Approved English Test Centre Lists Updated Again

13 Jul 2026

If you still need to sit a Secure English Language Test (SELT) for your visa, settlement or citizenship application, it is worth checking your test centre is still on the approved list before you book.

GOV.UK updated its guidance on proving your English language abilities with a SELT on 7 July 2026, with the update note confirming it "updated the lists of approved test centres inside and outside the UK." This is not a one-off change. The same list was also updated on 29 June 2026 and 22 June 2026, so the approved centres can move around from month to month.

This matters because the guidance is clear that only tests taken at approved locations count. It states that "for your results to be accepted, your test must: be on the list of approved English language tests [and] have been sat at an approved test location," and that "only those tests and test levels specified are approved." A test sat at a centre that has since been removed from the list will not help your application, even if it was approved when you first looked.

Before you book, check the current approved test centre list on GOV.UK and confirm directly with the SELT provider that your chosen centre is open and available. If you already have a test booked, it is worth double-checking your centre is still on the current list rather than relying on what it said when you first booked.

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