Trinity GESE Preparation

Age 16+

About the course

Course Description

Applying for British citizenship, settlement, or to stay in the UK with your family? You will almost certainly need to prove your English speaking and listening at B1 level, and the Home Office will only accept a Secure English Language Test.

Trinity’s GESE is one of the approved tests. It is a short one to one conversation with a real examiner, no reading, no writing. ETC International College prepares you for it.

What do I need?

About the Trinity GESE

Entry Requirements

GESE tests speaking and listening only, at levels A1 to B1. It is the test used for:

Leave to Remain (family)
Leave to Remain extensions (family)
Settlement, also called Indefinite Leave to Remain
British Citizenship, also called naturalisation

SELT Approved Grades

The three SELT approved grades are:

Grade 2 = A1 = 6 minutes
Grade 3 = A2 = 8 minutes
Grade 5 = B1 = 10 minutes

Most citizenship and settlement applications need Grade 5 (B1). Family route applications are often A1 or A2 at first and B1 at extension stage. Check your specific visa requirements before you book, or ask your immigration adviser. If you need reading and writing as well, for example for a Skilled Worker or Student visa, you need ISE instead.

Accrediting Body

Trinity College London

ETC International College is a Trinity registered exam centre. This allows us to host your examination on campus. You can study on this course and take the exam here too! To learn more about the Trinity GESE, click here.

What should I do?

Preparing at ETC

Ten minutes does not sound like much, and that is exactly why people underestimate it. You cannot pad, you cannot correct yourself later, and the examiner is assessing you from the first answer. Candidates who are perfectly capable in English fail because they did not know the format.

Our GESE preparation covers:

The structure of the exam and what the examiner is listening for
Your topic, chosen and prepared properly, with practice answering unexpected follow up questions
The conversation phase, where the examiner picks the subjects
Timed mock exams with a teacher playing examiner
Feedback against the Trinity assessment criteria, not just general English feedback
Trinity’s official Study Pack, mobile app and online resources
Small classes at our college in central Bournemouth, with one to one sessions available if you want intensive work before an exam date

Where do I sit the exam?

At a Trinity SELT test centre, not at ETC. Trinity has over 20 centres across the UK and runs tests seven days a week.

We prepare you, help you confirm the right grade, and send you to Trinity to book.

One male student writing with a pen in class

Can I take the exam outide the UK?

No. Trinity is approved for tests sat inside the UK only.

How quickly do I get my result?

Provisional results within 24 hours, certificate within 7 days.

Which grade do I need for citizenship?

B1 speaking and listening, which is GESE Grade 5, for naturalisation and for Indefinite Leave to Remain.

Confirm against your own application requirements before booking.

Is there any reading or writing?

No. GESE is speaking and listening only. If your visa route requires all four skills you
need ISE

Do I have to take the preparation course to take the exam?

No. But there is a reason Trinity supplies 40 hours of preparation material, and the exam fee is not cheap to pay twice.

How much does it cost?

Dates & Fees

Most courses are available throughout the year. You can find a full list of course dates and prices in our Dates & Fees, or use the ETC Course Calculator to get a quote.

Get a quote!

ETC International College

Welcoming international students since 1989