Ukba English Language Test Centres

[glanville63]

Could someone please give me contact details of a REPUTABLE English A1 test centre. I've attemped to get this information from UKBA but the site takes some unravelling and if the information is there, it's buried deep within. Most of the centres previously accredited were tied up with language schools and have had their test facilities removed. I noticed there were a couple in Pattaya but they have been taken off the list now.

I have followed the forums on this site concerning this subject and from what I have gathered, the A1 English test varies in difficulty from test centre to test centre. Is this true or is there infact a standard A1 test. My wife, who I have been married to for 7 years, needs to take this test to qualify for a 2 year settlement visa. Some posts have said that she will only be tested on her ability to understand questions spoken to her and for her to speak the answers and others have said that she will need to read and write.

Help me please to unravel this mystery.

[kunash]

here is a list of providers

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/applicationforms/new-approved-english-tests.pdf

here is a you tube video of the A1 test

http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=5A42B129484A0208

as far as i am aware the english language test A1 only involves listening and talking. i do not know why some language test centers include writing and reading for the test (maybe so they can charge you more money???). for the purposes of her visa she will only need a pass in listening and talking.

[OlafStapleton]

Looks like test need deduction and map reading skills to!

[VisasPlus]

Be aware that the latest proposals by the UK government on Family Migration include raising the standard of English required to Level B1 of the CEFR. Don't worry too much yet as it is still only a proposal.

[Green19]

Glanville

I'm going through the same thing at the moment, the test centre's on the ukba website were out of date and no longer provide the tests. However, Kunash posted a link the other other day to the local test centres here in Thailand (not the same link as posted above). Vantage Siam appears to be the only company responding to my e-mails last week. They test every week which the others do no appear to do. In fact, Pearson do not test again until november.....useless. I tried to call to see if this is truely the case, no answer; so vantage siam looks like our best bet.

If anybody has had their spouse take the test in the last month, please advise which test centre is operating and which tests are being taken, thanks.

[marksm]

Be aware that the latest proposals by the UK government on Family Migration include raising the standard of English required to Level B1 of the CEFR. Don't worry too much yet as it is still only a proposal.

so you saying that they are goin to change it again in the near future? is there a time period ?

[Frogster]

If anybody has had their spouse take the test in the last month, please advise which test centre is operating and which tests are being taken, thanks.

My other half sat the test last Friday (29th) with Vantage Siam, she advised that it was difficult but she felt she did OK...

The test they offer is aimed at Office Workers and the questions reflect that, but the current level of requirement from the UKBA is only A1.... A1 is the lowest level of achievement with this particular test.

Will get her results next Friday or so they say!!!

Fingers crossed.... (what really pisses me off is the hike in costs as there are only a few providers of the test.... supply and demand I guess). 7000Bht now !!!!

[toddmeister]

Be aware that the latest proposals by the UK government on Family Migration include raising the standard of English required to Level B1 of the CEFR. Don't worry too much yet as it is still only a proposal.

so you saying that they are goin to change it again in the near future? is there a time period ?

There is currently a consultation on proposed changes to family migration. One of those changes is to increase the English requirement to level B1. The consultation finishes in October with the proposed changes to be implemented in April 2012. There's another thread on the forum about it and there are some big important issues so worth a look

Regards

[chronos]

Glanville

I'm going through the same thing at the moment, the test centre's on the ukba website were out of date and no longer provide the tests. However, Kunash posted a link the other other day to the local test centres here in Thailand (not the same link as posted above). Vantage Siam appears to be the only company responding to my e-mails last week. They test every week which the others do no appear to do. In fact, Pearson do not test again until november.....useless. I tried to call to see if this is truely the case, no answer; so vantage siam looks like our best bet.

If anybody has had their spouse take the test in the last month, please advise which test centre is operating and which tests are being taken, thanks.

We used Vantage in May, despite the cost, they were very professional and helpful. The test itself is really quite simple and comes in 4 parts - Listening, Speaking, reading and writing. Your wife will need some basic computer skills (use of mouse) to do one part of the test, this is an 'adaptive test'..

which means that if she gets the answer wrong the questions get easier, of course it works the other way around too! Minimum requirement for visa purposes is level A1...which is really the lowest level and easily achievable.

While we were there a young ladyboy minced out, flicking his hair and announcing..'I'm excellent..I got A1 !'...I didn't have the heart to tell him that was the lowest score possible!

The tests are held on a Friday, I booked mine via phone from the UK..pretty simple really..just turned up at 11am..all done in an hour...and got the result almost immediately...picked up the Certificate a week later. Be prepared to have your 'success' photograph taken at the time..but bear in mind that they post these on their facebook page.

The only difficult part was finding and getting to the bloody place!

Anyway the choice is yours..and good luck with your application.

[VisasPlus]

Be aware that the latest proposals by the UK government on Family Migration include raising the standard of English required to Level B1 of the CEFR. Don't worry too much yet as it is still only a proposal.

so you saying that they are goin to change it again in the near future? is there a time period ?

There is currently a consultation on proposed changes to family migration. One of those changes is to increase the English requirement to level B1. The consultation finishes in October with the proposed changes to be implemented in April 2012. There's another thread on the forum about it and there are some big important issues so worth a look

Regards

This is the link:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/482816-uk-government-launches-consultation-on-family-migration/