Archive for 'settlement and naturalisation exams'

UK Home Office Approved English Test

Saturday, July 19th, 2014 at 7:57 pm  
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News from Trinity College London:

A number of adjustments to the UK Immigration Rules have recently been announced by Immigration Minister James Brokenshire.

This announcement does not affect Trinity’s GESE and ISE exams, which remain on the UK Home Office list of approved English Language Tests. Please be aware that these exams can only be taken in a Registered Trinity SELT centre if being used for UK visa purposes.

The changes in the Immigration Rules, as described in sections 2.1 and 7.15 from the Statement of Changes, relate to Trinity’s ESOL Skills for Life exams only, and are effective from 1 August 2014.

For full details, please consult the Statement of Changes document on www.gov.uk website.

We are pleased to inform you that if you are applying for citizenship and settlement you can still, at the time of writing, prove this by having: an English qualification at B1 level e.g. GESE Grade 5. Book preparation for your GESE Grade 5 B1 test today in the North of England using this website.

B1 Test Preparation Centre

Tuesday, June 17th, 2014 at 9:32 pm  
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B1 Test Preparation Centre

Our ESOL/English Language  B1 / A1 English / Life in the UK Preparation course centre in the North of England welcomes people from all over the world who wish to become British citizens.  For UK citizenship you must pass the “Life in the UK Test” and the “English Speaking and Listening B1 Test” .

We have an English Laguage, B1 test prepartation centre in Sheffield, South Yorkshire. This is convenient for people from South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire including Leeds and Bradford, East Yorkshire including Hull, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.

We teach people English as a matter of course at our centre so we are very experienced in looking after people from overseas. We can provide you with help and preparation. You can relax and know you will have the best chance of passing your exam in our exam preparation centre.

The test itself consists of a ten minute one-to-one interview with an official Trinity College Examiner. For the speaking part of the B1 test, you should prepare your own topic and be prepared to discuss it with the examiner for five minutes in English.

In addition to the candidate’s chosen discussion, the examiner also has another five minutes to talk about two chosen topics with you. The examiner can choose topics including events, festivals, means of transportation, entertainment, music or personal experiences.

At our A1, A2 and B1 test preparation centre we will go through with you how the examiner will want to make sure you can respond appropriately to questions, can clarify your statements and perform the required language functions. This means you must be able to talk in future tenses, provide opinions, discusses UK events and also state the reasons for your preferences. You must also show that you can use correct grammar and express yourself well through use of vocabulary.

You will find the examiner friendly and helpful however you still need to prepare for your test. We can give you assistance in this before your exam so please ask for details. In addition you can have your own practice with friends or family. there are also some useful publications and guides to assist you.

You will find more information about the B1 test here.Also watch this video of a B1 test.

You will find details of our B1 test preparation centre here to book your test and  preparation if you require it.

GESE Grade 2 A1 Test CEFR Exam Guidance

Sunday, May 11th, 2014 at 3:39 am  
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GESE Grade 2 A1 CEFR Exam format

Total exam time: 6 minutes
The exam consists of one assessed phase:
● Conversation with the examiner (up to 6 minutes).
Candidate performance
In addition to the items listed for the previous grade, the candidate is expected to demonstrate the following communicative skills and meet the language requirements listed below during the exam.

Communicative skills
● Understand short, simple questions, requests and statements
● Respond with appropriate actions and positive and negative short form answers
● Contribute to the conversation using memorised phrases and short statements
● Use a basic range of words and simple phrases related to personal details and situations
●Ask for very basic personal information, e.g. about possessions

GESE Grade 2 Language requirements

Language functions
● Indicating the position of people and objects
● Describing people, animals, objects and places very simply
● Stating simple facts
● Informing about possessions
● Asking very simple questions about personal details

Grammar

The candidate is expected to demonstrate the ability to understand:
● Present simple tense questions
● Question words who? when?
●Present continuous tense questions
● Determiners some, any

The candidate is expected to demonstrate the ability to understand and use:
● Present simple tense
● There is/are and has/have got/have you got? Do you have?
● Question words where? how?
● Prepositions of place in, on, under, between, next to
● Determiners their, its
● Possessive pronouns mine, yours, his, hers
● Yes/no answers to present continuous tense questions

Lexis
The candidate is expected to demonstrate the ability to understand and use vocabulary related to:
● Rooms in the home
● Household objects
● Family and friends
● Pets
● Possessions
● Days of the week and months of the year
● Cardinal numbers up to 50
● Words and phrases relating to the language functions listed above

Phonology
● The correct pronunciation of words relevant to the lexical areas listed above
● Basic intonation patterns for simple questions
● Contractions, e.g. I’ve, I’m, he’s

Grade 2 communicative skills and language requirements have been mapped to A1 in the CEFR.

If you are applying for a Spouse / Partner Visa you will need Speaking & Listening A1 / ESOL Entry 1. This exam is suitable for Spouse and Partner Visas on FLR (M) and suitable for Parents of Dependents FLR (O). You will need to take this A1 test at a registered SELT centre for this purpose. We can help you prepare for your A1 and A2 exam. Please contact us for details.

You can find  GESE Grade 2 / A1 / A2 Test and preparation here

Life in the UK Test

Tuesday, April 15th, 2014 at 11:00 pm  
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If you are applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain (IDR) or UK Citizenship and British Naturalisation you will normally need to pass the Life in the UK test. This test is carried out to check your knowledge of British customs and traditions. If your age is under 18 years or over 65 years then you are exempt from taking this test.

The Life in the UK test cost is currently £50 and you can sit for the test in any one of the 60 approved test centres across the UK. You can find out the nearest Life in the UK test centre when you book for your test  on the Home Office website.

