Exam fees and test centres by country

Where can I take IELTS or PTE in Edinburgh?

ielts.org lists three British Council IELTS venues in Edinburgh. British Council Edinburgh at Exchange Tower runs IELTS for UKVI and Life Skills; Basil Paterson College (GBP 244) and MTS Edinburgh run standard IELTS on computer or with Writing on Paper. Pearson runs one PTE centre, approved for PTE Academic UKVI and PTE Home, at GBP 230.
  • Checked against official sources · 10 October 2026
  • 6 sections
  • IELTS

IELTS test centres in Edinburgh

British Council Edinburgh is marked UKVI Approved and is the "BC Edinburgh" entry on GOV.UK's approved list. On 10 October 2026 its page listed IELTS for UKVI at GBP 257 and Life Skills A1, A2 and B1 at GBP 182, the only one of the Glasgow and Edinburgh centres we checked that listed Life Skills.

For standard IELTS, Basil Paterson College on Queen Street charged GBP 244 and MTS Edinburgh is the other option; both offer Writing on Paper as well as computer.

Venue (as listed)ProviderTests and formats
British Council EdinburghBritish CouncilIELTS for UKVI (Academic and General Training, on computer); Life Skills A1, A2, B1
British Council, Basil Paterson College EdinburghBritish CouncilIELTS Academic and General Training, on computer or with Writing on Paper
British Council, MTS EdinburghBritish CouncilIELTS Academic and General Training, on computer or with Writing on Paper

PTE test centres in Edinburgh

Pearson's test centre finder lists Pearson Professional Centres – UK Edinburgh, on GOV.UK's approved list for PTE Academic UKVI and PTE Home. Pearson's other Scottish centres are in Glasgow and Aberdeen.

Pearson's finder does not say which tests each centre runs on which day. When you book, choose the test first and then the city; only centres with slots for that test appear.

Pearson test centreType
Pearson Professional Centres – UK EdinburghPearson Professional Centre (run by Pearson)

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IELTS for UKVI and SELT in Edinburgh: which test for your visa

In the UK, GOV.UK only accepts a Secure English Language Test (SELT) from four providers: Trinity College London, the IELTS SELT Consortium, LANGUAGECERT and Pearson (SELT guidance). From IELTS only IELTS for UKVI and IELTS for UKVI Life Skills count; from Pearson only PTE Academic UKVI and PTE Home. The test must be sat at an approved centre and awarded in the 2 years before you apply.

ielts.org's IELTS for UKVI page lists Life Skills B1 (a Pass, listening and speaking) for ILR and British citizenship, Life Skills A1 for a first family visa and A2 to extend it, and IELTS for UKVI with at least 5.5 in each of the four skills for the Skilled Worker and Health and Care Worker visas (B2; B1 if you were already on the route before 8 January 2026 and are only extending). Pearson's SELT page maps PTE Home A1, A2 and B1 and PTE Academic UKVI to the same routes. Confirm your level on GOV.UK, then see our ILR and citizenship guide.

IELTS and PTE fees in Edinburgh

IELTS fees are the ones each centre shows on its ielts.org page on 10 October 2026 (ielts.org says prices can change and may be subject to local tax). Standard IELTS varied by centre across the UK, from GBP 240 to GBP 260, while IELTS for UKVI was GBP 257 and Life Skills GBP 182 at every centre that listed them. PTE prices are from Pearson's price finder with the United Kingdom selected. Refund and transfer rules are in our IELTS fee in the UK and PTE fee in the UK guides.

TestProviderFee in Edinburgh
IELTS Academic or General Training (Basil Paterson College)British CouncilGBP 244
IELTS for UKVI (Academic or General Training)British CouncilGBP 257
IELTS for UKVI Life Skills A1, A2 or B1British CouncilGBP 182
PTE Academic, PTE Academic UKVI or PTE CorePearsonGBP 230
PTE Home A1, A2 or B1PearsonGBP 170

Other SELT providers and nearby centres

GOV.UK's list also shows Trinity College London (St Mary's Street) and LANGUAGECERT (Sciennes) running approved SELTs in Edinburgh. Further north, Basil Paterson College runs IELTS in Aberdeen, where Pearson also has a centre. See our Glasgow guide.

How to book, what ID to bring, and when results arrive

IELTS: open a Edinburgh centre on the ielts.org finder and use its Book a Test link. For a visa, settlement or citizenship application, book IELTS for UKVI or IELTS for UKVI Life Skills at a centre on GOV.UK's approved list; ielts.org says UKVI only accepts these tests taken in person at an official IELTS for UKVI centre (IELTS for UKVI).

ID (GOV.UK): bring an original, valid passport, convention travel document or stateless persons travel document. In the UK you can also use your eVisa: sign in to your UKVI account and get a share code by choosing "to prove your immigration status for anything else". An expired BRP or BRC works up to 24 months after its expiry date or until 31 December 2026, whichever is sooner, and EEA national identity cards are accepted. Book in exactly the name on the document you will bring.

PTE: choose the test, then Edinburgh, pick a centre and a slot (Pearson's booking guide). Pearson's ID policy applies the same SELT rules to PTE Academic UKVI and PTE Home, and asks for the eVisa share code when you book; the code lasts 90 days, so bring a physical ID too if you can.

Results: ielts.org says IELTS on computer results usually come in 1–2 days and Life Skills results within 9 days (results); Pearson says its SELT results usually arrive within 2 days (SELT page). Your result carries a SELT reference (the "UKVI number" for IELTS, the "SELT URN" for Pearson) that goes on your application, and GOV.UK accepts results awarded in the 2 years before you apply. Before you pay, try a free IELTS mock test or a free PTE mock test.

Frequently asked questions

Where can I take IELTS for UKVI in Edinburgh?+

At British Council Edinburgh, Exchange Tower, which is on GOV.UK's approved list.

How much is IELTS in Edinburgh?+

GBP 244 at Basil Paterson College, GBP 257 for IELTS for UKVI and GBP 182 for Life Skills on 10 October 2026.

Can I take IELTS on paper in Edinburgh?+

Yes, in the sense ielts.org uses: Basil Paterson College and MTS Edinburgh both list "Computer (Writing on Paper)" as well as fully computer-delivered IELTS.

Is there a PTE centre in Edinburgh?+

Yes, one: Pearson Professional Centres – UK Edinburgh, approved for PTE Academic UKVI and PTE Home.

Keep reading

Related

Verified against the linked official sources on 10 October 2026. Rules change: confirm on the official page before you book or apply.

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