1. At a glance
| Password Skills | Password Skills Plus | |
|---|---|---|
| Sections | Reading + Writing + Listening | Reading + Writing + Listening + Speaking |
| Length | ~2 hr 30 min | ~3 hr |
| Scoring | CEFR band + decimal | CEFR band + finer decimal |
| Reading-into-writing | No | Yes |
| Typical acceptance | UK pre-sessional, Foundation | UK postgraduate, plus pre-sessional |
2. The Speaking question
Skills Plus is the only version with a speaking section. Most UK master's programmes ask for Skills Plus because admissions teams want a four-skill snapshot.
If your target programme only mentions "Password test" without specifying, assume Skills Plus and confirm with admissions.
If there's any chance you'll need this for a UK visa, not just admission: neither Password variant is on the UK Home Office's approved SELT list. LanguageCert IESOL is a SELT-eligible alternative that also includes a live speaking exam at every level — worth checking if your route could extend beyond academic admission.
3. Reading-into-writing (the hidden gap)
Skills Plus adds an integrated task: read a short text, then write a 200-word response. This tests synthesis, not just generation. If you've only prepped Skills-style writing, this task can blindside you.
Drill specifically:
- Read a 300-word opinion piece
- Take 30 seconds to identify the central claim
- Write a 200-word response taking a stance with at least one reference to the source
Use our writing tool and select "Password Skills Plus — Writing."
4. Scoring granularity
Skills reports CEFR + a single decimal. Skills Plus reports CEFR + finer decimals for each section.
For applicants this matters because:
- Postgraduate offers often state "Password Skills Plus 6.5 overall with no section below 5.5"
- Skills cannot fulfill that requirement — the granular per-section breakdown doesn't exist
5. Choosing in practice
If your target programme:
- Lists "Password" generically → ask admissions which version
- Lists "Skills Plus" → take Skills Plus
- Lists "Skills" → take Skills (rare for postgraduate)
- Says "pre-sessional course required" → Skills is typically enough
When in doubt, take Skills Plus. Most institutions accept it as a strict superset.
6. Prep time difference
If you're aiming for the same CEFR band:
- Skills: ~25 hours of focused prep from a stable starting point
- Skills Plus: ~35 hours (the +10 hours covers speaking and reading-into-writing)
Use our study plan to schedule a realistic timeline.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between Password Skills and Skills Plus?
Skills covers Reading, Writing and Listening. Skills Plus adds a Speaking section and a Reading-into-Writing integrated task. Skills Plus also reports finer per-section scores used by postgraduate admissions.
Which version do UK universities want?
Most postgraduate programmes require Skills Plus because they need a four-skill snapshot. Pre-sessional courses and Foundation programmes typically accept Skills.
If my programme just says 'Password', which should I take?
Assume Skills Plus and confirm with admissions. Skills Plus is treated as a strict superset of Skills by most institutions, so it satisfies both kinds of requirements.
How much extra prep does Skills Plus need vs Skills?
About 10 additional hours from the same baseline. The extra time covers Speaking practice and the Reading-into-Writing synthesis task.