Who is ULET for?
Applicants who need to meet their English language condition in order to study at the University can take ULET. This includes any undergraduate or postgraduate course at the University.
Both Student Route Visa and non-Student Route Visa candidates with a conditional offer are eligible to take the test. Our Admissions team will send the registration link in the conditional offer email.
ULET is also available for use by other higher education institutions. Find out more for institutions and partners.
What does ULET test?
ULET consists of four language components: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking which are presented in the following sequence:
1. Listening: The Listening test is approximately 50 minutes long. There are five parts to the test and in total you need to answer 40 questions. You will listen to monologues and dialogues on academic subjects such as a university lecture, a university academic coach and a student discussing an assignment. You will hear the recordings twice before answering any questions.
Access Listening practice material here ➔
2. Reading: The Reading test is 75 minutes long. It consists of 40 questions which test a wide range of reading skills including reading for gist, specific information, reading for main ideas, reading for detail, understanding and recognising the writers' opinions and purpose.
Access Reading practice material here ➔
3. Writing: The Writing test is one hour long. There are two tasks to complete: Task 1 you will be given a situation and asked to write a letter or email requesting information or explaining a situation in academic life; Task 2 you will be asked to write an essay in response to a point of view, argument or problem.
Access Writing practice material here ➔
4. Speaking: The Speaking test is approximately 14 minutes long and contains six tasks. Your responses are recorded by computer, which are then assessed by real examiners. Topics are related to academic activities at university, such as expressing your opinion, talking with university staff and listening to lectures and summarizing them.
Access Speaking practice material here ➔
On average ULET takes up to three and a half hours to complete.
How can I take ULET?
You can take all four components online and free of charge.
When do I get my results?
You should receive your results within five working days of sitting the test.
How do I register for ULET?
If you hold a conditional offer with us on English language, please register by completing the following form.
Remember to book ULET well in advance of your course start date. Check your final ULET date and search by course.
Please note: Face-to-face International Foundation Programme applicants are not eligible for ULET and must take a recognised SELT.
You cannot register for two dates in a row, only the earlier date will be processed.
You will receive an email confirming your registration within a few hours.
After registering for ULET, please read this information regarding the next steps.
If you have any questions in the meantime please contact [email protected]
For Institutions and Partners
ULET is also available for use by other higher education institutions. It can be integrated into admissions processes, placement testing and English language support programs such as pre-sessional or in-sessional courses. Institutions seeking a reliable, CEFR-aligned English language test can enquire about adopting ULET for internal or partnership use.
ULET offers:
- A comprehensive and authentic programme developed using the Socio-Cognitive Framework to provide insights into an individual’s academic English skills.
- A flexible and fully online offering designed to be taken at home or in class with minimal technical requirements.
- Robust security and integrity by integrating online proctoring with Turnitin checks, AI red-flag detection and expert evaluation.
- A validated and approved assessment accepted by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) for visa purposes and is comparable to other accredited tests such as IELTS.
ULET is a valid and reliable English language test which is developed in accordance with internationally recognised principles of language assessment. Ongoing validation studies are conducted to maintain high standards of test quality including investigations into reliability, rater consistency and test-taker experience. The test is regularly reviewed to ensure its continued alignment with academic language demands.
To request a copy of our most recent validation report or to learn more about our quality assurance processes, please contact [email protected]
Validation studies
Key findings
- Reliability
Internal consistency (e.g. Cronbach’s alpha)
Inter-, intra-rater agreement in Speaking and Writing - Validity
Construct validity: test alignment with CEFR
Content validity: expert reviews of tasks and rubrics
Concurrent validity: comparisons with IELTS - Test taker feedback
Insights from surveys - Ongoing quality assurance
Annual review cycle
Use of double marking and standardisation
To request full versions of validation reports, please contact [email protected]
What people say about ULET
"ULET offers a solid EAP English test and better assesses linguistic readiness for university study than many of the others in the English admission testing portfolio. We liked the range of accents and the focus on English that will be used in university contexts."
Louise Skeet, Head of the English Language Hub at Arden University
"ULET has been transformative in giving our applicants an effective way of fulfilling our English Language entry requirements. In addition to providing an alternative to the main English test providers with year-round availability, ULET provides a clear and accurate measure of our applicants’ ability."
Mark Kane, Head of Admissions at The University of Law
"The ULET exam is very useful for students to improve their English language and it's helpful at university as well. My experience with the ULET exam was wonderful. I enjoyed it and learned many things from this exam."
Neha, MA Law (Conversion) student