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At the beginning of this year, new Brexit-related rules went into effect in the UK and the EU. They’ll have a big impact on immigration and travel – including on how people will be able to move to the UK to live, work and study.
If you’re an EU citizen—and started living in the UK before 2021—immigration rules won’t change for you until June. But after that, you might have to apply for the EU Settlement Scheme to stay in the country.
More than 4.3 million people have been approved for the scheme already. And, they’re on the path to receiving a British passport. With the EU Settlement Scheme, EU citizens can apply for British citizenship after 12 months.
In this blog, we’ll explore more about the scheme and how to apply for citizenship. We will also look at the English language requirements you’ll need to keep in mind as an EU citizen.
Keep in mind: We aren’t immigration agents. For the latest information and official updates, please visit the GOV UK website.
The EU Settlement Scheme is a program set up by the UK government. It allows EU, Swiss, and EEA citizens to keep living in the UK after June 2021. It’s free to apply, and once you do, you’ll be granted either:
Settled status – You’ll get this if you’ve lived in the UK continuously for five years. You will be able to stay in the UK indefinitely provided you don’t leave the UK for 5 years consecutively.
Pre-settled status – You’ll get this if you’ve lived in the UK for less than five years. With pre-settled status, you’ll only be able to stay in the UK for another five years but can always apply for settled status later if you want to settle permanently.
With settled status, as we mentioned, you’ll also have the opportunity to apply for British citizenship. Although, many people have decided to apply for citizenship right away instead of going through the scheme – for example, if they have a British parent or spouse.
With citizenship, you’ll have the right to live permanently in the UK with a British passport, which means you’ll no longer be subject to immigration controls. You’ll also be able to work and study in the UK, sponsor your family members to migrate, access NHS healthcare, access public benefits and pensions – and of course, vote in elections.
The Mayor of London’s website has a comprehensive FAQ on the EU Settlement Scheme. You can also find out more information on the official GOV UK page.
If you’re interested in applying for British citizenship, there are a few ways to do so. For example, you could be eligible if you:
have a British civil partner or spouse;
were born in the UK;
have a British parent;
have settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme.
The requirements for citizenship are often different, depending on why you’re applying and how you’re eligible. But if you’re applying under the EU Settlement Scheme, in most circumstances you’ll have to show you:
have been living in the UK for more than five years and will continue to do so;
are of good character;
have passed the Life in the UK Test, which consists of 24 questions on British traditions;
are knowledgeable in English, Welsh, or Gaelic. You will also need to take an approved English test for UK citizenship.
Learn more about how to apply for British citizenship with the scheme here.
If you want to settle in the UK – and you don’t speak Welsh or Gaelic – you’ll need to prove you have at least a B1 level of English. You can do this by taking a B1 English exam for citizenship – PTE Home is a UK government-approved English test for British citizenship.
PTE Home B1 English test is computer-based, secure, and approved by the UK Home office for citizenship applications. Millions of people around the world take the test each year. Why? Let’s take a look at the benefits:
Here’s what you need to know about the test:
PTE Home is a pass-fail test and assesses just two skills – speaking and listening.
The exam has about 30 questions; test takers are asked to repeat sentences, describe an image, and answer comprehension questions out loud after listening to audio recordings.
PTE Home includes recordings of English speakers with a variety of accents – just like real life.
The exam is completed at a Pearson test center, but it’s all done using a computer and a headset – that is, without a human examiner. This helps to eliminate bias, and of course, helps keep social distance during the pandemic.
Learn more about exactly what’s on the PTE Home exam.
You can book the PTE Home online up to 24 hours in advance. Since the test is graded automatically, you’ll also get your results within 48 hours. The results are given via a simple Score Report, which states whether you passed or failed.
At PTE Home, we understand completing any visa or citizenship application can be stressful. That’s why we focus on supporting test-takers the best we can by offering great customer service online and at our test centers.
We also have free preparation materials for test-takers online – including a free 'Introduction to PTE Home B1' online course and the PTE Home Handbook to understand how the exam process works.
