The A2 Secure English Language Test (SELT) is required by the UK Home Office for most Family visa applications — including spouse visas and civil partner visas. It tests speaking and listening only at A2 (Pre-Intermediate) level on the CEFR scale. Reading and writing are not tested.
Always check gov.uk
SELT requirements are set by the Home Office and can change. Always verify your specific visa route requirements at gov.uk before booking any test.
At A2 level you should be able to: understand sentences and frequently used expressions on familiar topics (work, shopping, local area, family); communicate in simple, routine tasks; describe your background, immediate surroundings and matters of immediate need in simple terms. For the SELT, this means speaking and listening in everyday conversational contexts — not complex or abstract topics.
Know the format before anything else
Candidates who fail often fail because the test format was different from what they expected. Know exactly what the examiner will ask, how long you have, and what you are being marked on.
Practise on familiar everyday topics
A2 SELT topics include your family, your home, your daily routine, your work, your free time and your local area. Practise speaking about all of these until you can discuss them fluently without hesitation.
Listen to simple English daily
The listening component requires you to understand simple spoken English. BBC Learning English, Simple English News podcasts, and everyday conversations are all useful preparation.
Do at least one mock test in exam conditions
Nerves are one of the most common reasons candidates underperform. Practising with a tutor in realistic test conditions builds the confidence that lets your real level show.
Build basic linking language
Even at A2 level, using simple connectives — "and", "but", "because", "so" — signals to the examiner that you can produce connected speech, not just isolated words.