SELT test centres in London: 15 approved centres for UK visas
There are 15 approved centres for UK visa English tests (SELT) in London, run by IELTS SELT Consortium, LanguageCert, Pearson (PTE) and Trinity College London, according to the Home Office list of approved test centres dated 23 October 2026 (GOV.UK, downloaded on 30 October 2026). You book the test on the provider's website, not at the centre.
Approved SELT centres in London: 15 from 4 providers
Source: Home Office, List of approved test centres in 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 London
| Provider | Centre | Address |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS SELT Consortium | BC London Central - IH | International House London, 16 Stukeley Street, WC2B 5LQ |
| IELTS SELT Consortium | BC London South - WCBT | Winway College of Business and Technology Ltd, 4th Floor, AMP House, 4 Dingwall Road, CR0 2LX |
| IELTS SELT Consortium | BC London Stratford | British Council, 1 Redman Place, E20 1JQ |
| IELTS SELT Consortium | BC London West - EHWLC | Ealing Hammersmith & West London College, Hammersmith Campus, Gliddon Road, Barons Court, Hammersmith, W14 9BL |
| IELTS SELT Consortium | London City | Tobacco Dock, Wapping Lane, London, E1W 2SF |
| LanguageCert | LC - London - City | 5–6 Giltspur Street, London, EC1A 9DE, United Kingdom |
| LanguageCert | LC - London Central | High Holborn House, 52-54 High Holborn, WC1V 6RL |
| LanguageCert | LC - London North | Ashley House, 235 - 239 High Road, Wood Green, , N22 8HF |
| LanguageCert | LC - London West - Chiswick | 65 Westcroft Square, W6 0TA |
| Pearson (PTE) | Pearson Professional Centres-London Southwark | 10 Holyrood Street, London, Southwark, SE1 2EL, SE1 2EL |
| Pearson (PTE) | Pearson Professional Centres-UK Docklands | 3 Quebec Wharf, 14 Thomas Road, Mile End, London, E14 7AF |
| Pearson (PTE) | Pearson Professional Centres-UK Southgate | 1st Floor Crown House, 47 Chase Side, N14 5BP |
| Trinity College London | Kings Cross - London Central | 344-354 Grays Inn Road (HQ), Kings Cross, WC1X 8BP |
| Trinity College London | London West - Hammersmith | The Triangle, No 5 - 17 Hammersmith Grove, Hammersmith, W6 0LG |
| Trinity College London | London West - Hounslow | Computer Learning Centre, 65 Kingsley Road, Hounslow, TW3 1QB |
Source: Home Office, List of approved test centres in 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.
The test names to book for each provider are under How to book.
The official list puts some Greater London centres under their own town: Croydon (3), Stratford (1), Uxbridge (1).
Listed under another town, with London in the centre name
| Provider | Centre | Address |
|---|---|---|
| LanguageCert | LC - London South (Croydon) | Bridge Training UK, Challenge House, 616 Mitcham Road, CR0 3AA (listed under Croydon) |
| Trinity College London | London South - Croydon | Trinity SELT, AMP House, 4 Dingwall Road, Croydon, London, CR0 2LX (listed under Croydon) |
| Trinity College London | Stratford - London East | Boardman House 64-70 Broadway Stratford, London, E15 1NG (listed under Stratford) |
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 Trinity College London. 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; Trinity College London: Secure English Language Tests for 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 a SELT in London?
The Home Office list dated 23 October 2026 has 15 approved centres in London: BC London Central - IH (IELTS SELT Consortium); BC London South - WCBT (IELTS SELT Consortium); BC London Stratford (IELTS SELT Consortium); BC London West - EHWLC (IELTS SELT Consortium); London City (IELTS SELT Consortium); LC - London - City (LanguageCert); LC - London Central (LanguageCert); LC - London North (LanguageCert); LC - London West - Chiswick (LanguageCert); Pearson Professional Centres-London Southwark (Pearson (PTE)); Pearson Professional Centres-UK Docklands (Pearson (PTE)); Pearson Professional Centres-UK Southgate (Pearson (PTE)); Kings Cross - London Central (Trinity College London); London West - Hammersmith (Trinity College London); London West - Hounslow (Trinity College London). Book on the provider's website, not at the centre.
Which English test do I need for a UK visa?
A1 speaking and listening for a first partner or parent visa, A2 to extend after 2.5 years, B1 for settlement and citizenship, and B2 (four skills) for Skilled Worker and most degree-level Student visas. For settlement applications made on or after 26 March 2027 on the routes listed in HC 1691, B2 in speaking and listening.
Does every centre in London offer every test?
The Home Office list does not say which tests or dates each centre offers. Check the provider's booking page: GOV.UK says you should be able to take a test within 28 days of booking, but not always at the nearest location.
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. Check the provider's website before you book.
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UK visa English tests: all centres and levels · UK spouse visa income requirement · UK family visa refusal rates