These are English test centres, not Life in the UK test centres
Every address on this page is approved for the B1 Secure English Language Test. The Life in the UK Test is a separate exam booked through a separate service, and its venues are shown only inside that service. How to find your Life in the UK test centre.
Nearest approved centres to Bournemouth
Distances are approximate and measured in a straight line from the centre of Bournemouth to the centre of each listed city; check the journey from your own address before you book. Within each city, choose between its centres inside the provider’s booking system.
Southampton
about 25 miles1 centre · LanguageCert
- LanguageCert: LC - Southampton, Pitman Training Ground Floor, 31 Eastgate Street, SO14 3HB · Book
Portsmouth
about 35 miles3 centres · IELTS SELT Consortium, Pearson and Trinity College London
Bristol
about 59 miles3 centres · LanguageCert, Pearson and Trinity College London
- LanguageCert: LC - Bristol, Pitman Training Bristol, Unit 9, Ground Floor Hide Market, Waterloo Road, St Philips, BS2 0PL · Book
- Pearson: Pearson Professional Centres-UK Bristol, Building 340, The Crescent, Bristol Business Park, BS16 1EJ · Book
- Trinity College London: Bristol, Whitefriars Business Centre, Whitefriars Lewins Mead , BS1 2NT · Book
Exeter
about 72 miles1 centre · LanguageCert
- LanguageCert: LC - Exeter, Brittany House, New North Road, Exeter, EX4 4EP · Book
How booking works from Bournemouth
- Pick the centre you can reach on a weekday morning; providers do not all run weekend sessions.
- Book with that centre’s provider, using the name on the original photo ID you will bring. Fees and test names differ by provider; the city page for each centre lists them.
- Allow for the journey: arriving late usually means losing the appointment and the fee.
- Keep your result reference safe; you will enter it in your settlement or citizenship application.
Which level you need is changing: settlement applications made from 26 March 2027 will need B2 rather than B1. The B1 English test guide explains who is affected, and the exemptions page covers who does not need the test at all.
Other towns in South West England
Questions from Bournemouth
Is there a B1 English test centre in Bournemouth?
Not on the current Home Office list. The list of approved SELT centres in the UK dated 11 August 2026 names 27 towns and cities and Bournemouth is not one of them. You may book any approved centre in the UK, so the practical answer is the nearest listed city.
Which is the nearest B1 test centre to Bournemouth?
Southampton, roughly 25 miles away in a straight line, with 1 centre run by LanguageCert. After that, Portsmouth (about 35 miles), Bristol (about 59 miles) and Exeter (about 72 miles).
Can I sit the Life in the UK Test in Bournemouth instead?
That is a different exam with its own booking service. GOV.UK states: "There are over 30 test centres in the UK. You can choose where to take your test when you book." The venues are shown inside the official booking service, not in any published list, and none of the addresses on this page are Life in the UK test centres.
How do I book once I have chosen a centre?
Directly with the provider that runs the centre, in the name on the original photo ID you will bring on the day. There is no central booking service and GOV.UK does not take bookings for the English test.
Sources
- Prove your English language abilities with a secure English language test (SELT) — GOV.UK guidance, last updated 12 August 2026
- List of approved test centres in the UK, from August 2026 (ODS) — Home Office, dated 11 August 2026
- List of approved secure English language tests taken in the UK (ODS) — Home Office
- List of approved test centres outside the UK, from August 2026 (ODS) — Home Office, dated 11 August 2026
- Life in the UK Test: book the Life in the UK Test — GOV.UK
Coordinates and distances are LifeUKPractice’s own approximations for orientation only. LifeUKPractice is an independent study resource and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the UK Home Office, gov.uk, or any government body.