IELTS for UKVI Life Skills

The Life Skills test is available at three different levels of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). You can choose between Life Skills A1, A2 and B1 where you will be assessed for your English speaking and listening skills.

You will sit the test with an IELTS examiner and a second test taker. The examiner will assess your speaking and listening skills during the test session. The session can last between 16 and 22 minutes.

An IELTS examiner will assess your English speaking and listening skills across a set of criteria. The criteria include:

• Obtaining information

• Conveying information

• Speaking to communicate

• Engaging in discussion

There are no band scores attached to an IELTS Life Skills Test. You will get either of the following results when you take an IELTS Life Skills test:

• Pass

• Fail

The focus of IELTS Life Skills

• At each level, the test is designed to assess whether you can listen and respond, make your meaning clear, and talk with other people.

Face-to-face Speaking and Listening tests

• You will take the test with an examiner, and with one other test taker. You will be expected to take part in short discussions on everyday subjects.

Test dates for IELTS Life Skills

• If you need an IELTS test for UK visa applications, you can only take them at a UKVI approved IELTS test centre.

• IDP IELTS Sydney and IDP IELTS Melbourne are the only UKVI approved test centres in Australia.

• In those test centres, we offer all the approved IELTS tests for UK visa applications.

Both A1 and B1 tests are designed to assess your Listening and Speaking skills.

• For both the A1 and B1 tests, you will be expected to listen and respond to spoken language topics and complete certain tasks that might include describing, giving opinions, commenting or justifying your answers. 

• However, the B1 test will require you to think deeper and hold a more complex conversation that includes narrating, showing contrast and expressing opinions about future possibilities. 

Both A1 and B1 tests will require you to take the test face-to-face with an examiner and one other candidate.

• This is done so as to reflect the everyday experience of communicating with another person in an English-speaking country. 

• Rest assured that the second test taker’s performance will not affect your test results. 

IELTS for UKVI Life Skills A1 and B1 tests are currently only available in Australia, in the following test centres:

• IDP IELTS Melbourne

• IDP IELTS Sydney

If you need an IELTS for UKVI Life Skills test for UK visa applications, you can only do so at approved test centres. These UKVI-approved test centres meet the administrative requirements outlined by the UK Home Office.

Book in IDP IELTS Melbourne

Book in IDP IELTS Sydney