The BandVisa blog
Test requirements change, and a wrong number costs a student a booking fee or an application cycle. Every figure here is checked against the official source on the day it is published, dated in the text, and re-checked afterwards. Where we could not confirm something twice, we say so instead of guessing.
The UK Work Visa English Requirement Is Now B2: Which Test Scores Reach It?
The UK work visa English requirement rose to CEFR B2 in January 2026. What that means in IELTS and PTE scores, who is exempt, and which tests actually count.
Read the post →Half a Band Short: What to Do When Your IELTS Score Misses the Requirement
Half a band short of your IELTS requirement? Five routes out: One Skill Retake, a remark, a full resit, a pre-sessional course, or…
24 August 2026How Long Are IELTS, PTE and Duolingo Results Valid, and What Happens When Yours Expires?
How long are IELTS results valid? Two years from the test date, and so are PTE, TOEFL and Duolingo. What each visa authority…
23 August 2026IELTS or PTE for Australia and Canada: Which Scores Better for Your Points?
IELTS or PTE for Australia is a different question from Canada: Australia takes PTE Academic, Canada takes PTE Core. The scores,…
21 August 2026What IELTS Band Do You Actually Need for a UK Student Visa in 2026?
The IELTS band for UK student visa applicants is 5.5 in every component at degree level. Your university asks for more. Here is…
20 August 2026Can You Really Study Abroad Without IELTS? What Replaces It, and Where It Fails
Can you study abroad without IELTS? Often yes for admission, rarely for the visa. What an MOI letter, Duolingo or a university…
19 August 2026How Is IELTS Writing Actually Scored? The Four Criteria Explained
How is IELTS Writing scored? On four criteria, and Task 2 counts twice as much as Task 1. What each criterion measures, and which…
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