UK visa English test in Iraq: 7 approved centres (SELT)
There are 7 approved centres for UK visa English tests (SELT) in Iraq, in Sulaymaniyah (3), Erbil (2), Baghdad (1), Soran (1), run by IELTS SELT Consortium, LanguageCert, Pearson (PTE) and PSI Services (Skills for English), according to the Home Office list of approved test centres outside the UK dated 23 October 2026 (GOV.UK, downloaded on 30 October 2026). The first partner (spouse) visa needs A1 in speaking and listening.
Approved SELT centres in Iraq: 7 in 4 cities
Source: Home Office, List of approved test centres outside the UK (ODS, list dated 23 October 2026, downloaded on 30 October 2026), from the GOV.UK page Prove your English language abilities with a secure English language test (SELT) (updated 26 October 2026). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Not immigration or legal advice. This page lists the Home Office's approved test centres and the levels written in the GOV.UK guidance on the dates shown. Some people do not need a test (for example nationals of some English-speaking countries, people over 65, or people with a degree taught in English). Check the guidance for your own route on GOV.UK, and the provider's website for dates and fees, before you book.
Approved test centres in Iraq
| City | Provider | Centre | Address |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baghdad | IELTS SELT Consortium | Imam Jaafar Alsadiq University - IJSU | Baghdad-AlQahira- infront of the Ministry Labour and Social Affairs, Iraq |
| Erbil | IELTS SELT Consortium | Nostalgia institute | Erbil- Kirkuk Road - Knowledge University, Iraq |
| Erbil | PSI Services (Skills for English) | Erbil - Interchange institute | Interchange institute, 120 Meter Street, Italian city 2, Villa No. 394, Erbil, Iraq. 44001 |
| Soran | Pearson (PTE) | Soran University | Delzyan Campus, Soran, Erbil |
| Sulaymaniyah | IELTS SELT Consortium | BC Sulaymaniyah | Sulaimani Polytechnical University- SPU, Qrga. Wrme Street 327/76, Sulaymaniyah, Iraq |
| Sulaymaniyah | LanguageCert | LC - Sulaymaniyah | Interchange Institute, Sulaymaniyah, Tuy Malik Street, Kurdistan Region, 46001 |
| Sulaymaniyah | PSI Services (Skills for English) | Sulaimani - Interchange Institute | Interchange institute, Twi Malik Street, Sulaimani, Iraqi Kurdistan region, Iraq. 46001 |
Source: Home Office, List of approved test centres outside the UK (ODS, list dated 23 October 2026, downloaded on 30 October 2026), from the GOV.UK page Prove your English language abilities with a secure English language test (SELT) (updated 26 October 2026). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Which level for which visa
| Application | Minimum level (CEFR) | Skills tested | Official source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Partner or parent visa (family), first application | A1 | Speaking and listening | Family visas: knowledge of English (GOV.UK, read on 30 October 2026) |
| Partner or parent visa, extending after 2.5 years | A2 | Speaking and listening | Family visas: knowledge of English (GOV.UK, read on 30 October 2026) |
| Settlement (indefinite leave to remain), application made before 26 March 2027 | B1 | Speaking and listening | Prove your knowledge of English for citizenship and settling (GOV.UK, read on 30 October 2026) |
| Settlement on the routes listed in HC 1691, application made on or after 26 March 2027 | B2 | Speaking and listening | explanatory memorandum to the Statement of Changes HC 1691, paragraphs 5.60–5.62, and the rule changes (published on GOV.UK on 6 March 2026, read on 30 October 2026) |
| British citizenship | B1 | Speaking and listening | Prove your knowledge of English for citizenship and settling (GOV.UK, read on 30 October 2026) |
| Skilled Worker and Health and Care Worker visas (new applications) | B2 | Reading, writing, speaking and listening | Skilled Worker visa (GOV.UK, read on 30 October 2026); Health and Care Worker visa (GOV.UK, read on 30 October 2026) |
| Student visa, course at degree level or above | B2 | Reading, writing, speaking and listening | Student visa (GOV.UK, read on 30 October 2026) |
| Student visa, course below degree level | B1 | Reading, writing, speaking and listening | Student visa (GOV.UK, read on 30 October 2026) |
| High Potential Individual and Scale-up Worker visas | B2 | Reading, writing, speaking and listening | High Potential Individual visa (GOV.UK, read on 30 October 2026); Scale-up Worker visa (GOV.UK, read on 30 October 2026) |
Skills tested: GOV.UK, Prove your English language abilities with a secure English language test (SELT) (citizenship, parent, partner and settlement: speaking and listening test; Skilled Worker, Health and Care Worker, Student, High Potential Individual and Scale-up: reading, writing, speaking and listening). People who already had a Skilled Worker or Health and Care Worker visa before 8 January 2026 and are extending need B1 (Skilled Worker visa (GOV.UK, read on 30 October 2026)).
