A 4-skills (Listening, Reading, Writing & Speaking) exam in English, aligned to the C2 level of the CEFR*. It is a Secure English Language Test (SELT) for UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI) delivered through LanguageCert’s global network of SELT Centres

About the exam:

  • Consists of a Written (Listening, Reading, Writing) and Spoken (Speaking) component
  • Both components can be taken on the same day or within 14 days of each other

CEFR C2 is not a set requirement for any UK visa type. Candidates with this level of English language competency who choose to sit the C2 exam satisfy all visa requirements that entail the four skills: Listening, Reading, Writing & Speaking.

After the exam, candidates receive a Test Report displaying their score and unique reference number (URN). The URN must be included in the visa application.

Visa requirement information is subject to change. Applicants should refer to UK Government guidance on English language exams for visas and are responsible for ensuring they take the correct exam.

*Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), developed by the Council of Europe, is widely used to describe levels of language proficiency.

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Written

Key features
 EXAM LEVEL  C2
 FORMAT Computer-based
 SELT SCORE  Listening:  25/50
Reading:    33/50
Writing:     33/50
 TEST REPORT Issued 5 business days after the exam
Exam format
Computer-based 3 hours & 10 minutes
Listening
Listening

30 minutes

Reading and writing
Reading & Writing

2 hours & 40 mins uninterrupted

Listening

Part 1: 6 multiple choice questions (each with 3 options)

Task:

  • Listen twice to 6 unfinished conversations between 2 speakers
  • Idiomatic expressions, colloquialisms, register shifts and use of stress and intonation to indicate attitude included
  • Choose the appropriate option to complete or continue the conversation

Part 2: 6 multiple choice questions (each with 3 options)

Task:

  • Listen twice to 3 conversations, each consisting of 2 speakers and identify: topic, purpose, context, speakers, gist, relationship between speakers, roles, functions, attitudes, feeling and opinions
  • Choose the appropriate option for each question

Part 3: 7 questions (write notes on the message pad based on the information in the recording)

Task:

  • Listen twice to a dense factual lecture, radio broadcast, narrative, presentation, etc. to identify specific information
  • Jot down answers of 1 to 5 words

Part 4: 7 multiple choice questions (each with 3 options)

Task:

  • Listen twice to a discussion to identify gist, examples, fact, opinion, contrast, purpose, key ideas, attitude, cause and effect
  • Choose the appropriate response for each question

Reading

Part 1: 5 questions (sentences identifying true and false statements about the text)

Task:

  • Text includes idiomatic language, narrative or academic ideas, arguments and opinions
  • Determine whether the statements are true or false

Part 2: 6 questions (8 sentences to choose from to complete 6 gaps in the text. 2 sentences are distractors)

Task:

  • A text with 6 sentences removed, e.g. topic sentence, summarising sentence, developing idea, emphasising a point, opinion, contrast, sequence, forward and back reference, transition to new idea
  • Choose the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text

Part 3: 7 questions (4 texts provide the answers)

Task:

  • Read the 4 short texts, e.g. email, article, advert, etc. and choose which text answers which question

Part 4: 8 questions (requiring short answers of up to 5 words)

Task:

  • A continuous text: narrative, descriptive, explanatory, expository, biographical, instructive

Writing

Part 1: 200 – 250 words (respond appropriately to a given input in order to produce a formal response for an intended public audience)

Task: Write a letter, report, argument or article using a written, graphic or visual input for the intended reader expressing stance, opinion, justification, argumentation as appropriate

Part 2: 250 – 300 words (produce a personal letter, a narrative composition/ story or a descriptive composition)

Task: Write an informal piece for a specified reader in order to persuade, argue or hypothesise expressing mood, opinion, justification, evaluation etc.

Official practice material

Please note that the Listening section of the live exam, consists of four more items than those appearing in the practice materials below. Also, during a live exam, Listening Parts 1 and 2 are played once only.

Download

Books

We work with prominent publishing houses to ensure that our partners and candidates have access to top quality learning materials for LanguageCert International SELT exams. Below is a list of available books with links to the publishers’ websites.

Burlington Books

Global ELT

Spoken

Key features
 EXAM LEVEL   C2
 FORMAT Online interview with a live interlocutor
 SELT SCORE  Speaking:   33/50
 TEST REPORT Issued 5 business days after the exam
Exam format
Online interview with a live interlocutor
Speaking
Speaking

17 mins

Speaking

Part 1

  • Give and spell name
  • State country of origin
  • Answer 5 questions

Part 2

  • 2 or 3 situations are presented by the interlocutor. Candidates are expected to respond to questions and initiate interactions
  • Candidates are expected to respond to questions and initiate interactions

Part 3

  • Hold a short discussion to make a plan, arrange or decide something using written text as the prompt

Part 4

  • Candidates are given 30 seconds preparation time
  • Talk about a topic provided by the interlocutor for 3 minutes
  • Answer follow-up questions
Official practice material

Download

Books

We work with prominent publishing houses to ensure that our partners and candidates have access to top quality learning materials for LanguageCert International SELT exams. Below is a list of available books with links to the publishers’ websites.

Burlington Books

Global ELT

 

We pride ourselves on being the only SELT provider to offer our candidates a SELT re-sit service for specific exam components.

Take2 is an added value service, that works like a safety net to a SELT exam! Candidates have the option to purchase Take2, our straightforward and affordable solution to re-sit LanguageCert SELT 4-skills Written or Spoken exam components at levels B1 – C2.

Take2 re-sit exam option is offered at a fraction of the exam price and becomes available in the case of an unsuccessful SELT result. All re-sits are conducted at LanguageCert approved SELT Centres and must be taken within 14 days of the last scheduled SELT exam.

Validity

The Take2 re-sit service can be purchased during the LanguageCert International ESOL SELT (L,R,W,S) exam registration and it is activated only if a candidate gets

  • a HIGH PASS in each of the 3 skills (Listening, Reading, Writing) of the Written component + a PASS in the Spoken component
    OR
  • a HIGH PASS in the Spoken component + a PASS across the 3 skills (Listening, Reading, Writing) of the Written component

If candidates meet one of the above criteria, the re-sit option is automatically enabled and they receive an email prompting them to schedule their re-sit exam within 14 days of their last exam.

Please note that all SELT Take2 re-sits are offered at approved SELT Centres in the UK and internationally.

More information on the SELT Take2 conditions of activation here.