list of approved SELTs taken outside the UK, checked on GOV.UK on 10 November 2026. Speaking-and-listening-only tests such as IELTS Life Skills and PTE Home are on the list for A1 to B1 and are used by other routes.
GOV.UK also notes that from 6 July 2025 the older LanguageCert ESOL SELT 4-skills test was replaced by the LanguageCert Academic SELT and General SELT. Older results stay valid for 2 years.
IELTS for UKVI or PTE Academic UKVI: how to choose
The Home Office does not prefer one test over another. GOV.UK says, "It is for you to decide which test to take." Practical points to weigh:
- Format: IELTS for UKVI has a separate speaking interview with an examiner. PTE Academic UKVI is computer-based, and all four skills are scored by computer.
- Score scales: IELTS uses bands from 0 to 9. PTE uses a scale where B2 means 59 in each skill. Do not compare the numbers directly. Compare them against the CEFR level you need.
- Centre location: choose a test you can sit near you. Both have several approved centres in Lagos and Abuja (see below).
- What your university or employer accepts: a sponsor can ask for higher scores than the visa minimum, so check its requirement first.
- Retakes: GOV.UK says that in some cases you may be able to resit a single failed component. Check the provider's terms before booking.
Who does not need to take a test
Exempt nationalities
For the Student visa, GOV.UK exempts nationals of a list of majority English-speaking countries. These include Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, the British overseas territories, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Malta, New Zealand, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, the UK and the USA. Canadians are also exempt.
On 10 November 2026, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Sierra Leone, the Gambia and other African countries were not on this list. Nationals of these countries need to prove English in one of the ways below. Being educated in English at school does not, on its own, make you exempt.
Other ways to prove English (without a SELT)
GOV.UK lists these alternatives for the Student and Skilled Worker routes:
- A degree taught in English. If the degree was not awarded by a UK institution, you need an assessment from Ecctis, the organisation GOV.UK names for checking overseas qualifications. Ecctis gives you a reference confirming the degree is equivalent to a UK bachelor's degree or higher and was taught in English.
- A degree from a UK institution taught in English, even if you studied outside the UK.
- Some UK school qualifications (GCSE, A level or Scottish equivalents) started before age 18.
- A previous successful visa application in which you already proved your English at the required level.
University assessment for degree-level students
If you are going to study at degree level or above with a Higher Education Provider, GOV.UK says the provider can assess your English itself. It may accept a different test or its own assessment, but the level must still be equivalent to B2. Ask your university what it accepts before you book any test.
Health professionals
For Skilled Worker and Health and Care Worker applicants, doctors, dentists, nurses, midwives and vets do not need a separate visa English test if they have already passed an English assessment accepted by their professional regulator.
Approved SELT centres in Nigeria and Ghana
The Home Office list of approved test centres outside the UK (version dated 30 October 2026) includes these centres. GOV.UK says to check availability on the provider's website and not to contact the centre directly.
Nigeria
| City | Provider | Centre (as named on the Home Office list) |
|---|---|---|
| Abuja | IELTS SELT Consortium | BC Abuja (Maitama); BC Abuja – ATZ (Central Area); IDP IELTS Abuja (Wuse 2) |
| Abuja | Pearson | Emerging Trees Ltd. (Lugbe) |
| Abuja | PSI | Abuja – Art-Thez (Central Area); Abuja – Management Edge (Central Business District) |
| Benin City | IELTS SELT Consortium | Lapo Institute (Uselu) |
| Lagos | IELTS SELT Consortium | British Council Lagos (Ikoyi); BC Lagos – PHIC (Yaba); BC Lagos – Workforce (Gbagada); IDP IELTS Nigeria (Ikeja GRA); IDP IELTS Victoria Island |
| Lagos | Pearson | Centerbase International Communications Ltd. (Yaba); Bellaz Education Services (Surulere) |
| Lagos | PSI | Yaba – Ciel Consulting; Lagos – TestFlex Professional Test Centre (Anthony) |
| Lagos | LanguageCert | LC – Lagos (Victoria Island) |
| Port Harcourt | IELTS SELT Consortium | BC Port Harcourt (Old GRA) |
| Port Harcourt | LanguageCert | LC – Nigeria (D/Line) |
Ghana
| City | Providers with an approved centre |
|---|---|
| Accra | IELTS SELT Consortium (British Council and IDP), Pearson, LanguageCert, PSI |
| Kumasi | IELTS SELT Consortium, PSI |
| Koforidua, Takoradi, Tamale | IELTS SELT Consortium |
Source: Home Office list of approved test centres outside the UK, October 2026 version. Centres can be added or removed, so check the current list before booking.
