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Examinations for Lawyers and Students of Law |
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and test the English language skills required by the legal profession and sectors related to law. They test the following skills: - knowledge and use of vocabulary relevant in the global commercial market;
- writing formal letters and communicating by email;
- the ability to follow a course of legal study where the instruction is in English;
- reading and writing complex law documentation;
- the language of negotiating (TOLES only);
- grammatical accuracy (TOLES only).
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For further information please contact our office:
British Council Examination Services T.: +48 (0) 22 695 59 00 exams@britishcouncil.pl
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What do Legal english exams look like? |
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consists of four parts:
- Reading - 1 hour 15 minutes, 6 tasks with 54 questions;
- Writing - 1 hour 15 minutes, 2 tasks;
- Listening – 40 minutes, 4 tasks with 30 questions;
- Speaking – 16 minutes, 4 tasks.
is offered at three different levels:
- TOLES Foundation (A2-B1 Council of Europe levels): Reading & Writing - 1hour 30 minutes;
- TOLES Higher (B1-B2 Council of Europe levels): Reading & Writing – 1hour 30 minutes, Listening – 30 minutes;
- TOLES Advanced (B2-C2 Council of Europe levels) – Reading & Writing - 2 hours.
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When and where can i sit legal english exams? |
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What are the legal english exams' fees? |
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The fees for exams taken before 30th June 2012 are presented in the Examinations Fees document.
The fees for exams taken in the period between 1st July 2012 and 30th June 2013 are presented in the Examinations Fees document.
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- For the ILEC exams taken before 30th June 2012 please read the Regulations for Cambridge ESOL examinations.
For the ILEC exams taken in the period between 1st July 2012 and 30th June 2013 please read the Cambridge ESOL Examinations Regulations carefully.
- Enter your candidature into the candidates on-line database in the British Council EntryNet system on www.britishcouncil.pl
- Deposit the required fee according to the instructions given in the British Council EntryNet.
Candidates who do not observe the procedures stated in points A1, A2 and A3 will not be able to enter for the given session of the Cambridge examinations and their personal data will be deleted from the candidates database in the British Council EntryNet on-line registration system.
IMPORTANT Candidates will receive by e-mail the confirmation that their data was successfully added to the candidates on-line database together with information regarding payment details and the examination fee. The submission of proof of payment is not required. When the payment is accredited to the British Council account the candidate will receive an e-mail with the conformation of registration for a Cambridge exam.Candidates should keep both e-mail messages until they receive an e-mail with the Statement of Entry with the detailed plan of the session.
- Read the 2012 TOLES Regulations carefully.
- Fill in the Entry Form and pay the exam fee.
Below you will find postal slips which can be used for payment: - TOLES Foundation Payment Slip, - TOLES Higher Payment Slip, - TOLES Advanced Payment Slip.
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.: TOLES Foundation/7/01/06/PAWEŁ KOMAR
- send the documents to British Council Integrated Customer Services by e-mali exams@britishcouncil.pl or fax 22 695 59 30:
Entries sent after close of registration or incomplete documentation will not be accepted.
If there are fewer than 10 candidates registered for a session the test will not be organised. In such an eventuality, the British Council will offer candidates either a full reimbursement of the examination fee or transfer to the next available exam session.
Candidates will receive information on the exam timetable (Statements of Entry) by e-mail approximately 2 weeks before the date of their test.
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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. The Statement of Results shows the candidate’s performance on each of the four papers and an overall grade. Those who achieve pass grades will receive an official certificate awarded by the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations. Certificates can be obtained in the following way:
- in person at the British Council in Warsaw
- by registered mail (PLEASE NOTE: in the case of the loss of a certificate the University of Cambridge will not issue a duplicate)
- by courier (at the candidate’s expense)
ILEC exam 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 6 weeks after the exam. Certificates can be obtained in the following way:
- in person at the British Council in Warsaw
- by registered mail (in the case of the loss of a certificate the candidate covers the cost of issuing a duplicate)
- by courier (at the candidate’s expense)
TOLES Foundation and TOLES Higher grades:
There are four grade bands. Candidate’s results are expressed as a percentage score.
| 81-100 |
This candidate has EXCELLENT legal English skills at the chosen level |
| 61-80 |
This candidate has VERY GOOD legal English skills at the chosen level |
| 41-60 |
This candidate has SATISFACTORY legal English skills at the chosen level |
| 0-40 |
This candidate DOES NOT YET POSSESS legal English skills at the chosen level |
TOLES Advanced grades:
The examination provides a series of six progressively graded results, which are designed to comment exclusively upon legal professionals whose first language is not English. They move from a very low level of proficiency (GREEN 0-100) up to an advanced level of proficiency which approaches native-level ability (GOLD 451-500).
