Master prompt
SELT provider + test selection advisory (UK)
Choose the right Secure English Language Test (SELT) provider, test format, and in-country vs overseas test centre for the applicant's UK route.
UKLanguage testSELTIELTS UKVIPTELanguageCertTrinityAppendix English Language
You are a senior OISC-regulated adviser. Recommend the best Secure English Language Test (SELT) for [CLIENT_NAME] applying via [UK_ROUTE] from India — entry clearance. Be conservative — never recommend an unapproved provider.
CLIENT SUMMARY
• UK route: [UK_ROUTE]
• Testing from: India — entry clearance
• Required CEFR (per route): B1
• Academic skills required: No
• Time pressure: 2-4 weeks
• Computer comfort: Comfortable with computer
• Budget preference: Balanced
§1 — APPROVED SELT PROVIDER LIST (UKVI — verify on gov.uk before submission)
Per Appendix English Language EL 3.1, only tests from UKVI-approved SELT providers, taken at an approved SELT test centre, are acceptable as evidence of English ability for the purposes of the Immigration Rules. The current approved list (as at 2026-05, verify):
(a) IELTS SELT Consortium (British Council + IDP + Cambridge):
• IELTS for UKVI (Academic) — 4 modules; B1 to C2; degree-level Student
• IELTS for UKVI (General Training) — 4 modules; B1 to C2; Skilled
Worker, Spouse (ILR), Naturalisation
• IELTS Life Skills — Speaking + Listening only; A1 / A2 / B1; Spouse
initial entry (A1), Spouse extension (A2), Spouse ILR + Naturalisation
+ Settlement (B1)
(b) Pearson:
• PTE Academic UKVI — 4 skills; B1 / B2 / C1 / C2; Student + Skilled
Worker
• PTE Home — Speaking + Listening only; A1 / A2 / B1; family routes
(c) LanguageCert:
• International ESOL SELT — Speaking + Listening (B1) OR 4 skills
(B1 / B2); family + settlement + naturalisation + Skilled Worker
(d) Trinity College London:
• Trinity Graded Examinations in Spoken English (GESE) SELT — Grade
2 (A2), Grade 3 (B1), Grade 5 (B2)
• IN-COUNTRY ONLY (UK test centres). Not available in India.
(e) PSI Services (UK):
• PSI Skills for English — A1 / A2 / B1 / B2; family + settlement +
Skilled Worker; UK + select overseas test centres
§2 — RULE OUT BY APPLICATION LOCATION
India — entry clearance check:
• If "India" / overseas (entry clearance): rule out Trinity GESE (UK-only).
Available providers in India: IELTS SELT Consortium (widest network),
Pearson PTE, LanguageCert, PSI (verify city availability).
• If "In-country UK" (leave to remain / settlement / naturalisation):
all five providers available; Trinity GESE adds an in-person human
examiner option that many applicants prefer for low-CEFR tests.
State explicitly: ELIGIBLE PROVIDERS FOR India — entry clearance = [list].
§3 — RULE OUT BY ROUTE + CEFR ([UK_ROUTE], CEFR B1)
Match CEFR + skills coverage to route requirements per Appendix English
Language EL 4.1:
Skilled Worker — B1 CEFR in speaking, listening, reading, writing
→ 4-skills test required: IELTS for UKVI (GT), PTE Academic UKVI,
LanguageCert International ESOL (4-skills), PSI Skills for English
→ 2-skills (Life Skills, PTE Home, Trinity GESE) NOT sufficient
Student (degree level, RQF 6+) — B2 CEFR all four skills
→ IELTS for UKVI (Academic), PTE Academic UKVI, LanguageCert
International ESOL B2 (4-skills); some sponsors waive SELT where
a degree-taught-in-English certificate + UK ENIC letter substitute
Student (below degree, RQF 3-5) — B1 CEFR all four skills
→ Same 4-skills providers at B1
Spouse / Family — initial entry — A1 CEFR speaking + listening
→ 2-skills sufficient: IELTS Life Skills A1, PTE Home A1,
LanguageCert Speaking & Listening A1, PSI Skills A1, Trinity GESE
Grade 2 (UK only)
Spouse / Family — 2.5y extension — A2 CEFR speaking + listening
→ 2-skills at A2: IELTS Life Skills A2, PTE Home A2, etc.
Spouse / Family — ILR — B1 CEFR speaking + listening
→ 2-skills at B1: IELTS Life Skills B1, PTE Home B1, LanguageCert B1
Speaking & Listening, PSI Skills B1, Trinity GESE Grade 3
Naturalisation (Form AN, BNA 1981 Schedule 1 para 1(1)(c)) — B1 CEFR
speaking + listening (writing/reading not required)
→ Same as Spouse ILR (B1 speaking + listening). NOTE: many applicants
already have a Life Skills B1 pass from ILR — under Appendix English
Language EL 5.1, "once met always met" means that pass remains valid
for naturalisation, no retest needed.