Booking safely and on test day
GOV.UK's guidance includes several practical rules:
- Book with the provider directly where you can. If you use a third-party agent, GOV.UK says to check it is officially recognised by the test provider and that its fee is the same as, or lower than, the provider's own price. GOV.UK warns that some third parties falsely claim to be linked to Home Office partners.
- Use your passport details exactly. The name you book with must match your passport or ID document. If your surname has changed, book in the name on your passport, or update the passport first.
- Bring the original document. Outside the UK, accepted ID includes a valid passport and, in the country that issued it, a valid government photo ID card. Photocopies and emergency travel documents are not accepted.
- Expect a date within about 28 days. GOV.UK says you should usually be able to take a test within 28 days of booking, though it may not be at the nearest centre.
- Keep your SELT reference number. After you pass, you get a unique SELT reference number to enter on your visa application. GOV.UK warns that leaving it out may lead to refusal.
Timing: the two-year rule
Your result must have been awarded in the two years before the date of your application. If you plan to apply for a Student visa and later a Skilled Worker visa, do not assume one old result will cover both. Check the date and the level each time.
How the English test fits into your overall budget
The test fee is set by the provider and paid to the provider, not to the Home Office. It is one of several costs alongside the visa fee, the immigration health surcharge and, for applicants in Nigeria and Ghana, a TB test. Our guide to UK visa fees and the immigration health surcharge puts the official figures in one place. If you are applying to study, see the UK Student visa from Nigeria guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is IELTS Academic the same as IELTS for UKVI?
They test the same skills, but only IELTS for UKVI (Academic or General Training) and IELTS Life Skills are on the Home Office SELT list. If you are using a test as your visa evidence, GOV.UK says to make sure you book the SELT version. Universities that assess degree-level students' English themselves may accept other tests. Ask them.
What PTE score do I need for a UK Student visa?
For a degree-level course, the visa minimum is B2. For PTE Academic UKVI, the Home Office list sets B2 at 59 in each of listening, reading, writing and speaking. Your university may ask for more.
Do Nigerians need IELTS for a UK visa?
Nigeria is not on GOV.UK's list of exempt nationalities, so Nigerian applicants usually need to prove English. That does not always mean IELTS. Options include another approved SELT, an Ecctis-confirmed degree taught in English, or (for degree-level study) the university's own assessment.
How long is a UK SELT result valid for visa purposes?
GOV.UK says the test must have been awarded in the two years before the date of your application.
Can I use a WAEC or NECO English result?
GOV.UK does not list WAEC or NECO among its ways to prove English for the Student or Skilled Worker visa. For degree-level study, your university decides what it accepts in its own assessment, so ask it directly.
Sources
- GOV.UK, Prove your English language abilities with a secure English language test (SELT), updated 2 November 2026: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/prove-your-english-language-abilities-with-a-secure-english-language-test-selt
- Home Office, List of approved Secure English Language Tests taken outside the UK (ODS, linked from the page above)
- Home Office, List of approved test centres outside the UK, October 2026 (ODS, linked from the page above)
- GOV.UK, Student visa, knowledge of English: https://www.gov.uk/student-visa/knowledge-of-english
- GOV.UK, Skilled Worker visa, knowledge of English: https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa/knowledge-of-english
- GOV.UK, Health and Care Worker visa: https://www.gov.uk/health-care-worker-visa
- GOV.UK, Immigration Rules Appendix English Language: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules/immigration-rules-appendix-english-language
- Ecctis: https://www.ecctis.com/
Last checked: 10 November 2026. General information, not immigration advice.