Minors' Testing Policy

Definitions

For the purposes of this policy, the following definitions apply:

“Minor” means any person who is 16 years to under 18 years of age at the time the candidate registers for the Skills for English UKVI test.

“Parent / Guardian” refers to the natural parent of the minor or legal guardian appointed to care for the minor and who has authority to provide consent for the minor.

“Skills for English” refers to tests and PSI as the entity delivering the test.

“SELT” means Secure English Language Tests that indicates the high-stakes secure exam environment of our Test Centres that deliver this Skills for English test.

“PSI” refers to the entity PSI Services (UK) Limited, its affiliates and third party suppliers, administering and delivering the Skills for English test.

“Client Test Sponsor” refers to the client of PSI. For the “Skills for English UKVI” tests this is the Home Office UK Visas and Immigration.

Policy

It is the policy of PSI to administer SELT tests to minor candidates, but only using procedures that are appropriate to protect minors’ and their parents’/guardians’ interests, and, as important, to protect PSI’s interests, including PSI’s interests in the secure, efficient administration of tests to non-minor candidates. Accordingly, PSI adopts this policy regarding testing of minors for the Skills for English tests

PSI will comply with applicable regulations and laws with regard to testing of minors and shall handle administration of tests in a confidential manner.

Process

PSI will administer tests to minors for whom consent has been provided, at PSI authorised test centres. Minor candidates are NOT required to be accompanied to a testing centre by a parent/guardian, however, all required forms must be executed, submitted, and verified in advance of the minor candidate’s testing date.

  1. Only test centre staff, PSI management, test candidates, and visitors approved by PSI Headquarters are authorised to use the PSI / Skills for English test centres at which minor candidates may sit for their tests.
  2. PSI will ensure the security of the tests being administered, and the safety of the minor candidates testing.
  3. If a parent/guardian accompanies a minor candidate to a testing centre, the accompanying parent/guardian or anyone else may NOT (i) enter the test centre, including the check-in / reception area, (ii) wait for the minor candidate inside the test centre, (iii) bring anyone other than the minor candidate to the test centre.
  4. As part of the test day check-in process, a candidate must provide the following:
    1. The completed and signed Release Form for Testing of Minors, see Attachment 1 to this Policy;
    2. The completed emergency contact form, see Attachment 2 to this Policy; and
    3. A government-issued photo ID of themselves as used to register booking on the candidate account website
  5. Minor candidates may receive disability-related adjustments or support, consistent with Skills for English Special Requirements procedures.