UK Home Office plans overhaul of Secure English Language Testing

Student learns in front of a computer screen.

The government appears to be planning to move away from the current concession model based on multiple Home Office-approved suppliers, to a dedicated test owned by the Home Office and designed by one supplier.

Through UK Visas and Immigration, the government announced it will engage with the market to understand the “products, services and innovations available”, encouraging suppliers to register their interest.

The service, carrying an estimated contract value of £1.13 billion, “is planned to be disaggregated into two service lines”; the development and ongoing support of a Home Office branded test to be used globally, and the facilitation of tests around the world, according to the Home Office.

This includes design and maintenance of an online platform for customers to book tests and receive results, physical test centres, invigilators, and ID-verification services.

The engagement process “will include but not be limited to testing the feasibility of potential procurement options and the market’s capacity and capability for delivery,” according to the Home Office.

Currently, Pearson, IELTS SELT Consortium, LanguageCert and Trinity College London deliver Home Office-approved SELTs in the UK.

Outside of the UK, tests are delivered by Pearson, IELTS SELT Consortium, LanguageCert and PSI Services Ltd – Skills for English (UKVI) which was acquired by language testing giant ETS in January 2024.

Last year, Pearson’s English language testing volumes grew by 49% – largely driven by the Canadian government’s acceptance of the test – causing a 31% rise in Pearson’s profits on 2022.

Tests are required by certain immigration routes to evidence English language competency, including student visas.

As such, the new HOELT will assess applicants’ competency in speaking and listening, and, dependent on the route, reading and writing English.

According to IELTs own website, the company delivered more than four million English language tests globally in 2023.

As outlined by the government tender, “UKVI is seeking to procure a dedicated test to be owned by the Home Office and used by all customers globally. The chosen test developer will also be responsible for:

  • Maintaining and updating the test
  • Provision of a test delivery system which will assess a Customer’s English language ability
  • Securely receiving test data from test centres, marking of the test and sending test results back
  • Evaluating and moderating all tests taken
  • Performing anti-fraud checks
  • Gaining independent assurance of the test”

Suppliers can express an interest through the Home Office website and a virtual industry day is planned for September 25.

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