Whether you’re about to apply for the EU Settlement Scheme, already have settled status, or are planning to apply straight for British citizenship, it’s never too early to think about PTE Home.
Ready to take your exam now? Discover how to book your PTE Home B1 exam today.
PTE Academic is completed on a computer, including the speaking part of the test.
So make sure you are prepared by familiarizing yourself with the equipment you will use during your test. Reading these test tips and you will be fully prepared.
There are many ways you can improve your chances of gaining points in Part 2: Reading during PTE Academic.
To improve your reading skills, practice increasing your reading speed and comprehension at the same time. In turn, you will improve your writing, grammar and vocabulary skills.
To do well in this part of the test, you need to be able to read quickly, using effective reading strategies, as there is a limited time to answer all questions.
Speed reading tasks will help improve your reading speed. Practice speed reading every day and:
Aim to be reading at least 220 words per minute
Reading short articles of around 300 words
Read often for short periods of time
You can also try this as a challenge with your friends to help keep motivated. Once you are happy with your comprehension and speed, focus on chunks (groups of words) rather than individual words.
When your reading skills reach a level you are happy with, you will feel more confident to answer the questions.
In the Multiple-Choice, Single Answer question type, some test takers make the mistake of scan reading and matching the words in the text to the words in the answer. Generally, the words in the text are not used in the correct answer, therefore it is important to learn how to use synonyms and paraphrasing as it will be used in the test.
Learn how to improve your grammar in our Reading: Core Skills part 1 article.
In this question type, you will need more time than in the Multiple-Choice, Choose Single Answer question type, as you need to intensively read the stem (the part before the options) as well as the options, then scan read the text on the screen until you find the part of the text that contains information that was in the stem.
Read the options very carefully and match the meaning of the option with the text. Do not match the words – this is something test takers may make errors with.
You should also make sure not to choose all the options since you lose one point for each incorrect choice. However, you cannot score below zero.
To do well in the Re-order Paragraphs questions, you will need to have a strong understanding of cohesive devices and how they work. You will also need to understand how articles work, as well as the logical and chronological order of information.
In this question type, skim-read the text to get the ideas of the topic of the text. From there, you should read all the sentences carefully.
For both Fill in the Blanks and Reading & Writing: Fill in the Blanks question types, you will need to understand a range of vocabulary, collocations, grammar, pronouns, and cohesive devices, as well as being able to identify when plural nouns are needed.
You will also need to be able to skim read to get an idea of the meaning of the text, then read intensively before and after each blank. If unsure, you should guess based on the context.
Make sure you do not leave any spaces blank. You do not need to correctly fill in all spaces to get points.
To go back and review the question types within the reading test, we suggest learning more about the reading questions.
Explore Smart Prep, which combines all our practice materials in one place, so it's easier for you to stay on track with your PTE preparation.
Smart Prep is a clear path to test day, guiding you through the official paid and free resources available for your test
It can be accessed whether you’ve booked a test or not – just create, or sign in to your myPTE account
Preparation materials include guided practice tests, introductory videos, video courses and test tips.
Ready to get started?
Do you have your heart set on studying in England, Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland? The UK is a wonderful place to live and learn, but you’ll most likely need to get a UK study visa before you start packing your bags.
This comprehensive guide covers who needs a UK student visa, the requirements for getting one, how to apply, how much it costs, and how long it takes.
If you’re an international student hoping to study in the UK, you’ll most likely need a student visa. The only exceptions are nationals of Switzerland and countries in the European Economic Area (EEA), who don’t need a visa to enter the UK. *
* Please note: The outcome of Brexit may alter this after 2020. Check the UK government’s website for up-to-date information about this.
There are several UK study visa requirements you’ll need to meet to successfully apply. These include:
You’ve been offered a place in a full-time course from an eligible university (i.e. the school must be a licensed Student route visa*Tier 4 sponsors)
You can understand English (both written and spoken)
You have enough funds to support yourself and any dependants, while also paying for the course.
These requirements apply to students from all over the world. This means the UK student visa requirements for Indian students and American students are exactly the same for Chinese students and Australian students (and so on).
