Quick answer: if there is any chance you'll need a UK visa through this test, the choice is already made — Password is not on the UK Home Office's approved Secure English Language Test (SELT) list, and LanguageCert is. If you only need academic admission and your university has already named Password, this comparison mostly explains what you're getting rather than what to choose.
TL;DR
- LanguageCert is Home Office-approved for UK visas (SELT); Password is not, and never has been on that list.
- Password Skills tests reading and listening only; Skills Plus adds writing — neither variant has a speaking component at all.
- You usually can't choose Password independently — it's booked only through the institution that requires it, with no public test-centre network.
- LanguageCert can be booked independently, includes a live 13-minute Speaking exam, and works for both admission and visa purposes.
1. The difference that matters most: UK visa (SELT) eligibility
Per the UK government's own guidance, the only approved SELT providers are Trinity College London, the IELTS SELT Consortium, LanguageCert, and Pearson (PSI Services outside the UK). Password does not appear on that list. This means Password cannot satisfy a UK visa's English-language requirement under any circumstances — it doesn't matter how well you score, because the test itself isn't on the approved roster. If your route is a student visa, a work visa, or settlement, and you need an SELT, LanguageCert is a genuine option here and Password structurally is not.
2. You may not get to choose Password at all
Password is licensed directly to institutions rather than sold to test-takers independently. There is no public Password test-centre network the way there is for IELTS or LanguageCert — the university that requires it administers the sitting itself, usually online with remote proctoring, within its own pre-sessional admissions process. Practically, this means: if your offer letter names Password, you generally sit Password through that institution; you don't get to substitute LanguageCert unless the institution's own policy explicitly allows an alternative.
3. What's actually tested — and the missing skill
LanguageCert's International ESOL splits into a Written exam (Listening, Reading, Writing — 2h40 at B2) and a separate Speaking exam (about 13 minutes with a live interlocutor, face-to-face or online). The two can be taken together or independently.
Password works differently by design: Password Skills covers reading and listening only; Password Skills Plus adds a writing component. Neither variant tests speaking at all. If your goal — or your institution's goal — includes verifying spoken English specifically, Password cannot provide that evidence; LanguageCert's live Speaking exam can.
4. Price and retakes
LanguageCert's SELT variants (Academic SELT, General SELT) are priced at roughly $270 USD; International ESOL pricing varies by country and test centre. LanguageCert offers an independent "Take2" resit option, bookable on your own schedule.
Password does not publish a standalone public price — it's arranged and typically paid through the institution requiring it, so the actual cost to you depends on your university's own pre-sessional fee structure. Retakes are limited to the institution's own booking window, with slot availability controlled by the university rather than by you, and usually charged at full price per attempt.
5. Decision table
| Factor | LanguageCert | Password |
|---|---|---|
| UK visa (SELT) eligible | Yes | No |
| Speaking component | Yes — live, ~13 min | None, at either level |
| Booking | Independent — test centre or online | Only via the requiring institution |
| Price | ~$270 (SELT); varies by country (ESOL) | Not public — set by institution |
| Retakes | Independent, "Take2" option | Institution-controlled slots, full fee |
6. When to choose which
Password may be your only option when: your university's pre-sessional programme has already named it as the required test — in that case there usually isn't a choice to make.
Choose LanguageCert when: you need UK visa/SELT eligibility now or might need it later; you want a live-assessed speaking score rather than a receptive-skills-only result; or your institution accepts both and you want one test that covers admission and visa purposes.
For the full LanguageCert format, scoring and prep timeline, see the LanguageCert Complete Guide. If your route also needs speaking or listening-specific prep, see Speaking strategy and Listening strategy. To see how both stack up against IELTS, PTE, TOEFL and more, see the full 8-exam cost comparison.
Frequently asked questions
Is Password accepted for a UK student visa? No. Password does not appear on the UK Home Office's approved Secure English Language Test (SELT) provider list, which currently names only Trinity College London, the IELTS SELT Consortium, LanguageCert, and Pearson. Password is an academic pre-sessional assessment tool, not a visa-qualifying test.
Does Password test speaking at all? No. Password Skills covers reading and listening only; Password Skills Plus adds a writing component. Neither variant includes a speaking assessment.
Can I take LanguageCert instead if my university requires Password? Usually not by default. Pre-sessional programmes that name Password do so because they've licensed it directly into their own admissions pipeline. Check your offer letter or pre-sessional instructions for whether an alternative test is explicitly accepted before assuming you can substitute one.
Why doesn't Password have public test centres like IELTS or LanguageCert? Because Password is licensed to institutions rather than sold directly to test-takers. The university that requires it administers the sitting itself, usually online with remote proctoring, rather than through an independent test-centre network.
If my university accepts LanguageCert or IELTS but not Password, does this comparison apply to me? No. This comparison is for candidates whose institution has specifically named Password as a required or optional test. If Password isn't on your programme's accepted-tests list at all, compare LanguageCert against whichever tests actually are listed.