Today, the UK Government approved Pearson to open bookings for SELTs in a further 26 locations. This includes 17 countries which will have their first PTE centres, in locations such as Stockholm, Geneva, Algiers and Bethlehem.

Bookings can be taken at all locations, with the majority open now to deliver testing, apart from Senegal, which will open once individual COVID-19 restrictions are lifted.

The tests will be delivered through the Pearson VUE test centre network. Pearson VUE’s network of test centres has implemented proactive health and safety measures including, but not limited to, readily available hand sanitiser, increased sanitisation in high-touch areas, and the regular disinfection of testing workstations (completed between each test-taker). These measures support the safety of both testing candidates and staff. Face masks are required at all Pearson VUE-owned test centres.

Freya Thomas Monk, Senior Vice President of English Assessment at Pearson, said: “As we near the end of what has been a year like no other, it is heartening to see that people plan to travel abroad to live, work or study, and that many of them are heading to the UK.

“Throughout 2020 we have been enabling test-takers in more locations across the globe to take PTE as a Secure English Language Test for UK Visa and Immigration purposes.

“For instance, today we have announced the opening of PTE centres in Afghanistan, Algiers, Kyrgyzstan and Uganda. Test-takers are now able to choose from over 170 locations worldwide to sit their UKVI test, with more PTE centres set to open in the coming months.”

Pearson’s SELT tests are as follows:

• PTE Academic (UKVI) – a four-skills language test accepted for work and study visas. It tests speaking, listening, reading and writing skills. 
• PTE Home – a two-skills language test accepted for family, settlement, citizenship applications, as well as Sportsperson and Representative of an Overseas Business applications. It tests speaking and listening skills.

Today’s news (following our first-, second-, third- and fourth-phase announcements) brings our overall total of UKVI approved locations to 173. It is expected that all remaining SELT testing locations will become operational over the coming months.

For media queries, contact Kasia Reardon at kasia.reardon@pearson.com