IELTS Academic, IELTS General Training and IELTS Life Skills are accepted by the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) as proof of English proficiency for those wishing to live, work and study in the UK.
IELTS tests for UK Visas and Immigration are managed by the IELTS Partners, which comprises The British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia and Cambridge English.
Find out more about IELTS for UKVI (Academic and General Training) and IELTS Life Skills.
If you are applying for a Tier 4 Student Visa to enter directly onto a bachelor or postgraduate degree at a university that is a Tier 4 Sponsor, you must meet the English language level set by the institution. All British universities and colleges accept IELTS results. Tier 4 Student Visa applicants can apply to the UK universities listed here with an IELTS result from more than 1,600 IELTS test locations worldwide. Please note that some institutions may have additional requirements.
A limited number of test centres offer the IELTS for UKVI (Academic) on computer. Click here for more information.
Please note: You can either book IELTS for UKVI online, or you can also download the booking form here and register for the test at the test centre.
IELTS used for UK visa applications FAQs
IELTS for UKVI cancellations and transfer policy
Download the IELTS UKVI Decision-Making document (PDF, 1.6MB) to help choose the right IELTS test for your requirements.
IELTS for study
Thousands of education and training providers all over the world use IELTS results to select their students.
IELTS for work
Many professional registration bodies and employers rely on IELTS as evidence of English language proficiency.
A test of four skills
IELTS is a task-based test covering the four language skills (listening, reading, writing and speaking).