B1 English test results and certificates
Each B1 test reports a pass differently and on a different timetable, from a provisional result within minutes (LANGUAGECERT) to within 9 days (IELTS Life Skills). What matters for your application is the SELT unique reference number on your result: you enter it on your citizenship or settlement form, and the Home Office checks your result online with it.
At a glance
| Test | How the result is shown | When | Reference number to use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trinity GESE Grade 5 | Pass with Distinction, Pass with Merit, Pass or Fail | Provisional by 9am the next day; final in 4 to 7 days | UER |
| IELTS Life Skills B1 | Pass or Fail | Within 9 days | UKVI number |
| LANGUAGECERT ESOL SELT B1 | Pass needs 60/100 | Provisional within minutes; official report in 3 working days | Candidate URN |
| PTE Home B1 | Pass or Fail | Usually within 48 hours; aim is within 5 business days | SELT URN |
Reference names from GOV.UK; timings from each provider. Turnaround times aren't guaranteed.
Your reference number is what the Home Office uses
GOV.UK says that after you pass you'll get a SELT unique reference number, which you must use when you apply. If you leave it out, your application may be refused. You don't need to send the certificate: caseworkers check results through each provider's online verification system using that number.
Form AN, the citizenship application form, asks you to tick which body awarded your test and give "the SELT unique electronic reference number provided by the awarding body". Copy it exactly from your result.
Trinity GESE Grade 5
The provisional result is emailed by 9am the day after your test. It's unconfirmed until Trinity approves it, and the final result follows within four to seven days. Within 24 hours of that email, you'll get a message from "Trinity College London via Accredible" with a link to your digital certificate, so check your junk folder. Once you've passed, you use your UER number for your application. A printed certificate is available by phone for £12.50. Your report shows a grade from A to D for each of the two parts; only two Ds is a fail.
IELTS Life Skills B1
There's no band score: IELTS says you receive either a Pass or a Fail. Results come within 9 days. Your reference is shown as the "UKVI number".
LANGUAGECERT ESOL SELT B1
A preliminary result is available within minutes (LANGUAGECERT's prep guide says by email within 15 minutes), and the official test report three working days after the test. An e-certificate is issued when you reach the level. You need at least 60 out of 100 to pass. Your reference is the "Candidate URN".
PTE Home B1
Pearson sends your score report, typically within 48 hours, and aims for within five business days. It shows Pass or Fail and includes your SELT URN. Pearson shares results with the Home Office automatically, so you don't send the report yourself.
Keep your result safe
Save the result email and certificate and note your reference number somewhere you'll find it. If you're applying for settlement now and citizenship later, an ILR granted on a B1 result can count for citizenship too, so you may need those details again. How long results last.
Common questions
Can I apply using my provisional result?
Trinity says its provisional result is unconfirmed until approved, and that you use your UER once you've passed. To be safe, wait for the final or official result before you submit.
Do I need to post my certificate to the Home Office?
No. GOV.UK says you don't need to submit documents for the test: results are checked online using your reference number.
Does a Merit or Distinction help my application?
The Home Office's approved list sets the minimum for GESE Grade 5 as a Pass, so a Pass meets the requirement.
General information, not immigration advice. We're independent of the Home Office and the test providers. Sources: GOV.UK: Secure English Language Tests and approved list; Form AN (version 03/26), question 1.23; Trinity: results and certificates; IELTS: Life Skills test; IELTS: results timing; LANGUAGECERT support; LANGUAGECERT B1; Pearson: PTE Home scoring; Pearson: PTE Home B1. Checked 20 October 2026.