This page summarises what ielts.org and GOV.UK say about IELTS for UKVI and Life Skills, and what the ielts.org centre directory shows for Poland. It was read in October 2026. Lists, labels and visa rules change, so confirm each point on the page named. It is general information, not personal immigration advice, and it gives no fee amounts or exam dates.
Band Booster IELTS is not a test centre. It does not register candidates, set fees or dates, and is not connected to the test providers or UKVI. Mike teaches IELTS preparation; he does not coach for Life Skills.
What IELTS for UKVI and Life Skills are
According to ielts.org's page on tests for UK visas and immigration, IELTS for UKVI is accepted by UK Visas and Immigration as proof of English. The Life Skills tests are Life Skills A1, A2 and B1. The same page says UKVI will only accept tests taken in person at an official IELTS for UKVI test centre.
GOV.UK calls these secure English language tests (SELT). For IELTS, the approved versions it names are IELTS for UKVI and IELTS Life Skills.
Which level goes with which route
ielts.org lists the levels below. Check the GOV.UK page for your own route, because rules and start dates change.
| Level | What ielts.org lists | Examples of routes it names |
|---|---|---|
| A1 / A2 | Life Skills pass, Listening and Speaking | Family visa (first application and extension), International Sportsperson, Representative of an Overseas Business |
| B1 | Life Skills B1 pass, or IELTS for UKVI with at least 4.0 in each of the four components | British citizenship, indefinite leave to remain (Life Skills); Student visa below degree level (four-skill) |
| B2 | At least 5.5 in each of Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking | Skilled Worker, Health and Care Worker, Scale-up Worker, Innovator Founder, Minister of Religion, High Potential Individual (new applicants from 8 January 2026); Student visa at degree level or above |
| C1 | At least 7.0 in each of the four components | The page lists the level but names no route |
ielts.org also notes that the Graduate visa has no English requirement.
Two things to keep separate
- A visa minimum is not an admission score. Universities and employers set their own requirements.
- Life Skills is not a band score. ielts.org describes a pass result for Listening and Speaking only; the four-skill IELTS for UKVI gives band scores.
Where in Poland
The ielts.org test centre list for Poland showed 13 listings (9 distinct centres, some listed twice) when read. Only one card carries the UKVI Approved label: British Council Warsaw. Its own page gives the address ul. Koszykowa 54, 00-675 Warsaw, and lists UKVI General Training, UKVI Academic, Life Skills B1 and Life Skills A1 next to the standard tests.
- Listings for centres in other cities did not show the UKVI Approved label.
- Some centres appear twice in the listing, and the ielts.org filter for UKVI Approved may not match the labels on the cards, so confirm a centre's UKVI status on the provider's page before booking.
- Check the British Council and IDP Poland pages for the exact test and booking you want.
Per GOV.UK, the test must be taken at an approved test location. If there is none in your country, you travel to another country. It also says not to contact the test centre directly: check the provider's website for dates and centre status instead.
Results and validity
GOV.UK says results are valid for 2 years from the date the test is awarded. ielts.org gives results for IELTS for UKVI Life Skills within 9 days; for the timing of other versions, check the provider's page, and see ielts.org's results page for the general rules. Fees and dates are on the provider pages; see where to check fees and dates in Poland.
A short checklist before booking
- Find out from GOV.UK and your university or employer which test your route needs.
- Get the exact test name: IELTS for UKVI (Academic or General Training) or a Life Skills level.
- Check the centre in the ielts.org directory, then confirm on the provider's booking page.
- Work back from the 2-year validity to your application date.
For more detail see IELTS in Warsaw, test centres in Poland and, for nurses, the NMC route.
How lessons with Mike can help with this
Lessons are preparation for the IELTS skills, not the UKVI test or Life Skills. Mike holds a Cambridge CELTA (July 2017), is based in Hanoi, and has 12+ years teaching English and IELTS in Vietnam, Turkey and Iran. He scored 8.5 in Speaking in his own IELTS. He teaches every session himself, one-to-one, live on Google Meet, in English.
In Writing lessons he marks Task 1 and Task 2 against the public band descriptors. In Speaking lessons you practise Parts 1 to 3 in the real format with feedback in the moment. He leaves written progress notes in your account. No band is promised: progress depends on where you start and how you practise.
Poland is 6 hours behind Hanoi in winter and 5 hours behind in summer; the booking calendar shows each slot in your own time zone and the exact price before payment. A paid 30-minute trial is available once, on a first booking, and you can reschedule at no charge up to 12 hours before. See also about Mike.
