IELTS Life Skills
IELTS Life Skills is a Speaking and Listening test for specific UK visa and citizenship routes. It reports a simple pass or fail at one CEFR level.
Unlike Academic or General Training, Life Skills tests only your spoken English — Speaking and Listening together, assessed face-to-face with another candidate and an examiner. There is no Reading or Writing, and you receive a pass or fail rather than a band score.
You take it at one specific level depending on the visa you need.
The three levels
- Life Skills A1 — typically for family-of-a-settled-person visas.
- Life Skills A2 — typically for an extension or settlement (indefinite leave to remain) route.
- Life Skills B1 — typically for settlement or British citizenship.
At a glance
- Tests Speaking and Listening only, in a single session.
- Taken with a second candidate and one examiner.
- Result: pass or fail (no 0 to 9 band score).
- Approximately 16 to 22 minutes depending on the level.
UK Visas and Immigration decides which level and test you need. Always confirm the exact requirement on the official UK government guidance before you book — requirements change.
Where to take it in Kuwait
IELTS Life Skills is offered at the IDP IELTS office in Salmiya. Availability is more limited than computer-delivered IELTS, so contact our team to confirm the next available date for your level and to book.
Ask about IELTS Life Skills
Contact our Salmiya team to confirm your level and the next available date.