The exam format was checked against official sources on 18 August 2026. Before publishing or registering a candidate, confirm the requirements with the relevant test centre or institution.
Join the preparation course
Before registering, you choose a specific exam that matches your level and goal. Preparation therefore begins not with endless tests, but with one important question: which Cambridge Exam do you actually need?
We help you determine your current level, choose the right exam and create a clear preparation plan.
You will know what tasks to expect, how they are assessed, how much time each paper allows and what to do to achieve your desired result.
Cambridge English Qualifications are international exams that assess how confidently you can use English in real life, in education and at work.
Unlike IELTS or TOEFL, where every candidate takes the same test and receives a score, the Cambridge system asks you to choose an exam at a particular level in advance.
For example, if you want to certify B2 level, you take B2 First. If you need advanced academic or professional English, you choose C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency.
Cambridge English Qualifications range from A2 Key to C2 Proficiency.
This exam was previously widely known as KET.
It confirms that you can understand simple texts, use basic phrases, talk about yourself and communicate in familiar everyday situations.
The exam takes approximately two hours and assesses Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking. The final paper-based standard A2 Key session is scheduled for 3 December 2026; after that, the exam will be available digitally. A2 Key for Schools will continue in both paper-based and digital formats.
This exam is also known by its former name, PET.
B1 Preliminary is suitable for people who can already hold conversations on familiar topics, understand the main information in texts and messages, write straightforward letters and communicate while travelling.
The exam takes approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes and has four papers: Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking.
The former name FCE is still commonly used for this exam.
B2 First confirms that you can communicate fairly fluently in English, express and support your views, read different text types and produce well-structured writing.
The certificate may be useful for study, work or as official evidence of a confident Upper-Intermediate level.
The exam takes approximately 3.5 hours and includes Reading and Use of English, Writing, Listening and Speaking.
The format, timing and task types become clear and predictable.
C1 Advanced was previously known as CAE.
It certifies advanced English for university study, international workplaces, professional meetings and fluent discussion of complex topics.
C1 Advanced is accepted by more than 11,000 educational institutions, companies and government bodies. The exam takes approximately four hours and has four papers.
The former name is CPE.
This is the highest Cambridge English Qualification. It confirms that you can use English with exceptional fluency, precision and naturalness, even in demanding academic or professional contexts.
The exam is for people who need English for demanding academic programmes, high-level professional work or deep engagement in an English-speaking environment.
C2 Proficiency takes approximately four hours.
A2 Key, B1 Preliminary and B2 First are available in for Schools versions.
The level, format and difficulty are the same. The main difference is the subject matter: for Schools tasks reflect the experiences, interests and everyday lives of school-age learners.
The certificate does not suggest that the candidate took an easier exam, because the level and requirements are identical. B2 First and B2 First for Schools, for example, both certify B2 and use the same format.
The exact structure depends on the chosen level, but exams generally assess four core skills:
Reading
Writing
Listening comprehension
Speaking.
At B2, C1 and C2, Use of English also receives distinct attention, assessing grammar, word formation, fixed expressions, phrasal verbs and collocation.
This paper assesses more than whether you understand a text.
You need to be able to:
Identify the main idea and details
Understand the writer’s viewpoint and purpose
Restore missing parts of a text
Use grammar accurately
Work with word formation
Distinguish similar words and expressions
Paraphrase a sentence without changing its meaning.
In B2 First, for example, this paper lasts 1 hour and 15 minutes; in C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency, it lasts 1 hour and 30 minutes.
During preparation, we do more than complete exercises. We examine why an answer is correct, how to spot clues in a sentence and which grammar or vocabulary areas need review.
In the Writing paper, you produce one or more texts according to the task.
Depending on the level, these may include:
An essay
An email
An article
A review
A report
A proposal
A story.
Grammar is not the only consideration. You need to address every part of the task, organise the text logically, use the appropriate style and demonstrate vocabulary at the required level.
B2 First Writing lasts 1 hour and 20 minutes; C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency Writing lasts 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Throughout the course, you write regularly and receive detailed feedback. We analyse structure, content, grammar, vocabulary and style instead of merely correcting isolated errors.
Ideas, structure, arguments and editing become one clear process.
In Listening, you hear dialogues, interviews, announcements, presentations, radio programmes or extracts from lectures.
You need to understand:
The main idea
Specific details
The speaker’s attitude
Their intention or mood
The difference between similar answer options.
In Cambridge English Qualifications, recordings are generally played twice. Listening in B2 First, C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency, for example, lasts around 40 minutes.
In class, we work with different accents, train concentration and learn not to panic when an individual word is unclear.
Speaking in Cambridge Exams differs from many other international tests.
You generally take it with another candidate. Two examiners are present: one conducts the conversation and gives instructions, while the other listens and assesses your performance.