B2 for settlement from 26 March 2027
For settlement applications made on or after 26 March 2027, the UK Statement of Changes HC 1691 raises the English level from B1 to B2 in speaking and listening on the routes it lists (Skilled Worker, Settlement Family Life, Long Residence, Global Talent and others). Applications made before that date still need B1. On the approved lists we read on 30 October 2026, there is no speaking-and-listening-only test at B2: every B2 test listed assesses all four skills. What changes in 2027.
Source: explanatory memorandum to the Statement of Changes HC 1691, paragraphs 5.60–5.62, and the rule changes (published on GOV.UK on 6 March 2026, read on 30 October 2026).
How to book
- Book on the provider's own website: IELTS SELT Consortium, LanguageCert, Pearson (PTE) and PSI Services (Skills for English). GOV.UK says to check the provider's website for dates and to make sure the centre is open: "Do not contact the test centre directly."
- Book the SELT version of the test (for example IELTS for UKVI or IELTS Life Skills, not ordinary IELTS). The approved names are: IELTS SELT Consortium: IELTS for UKVI, IELTS Life Skills; LanguageCert: LanguageCert International ESOL SELT, LanguageCert Academic SELT, LanguageCert General SELT; Pearson (PTE): PTE Academic UKVI, PTE Home; PSI Services (Skills for English): Skills for English UKVI.
- "You should be able to take a test within 28 days of booking, but it may not always be at the location nearest to you." Use the name exactly as it is on your passport or identity document.
- Test results are valid for 2 years from the date the test is awarded. After you pass, you get a SELT reference number to use in your application.
- Fees are set by each provider and are not on the Home Office lists, so we do not show them. If you book through an agent, GOV.UK says its fees should be "the same as, or lower than, the price on the test provider's website".
Source: GOV.UK, Prove your English language abilities with a secure English language test (SELT) (updated 26 October 2026, read on 30 October 2026).
Prepare for the speaking test
AffiliateFor partner, parent, settlement and citizenship applications the SELT tests speaking and listening only. Speaking English often with a teacher, even online, is one way to prepare. On italki you choose an English teacher and pay per lesson.
Find an English teacher on italki (opens in a new tab)
Some links are affiliate links: we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. A teacher cannot book your test or change your result: you book the test only on the provider's website, and lessons do not change the decision on your visa.
Questions people ask
Where can I take the A1 English test for a UK spouse visa in Iraq?
At an approved SELT centre: the Home Office list dated 23 October 2026 has 7 approved centres in Iraq, in Sulaymaniyah (3), Erbil (2), Baghdad (1), Soran (1). The A1 speaking and listening tests approved outside the UK from the providers with centres in Iraq are: IELTS Life Skills – A1 Speaking & Listening from IELTS SELT Consortium; LanguageCert International ESOL SELT A1 (Speaking & Listening) from LanguageCert; PTE Home A1 from Pearson (PTE); Skills for English UKVI A1 (2 component) from PSI Services (Skills for English).
How many SELT test centres are there in Iraq?
7 approved centres in 4 cities, from IELTS SELT Consortium, LanguageCert, Pearson (PTE) and PSI Services (Skills for English) (Home Office list dated 23 October 2026).
Does every centre offer every test?
The Home Office list does not say which tests or dates each centre offers. Check the provider's booking page before you travel.
How much does the test cost?
Fees are set by each provider and are not on the Home Office lists, so we do not show them. If you use an agent, GOV.UK says its fees should be the same as, or lower than, the price on the provider's website.
Is the English level for UK settlement going up?
Yes, on many routes: for settlement applications made on or after 26 March 2027, HC 1691 raises the level from B1 to B2 in speaking and listening.
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UK visa English tests: all centres and levels · UK spouse visa income requirement · UK family visa refusal rates