Get ready for your Exam Day!
Congratulations on enrolling for your Cambridge English exam! We are looking forward to seeing you on your exam day.
If you haven't enrolled yet and are not sure which exam is right for you, either take the free multiple-choice test or the more accurate Cambridge English Placement Test - General or Young Learners - to help you decide.
On your exam day our team will be ready to receive you, but a little preparation before the day means that your experience will be even smoother, and you will be able to focus on achieving your best performance in the assessment.
On this page, you will find all the information you need to be 100% ready to go when the day comes.
Before your exam
Many of our candidates have been studying English for some time and can be sure that they have the language knowledge they need to take their exam. However, the more knowledge that you have about the exam structure and what is expected from you, the better your test day will be.
Don’t forget to check out the following:
Our Official Preparation Materials
We have a variety of self-study books and materials available from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, the official publishers of our exam preparation materials. You can find out more about the books available here.
The Exam structure
You can read more about the structure and duration of your exam, by choosing the appropriate level here. You can also find out more about the different formats (paper based or computer based) and find some useful links to more preparation materials.
Your Confirmation of Entry
Around ten days before your exam, you will receive a Confirmation of Entry from Cambridge, which has all the information you need for the exam day itself. On this document you will find the address of the venue where your exam will take place, the times that you will be doing each part of the exam and some of our exam day regulations. You will also find here a link to the Cambridge results site and a secret number that you can use to access your results when they are released. Please keep this information safe and make sure you register on the results site to receive them as soon as they are released. If you find any inaccuracies regarding your personal information, i.e. name, date of birth, please let us know as soon as possible.
If you do not receive this document around 10 days before your exam, please get in touch with us immediately.
On Exam Day
Cambridge English exams are taken by millions of people around the world and the same standards of security must be applied at every exam session. Because of this, it is important that all candidates are aware of the Summary of Regulations, and comply with the following requirements:
Identification:
You MUST bring original valid photo identification for all of our exams (except Young Learners Exams (YLE). Valid IDs are Passports, National IDs (Cartão Cidadão), residency cards or Driving Licence. If your ID is being renewed, you should bring your renewal document AND your old ID card.
Candidates who are sitting the exam for emigration must only use their passport and should inform staff when taking your Test Day Photo.
Electronic Devices and Watches
On the day of your exam, you are not allowed access to any electronic device or watch during the written exams AND during the breaks. It is best to leave these items at home or with a family member, but if you do bring any of these to your exam, they will be taken from you and stored until it is possible for them to be returned – usually after the listening component.
Should you require an electronic device in the room for medical reasons, this request must be made before the exam day and a medical certificate provided.
Punctuality
Exam start and finish times are strictly regulated by Cambridge and we must begin our tests at the time stipulated on your Confirmation of Entry. We expect candidates to arrive 30 minutes before the start time to allow for check in and any administration before the exam starts. If a candidate arrives after the start time of the exam, they will not be admitted, and no refunds will be given.
Test Day Photos
Some of our exams require that we take a photo on the day of the exam to ensure security and verification of your results. This may be done before the start of the written papers or before your Speaking test. Cambridge English reserves the right to withhold an exam result, if a photo is not taken You must give your consent for us to take a photo by using the form that can be downloaded below. For candidates under 17 years of age, this form must also be signed by a parent or guardian. Test Day Photos are not required for any “For Schools” version of our exams, or for Young Learners Exams.
Test Day Photo form
Items in the exam room
The items that you are allowed to bring into the exam room are limited to those that you need to be able to complete your exam. These are usually your pen(s), pencil(s) – including colouring pencils for Young Learners, rubber, ID card (except Young Learners), and tissues/medication that you may need for your comfort. A bottle of water is allowed in the exam room, but must be plastic, transparent and not have any words printed on it. Please have a look at this poster to see examples of bottles allowed.
Problems on the day
Our mission is to offer every candidate the best possible exam day experience, and our specialist team will be there to help you with any issues that may arise. If you have a particular problem, please make sure to speak to one of the team or the Supervisor on the day, so that we can address it immediately. If you inform us after the exam day, we will not be able to apply some of the measures that Cambridge allows. This should be followed by an email to us within 5 working days. Complaints submitted after this may not be considered due to difficulties in ascertaining the exam conditions provided.
After your exam
Absence from the exam
If you are unable to attend your exam due to sickness, bereavement or other, it is possible to request a new exam date, or a partial refund from Cambridge English. To be able to do this, we will need you to provide an official document (atestado medico, etc.) within 5 days of the exam. Final decisions on any refund will be taken by Cambridge English.
Your results and certificate
Your Confirmation of Entry contains important information on how to access your results, and also the date on which these will be available. We recommend that you read this information carefully and register on the Cambridge results site. Certificates are usually sent to us around 2-3 weeks after the results are released. When we receive these, we will send them to your school, or contact your directly to arrange delivery to you.
Feedback
We are always keen to hear your feedback on how your exam went and you can contact us if you have any other doubts or queries. Positive feedback also means a lot to us, and we welcome you feedback on our social media platforms and Google reviews.
For more detailed information about our processes, please have a look at our Terms and Conditions.
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