UK SELT SimulatorA1 English test for a spouse or partner visa
Published 2 September 2026
If you want to join your spouse or partner in the UK on a family visa, most routes ask you to pass an English test first. The level is A1. This article explains what that means and what happens in the exam.
There are three English test levels for UK visas. A1 is for an initial partner or family visa. A2 is for an extension. B1 is for settlement. These are separate tests at different levels. Passing A1 does not give you A2. You will need to sit a new test each time your route requires one.
What your specific route requires is decided by the Home Office. Check the current requirements at gov.uk before you book. Requirements and approved providers can change.
A1 is a real exam
Many people think the A1 test is easy, or just a short chat. It is not. There is a fixed format. There is an examiner. You are assessed against set criteria. You can fail.
The good news: at A1 level, the examiner expects to help you. They speak slowly. They may repeat things. They may rephrase if you do not understand. This support is built into the exam. But you still need to show you can communicate in English.
Two approved providers
Two providers offer an A1 SELT for partner and family visa routes: Trinity College London (GESE Grade 2) and LanguageCert (SELT A1 Speaking and Listening). You book directly with a provider at an approved test centre.
The list of approved providers can change. Check the current list at gov.uk before you book.
Trinity GESE Grade 2: 6 minutes
GESE Grade 2 is a one-to-one speaking and listening test. The whole exam lasts 6 minutes.
There is one assessed phase: the Conversation (up to 6 minutes). The examiner starts and leads the conversation. They speak slowly and clearly. They may use simple pictures or everyday objects as prompts.
Topics come from everyday life: rooms in the home, household objects, family, pets, possessions, days of the week, numbers up to 50.
You must ask the examiner at least one simple question. This is a set requirement, not optional. A question such as “Do you have a pet?” or “Where do you live?” is enough. If you do not ask one, it will affect your grade.
There is a short greeting at the start and a goodbye at the end. Neither is assessed.
You receive one grade: A (Distinction), B (Merit), C (Pass), or D (Fail). D is a fail. Any other grade is a pass.
LanguageCert SELT A1: 8 to 9 minutes
LanguageCert SELT A1 lasts 8 to 9 minutes. It has four parts, always in the same order. You do not need to bring anything. All content is provided on the day.
Part 1 — Personal information (1.5 minutes)
You confirm your name and spell your family name aloud, letter by letter. This is a security check, not a spelling test. Then the examiner asks three simple personal questions — things like “What do you do in your free time?” or “When is your birthday?”
Practise spelling your family name letter by letter before exam day. It can feel strange the first time.
Part 2 — Two role-plays (1.5 minutes)
There are two very short role-plays, about two turns each.
In the first, the examiner speaks first. You reply. In the second, the examiner describes the situation and then says “You start.” and waits. You have to open the conversation. A simple opener is fine. If the situation is finding a supermarket, you might say: “Excuse me, where is the supermarket?”
Part 3 — Picture task (1 to 1.5 minutes)
You and the examiner have different versions of the same picture. You ask and answer questions to find the differences. The examiner starts. You describe your picture and ask about theirs.
Part 4A — Listening (2 to 2.5 minutes)
The examiner reads a short, simple text to you. They read it twice, slowly and clearly. You may take notes. Then you answer three questions aloud. The answers are factual and short — a name, a number, a time.
Part 4B — Short talk (1.5 to 2 minutes)
You get 30 seconds to prepare. Then you speak on a simple topic linked to what you just heard. You speak for 30 seconds. A few follow-up questions close the exam.
How LanguageCert SELT A1 is marked
You get a score out of 30 across five areas: Listening and Responding (up to 10 marks), Interactive Communication and Task Fulfilment (up to 5), Grammar (up to 5), Vocabulary (up to 5), and Pronunciation, Intonation and Fluency (up to 5). Check the current pass threshold directly with LanguageCert — pass marks are theirs to set and can change. There is one certificate level: Pass.
What both tests have in common
Both tests check whether you can communicate. Not whether your grammar is perfect. Not whether you sound like a native speaker.
Asking “Sorry, can you repeat that?” is not a failure. At A1, asking for a repeat is a normal and expected behaviour. But needing it constantly will affect your result.
A foreign accent is not a fault in either test.
Before you book
We are practice software, not immigration advisers. Whether an A1 SELT is required for your route, which providers are currently approved, and what exemptions exist is decided by the Home Office. Check the current requirements at gov.uk and check again shortly before you book — approved tests and providers can change.
Practise before you sit
UK SELT Simulator runs spoken mock sessions in the GESE Grade 2 and LanguageCert SELT A1 formats with an AI examiner and a short report after each session. See how it works.
UK SELT Simulator is independent practice software. We are not affiliated with or endorsed by UKVI, the Home Office, Trinity College London or LanguageCert.