Taking an exam in a foreign language can sometimes be an unsettling experience, which is why Trinity College London always works to make the process as easy and convenient as possible, for every candidate who books to take their Secure English Language Test (SELT) at one our UK exam centres.
What is a SELT?
SELT stands for Secure English Language Test and is a Home Office requirement for most UK visa applications. The English language test may involve speaking and listening or speaking, listening, reading and writing and will be determined by the visa you are applying for. Find out more information here.
Who needs a SELT?
If you need to apply for a UK visa, a visa extension, Settlement, Leave to Remain or British Citizenship, you may need to sit and pass a SELT as part of your visa application. As well as it being a requirement of the visa and immigration process, being able to communicate in English is an important step towards being able to happily and successfully live, work or study in the UK.
How does Trinity make it straightforward?
Candidates can:
» Choose a time slot to take their test at a time which suits them
» Select to take their test in one of 20 Home Office approved Trinity SELT centres located around the UK
» Have a conversation with a real person, as all our exams are taken with an examiner
» Receive their provisional test results by 9 am the day after their test and their certificate sent within seven days of taking a test
We understand that people may have work, family, study or other commitments so need choice and flexibility in order to choose the most convenient time, date and location to take a SELT test. That is what Trinity College London offers.
Help and support before the test
Not only do we help our candidates by being as flexible as possible with regards to when and where they book their test, but we also provide a range of both free and paid for materials and study options to help candidates prepare beforehand.
Need to speak to someone before your test?
Our customer contact centre is available seven days a week to answer any questions to help support our candidates. Phone lines are open Monday to Friday 8am – 8pm and Saturday and Sunday 8am – 5.30pm.
Need to take a SELT as part of your UK visa application? Book your test with Trinity today!
UK music industry continue to face systemic barriers that hinder progress, visibility, and career growth – despite decades of contribution and cultural influence, a new report has revealed.
The study, South Asian Soundcheck, published last Tuesday (7), surveyed 349 artists and professionals and found that while many are skilled and ambitious, structural obstacles are still holding them back.
Prepared by Lila, a charity focused on empowering south Asian artists and music professionals, the survey showed that nearly three-quarters of respondents earn some income from music, but only 28 per cent rely on it full time.
More than half struggle to access opportunities or funding, and many said they lack industry networks or knowledge about contracts and rights.
Beyond structural issues, almost half said they face stereotypes about the kind of music they should make; two in five encounter family doubts about music as a career, and one in three has experienced racial discrimination.
Although 69 per cent said there was progress in visibility, but 68 per cent still feel invisible within the industry.
Respondents sought urgent action, including mentorship and networking opportunities, stronger south Asian representation in key industry roles and fairer access to funding.
Veteran musician and composer Viram Jasani, who chaired the Asian Music Circuit and led a national enquiry into south Asian music in 1985, told Eastern Eye the findings were “disheartening”.
“I read the report and my heart sank – it feels as though nothing has changed,” he said.
“Back in 1985, we had already identified the same problems and made clear recommendations for better representation, employment and long-term support. Four decades later, we are still talking about the same issues.”
Jasani, a sitar, tabla and tambura expert, said the report focused mainly on modern genres and overlooked traditional south Asian music, which he believes is central to cultural identity.
“Since colonial times, British attitudes have not changed much,” he said. “If they can erase Indian traditional culture and create a community that lives entirely within an English cultural bubble, then they will have succeeded.”
He added that young south Asian artists were often drawn to Western contemporary music, while neglecting their own heritage.
“We are brilliant in Western genres, but that should come after we are grounded in our traditional shashtriya sangeet (classical music),” he said. “Without that foundation, we lose our sense of identity.”
Jasani also warned a lack of unity within the south Asian community continues to weaken its cultural progress.
He said, “People compete with each other while the world watches. For too long, massaging egos has taken priority over producing the best of our culture.”
According to the survey, one in three has experienced direct racial discrimination. One respondent said, “There are virtually no visible and successful south Asian artists in the mainstream – people simply do not know where to place us.”
Another added: “I want south Asian artists to be part of the collective mainstream industry, not just put on south Asian-specific stages or events.”
While the visibility of south Asian artists has improved, with more names appearing on festival line-ups and in the media, the study revealed this progress remains “surface level”.
Lila’s founder, Vikram Gudi, said the findings show progress has not yet been translated into structural inclusion.
“The data exposes what we call the progress paradox. Seventy-three per cent of the people we surveyed earn some money from music, but only 27 per cent earn enough to rely on it as a sustainable career,” he said.
“The Soundcheck gives us the evidence to enact real change and identifies three essential needs – mentorship, representation, and investment.”
Three-quarters of participants said mentorship from experienced professionals would make the biggest difference to their careers. Many stressed the importance of being guided by people who “understand how the industry works and can connect them to decision-makers”.
Nearly the same proportion called for greater south Asian representation across the music industry – not just on stage, but within executive, programming and production roles at festivals, venues, record labels and streaming services.
Dedicated funding also emerged as a priority, with many describing the current grant systems as inaccessible or ill-suited to the diverse and cross-genre work that defines south Asian creativity today.
Two in five respondents reported that family or community resistance remains a challenge, often due to the perceived instability of a music career. The report argued this scepticism is “economically logical”, when there are so few visible south Asian success stories in the mainstream.
Responding to the report, Indy Vidyalankara, member of the UK Music Diversity Taskforce and BPI Equity & Justice Advisory Group, said: “South Asian music is rich, vibrant, and hugely influential. We need south Asian representation at every level of the ecosystem, plus support and investment to match that influence.”
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