English Language Classes for Adults in the UK
English classes and the English test an immigration application needs are two different things. This guide covers where classes are, how funding differs across the four nations, and what the test requirement actually is.
- Section
- Costs, English & General
- Reading time
- 8 min
- Last checked
- 3 September 2026
- Source
- The published Immigration Rules and GOV.UK guidance, linked throughout this guide.
- Rowan does not
- Look at your own case, tell you which route to choose, or say what the Home Office will decide. This guide shows the published rules and where to read them.
In short
- Adult education funding is devolved. The England rules are not the Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland rules.
- Attending a course does not meet the immigration English requirement. Appendix KoLL lists the ways it can be met.
- Settlement and citizenship need B1 in speaking and listening, rising to B2 from 26 March 2027.
- The family route is A1 at first application and A2 at extension. A new Skilled Worker application needs B2.
- Only a Secure English Language Test from an approved provider counts as a test.
English for Speakers of Other Languages courses are the main structured route for adults learning English in the UK, run by colleges, adult education services and community organisations. Funding is devolved and differs across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. A course does not satisfy the immigration English requirement: Appendix KoLL sets out the ways that can be met, and attending classes is not one of them.
What ESOL Is
ESOL stands for English for Speakers of Other Languages. It is the usual name for structured English classes for adults, run by further education colleges, adult education services, and a large number of community organisations. Courses run from beginner level upwards and cover speaking and pronunciation, listening, reading and writing, grammar and vocabulary, and the English needed for everyday situations.
GOV.UK says courses in England run at further education colleges, adult education centres, some libraries, children's centres and other community venues, as well as with other training providers.
Funding Is Devolved
Adult education is a devolved matter, and this is the point where an England answer is most often given for the whole UK.
England
GOV.UK's page on improving your English, maths and IT skills says English for speakers of other languages courses “are also normally discounted or free depending on your employment status and how long you have been resident in England”. Provision is funded through the Adult Skills Fund, which replaced the Adult Education Budget, and the detailed eligibility conditions are in the Adult Skills Fund funding rules. Funding in some areas is devolved further, to mayoral authorities, which set their own local rules. The provider is the place to ask what you would pay.
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
Each nation funds and organises provision separately, so eligibility and fees differ. The starting points are My World of Work in Scotland, Careers Wales, and nidirect's page on English for speakers of other languages. Local colleges in each nation are the practical route, and they can say what is funded for a particular person.
Finding a Class
- England: the National Careers Service course finder, or its helpline on 0800 100 900, open 8am to 10pm, seven days a week
- Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland: the national services listed above
- Anywhere: a local further education college directly, the local council's adult learning service, a library, or a community organisation. Many charities and places of worship run free conversation groups, which are less formal than a course and useful for speaking practice.
Some providers offer free or subsidised childcare during class times. It is worth asking when enrolling, because it is not advertised consistently.
A Class Is Not the Test
This is the distinction that matters most for anyone with an immigration application in mind. Attending a course, however good, does not satisfy the English requirement. Appendix KoLL sets out how the knowledge of language requirement for settlement and citizenship can be met:
- Passing an approved Secure English Language Test in speaking and listening at the required level
- Holding a degree taught or researched in English — a UK bachelor's, master's or doctorate, or an equivalent qualification with evidence that it was taught in English
- Being a national of a country on the Home Office majority English-speaking list, evidenced by a valid passport or travel document
- Having previously been granted permission on the basis of an English language qualification
An ESOL qualification is not on that list. Appendix KoLL also sets out exemptions: being under 18, being aged 65 or over, having a mental or physical condition that makes the requirement unreasonable, and long continuous residence in certain categories.
Being from a country where English is an official language is not the same as being on the majority English-speaking list. Check the list rather than assuming.
Which Level Applies
- Settlement and citizenship: B1 in speaking and listening. This rises to B2 for applications on or after 26 March 2027, under the change made by the statement of changes HC 1691, laid on 5 March 2026.
- Family route as a partner: A1 at the first application, A2 at the extension after 2 and a half years.
- Skilled Worker: B2 in all four skills for a new application, since 8 January 2026. B1 is still accepted on an extension on the same route.
- Student: B2 in all four skills at degree level or above, B1 below degree level.
Our guides to English for settlement and English for citizenship set out the requirement in each case, and our guide to booking a Secure English Language Test covers the approved providers. GOV.UK publishes no price for any such test; the providers set their own fees.
Free Online Material
Several organisations publish free English learning material online, which works alongside a class rather than in place of one:
- BBC Learning English — free lessons, videos and podcasts
- British Council LearnEnglish — free exercises and resources for adults
- Approved test providers publish free sample papers and format guides for their own tests
If you are working towards a particular test, telling the teacher which test and which level lets them point you at the right format.
Related Guides
- The Life in the UK test, which is a separate requirement from the English test
- Settlement requirements
- The Skilled Worker visa
- Proving your right to work
- Cost of living and visa fees
Questions and answers
What is ESOL?
English for Speakers of Other Languages: structured English classes for adults whose first language is not English, run by further education colleges, adult education services, libraries, community venues and charities across the UK. Courses run from beginner to advanced and cover speaking, listening, reading and writing.
Are English classes free?
It depends on where you live and on your circumstances, and the four UK nations fund adult education separately. GOV.UK, writing about England, says English for speakers of other languages courses are normally discounted or free depending on your employment status and how long you have been resident in England. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own arrangements, so the answer for England is not the answer everywhere.
Do English classes count towards the requirement for a visa or citizenship?
No. Appendix KoLL sets out how the knowledge of language requirement can be met for settlement and citizenship, and attending a course is not one of the ways. It can be met by passing an approved Secure English Language Test in speaking and listening, by holding a degree taught in English, by being a national of a country on the Home Office majority English-speaking list, or by having previously been granted permission on the basis of an English qualification. Classes prepare you for a test; they do not replace it.
What level do I need?
It depends on the application. For settlement and citizenship, Appendix KoLL requires B1 in speaking and listening, rising to B2 for applications on or after 26 March 2027. The family route is A1 at first application and A2 at extension. A new Skilled Worker application has needed B2 in all four skills since 8 January 2026, with B1 still accepted on an extension.
How do I find a class near me?
In England, the National Careers Service course finder and its helpline on 0800 100 900 list courses, and GOV.UK says provision runs at further education colleges, adult education centres, some libraries, children's centres and other community venues. In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland the equivalent services are My World of Work, Careers Wales and nidirect. A local library, college or council will usually know what runs nearby.
This guide is general information about published immigration rules. It is not advice about an individual application under s.82 Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, and Rowan is not regulated by the Immigration Advice Authority. Immigration rules change several times a year. For advice on a particular situation, contact an adviser authorised by the Immigration Advice Authority or an immigration solicitor. Always check GOV.UK for the authoritative current rules.