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Tier 1 (Entrepreneur)

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Scoring points for English language

This page explains how you can score points for the English language requirement under the Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) category of the points-based system.

You will score 10 points if you can prove that you speak English to the required standard. You can score these points if you:

  • are a national of a majority English-speaking country; or
  • pass an English language test approved by us; or
  • hold a degree that was taught in English and is equivalent to a UK bachelor's degree or above; or
  • are currently in the UK under Tier 1 (General) or Tier 1 (Entrepreneur), as a business person, or in the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme under the Immigration Rules that came into force on 5 December 2006.

You may need to send us evidence to prove that you meet these requirements. The Documents required section explains what you will need to send.

More information

  • Are you a national of a majority English speaking country?

    If you are a national of one of these countries, you automatically meet the English language requirement:

    • Antigua and Barbuda
    • Australia
    • the Bahamas
    • Barbados
    • Belize
    • Canada
    • Dominica
    • Grenada
    • Guyana
    • Jamaica
    • New Zealand
    • St Kitts and Nevis
    • St Lucia
    • St Vincent and the Grenadines
    • Trinidad and Tobago
    • the USA
  • What is an approved English language test?

    We will only accept English language test certificates from education providers that have been assessed as meeting our requirements. You can download a list of acceptable tests from the right side of this page.

    You must check that you have passed an English language test that is on the list, and is still within its validity period. You must have achieved at least CEFR level B1 in all 4 components (reading, writing, speaking and listening).

    You can make your application before you have taken or received the results of an English language test. If the test provider confirms that you have sat a test or have a confirmed date to take the test, we will hold your application open so that you can complete this process. But if you do not pass the test on the first attempt, we will not hold your application open so that you can make more attempts.
  • Do you hold an acceptable degree taught in English?

    To demonstrate that you meet the English language requirement, your degree must:

    • be recognised by the National Academic Recognition Information Centre for the UK (UK NARIC) as being equivalent to at least a UK bachelor's degree; and
    • have been taught in English to a standard comparable to that of level C1 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

    If your degree was taken in one of these countries, we will assume that it was taught in English:

    • Antigua and Barbuda
    • Australia
    • the Bahamas
    • Barbados
    • Belize
    • Dominica
    • Grenada
    • Guyana
    • Ireland
    • Jamaica
    • New Zealand
    • St Kitts and Nevis
    • St Lucia
    • St Vincent and the Grenadines
    • Trinidad and Tobago
    • the UK
    • the USA

    Please note that Canada is not on this list.

    We will assess your degree using our points-based calculator, which contains information from UK NARIC. You will meet the English language requirement if the calculator confirms that your degree:

    • is at or above the level of a UK bachelor's degree; and
    • was taught to a competent standard of English equivalent to level C1 on the CEFR.

    If the points-based calculator cannot confirm these details, you will not meet the requirement.

    You can use the points-based calculator, which you can find on the right side of this page, to check your degree before you apply. If you cannot find details of your degree on the calculator, UK NARIC will not be able to verify whether you meet the English language requirement. In that case, you should present an alternative qualification or select another way of showing that you meet the English language requirement.