English Language Requirement for British Citizenship
The English language requirement is part of every naturalisation application. The level is B1 in speaking and listening, and there are three published ways to meet it. This entry sets out what GOV.UK and Home Office caseworker guidance say.
- Section
- Costs, English & General
- Reading time
- 9 min
- Last checked
- 17 February 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
- B1 in speaking and listening. Not B2.
- Three ways to meet it: be a national of a majority English-speaking country, pass an approved SELT at B1 or above, or hold a degree taught in English and equivalent to a UK bachelor's degree or above.
- SELT results are valid for 2 years from the date the test is awarded.
- A B1 qualification already accepted for settlement meets the naturalisation requirement without another test.
- Exemptions: aged 65 or over, or a long-term physical or mental condition, with medical evidence.
British citizenship requires English at B1 on the Common European Framework of Reference — speaking and listening only. It is B1, not B2. There are three ways to meet it: being a national of a majority English-speaking country, passing an approved Secure English Language Test at B1 or above, or holding a degree taught in English that is equivalent to a UK bachelor's degree or above. Test results are valid for 2 years from the date awarded, and a B1 qualification already accepted for settlement counts for naturalisation without another test.
The B1 Requirement
The Home Office requires all citizenship applicants to demonstrate English language ability at B1 level on the CEFR, in speaking and listening. It is B1, not B2, and it does not cover reading or writing. At B1, you can:
- Understand the main points of clear standard speech on familiar matters
- Deal with most situations likely to arise in daily life
- Produce simple connected text on familiar topics
- Describe experiences, events, and ambitions briefly
Home Office caseworker guidance sets out three ways to meet it. You meet the requirement if you are a national of a majority English-speaking country, or you have passed an approved speaking and listening Secure English Language Test at B1 or above, or you have an academic degree equivalent to a UK bachelor's degree or above that was taught in English.
For a comparison of English levels, see our English level comparison guide.
Option 1: Be a National of a Majority English-Speaking Country
No test is needed. GOV.UK names these countries and territories: Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, the British overseas territories, Canada, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Ireland (for citizenship only), Malta, New Zealand, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, and the USA.
That is the whole list. A country having English as an official language does not put it on it — Nigeria, Ghana, India, Pakistan, the Philippines, South Africa, Singapore, Kenya and Zimbabwe are all outside it, and nationals of those countries meet the requirement through a test or a degree instead. Ireland appears on the list for citizenship applications only.
Option 2: Pass a SELT
A Secure English Language Test (SELT) is the most common way to meet the requirement. Approved tests include:
- Trinity College London: Graded Examinations in Spoken English (GESE)
- IELTS SELT Consortium: IELTS Life Skills
- LanguageCert: LanguageCert General SELT
- Pearson: PTE Home
- PSI Services (UK) Ltd: Skills for English UKVI — outside the UK only
Caseworker guidance is blunt about this: for naturalisation applications made on or after 12 November 2015, the only acceptable qualifications are speaking and listening at B1 or above from the SELT list, taken at an approved test centre. No other test is acceptable. GOV.UK also states that test results are valid for 2 years from the date the test is awarded.
For a test taken on or after 6 April 2015 you do not send the certificate. You give the unique reference number issued with the result.
Check the GOV.UK SELT list for the current approved tests. See our test booking guide for how to prepare and book.
Option 3: Qualifying Degree
If you have a degree that was taught or researched in English, you can use it to meet the requirement. The degree must be:
- Recognised by UK ENIC as equivalent to a UK bachelor's degree or above
- Taught or researched in English
Degrees from UK universities automatically qualify. For overseas degrees, check with UK ENIC that your institution and qualification are recognised.
Exemptions
You may be exempt if:
- You are aged 65 or over
- You have a long-term physical or mental condition that prevents you from meeting it. The Home Office asks for a completed medical waiver form from a doctor, with current medical reports
An exemption granted on medical grounds for a settlement application does not carry over. Caseworker guidance says a separate exemption request has to be made for the naturalisation application.
See our guides on English exemptions for ILR and English exemptions for spouse visas for more detail on exemptions.
Using Your ILR Test for Citizenship
Home Office caseworker guidance says that a person who successfully made a settlement application on the basis of a B1 level qualification can meet the English language requirement for naturalisation without needing to pass another qualification — and that this holds regardless of whether the original qualification is on the current SELT list. They still have to pass the Life in the UK test if they have not already done so.
Separately, GOV.UK states that SELT results are valid for 2 years from the date the test is awarded, and caseworker guidance applies that 2-year window to settlement applications. If your test has expired and the carry-over above does not apply to you, see our guide on expired English tests.
Preparing for the Test
If you need to take a test:
- Start with English classes if you need to improve
- Practice with sample tests from the test provider's website
- Book the test well in advance (test centres can be busy)
- Bring valid photo ID on test day
Country-Specific Guidance
For guidance specific to your nationality, see our guides for Nigerian, Pakistani, Philippine, Polish, and South African nationals.
Questions and answers
What level of English do I need for citizenship?
B1 in speaking and listening, on the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), or above. It is B1, not B2. B1 is an intermediate level: you can understand the main points of clear standard speech and deal with most situations likely to arise in daily life. The requirement covers speaking and listening only, not reading and writing.
Which English tests are accepted for citizenship?
Only a Secure English Language Test (SELT) from a provider on the current Home Office list, taken at an approved test centre. The providers are Trinity College London (Graded Examinations in Spoken English), the IELTS SELT Consortium (IELTS Life Skills), LanguageCert (LanguageCert General SELT), Pearson (PTE Home), and PSI Services (Skills for English UKVI, outside the UK only). No other test is acceptable.
Can I use my degree to meet the English requirement?
Yes, if your degree was taught or researched in English and is recognised by UK ENIC as equivalent to a UK bachelor's degree or above. This includes degrees from UK universities and many overseas universities where the medium of instruction was English.
Is the English requirement for citizenship the same as for ILR?
Both are B1 in speaking and listening today. Home Office guidance says someone who successfully made a settlement application on the basis of a B1 qualification meets the English requirement for naturalisation without passing another qualification, even if the original provider has since left the SELT list. Note that the settlement requirement is due to rise from B1 to B2 on 26 March 2027 for a list of routes including Skilled Worker, Scale-up, Global Talent and long residence. That change is to the settlement requirement; the naturalisation requirement is set separately.
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.