You will need to:
Answer questions about yourself
Describe or compare photographs
Express your views
Discuss a task with the other candidate
Agree or disagree with reasons
Reach a decision together.
The length depends on the level. B2 First Speaking takes about 14 minutes for a pair of candidates, C1 Advanced 15 minutes and C2 Proficiency 16 minutes.
During preparation, we regularly run mock Speaking papers. You learn not only to give strong answers, but also to interact naturally with a partner, maintain the conversation and respond to their ideas.
Most Cambridge English Qualifications can be taken in paper-based or digital format at an authorised centre; availability depends on the exam and the centre’s schedule. One exception is standard A2 Key, which moves to digital after its final paper-based session on 3 December 2026, while A2 Key for Schools retains both formats.
The content, level of difficulty and certificate are the same. Only the way you complete the tasks changes: on paper or on a computer.
In the digital format, Reading and Writing are completed on a computer and Listening uses headphones. Speaking usually still takes place with in-person examiners and another candidate.
Digital sessions may be available throughout the year, depending on the local centre’s schedule. Digital exam results generally arrive sooner.
Results are reported on the Cambridge English Scale.
Your report shows:
An overall score
A Reading score
A Writing score
A Listening score
A Speaking score
A Use of English score, if your exam includes this paper
Your final CEFR level
Your overall exam grade.
This shows not only your final outcome but also which skills are strengths and where further work is needed.
Each exam has its own score range. For example:
A2 Key — target level A2
B1 Preliminary — B1
B2 First — B2
C1 Advanced — C1
C2 Proficiency — C2.
An exceptionally high score may show a level above the exam’s target on your Statement of Results. If your score falls slightly below it, the previous level may sometimes be certified. The exact outcome depends on your Cambridge English Scale score.
A Cambridge English certificate has no official expiry date. It remains valid indefinitely and confirms the level of English you demonstrated on the test date.
However, a university, employer, professional body or immigration authority may set its own conditions. Some accept only results obtained within the past two or three years.
Always check the requirements of the organisation where you intend to submit the certificate before registering.
Digital exam results are generally available within 5–10 working days.
Paper-based exam results usually take 4–6 weeks. Your exact date appears on the Confirmation of Entry provided by the exam centre.
You can view your result online. The exam centre will then tell you when the paper certificate is ready to collect.
Mistakes become clear, practical guidance for your next step.
Bring the original of a valid photo ID to the exam. Candidates aged 18 and over generally need official government-issued identification. A passport may be required if you take the exam outside your own country.
Phones, smartwatches and other electronic devices may not be kept with you in the exam room.
Candidates taking B2 First, C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency also have a photograph taken on exam day as an additional identity check.
Arrive on time: late candidates may be refused entry. If you are ill or an emergency occurs, contact the exam centre as soon as possible.
We first determine your current level and identify the exam that best matches your goal.
We discuss:
Why you need the certificate
Which level you need to certify
When you plan to take the exam
Which papers are currently your strongest
Where you are losing the most marks
How much time you can devote to independent study.
We then create an individual preparation plan.
We do not begin by taking endless full tests and hoping the result improves on its own. First we unpack each task type, develop the necessary grammar, vocabulary and strategies, and only then move on to timed practice.
During preparation, you receive:
An explanation of your Cambridge Exam structure
Practice with every task type
Structured grammar development
Expanding vocabulary
Preparation for Reading and Use of English
Marking and feedback on written work
Regular speaking practice
Mock Speaking tests
Listening practice
Practice under timed conditions
Full mock exams
Detailed error analysis
Recommendations for independent preparation.
Cambridge Exams assess grammar in more than isolated test questions.
It affects your Writing and Speaking score: how accurately you build sentences, whether you use a varied range of structures and how well you express complex ideas.
During preparation, we work on:
English verb tenses
Modal verbs
Conditional sentences
The passive voice
Gerunds and infinitives
Word formation
Phrasal verbs
Collocations
Paraphrasing
Complex sentences
Accuracy and natural expression.
You use new grammar and vocabulary immediately in written work, discussions and spoken tasks.
The course is right for you if you:
Want official certification of your English level
Plan to study or work abroad
Are preparing for B2 First, C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency
Are unsure which exam to choose
Have taken a Cambridge Exam before but did not achieve the result you wanted
Want to improve one particular paper
Want to organise your grammar and vocabulary systematically
Want a certificate with no official expiry date.
After the course, you will understand your exam structure, assessment criteria and the requirements of every paper.
You will learn to manage time, see the logic behind tasks, write well-structured texts, speak with more confidence and use English at the level you have chosen.
We give you a clear preparation system, plenty of practice, honest feedback and support on the way to your desired result.
We’ll find the right programme, teacher and lesson format for you.