GOLD 451-500 |
excellent. |
ORANGE 401-450 |
very good |
RED 301-400 |
good |
PURPLE 201-300 |
satisfactory |
BLUE 101-200 |
approaching satisfactory |
GREEN 0 -100 |
basic |
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how to prepare for legal english exams? |
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A preparation course is not a requirement for candidates who want to register for ILEC and TOLES. However, it is recommended that candidates have some practice in law (are familiar with law) or attend a legal English preparation course.
preparation materials:
Available in Poland:
- 058232842X: Mkt Leader Business Law
- 0582468981: Penguin: Test Your Professional English Law
- 0134012097: English for Law
- 0132804549: English Law and Language
- 837387084-9: C.H.BECK M.Jakubaszek "Legal English"
- 83-7387-253-1: C.H.BECK I.Kienzler “Dictionary of Economic Terms (Banking-Finances-Law) English-Polish”
- 83-7387-328-7: : C.H.BECK I.Kienzler “Polsko-Angielski Słownik Terminologii Gospodarczej (Bankowość-Finanse-Prawo)”
Available in Great Britain (can be ordered by the Omnibus bookstore (poznan@omnibus.com.pl):
- ISBN 042179870X English for Contract and Company Law by Chartrand, Millar and Wiltshire
- ISBN 0-9537653-0-X An Essential A-Z of Business Law by Rosemary Atkins and Catherine Mason
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If you want to receive an invoice for your exam payment, fill in one of the forms below:
The British Council is not a payer of VAT.
Candidates who have paid for an exam, but did not register are entitled to a full refund. They should fill in a refund form (Refund Form for TOLES; Refund Form for ILEC) and submit it to the British Council Examination Services.
Candidate who were not able to take part in the exam because of health reasons you are entitled to:
- TOLES - transfer to the next convenient exam date. The basis for the transfer is a medical certificate signed by a doctor and submitted to the below address within 5 working days of the exam.
- ILEC - a 60% refund of the basic examination fee. The basis for the refund is a medical certificate signed by your doctor and submitted to the to the British Council Examination Centre in the town in which the candidate has been registered for exam no later than the deadline stated in the regulations.
Candidates who are absent for other then health reasons are not entitled to a refund or transfer.
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what your language level means? |
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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 ILEC and TOLES with the Council of Europe global scale levels.

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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.
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who accepts ILEC and/or TOLES? |
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| ILEC is accepted by: |
TOLES is accepted by: |
| 1 & 1 Internet AG |
Allen & Overy LLP |
| Advokatfirman Delphi |
Baker and McKenzie |
| American University of Armenia |
Clifford Chance Punder |
| American University, Washington College of Law, International Legal Studies Program |
KPMG |
| Arsov Natchev Ganevia (Bulgaria) |
Linklaters Oppenhoff and Radler |
| AS systems – Airbus |
PricewaterhouseCoopers |
| Assystem (Airbus) Legal Dept |
The Law Society of England and Wales |
| Attorney General’s Chambers of Malaysia |
And other law firms and organizations that have already entered candidates for the TOLES exams |
| Becerril, Coca & Becerril, Mexico |
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| Bernet Castagnet Wantz & Associés |
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| Birkbeck University of London |
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| BNP-Paribas |
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| Boston University Law School – International LLM Program |
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| Bucerius Law School, Germany |
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| Bucerius Law School, Hamburg |
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| Bucharest Police Academy |
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| Bustamante & Bustamante, Ecuador |
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| Cabinet Hoche, Paris |
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| Camargo Correa, Brazil |
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| Charles University, Prague |
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| Claeys & Engels Law Firm |
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| College of Europe |
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| Conçalves Pereira, Castelo Branco, Portugal |
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| Council of Europe |
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| Delphi |
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| Department of Education and Science |
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| Dewey & LeBoeuf Studio Legale |
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| Doubinsky & Osharova, Ukraine |
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| ELS – Executive Language Services |
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| English Connection |
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| English World Institute |
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| Ernst & Young |
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| Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-Universität Greifswald |
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| Ester & Steiermärkische Bank, Croatia |
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| Europäische Fernhochschule Hamburg |
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| European Company Lawyers Association |
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| European Law Students Association (ELSA) |
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| European Young Bar Association |
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| Eversheds |
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| Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Germany |
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| G Grönberg Advokatbyrå, Sweden |
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| Gonçalves Pereira, Castelo Branco |
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| Guyer & Regules, Uruguay |
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| Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT), United Arab Emirates |
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| Hoche Société D’Avocats |
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| Hochschule Liechtenstein |
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| International Association of Yourn Lawyers (AIJA) |
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| International Graduate Business School Zagreb (IGBS Zagreb) |
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| ITESM Campus Esdado de México, Escuela de Derecho |
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| Jeantet & Associates, Paris |
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| Kluge Law Firm, Oslo |
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| KY Akadamien vid Studium |
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| KY Akadamien, Sweden |
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| La Trobe University, Australia |
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| Labe i Wspólnicy, Polska |
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| Laga |
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| Langues et Affaires |
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| Leibniz Universität Hannover |
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| Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck Kirkpatrick, Belgium |
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| Linklaters LLP |
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| LO-TCE Bistíndsnämnd |
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| LO-TCO Rättskydd AB |
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| Ministry of Finance of the Czech Republic |
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| Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO) |
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| Nafta AS |
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| NautaDutilh |
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| New Language School, Belgium |
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| Ofqual - Office of the Qualifications and Examinations Regulator, UK |
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| Paris Bar Association ‘Formation Continue’ |
