This page is general information drawn from one HCPC page, not registration advice. Band Booster IELTS is independent of the HCPC and of the test providers. Rules change, so read the HCPC page for the date you apply.
What the HCPC page says about IELTS
The lines below come from the HCPC page on English language proficiency for international applicants, which showed the date 13/06/2025 when it was read on 31 October 2026. Check whether it has been updated since.
| Question | What the HCPC page says |
|---|---|
| Test versions | IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training; UKVI and non-UKVI versions |
| Score for most professions | 7.0 with no element below 6.5 |
| Speech and language therapists | 8.0 with no element below 7.5 |
| Where the test is taken | At an official test centre, not at home |
| Age of the certificate | No more than two years old when HCPC receives the application |
| One-skill retake | Accepted within 6 months of the original test, if the results are in the same test report |
If you are unsure which score applies to your profession, read the scores section on the HCPC page itself.
Academic or General Training
The page accepts both, so pick the module that suits you and the other places you plan to use the result. Writing Task 1 differs between them: Academic describes a chart, table or diagram, while General Training is a letter. Our page on Academic or General Training compares them.
UKVI versions and the official test centre
HCPC lists both the UKVI and non-UKVI versions of the test as accepted. It also requires an official test centre and says the test cannot be taken at home. The IELTS organisation's test centre list for the United Kingdom shows the venues; many entries are run by the British Council and others by other operators, as each entry shows. For the UKVI versions, GOV.UK keeps the list of approved centres. Book through the provider, not through a tutor.
The two-year window
The HCPC page says the certificate must be no more than two years old when it receives your application. The count therefore runs to the day your application arrives, not the day you sit the test. A result that is fine today can be too old by the time your paperwork is ready, so plan test and application together.
One-skill retakes
The page allows a one-skill retake only if both of these are true:
- the retake is done within 6 months of the original test; and
- the retake result is provided in the test report, alongside the original results.
A retake result stays valid for the same two-year period as the original results. The page also says it does not accept combined scores, superscores or similar results. Our page on the IELTS One Skill Retake explains how the retake works, and the provider tells you how the report is issued.
Who may not need a certificate
The HCPC page says that if the qualification which first enabled you to practise was gained in a country where English is the predominant language, you do not have to provide further documentation on your language proficiency. HCPC lists those countries on its page. The wording turns on the first qualification that let you practise, so check the list against your own case, and ask HCPC if it is unclear.
What this page does not cover
- The HCPC page also lists other recognised English tests. This page covers IELTS only.
- It does not say what happens if you fall short of the score, so ask HCPC.
- It does not cover other regulators; their scores and rules differ.
- It does not say whether you will be registered. That is for the HCPC.
How lessons with Mike can help
Mike teaches every session himself, one-to-one and live in English on Google Meet from Hanoi. He holds the Cambridge CELTA (July 2017) and scored 8.5 in Speaking in his own IELTS; there is more on About Mike. The lessons teach English and IELTS, not your profession, and neither Mike nor this page can say whether you meet the HCPC's rules.
A score where no element falls below 6.5, or 7.5 for some professions, means your weakest skill sets the pace. Lessons can cover Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. Writing Task 1 and Task 2 are marked against the public band descriptors, Speaking is run in the real three-part format with feedback in the moment, and written progress notes stay in your account. No band is promised.
The booking page shows each slot in your own time zone and the price before you pay; PayPal charges the US-dollar equivalent. A paid 30-minute trial is available once, on your first booking. There is no subscription and no package, and you can reschedule at no charge up to 12 hours before the slot. Hanoi is 7 hours ahead of the UK in winter and 6 hours ahead in summer.