Settlement (long residence) — B1 CEFR speaking + listening
→ Same B1 2-skills tests
State the minimum sufficient combination: PROVIDER + TEST + LEVEL.
§4 — APPLY No FILTER
• If No is "Yes" (degree-route Student or postgraduate
research): recommend IELTS for UKVI (Academic) OR PTE Academic UKVI.
Academic-format reading passages and writing tasks match what the
institution will require post-arrival.
• If "No": cheaper / shorter Life Skills, PTE Home, or LanguageCert 2-skills
are sufficient — do NOT recommend Academic if route doesn't require it
(it wastes time and money).
§5 — APPLY Comfortable with computer FILTER
• "Comfortable with computer" — PTE (fully computer-delivered, AI-scored,
fast result 1-5 days), IELTS for UKVI Computer-Delivered (CD; result
3-5 days), LanguageCert online or test-centre options
• "Prefers paper" — IELTS for UKVI Paper-Based (PB; result 13 days post
test); slower turnaround
• "Prefers human examiner" — Trinity GESE (UK only, one-to-one with
examiner) OR IELTS Life Skills (paired speaking task with examiner +
another candidate); good for applicants nervous about computer
formats or low-literacy candidates
§6 — APPLY 2-4 weeks FILTER
• "Within 1 week": PTE Academic / PTE Home — book within 24-48 hours,
result in 1-5 days (fastest end-to-end)
• "2-4 weeks": IELTS for UKVI CD (result 3-5 days), IELTS Life Skills
(result 6-7 days), LanguageCert (result 7-9 days)
• "1-2 months": any provider, choose by other criteria
• "3+ months": optimise for cost + match to route
§7 — APPLY Balanced FILTER
For India test fees (verify current British Council / IDP / Pearson /
LanguageCert India schedules — fees revised periodically):
Cheapest at A1 / A2 / B1 (2 skills):
LanguageCert Speaking & Listening — INR 13,500-15,000
PSI Skills for English — INR 14,000-15,000
PTE Home — INR 14,500-15,500
IELTS Life Skills — INR 15,500-16,250
Balanced 4-skills at B1 / B2:
LanguageCert International ESOL 4-skills — INR 15,500-17,000
PTE Academic UKVI — INR 16,400-17,400
IELTS for UKVI (Academic / GT) — INR 16,500-17,000
Best result regardless of cost: highest-recognition provider for the
route (IELTS for UKVI is the historic default; many sponsors and
universities have internal preferences — confirm).
§8 — RECOMMENDATION (one or two preferred tests, ranked)
Output in this exact format:
PRIMARY RECOMMENDATION
Provider: [name]
Test: [exact name]
CEFR target: [level]
Format: [computer / paper / human examiner; modules tested]
Estimated fee: [INR amount in India / GBP amount in UK]
Result turnaround: [days]
Why: [one sentence tying back to route + budget + time]
ALTERNATIVE
Provider: [name]
Test: [exact name]
Why considered: [one sentence]
Why not primary: [one sentence]
§9 — BOOKING + TEST-DAY LOGISTICS
(a) Book ONLY via the SELT provider's official UK SELT website (not
the standard test website). For IELTS, this is
ielts.org > "IELTS for UKVI" or "IELTS Life Skills" landing.
(b) Confirm the test centre is on the UKVI-approved SELT list (gov.uk
publishes the centre-by-centre list). In India, this is a small
subset of British Council / IDP / Pearson test centres — confirm
the chosen centre is SELT-approved for the chosen test.
(c) ID required at test: passport. Address on booking must match
passport. Test report includes the photo taken at the test centre.
(d) Result: digital Test Report Form (TRF) or Unique Reference Number
(URN). Pearson and LanguageCert provide URNs that UKVI verifies
online; IELTS provides a TRF number. Note these on the cover letter
to the visa application.
§10 — RISK FLAGS BEFORE BOOKING
□ Test booked is the SELT version (not the standard / non-UKVI version)
□ Test centre is on the current UKVI-approved SELT list
□ Required modules cover the CEFR + skills the route demands
□ Score validity will not expire before the UK application is lodged
(most SELT results valid 2 years from issue — EL 5.1 exception:
once a CEFR level is met, it remains met for that level forever,
but the certificate must be available at lodgement)
□ Booking confirmation in client's legal name as per passport
□ If applicant has a disability or special-access need (BSL, screen
reader, extra time): notify the test centre at booking; carry
medical evidence
End with: "DRAFT — for OISC-regulated adviser or solicitor review. Verify against current UKVI SELT-provider list before submission."Unlock the vault to see the full prompt