U.K. Border Agency approves Pearson's test security methods

Published 3 August 2010

Students who want to study in the United Kingdom must prove their proficiency in English before being granted a student visa; Pearson, the authors of the Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic), relies on multiple layers of biometrics — palm vein scanning, digital signatures, and test day digital photographs of applicants — to ensure that those who take the test are who they say they are

Palm vein biometrics take advantage of the unique pattern of veining in the individual's hand // Source: pclaunches.com

Pearson announced that the U.K. Border Agency (UKBA) has formally approved Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic) as fully satisfying the government’s criteria for English language proficiency tests for student visas under Tier 4 of the Points Based System.

Under the terms of the new legislation, foreign students applying to come to the United Kingdom under the Tier 4 (General) category for courses below degree level (except foundation degree courses) have to demonstrate that their level of English is up to a specific standard. This is equivalent to a score of 43 on the PTE Academic score scale.

The World Sentinel reports that one of the main areas of concern set out in the Home Office announcement was test security. To meet this concern, Pearson’s new test uses multiple layers of biometric and other cutting-edge technology. This process, which eliminates a paper trail and local marking, includes the capture of three types of biometrics (palm vein scanning, digital signatures and test day digital photographs of applicants) and an online verification database of candidate results and speech samples, to ensure the authenticity of both the individual taking the test and the results. Automated scoring further provides a secure, standardized assessment of language proficiency to make certain that subjective judgments do not come into play when assessing a candidate’s language abilities.

Emma Stubbs, global vice president for sales and marketing at Pearson Language Tests, explains: “The British Government wants language tests that are secure and rigorous enough to ensure the integrity of our immigration system. Pearson is using biometric technology to raise the bar and set a new standard in English language testing, as we believe the advantages offered by our test are of real benefit to students, institutions and governments. PTE Academic is already accepted for Tiers 1 and 2 of the Points Based System, and Pearson is extremely pleased to achieve approval for Tier 4.”