IELTS Life Skills A1 / B1

The IELTS for UKVI tests are a secure English-language test (SELT) accepted by the United Kingdom Visa and Immigration Department as proof of your English-language proficiency.

Life Skills A1 tests

Life Skills A1 tests your listening and speaking skills at the level of A1 in the Common European Framework (CEFR). The combined speaking and listening test lasts between 16 and 18 minutes and will take place with an examiner and one other test taker. The second test taker’s performance will not affect your test results. The results can be used to apply for certain visa types for the UK, for example, for ‘family of a settled person’ visa.

You will be assessed on your ability to listen and respond to spoken English where you have to obtain and convey basic information and communicate on familiar topics.

The examiner might ask you to describe a topic, give opinions or preferences and justify those, and explain and expand on a topic. You will also be expected to communicate with both the examiner and the other test taker.

Life Skills B1 tests

The UKVI Life Skills B1 is for those who want to apply for indefinite leave to remain in the UK or citizenship.

Life Skills B1 is a secure English-language test (SELT) accepted by the United Kingdom Visa and Immigration Department as proof of your English-language proficiency. The test looks at your listening and speaking skills in the 22-minute test with an examiner and one other test taker. The second test taker’s performance will not affect your test results.

An IELTS examiner will look at your English speaking and listening skills, and your ability to obtain and convey information, speak to communicate and engage in discussion. There are no band scores with any of the Life Skills tests, your results will be given as a pass or fail.

You will be assessed on your ability to listen and respond to spoken English where you have to obtain and convey basic information and communicate on familiar topics.

The examiner might ask you to describe a topic, give opinions or preferences and justify those, and explain and expand on a topic. You will also be expected to communicate with both the examiner and the other test taker.