What English level do I need for British citizenship, and how do I prove it?

Checked on 2026-10-25

The law requires sufficient knowledge of English, Welsh or Scottish Gaelic for British citizenship. The Home Office guidance says you prove English with a qualification at B1, B2, C1 or C2 level from an approved Secure English Language Test, or with an academic degree taught or researched in English. People aged 65 or over are exempt.

Key facts

What	The source says	Source
Legal requirement	Sufficient knowledge of English, Welsh or Scottish Gaelic	British Nationality Act 1981, Sch. 1 para 1(1)(c)
Level accepted	A qualification at B1, B2, C1 or C2	GOV.UK, Overview
Test qualifications	Only a Secure English Language Test (SELT) from an approved provider; not GCSEs, A levels or NVQs	GOV.UK, Proving your knowledge of English with a test
Degree instead of a test	An academic degree taught or researched in English; a non-UK degree needs an Ecctis assessment	GOV.UK, If your degree was taught or researched in English
Expired test certificate	Usable for citizenship if it was accepted when you settled	GOV.UK, Proving your knowledge of English with a test
Exempt by age or health	65 or over, or a long-term physical or mental condition (doctor’s exemption form and medical reports)	GOV.UK, Who does not need to prove their knowledge of English; BNA 1981, Sch. 1 para 2(1)(e)
Exempt by nationality	Nationals of listed countries, e.g. Australia, Canada, New Zealand, USA, Malta, Ireland (citizenship only)	GOV.UK, Who does not need to prove their knowledge of English

What the law says, and what the Home Office accepts

The British Nationality Act 1981 only says you need “sufficient knowledge” of English, Welsh or Scottish Gaelic. The Home Office guidance sets out how to show it for English: a qualification at B1, B2, C1 or C2 level, or a degree taught or researched in English. GOV.UK warns that a citizenship or settlement application will be refused if you send the wrong qualifications.

Proving it with a test

The test must be a Secure English Language Test with an approved provider, and you need a certificate or online results. ESOL qualifications count only if they are on the approved SELT list; GCSEs, A levels and NVQs do not.

Some tests are valid for only 2 years. For citizenship, GOV.UK says you can still use a B1, B2, C1 or C2 qualification that has run out if it was accepted when you settled in the UK, even if that test is no longer on the current list.

Proving it with a degree

The degree must be academic, not vocational, and you need the degree certificate. A degree awarded by a UK institution and taught or researched in English counts even if you studied outside the UK. For a degree from an institution outside the UK, you need an assessment from Ecctis confirming it is equivalent to a UK bachelor’s degree or higher and was taught in English.

Who is exempt

You do not need to prove English if you are 65 or over, or cannot because of a long-term physical or mental condition (with a completed exemption form from a doctor and medical reports). Nationals of the countries listed by GOV.UK, including Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, the British overseas territories, Canada, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Malta, New Zealand, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, the USA, and Ireland (for citizenship only), are also exempt. GOV.UK says nationals of other countries must prove English even if English is an official language there.

Being exempt at the settlement stage does not carry over automatically: GOV.UK says you must have a relevant English qualification for citizenship, and if you were exempt when you settled, you must submit an exemption form again.

Sources

British Nationality Act 1981, Schedule 1, paras 1(1)(c) and 2(1)(e) (revised text, legislation.gov.uk) checked 2026-10-25
GOV.UK: Prove your knowledge of English for citizenship and settling, all sections (Home Office) checked 2026-10-25

Change history

2026-10-25: Page created

This is general information, not legal advice, and Lumen is not a law firm. Rules change and offices differ: check the official sources above before you act. Found something wrong or out of date? Write to support@lumen.observer.