The ISE certificate from the Tinity College London ESOL is accepted by many schools and universities in the UK as proof that the participant's level of English is sufficient enough to be able to follow courses at an academic level.

This test differs from the other English examinations in the fact that the candidates are required to provide a written document in advance, containing three writing exercises. The topics are selected from a list provided by the Trinity College and are of variable length. The written documents, called "Portfolio", will be a basis for discussions during the oral examination.

The difficulty of the examination varies with the level requested, ranging from level A2 (ISE 0) to C2 (ISE IV).