The test consists of 24 questions based on the Life in the UK handbook. You have to score at least 18 or more to pass the test. The test can take up to 45 minutes. To prepare for the test you can buy the official book Life in the United Kingdom: a guide for new residents

You will need one of the following documents to book your test

•Passport – even if it is out of date

•UK photocard driving licence – full or provisional

•Convention Travel Document (CTD), Certificate of Identity Document (CID) or Stateless Person Document (SPD)

•EU identity card

•Immigration status document endorsed with a UK residence permit on a passport and with a photo – even if it is out of date

•Biometric residence permit

You also need to take original proof of your address to the test centre on the day of your test.

For further information phone the “Life in the UK Test” Helpline on 0800 015 4245 (Mon-Fri, 8am to 6pm)

In addition to the Life in the UK test you will also need to pass Speaking & Listening B1. We can help you register today at our official exam preparation centre for The Trinity College London GESE grade 5 Speaking & Listening exam at B1. This is currently accepted by the British Home Office and UK Border Agency.

B1 Exam Preparation Centre

Tuesday, April 8th, 2014 at 9:14 pm  
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B1 Exam Preparation Centre

We aim to offer our B1 Exam Preparation Centre conveniently near to you. Check our list of towns and cities which are covered by our test preparation centre. If you wish you can fill in the contact form and tell us where you are located in advance of  your B1 Exam. We will then get back to you with the details and travel information for our preparation for B1 test centre. Also tell us the approximate date you wish to take your B1 exam and we can check out the best dates for you.

We can provide you with a practice run-through before you take the B1 test exam. We also provide helpful material and information when we confirm your  booking for our B1 exam preparation centre.

The B1 exam is ESOL entry level 3 it is an official Trinity College Exam GESE grade 5 which is approved by the UKBA for Settlement  or ILR or Naturalisation applications in the UK. This type of exam is now mandatory, apart from certain exemptions, for applications for British Citizenship, seeking permanent residence in the UK, or Naturalisation. This is in addition to the Life in the UK test.

The GESE grade 5 exam from Trinity College is a Speaking & Listening test at B1 level for ESOL (Speakers of Other Languages) . It consists of a 10 minute one-to-one interview with a Trinity College examiner at a B1 exam centre. You will get your result on the same day as you take your B1 exam and then your certificate is subsequently mailed out to you.

We offer B1 exam preparation regularly at a our ESOL centre which covers a number of  towns and cities – ask for details here today

Settlement and Naturalisation Exams

Sunday, April 6th, 2014 at 11:32 pm  
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Settlement and Naturalisation

The British Home Office published a statement of intent on the 8th April 2013 which outlined the changes that have been planned to the requirements for people submitting an application to settle in the UK, or to become British citizens by naturalisation.

Already from 28 October 2013, applicants in both categories are required to pass the Life in the UK Test and additionally to hold a B1 (intermediate) level English language speaking and listening qualification.

This change is to Settlement and Naturalisation Exams is to strengthen the citizenship process. It replaces the previous system which required applicants to take either the Life in the UK test or alternatively to show language progression from one  ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) level to the next.

The Knowledge of Language and Life requirement for Settlement/ILR (Indefinite leave to remain)

Since 28 October 2013, there are two parts to the knowledge of language and life requirement, both of which have to be met by all applicants for settlement, unless the individual is exempt for reasons of particular country of origin where English is predominantly spoken. Applicants will be required to pass the Life in the UK test; and also to have a speaking and listening qualification in English at B1 CEFR or higher, or its equivalent. These English Language Tests are the current requirement for settlement in the UK.

Knowledge of Language and Life requirement for Naturalisation

The Knowledge of Language and Life requirement for naturalisation as a British citizen is just the same as the requirement  for settlement. It means that the same English language qualifications will be accepted for Settlement as for Naturalisation.

 Settlement and Naturalisation Exams – English language qualifications required

There are a range of English language qualifications which will be accepted as evidence that the person applying for Settlement or Naturalisation has met the B1 level Speaking and Listening requirements exams.

These Settlement and Naturalisation Exams include English language qualifications include Speaking and Listening at B1 or above from the Home Office’s approved English Language Test list.

They also include ESOL qualifications at B1 entry level 3 or level 1 or level 2, including Speaking and Listening, that have been regulated by the Ofqual (Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation). 

It is a requirement that the English language qualification must be listed as an ESOL qualification on the Ofqual Register of Regulated Qualifications. It must have been taken in England, Wales or Northern Ireland.  For exams in Scotland to qualify it is required that it is a National Qualification in ESOL at Scottish Qualifications Framework levels 4, 5 or 6, and is awarded by the Scottish Qualifications Authority and taken in Scotland.

For full details of the new requirements, by the UK Border Agency and Home Office, please see the Knowledge of Language and Life in the UK for settlement and naturalisation statement of intent.

To comply with the current requirements for settlement and naturalisation, we offer preparation for Trinity College London’s International ESOL Examinations Grade 5 (ESOL Entry 3 / B1 on the CEFR). These are regulated by the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) and are mapped to the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) and the National Qualifications Framework (NQF)

You can register on this website for your English exam, the Graded Examinations in Spoken English (GESE) to test your ability in listening and speaking as required for Naturalisation or Settlement (ILR) here. These are at  Grade 5 (ESOL Entry 3 / B1 on the CEFR) approved by the Home Office for use in: Settlement/ILR and Naturalisation applications for the UK made on or after the 28th of October 2013.

The exams are are one-to-one oral exams having conversation for 10 minutes with an official English-speaking Trinity examiner.

For Settlement and Naturalisation Exams please click here to register for preparation for your GESE Grade 5 (ESOL Entry 3 / B1 English exam.