UK Home Office Explores Remote Testing Options for £680m HOELT Tender
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The UK Home Office has launched a fresh round of market engagement for its upcoming Home Office English Language Test (HOELT), focusing specifically on remote and digital testing technologies.
This fourth round of engagement aims to assess the viability of integrating emerging technologies into the HOELT delivery model. In a notice published on July 2, the Home Office stated that it seeks “market insights on newly available and emerging technology in relation to remote testing,” potentially shaping how English language skills are assessed for UK visa applicants in future.
Initially launched in August 2024, the HOELT tender proposed a £1.13 billion contract to develop and maintain a government-owned Secure English Language Test. However, the contract value has since been reduced to £680 million, and developers are now also being asked to consider remote delivery options, alongside managing the global network of 268 test centres across 142 countries.
While the tender still mandates the operation of physical centres, the inclusion of remote testing reflects wider sector trends. Yet, the move also raises public concerns. A recent YouGov poll, commissioned by Cambridge University Press & Assessment, found that 40% of the UK public worry about AI making it easier to cheat in digital exams. Around a quarter of respondents were also concerned about reduced human interaction and unequal access to technology.
Despite the rise of AI in testing, only 8% of those surveyed said they had no concerns about AI-led English exams used for UK work and study visa applications.
The HOELT project was initially set to be split into two separate contracts – one for test development and one for global delivery. However, following the budget reduction, some industry observers now speculate that the Home Office may opt for a single supplier to handle both.
Current providers of Home Office-approved SELTs include Pearson, LanguageCert, Trinity College London, and IELTS, the latter co-owned by IDP, Cambridge English, and the British Council.
The deadline for the current round of engagement is 17 July 2025.
Source: THE PIE NEWS
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