IELTS requirement · Immigration
IELTS for a UK Student visa
The UK Student visa does not read a band score directly — it reads a Common European Framework (CEFR) level, and which level you must reach depends entirely on the level of your course. It is also the route where the wrong test booking costs the most: below degree level only a Secure English Language Test counts, while degree-level universities may assess your English themselves.
- SELT for below-degree study
- UKVI
- CEFR level by course level
- B1 / B2
- Minimum in each of four skills
- Per skill
- To start practising
- $0
UK Student visa · 01
How the Student visa reads your English
The Student visa does not ask for a band directly — it asks for a CEFR level, and which level applies depends only on the level of your course. Courses below degree level require CEFR B1; degree-level courses and above require B2. The four skills are assessed separately, so you must clear the minimum in each of reading, writing, speaking and listening — a strong overall average cannot rescue a weak component.
On IELTS for UKVI, B1 corresponds to a minimum of 4.0 in every skill and B2 to a minimum of 5.5 in every skill. These are Home Office policy figures rather than numbers the test provider sets, which is why they are stable — but always confirm the current requirement in the official UK government Student visa guidance before you book, since the course-level rules carry the detail.
UK Student visa · 02
The UKVI-variant trap: which test actually counts
IELTS for UKVI is a Secure English Language Test (SELT): the same papers as standard IELTS, run at a Home Office-approved centre under additional identity checks, producing a result the Home Office recognises as a SELT. For courses below degree level, only a SELT counts — so IELTS for UKVI (Academic) is the version you must book, and a standard IELTS result cannot be substituted for it later.
At degree level and above the rules relax. A Higher Education Provider with a track record of compliance may assess your English itself, which means many universities accept a standard IELTS Academic result — or a prior English-medium degree — without requiring a SELT at all. The catch is that this is the institution's decision, not a blanket rule, so a standard booking is only safe once your university has confirmed it accepts one.
The order of operations is the same either way: confirm with the institution issuing your CAS which test and which minimum they need, and only then book. Getting this wrong is the single most expensive mistake on the route, because a mis-booked test below degree level means paying to sit again.
UK Student visa · 03
The visa floor and the university's number are not the same
The CEFR minimums are a floor, not a target. B2's 5.5-in-each-skill clears the visa, but most degree programmes set an academic requirement well above it — commonly in the 6.0 to 7.0 overall range, higher for competitive or language-heavy courses, and sometimes with a per-skill minimum of their own. That academic figure is set by the institution and the department, so treat any number you see as course-specific until the programme page confirms it.
This shapes how you prepare: aim at the higher of the two bars, because meeting the university's requirement almost always satisfies the visa's automatically. Target your programme's stated number, keep every one of the four skills above its floor, and the CEFR requirement takes care of itself.
UK Student visa · 04
Practising for the computer-delivered format
IELTS for UKVI is offered as computer-delivered at UK and many international SELT centres, and the on-screen experience is identical to standard computer-delivered IELTS — one-play Listening audio with a short review window, on-screen highlighting, and typed Writing with a live word count. Because the papers are the same, every hour of standard practice transfers directly to the UKVI version; only the booking and test-centre administration differ.
The mocks here reproduce that interface exactly, and for Writing — the module UK-bound candidates most often retake — the samples library shows one question answered at band 6.5, 7.5 and 9 with the differences annotated, while the writing checker returns four-criterion practice feedback on your own answers.
The requirement
What the official rules actually say
The stable structure and mappings, on the page — confirm any live figure on the official source each table names.
The Student visa English requirement by study level
The CEFR level you must reach is set by the Home Office and depends only on the level of your course. On IELTS for UKVI these are the per-skill minimums — every one of the four components must be met, with no averaging.
| Course level | Minimum CEFR | IELTS for UKVI minimum (each skill) | Must it be a SELT? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below degree level (pre-sessional English, foundation, most courses under RQF 6) | B1 | 4.0 in each of the four skills | Yes — IELTS for UKVI required |
| Degree level and above (bachelor's, master's, PhD; RQF 6+) | B2 | 5.5 in each of the four skills | Not necessarily — the university may assess English itself |
These CEFR levels and per-skill minimums are set by Home Office policy; the exact figures and the course-level rules are published in the official UK government Student visa and SELT guidance, which is where you should confirm them before booking.
Standard IELTS Academic or IELTS for UKVI — which counts
Both versions share identical papers, difficulty and scoring; only the administration and the status of the result differ. Which one satisfies your route depends on your course, not your preference.
| Your course | Test that satisfies the requirement | Who verifies your English |
|---|---|---|
| Below degree level | IELTS for UKVI (Academic), sat at a Home Office-approved SELT centre | The Home Office, through the SELT result |
| Degree level and above, at a provider with a track record of compliance | Standard IELTS Academic is often accepted, or the provider assesses English another way | Your Student sponsor (the university) |
A standard IELTS result cannot be swapped for a SELT afterwards, so booking the wrong version below degree level means paying to sit again. Confirm which version your CAS-issuing institution requires before you book.
Free tools
Work out where you stand
No account needed — each one answers a question this route's candidates actually ask.
Which IELTS do I need?
UKVI or standard, Academic or General — settled before you book.
Open the toolIELTS for the UK
The full UKVI-versus-standard explainer for every UK route.
Open the toolAcademic mock tests
Full timed practice in the same computer-delivered interface.
Open the toolBand 9 writing samples
One question answered at band 6.5, 7.5 and 9, annotated.
Open the toolQuestions candidates ask
Frequently asked questions
What English level do I need for a UK Student visa?
It depends on your course level. Courses below degree level require CEFR B1, and degree-level courses and above require CEFR B2, assessed separately in each of the four skills. On IELTS for UKVI that is a minimum of 4.0 per skill for B1 and 5.5 per skill for B2 — Home Office policy figures you should confirm in the official UK government guidance before booking.
Do I have to take IELTS for UKVI, or is standard IELTS Academic enough?
For courses below degree level only a Secure English Language Test counts, so you must book IELTS for UKVI. At degree level and above, a university with a track record of compliance can assess your English itself, and many accept a standard IELTS Academic result — but that is the institution's decision. Confirm with the university issuing your CAS before you book, because the two results are not interchangeable afterwards.
What IELTS score is CEFR B1 and B2?
On IELTS for UKVI, CEFR B1 is a minimum of 4.0 in each of the four skills and B2 is a minimum of 5.5 in each. Because the four components are scored separately, every skill has to clear its floor on its own — a high average will not compensate for one low component. These are policy figures, so verify the current requirement on the official UK government pages.
Is the visa minimum the same as the university's requirement?
No. The CEFR minimum is a floor that clears the visa; universities usually set a higher academic requirement of their own — often in the 6.0 to 7.0 overall range, and sometimes with per-skill minimums — decided by the institution and the department. Prepare to the higher of the two, since meeting the university's bar normally satisfies the visa automatically.
Is IELTS for UKVI a different or harder test than standard IELTS?
No — the papers, difficulty and band scale are identical. IELTS for UKVI is run at a Home Office-approved centre under additional identity verification, and the result carries the SELT status the visa requires. Only the administration differs, so all your standard practice prepares you for it.
Can I practise the UKVI computer-delivered format here?
Yes. IELTS for UKVI shares the same computer-delivered interface as standard IELTS, and every mock here reproduces it — one-play Listening audio with a review window, timed sections, on-screen highlighting and typed answers — so test day tests your English, not new software.
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