The UK Home Office to Abandon IELTS Exams for New System

Every British student has been familiar with IELTS exams, but the UK Home Office plans to comprehensively reform English language tests.

The UK government, through UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI), plans to move away from the current model of secure English language tests (SELTs) being delivered by a number of Home Office-approved providers, including Pearson, IELTS, LanguageCert, and Trinity College.

Instead, the government will create a new English language test owned by the Home Office and developed by a single provider. The contract for the service is estimated to be worth £1.13 billion and is “programmed into two service lines”: one is the development and ongoing support of a Home Office-branded test for use worldwide, and the second is global testing arrangements.

The Home Office said the market engagement “will include, but is not limited to, testing the feasibility of potential procurement options and the market’s delivery capabilities and capacity”. Suppliers can express their interest through the Ministry of the Interior’s website, and plans to hold an online industry day event on September 25.

UK Student Guarantee Fee to Increase

According to the UK Home Office, the deposit requirements for international student visas have been raised for the first time since 2020. International students studying in the UK must provide evidence (proof of guarantee) to prove that they have sufficient savings to support their “monthly living expenses (up to nine months)”.

Under the latest regulations, students going to London will need to provide proof of a monthly deposit of £1,483, while students planning to study outside London will need to provide proof of a monthly deposit of £1,136. The new rules are published on 10 September 2024 and will apply to students travelling to the UK on or after 2 January 2025.

The government said it would continue to regularly update the financial requirements in line with inflation and increases in domestic living cost loans. The new requirements mean that students studying in London for nine months or more will need to provide proof of a total deposit of £13,348 when applying for a visa.

London’s Most Dangerous Stations Ranked

London’s most dangerous station has been revealed, with more than 230 crimes reported in a year. Paddington Station has been named the most dangerous station in London, according to crime data from the Metropolitan Police.

According to Digital PR Lab’s analysis, the most common types of crime around Paddington Station were violent and sexual offences, with 68 reported cases. Liverpool Street station was also very close in terms of the number of crimes reported, with 227 offences recorded by the Metropolitan Police in the past year.

Tips: Children who commute, live, or travel to London should pay more attention to safety! After all, the number of sexual assaults and violence incidents is really worrying!