Written byFizza Butool ZaidiIELTS teacher for 10+ years, PTE for 5Updated 30 October 2026
The label on each provider's result
These labels are from gov.uk's SELT guidance. You do not need to send any documents: the Home Office checks results through each provider's online verification system using the number.
| Provider | Label on the result |
|---|---|
| IELTS SELT Consortium (IELTS for UKVI, Life Skills) | UKVI number |
| Pearson (PTE Academic UKVI, PTE Home) | SELT URN |
| LanguageCert | Candidate URN |
| Trinity College London | UER |
| PSI (Skills for English) | URN |
What the number looks like and why it matters
The caseworker guidance gives the format as XXX / 123456 / 123456 / 123456789: the first 3 letters of the provider's name, the test date, the test centre number and the candidate number. Caseworkers enter it in the provider's verification system, and the application does not meet the English requirement if the test does not appear there.
For ILR and citizenship, tests taken on or after 6 April 2015 need only the URN on the form (Form AN guidance). Pearson says its SELTs are linked to your UKVI application with a SELT URN.
Need a SELT for a UK visa?
Where the Home Office asks for a Secure English Language Test, IELTS for UKVI and PTE Academic UKVI are approved. Practise the format free.
Free IELTS for UKVI practice →Practise before you book: free IELTS mock test, IELTS reading practice, IELTS listening practice and IELTS speaking predictions.
Older results and the Life in the UK number
For tests taken before 6 April 2015, the caseworker guidance lists a certificate from an approved provider showing your name, the qualification, B1 or above in speaking and listening, and the date of award.
The Life in the UK test has its own number. Form AN guidance says tests taken on or after 17 December 2019 have a reference in the results email in the format HOM/010114/123456/123456789; earlier tests have a 7-digit number at the top of the results letter.
Frequently asked questions
My application form will not accept the URN. What now?+
Check that you copied it exactly from the result. Gov.uk says the details used to book must match your passport or ID, and the Home Office checks the number against the provider's system.
Is the Life in the UK test number the same thing?+
No. The Life in the UK test gives its own unique reference number, which you also enter on an ILR or citizenship form.
Do I get a URN if I fail?+
Gov.uk says you are given the SELT unique reference number after you pass the test.
Do I need to post my certificate?+
No. Gov.uk says you do not need to submit documents; results are checked online using the reference number.
Keep reading
Related
- Skills for English results and URN
- Life in the UK test vs the English test
- The approved UK SELT list
- English level for ILR and British citizenship
- All 3112 guides
Guide updated on 30 October 2026. Individual prices and policies may have earlier observation dates. Confirm current details on the linked official pages before you book or apply.
© 2026 BandLadder. Written and checked by the BandLadder team. You may quote or cite this page with credit to BandLadder and a link to it; republishing it in full needs our written permission. Content use policy