The short UK visa test for family routes: speaking and listening, pass or fail, at the level your route needs. Check whether that is A1, A2 or B1 before booking.
Glossary term
PTE Home
PTE Home is Pearson’s Secure English Language Test for UK family, partner, settlement and citizenship routes. It tests speaking and listening only, at CEFR A1, A2 or B1 depending on the route and stage, and is reported as pass or fail rather than on the 10–90 scale. It is taken at UKVI-approved centres and its report carries a URN.
A pass or fail at the booked level, with a URN for the visa application. No 10–90 scores.
Who takes it
UK family and settlement routes require evidence of speaking and listening at a CEFR level that rises with each stage: A1 for initial partner and family entry, A2 at extension, B1 for indefinite leave to remain and citizenship, where B1 is also the Life in the UK stage. PTE Home is Pearson’s test for these levels, alongside IELTS Life Skills from the IELTS consortium. Applicants from majority-English-speaking countries or with a recognised degree taught in English may be exempt.
Work and study routes do not use PTE Home; they need an academic-level SELT such as PTE Academic UKVI.
How it differs from PTE Academic
No reading, no writing, no 10–90 score. The test is short, computer-delivered and scored as a pass or fail against the level booked. Booking the wrong level is the common error: a B1 pass covers a route that asks for A2, but an A2 pass does not cover a B1 requirement, and the levels are not interchangeable after the fact.
Preparation is speaking and listening at everyday level: understanding short recordings and answering spoken questions clearly. The speaking tasks on this site are useful practice for the format of speaking to a microphone, even though the level is different.
The numbers that matter
| Levels | A1, A2, B1 (CEFR) |
|---|---|
| Skills | Speaking and listening only |
| Result | Pass or fail at the booked level |
| Typical routes | A1 partner and family entry; A2 extension; B1 settlement and citizenship |
| Format | Short computer-delivered test at a UKVI-approved centre |
| Not for | Work, study or skilled routes, which need PTE Academic UKVI |
Worked example
An applicant for indefinite leave to remain books PTE Home A2 because that was the level at their last extension. The settlement application requires B1. The A2 pass is valid evidence for nothing at this stage, and a B1 sitting must be booked before the application can be made.
What it shows: The level is set by the stage, and each stage’s level must be checked afresh.
Frequently asked questions
What level of PTE Home do I need?
It depends on the route and stage: typically A1 for initial family and partner entry, A2 for an extension, and B1 for settlement and citizenship. Confirm the level on the gov.uk page for your route before booking, because a pass at a lower level is not accepted for a higher requirement.
Is PTE Home scored out of 90?
No. PTE Home is pass or fail at the level booked, A1, A2 or B1, and tests speaking and listening only. PTE Academic UKVI is the 10–90 test for work and study routes.
Can I use PTE Home for a UK work visa?
No. Work, study and skilled routes require an academic-level SELT such as PTE Academic UKVI. PTE Home is for family, settlement and citizenship routes.
More PTE terms
AI ScoringAppropriacyCLB (Canadian Language Benchmarks)Communicative SkillsCompetent, Proficient and Superior EnglishConcordance (PTE to IELTS)ContentDevelopment, Structure and CoherenceEmail ConventionsEnhanced PTE Academic (August 2025)Erasable NoteboardExpress EntryFormGeneral Linguistic RangeGrammarGSE (Global Scale of English)Human ReviewIntegrated TaskMock TestmyPTENegative MarkingOne Skill RetakeOral FluencyOverall ScorePartial CreditPersonal IntroductionPronunciationPTE CoreReschedule and Cancellation PolicyRescoreScore BandScore Report CodeScore ValidityScoring TraitsSending ScoresShared Clock (Reading and Listening)Skills ProfileSpellingThree-Second Silence RuleVocabulary