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| Paris Bar Association Legal Training Centre (EFB) |
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| Pontificia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais, Post Graduate Law Course, Brazil |
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| PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) |
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| Proskauer Rose |
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| PUC Minas |
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| Queen Mary (University of London) – School of Law |
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| Reykjavik University |
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| Riga Graduate School of Law, Latvia |
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| Société Générale Bank Monaco Legal Dept |
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| Solvay S.A. |
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| STRABAG SE |
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| Strabag, Austria |
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| Studio Legale Toffoletto, Italy |
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| Sveucilište J.J. Strossmayera u Osijeku – Pravni Fakultet |
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| Sveucilište u Splitu – Pravni Fakultet |
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| Swedish Bar Association (Sveriges advokasamfund) |
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| The Council of Europe |
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| The University of Edinburgh |
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| The University of Salford |
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| Toffoletto e Soci |
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| UK Border Agency (Home Office), UK |
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| United Internet AG |
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| Universidad Autónoma de Madrid |
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| Universidad Catolica de Avila |
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| Universidad de Navarra |
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| Universidad de Sevilla |
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| Universidad de Zaragoza |
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| Universidad de Zaragoza, Spain |
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| Universidade de Sevilla |
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| Universität Bern |
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| Universität St.Gallen |
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| Universität Wien |
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| Universitč de Ličge |
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| Université de Paris II – Panthéon-Assas |
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| Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne |
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| Universiteit van Tilburg |
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| Universitŕ Carlo Cattaneo |
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| Universitŕ Commerciale Luigi Bocconi |
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| Universitŕ degli Studi dell’Insubria |
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| Universitŕ degli Studi di Camerino |
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| Universitŕ degli Studi di Foggia |
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| Universitŕ degli Studi di Milano – Bicocca |
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| Universitŕ degli Studi di Parma |
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| University Catolica de Avila |
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| University of Applied Sciences Hamburg (Euro-FH) |
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| University of Bern |
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| University of Bocconi, Italy |
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| University of Calabria, Italy |
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| University of Camerino |
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| University of Carlo Cattaneo – LUIC |
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| University of Edinburgh, Institute for Applied Language Studies |
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| University of Foggia |
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| University of Graz |
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| University of Greifswald |
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| University of Hanover |
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| University of Innsbruck |
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| University of Insurbia |
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| University of Liège, Belgium |
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| University of Milan, Bicocca |
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| University of Montpellier 1 Faculté de Droit |
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| University of Navarra |
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| University of New South Wales |
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| University of Osijek, Croatia |
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| University of Paris I – Sorbonne |
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| University of Paris II – Assas |
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| University of Parma |
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| University of Reykjavik |
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| University of Split, Croatia |
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| University of St Gallen |
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| University of Tilburg, Netherlands |
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| University of Vienna |
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| University of Würzburg |
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| Uría Menéndez |
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| Uría Menéndez Portugal & Spain |
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| Wardyński & Partners, Polska |
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| Weinhold Legal |
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| Wierzbowski Eversheds |
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| Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften (ZHAW) |
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| Zurich University of Applied Sciences |
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The data regarding ILEC exam are based on the http://www.cambridgeesol.org/recognition/results.php?region=&type=&ILEC=on and also the http://www.legalenglishtest.org/recognition.php webpages.
The data regarding TOLES exam are based on the http://toles.tricycle-media.com/exec/sam/view/id=300/node=302/ webpage.
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How to verify an ILEC certificate? |
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In May 2010 University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations launched a Results Verification Service to help organisations, individuals and agencies to validate candidates' Cambridge ESOL examination results.
The service is free of charge and available online at https://verification.cambridgeesolonline.org/User/SignIn?ReturnUrl=%2f Anyone can use this free service once they have been given permission to verify a result by the certificate holder. Hence, it is a great opportunity for employers to validate the Cambridge ESOL certificates presented by future employees – the service offers all examinations results gathered from 2005 inclusively. The Results Verification Service might be also useful for universities that would like to confirm students’ English language qualifications.
By using this service one can verify results for the following exams:
- Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE)
- Certificate in Advanced English (CAE)
- First Certificate in English (FCE)
- Preliminary English Test (PET)
- Preliminary English Test for Schools
- Key English Test (KET)
- Key English Test for Schools
- International Legal English Certificate (ILEC)
- International Certificate in Financial English (ICFE)
- Business English Certificates (BEC).
For more detailed information please refer to the Results Verification Service Manual
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