People ask this in many forms: which IELTS do I need for the UK, what score, and can I even take it there. The short version is that the answer depends on the visa route and, within a route, on the stage (first application, extension or settlement). The tables below follow the route list on ielts.org's page for UK visas and immigration, which says it is collated from the government website and is correct at the time of publication. Treat it as a map, then confirm on gov.uk or with the organisation that receives your application.
Two kinds of test, two kinds of score
The Home Office approves specific versions of IELTS for visa use. Two matter here.
- IELTS for UKVI tests Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking and gives band scores. The levels in the route table below are B1 (4.0) and B2 (5.5), in every component.
- IELTS Life Skills tests Listening and Speaking only and is graded as a pass or fail at A1, A2 or B1.
ielts.org states that the government requires the stated score in every component, so one strong skill does not make up for a weak one. It also states that UKVI accepts only tests taken in person at an official IELTS for UKVI test centre.
Route by route
| Route | Test | Level and result |
|---|---|---|
| Skilled Worker, Scale-up Worker | IELTS for UKVI | B2: 5.5 in all four skills (B1 in some transitional cases) |
| Health and Care Worker | IELTS for UKVI | B2: 5.5 in all four skills (B1 for some people already on the route who extend) |
| Innovator Founder, Minister of Religion, High Potential Individual | IELTS for UKVI | B2: 5.5 in all four skills |
| Student, below degree level | IELTS for UKVI | B1: 4.0 in all four skills |
| Student, degree level or above | IELTS or IELTS for UKVI | Equivalent to B2: 5.5 in all four skills |
| Graduate visa | None | No requirement listed |
| International Sportsperson, Representative of an Overseas Business | Life Skills | A1, pass |
| Family visa | Depends on the stage | The level rises by stage (A1 first application, A2 extending, B1 settlement); check the gov.uk family page for the test and level that apply to you |
| British citizenship, settlement (ILR) | Life Skills | B1, pass |
Global Talent, Domestic Workers, Hong Kong BNO and Private Life appear on the same page with Life Skills B1 for settlement only. Where a row carries a date or a transitional note, such as the Health and Care and High Potential Individual entries, read the note on the route's own page.
Which routes need all four skills
The gov.uk guidance on secure English language tests lists the routes that assess reading, writing, speaking and listening, including Health and Care Worker, High Potential Individual, Innovator Founder, Minister of Religion, Scale-up Worker, Skilled Worker, Start-up and Student, and Temporary Work - International Agreement for private servants in a diplomatic household. It lists citizenship, International Sportsperson, parent, partner, Representative of an Overseas Business and settlement as speaking and listening only.
The Graduate visa
The ielts.org table gives no requirement for the Graduate visa, and the eligibility list on the gov.uk Graduate visa page contains no English test.
One point to check before you plan
The ielts.org table is correct at the time of publication, as that page says, and rules can change. Read the page for your route on gov.uk, especially for settlement, and not only a summary like this one.
Can you take IELTS in the UK?
Yes. The ielts.org test centre list shows 111 results for the United Kingdom, with listings that carry British Council in the name, and only some carry the UKVI Approved tag. Gov.uk says that if you took a test in the UK you can use the result for UK and overseas applications, and that results are valid for 2 years from the date the test is awarded. Gov.uk also links its list of approved test centres, last updated on the guidance page on 26 October 2026. Before you book, check on the provider's page whether the venue is approved for UKVI. Fees and dates are set by the provider, so check them on the provider's page.
How lessons with Mike can help with this
Mike is a CELTA-certified teacher based in Hanoi with 12+ years teaching English and IELTS in Vietnam, Turkey and Iran, and his own IELTS result is 8.5 in Speaking. He teaches IELTS Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking one-to-one, live on Google Meet, in English. For a route that needs 5.5 or 4.0 in every skill, lessons can focus on whichever skill is weakest. He does not coach Life Skills and does not give visa advice. You can book a lesson or read about Mike first.
