London, UK – [date] PSI Services (PSI) a global provider of assessment services, leading-edge technology and talent management solutions and the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) the executive non-departmental public body of the Scottish Government responsible for accrediting educational awards today announced that their Skills for English™ language test is now a UKVI-approved Secure English Language Test (SELT).
The approval follows on from PSI reaching a commercial arrangement with the UK Home Office last year to deliver the SELT, for overseas UK visa applicants. It means that, from August 3rd in China and November 5th in the rest of the world outside the UK, applicants will have access to PSI’s fully computer-based testing experience via its global test centre network.
Janet Garcia, Executive Vice President of PSI’s Global Credentialing Division commented “This is major milestone for our Skills for English™ brand which we created jointly with SQA. The UKVI-approval is widely acknowledged as the hallmark of an effective, high-quality qualification and we are thrilled now to be able offer a Skills for English (UKVI) test.”
John McMorris, Director of Business Development at SQA added “This approval is the culmination of an intense partnership effort by PSI and us to create a qualification that can service the needs of those seeking to work, study of settle in English-speaking countries. Having a UKVI-approved SELT is a major achievement, and we will be working hard to build out the Skills for English brand for a range of other purposes.
The Secure English Language Test is the description given by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) to the English language tests that they require as evidence of English Language proficiency for UK visa applications.
Timing for the launch of the new test has inevitably been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and will be phased with bookings for test sessions available first in China and Hong Kong, with tests in an additional 120 countries following three months later. PSI and SQA believe the simplicity of the candidate journey from booking to test session to results, coupled with wide availability of test locations and dates will ensure its popularity with test-takers.
The delivery of this programme will further reinforce PSI’s presence in the global secure testing market, which comprises over 2,000 plus testing locations spanning 160 countries, through which it delivers some 15 million assessments per year.
