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Sample exam papers and online teacher resources are available at the Cambridge ESOL website

International Certificate in Financial English website.

ICFE commercial at the www.youtube.com.

INTERNATIONAL CERTIFICATE IN FINANCIAL ENGLISH

The International Certificate in Financial English (ICFE) is an exam developed by Cambridge ESOL in partnership with ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants), the largest and fastest-growing international accountancy body. ICFE shows whether candidates have an adequate level of English to function efficiently within the international finance community. Cambridge ICFE is designed for finance and accounting students and for those already employed in or seeking employment in any financially orientated environment.

For further information please contact our office:
British Council
Integrated Customer  Services
phone: 048 22 695 59 00
exams@britishcouncil.pl

What does ICFE look like?

The exam consists of four papers:

  • Reading: 1 hour 15 mins
  • Writing: 1 hour 15 mins
  • Listening: 40 minutes
  • Speaking: 16 minutes
When and where can I sit the exam?

You can take  the ICFE exam at the  British Council in Warsaw and Krakow. In 2009 there will be two sessions available:

Written parts Speaking Deadline for registration:
Saturday 16 May 2009 8- 18 May 2009 27 March 2009
Saturday 14 November 2009 6 - 16 November 2009 25 September 2009

What is the ICFE fee?

ICFE exam costs 550 PLN.

HOW DO i REGISTER?

In order to register for ICFE you should:

1. Read the Regulations carefully.
2. Fill in the Entry Form.
3. Pay the exam fee - 550 PLN.

IMPORTANT: when completing the section on  your payment slip entitled “Tytułem” please use the descriptions below:
Name of exam/date of exam/candidate’s name + surname
e.g. ICFE/7/01/06/PAWEŁ KOMAR

3. Submit an Entry Form and receipt to the British Council office by the date specified below:
by 27 March 2009 - for the ICFE exam in May 2009,
by 25 September 2009 - for the ICFE exam in November 2009

  • in person or by post to the following address:
    British Council
    Integrated Customer Services
    Al. Jerozolimskie 59
    00-697 Warszawa
  • by fax: 022 695 59 30
  • scanned documents by email: exams@britishcouncil.pl

_________________________________________________________________________

Before submitting your documents please make sure that:

  • your entry documentation is complete and signed
  • you have chosen a date and centre for your exam
  • you have chosen the way of receiving a certificate
  • you have attached a proof of paymentIncomplete entries and entries received after the deadline will not be accepted.

You can collect the registration documents at the British Council office in Warsaw.  We can also send you the documents by post.  In this case please contact us early in advance in order to meet the registration deadline.

Information about the venue and time of the exam will be sent to candidates by e-mail approximately 2 weeks before the test date.

On the day of the exam bring a receipt, an identity document (ID or passport), a pen, pencil and eraser.

How to prepare for icfe?

A preparation course is not a requirement for candidates who want to register for ICFE.  However, it is recommended that candidates have some knowledge of financial English or attend an English for finance preparation course.

ICFE preparation materials:

  • “Professional English in Use - Finance” Ian MacKenzie (CUP)
  • “Dictionary of Finance Terms for Professionals” Roman Kozierkiewicz  (C.H.BECK)

Sample exam papers and online teacher resources are available at http://www.financialenglish.org/

What grades are there?

Candidates receive one of the following grades:

Passing grades

  • Pass with Merit C1 English at advanced level (CAE level) - 80 - 100%
  • Pass C1 English at advanced level (CAE level) - 70 - 79 %
  • Pass B2 English at intermediate level (FCE level) - 50 - 69 %

Failing grades

  • Narrow Fail -  45 - 49 %
  • Fail - 0  - 44 %

Results are available ca 9 weeks after the exam on http://www.cambridgeesol-results.org. Candidates receive from British Council instructions how they can check their results.

what your language level means?

COUNCIL OF EUROPE LEVELS

The Council of Europe Common European Framework of Reference is intended to describe the criteria of language knowledge and skills of language learners across Europe. Please find below a comparison of ICFE with the Council of Europe global scale levels.

Detailed description
A1

Break-through
Can understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases aimed at the satisfaction of needs of a concrete type. Can introduce him/herself and others and can ask and answer questions about personal details such as where he/she lives, people he/she knows and things he/she has. Can interact in a simple way provided the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help.
A2

Waystage
Can understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of most immediate relevance (e.g. very basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment). Can communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters. Can describe in simple terms aspects of his/her background, immediate environment and matters in areas of immediate need.
B1

Threshold
Can understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc. Can deal with most situations likely to arise whilst travelling in an area where the language is spoken. Can produce simple connected text on topics which are familiar or of personal interest. Can describe experiences and events, dreams, hopes and ambitions and briefly give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans.
B2

Vantage
Can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in his/her field of specialisation. Can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible without strain for either party. Can produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects and explain a viewpoint on a topical issue, giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options.
C1

Effective Proficiency
Can understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts, and recognise implicit meaning. Can express him/herself fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions. Can use language flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes. Can produce clear, well-structured, detailed text on complex subjects, showing controlled use of organisational patterns, connectors and cohesive devices.
C2

Mastery
Can understand with ease virtually everything heard or read. Can summarise information from different spoken and written sources, reconstructing arguments and accounts in a coherent presentation. Can express him/herself spontaneously, very fluently and precisely, differentiating finer shades of meaning even in more complex situations.
For more information please visit the Council of Europe webpage.

who accepts icfe?

ICFE is accepted by:
Departament of Education and Science - Ireland
Ernst & Young - Polska
Freyssinier Morin - Mexico
Goobo Ltd - UK
Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT) - United Arab Emirates
International Graduate Business School Zagreb
KPMG Ceská Republika
KPMG Uruguay
Ofqual – Office of the Qualifications and Examinations Regulator - UK
Ordre des Experts Comptables de Tunisie
Pearson Financial Consulting - China
Pioneer Hi-Bred Seeds Agro SRL - Romania
PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) - China
PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) - UK
Riga Graduale School of Law
Riso de Mexico, S.A. de C.V.
Romanian Banking Institute
UK Border Agency (Home Office)
Vientiane Hotel - China

The data regarding ICFE exam are based on the http://www.cambridgeesol.org/recognition/results.php?region=&type=&ICFE=on webpage.

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