If you are not an English speaker - ESOL and citizenship course
If your English skills are below ESOL Entry 3 level (or Intermediate 1 level in Scotland), you must take an ESOL with citizenship course and obtain a relevant qualification to demonstrate your knowledge of language and life in the UK.
ESOL courses are available throughout the UK - the Directgov website can help you find a course at the right level in your area.
The Immigration Rules for ESOL courses changed on 7 April 2010. If you want to demonstrate your knowledge of language and life with an ESOL qualification, you must now meet the following requirements:
You must have attended your ESOL course at an accredited college.
The course must have included citizenship materials derived from the document 'Citizenship Materials for ESOL Learners' (ISBN: 1-84478-5424).
You must have obtained a relevant ESOL qualification from an approved awarding body.
You must demonstrate that you have made relevant progress.
An 'accredited college' is:
a publicly funded college that is subject to inspection by Ofsted (if it is in England), the Education and Training Inspectorate (Northern Ireland), HM Inspectorate of Education (Scotland), Estyn (Wales); or an inspection programme that has been approved by the Island's Government (in the Channel Islands or Isle of Man): or
a private college that has been accredited by Accreditation UK, the British Accreditation Council (BAC), the Accreditation Body for Language Services (ABLS) or the Accreditation Service for International Colleges (ASIC).
We will accept that a college meets the definition of an 'accredited college' if it was accredited on the date when you obtained your qualification, or if it is accredited on the date when your settlement application is decided.
A 'relevant ESOL qualification' is:
an ESOL qualification in speaking and listening at Entry 1, Entry 2 or Entry 3 level approved by the Office of the Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual); or
one National Qualifications Unit in ESOL at Access 2, Access 3 or Intermediate 1 level approved by the Scottish Qualifications Authority.
'Approved awarding bodies' in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are:
Ascentis (formerly Open College of the Northwest)
Cambridge ESOL
City & Guilds (Pitmans)
Edexcel
Education Development International (EDI)
English Speaking Board (International) Limited
National Open College Network
Trinity College London
In Scotland, the only approved awarding body is the Scottish Qualifications Authority.
To demonstrate 'relevant progress', your college must confirm that you have progressed by at least one level from the level at which you were assessed at the beginning of the course that led to your relevant qualification. For example, if you were initially assessed by your college as being below Entry 1 level, you must obtain a relevant ESOL qualification at Entry 1 level or above.
You should check with your college to ensure that it is accredited as described above, and that the course meets all of the above requirements. If your college is not accredited, or if the course does not meet all of the above requirements, your application will be refused. Your college should provide a letter confirming that the relevant criteria are met. We have drafted a template of the letter (PDF 27KB, opens in a new window) which you can use. The college should also provide evidence to show how it meets the definition of an accredited college.