Prices in October 2026
Only the test fee, not preparation.
| Test | Level and skills | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trinity GESE Grade 5 | B1, speaking and listening | £160 | 10 minutes. The B1 test most settlement and citizenship applicants take now. |
| Trinity GESE Grade 7 | B2, speaking and listening | not yet published | Announced for late 2026. Trinity's current SELT GESE exams are all £160; assume a similar range until confirmed. |
| Trinity ISE II | B2, four skills | £200 | Reading and writing paper plus a speaking and listening exam. Available now. |
| IELTS for UKVI | B2 = 5.5 in each component, four skills | about £200 to £240 | Varies by centre. Academic or General Training, both accepted. |
| LanguageCert International ESOL SELT B2 | B2, four skills | check LanguageCert | Their speaking-and-listening SELTs stop at B1. |
| Pearson PTE Academic UKVI | B2, four skills | check Pearson | PTE Home (speaking and listening) stops at B1. |
| IELTS Life Skills B1, LanguageCert SELT B1, PTE Home B1 | B1, speaking and listening | check provider | The B1 alternatives to GESE Grade 5 for citizenship and for settlement before 26 March 2027. |
A fail costs the full fee again, plus the wait for a new slot. Trinity centres are reported to fill up in the weeks before a rule change.
The other costs
- Settlement application fee: about £3,000 (£3,029 since April 2025; check the current figure on GOV.UK). There is no Immigration Health Surcharge on a settlement application. If English delays your application past your visa expiry, you may need an extension first, which is another fee.
- Life in the UK test: £50.
- Ecctis statement (only if claiming the degree exemption): £210 plus VAT, £252, through the Qualification and Language Service, 20 working days.
- Preparation: a private tutor in England is £25 to £40 an hour; a GESE 7 "crash course" at an ESOL school £300 to £600; a textbook £15 to £25. SpeakPass will be £34 for three months of mocks when it opens, before the 26 March 2027 rule.
- Travel to a centre: Trinity has more than 20 SELT centres across the UK; others have fewer. Someone in rural Wales or the Highlands may have a long day.
Can I take the test outside the UK?
Yes, if the centre is on the Home Office approved list for the country. The result is accepted in the same way. Prices abroad can be lower, but check the approved list first; a test taken at a centre that is not approved is worthless for immigration.
Paying less
- Take one test, not two. Be sure you are at B2 before you book. A week of mocks costs less than a retake.
- Wait for Grade 7 if you need speaking and listening only. The four-skills B2 tests cost more and demand more preparation.
- Check whether you are exempt before paying for anything: an English-taught degree with an Ecctis statement is cheaper than the test if you fail once.