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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS |
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Why should I take an exam at the British Council? |
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Our long-standing presence in Romania and extensive experience as well as the expertise in delivering UK qualifications guarantee you a positive examination experience. We ensure exams are delivered to high standards so that all candidates are treated equally and fairly. This is the reason why over 80 UK educational institutions and universities have chosen British Council to organise their exams worldwide.
British Council Romania has been awarded Platinum Centre status by Cambridge ESOL, in recognition of the high quality services and the expertise in exam administration.
The British Council is the only approved centre for IELTS exams in Romania.
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IELTS is not a ‘pass / fail’ test. The grading system uses marks from 1 to 9 and the final grade represents the average of all papers as well as the candidate’s English language level. As a rule of thumb, the institution requiring the test will also specify the module and the minimal grade. |
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What IELTS module should I take? |
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There are two IELTS modules: General Training and Academic. Please ask the institution requiring the test about the accepted module. Usually the Academic one is required for study purposes and the General Training one is required for immigration and work purposes.
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I want to emigrate to Australia/New Zealand/Canada. Can I get information about visa procedures at the British Council? |
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We can only provide information about the IELTS test, which is usually required for emigration purposes. All other details related to visa procedures should be asked for at the appropriate Consulate/ Embassy.
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Where can I take a Cambridge exam? |
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General English Cambridge examinations can be taken in 5 open centres: Bucharest, Brasov, Cluj, Iasi and Timisoara. |
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Can I pay in instalments? |
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A candidate’s registration for a Cambridge examination is valid only when paying the entire examination fee.
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What happens if I am late for an exam? |
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Irrespective of its causes, a late arrival brings upon the candidate the probability of not being accepted in the examination room. If you are admitted late, not all of your work may be accepted. If you miss any of the papers, you may not be given a grade.
After the Listening paper had begun no candidate is admitted in the examination room.
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Why does it take so long before I get my Cambridge result/certificate? |
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The written papers of each examination are marked in the UK and the results are issued online within six weeks after the examination had been taken. For computer based tests, the results are issued in three weeks after the examination date. The certificates are dispatched by Cambridge ESOL within a month (computer based exams) or two months (paper based exams) after the exam date. |
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Who are the examiners for Speaking? |
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The examiners can be either British or Romanian teachers of English. They are carefully selected, trained, monitored and evaluated by Cambridge ESOL. |
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What do grades A, B and C mean when passing a Cambridge exam? |
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The grades are the equivalents of the following standardised scores for the FCE, CAE, CPE, BEC Vantage and BEC Higher examinations:
A: 80 – 100
B: 75 – 79
C: 60 – 74
With KET, PET and BEC Preliminary the minimum for pass is 70%.
The grading system consists of adding together the marks for each paper in order to calculate the results for the whole examination. There are no pass or fail levels in the individual papers. The score and performance for each paper are shown in the Statement of Result, a document viewed by candidates when checking their results online. Starting with March 2011, Cambridge ESOL has introduced Extended Certification, (PDF, 127 KB) designed to give a clearer picture of how candidates’ performance in each Cambridge ESOL exam aligns to the Common European Framework of Reference.
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How long is a Cambridge certificate valid? |
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The Cambridge certificates (general or business English) have unlimited validity. |
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Can I take an accounting/law/marketing exam at the British Council? |
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The British Council can organise any British or other international exam, provided the candidate pays a fee which depends on the length of the examination. We cannot provide necessary arrangements for practical exams (for example chemistry, biology, etc). You can find more infornation about the local administrative fees by visiting our dedicated page.
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Can I take TOEFL at the British Council? |
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The British Council does not organise American examinations such as TOEFL, GMAT, and GRE. |
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HOW CAN I PREPARE FOR AN EXAM? |
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The means of preparing for a Cambridge or IELTS examination depends on the candidate’s choice and is a separate matter from the examination per se. It is very important to learn exam techniques and get used to the time limit by completing as many tests as possible. British Council Romania offers exam courses at the Teaching Centre in Bucharest as well as preparation materials for loan or for sale at the libraries in Bucharest, Cluj and Iasi. |
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CAN I WITHDRAW FROM A CAMBRIDGE EXAMINATION AFTER I HAD REGISTERED? |
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The withdrawal and partial refund of the examination fee are approved in case of bereavement (recent death of a 1st degree relative) or a medical emergency. For medical withdrawals please send us an original medical certificate accompanied by a withdrawal request, no later than five days since the session has ended. Refunds are not given for any other reason (including, for example, clash of dates with other examinations or contests, travel etc). |
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IS IT POSSIBLE TO BE TRANSFERRED FROM ONE SESSION OF AN ENGLISH EXAM TO A DIFFERENT ONE? |
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The exam regulations do not allow any sort of candidate transfers (from one examination session to another, from the paper based to the computer based version of an exam or from one exam level to another). |
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Is the use of dictionaries allowed during an English exam? |
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The usage of dictionaries is not allowed for any English language examination. |
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Is it possible to see what mistakes I made in my English exam? |
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This is not allowed, due to the fact that immediately after sitting the papers, all the materials are sent to the Cambridge ESOL. Candidates' answers and other work done by the candidates as part of an examination remain the property of Cambridge ESOL and will not be released to candidates, schools or administering centres. |
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Do I have to start with the lowest level of the English examinations? |
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Taking the most suitable examination level for his/ her needs and knowledge is the candidate’s choice. Should you wish to test your English language level with a view to taking a Cambridge/IELTS exam, the British Council centres in Bucharest, Cluj and Iasi offer you a Quick Placement Test, which is a written level test. A guiding level test can be taken on the Cambridge ESOL official website. |
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Can I take an English examination if I have hearing or visual difficulties, dyslexia or suffer from other specific learning difficulties? |
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Provided we have a written request and a medical certificate (no older than two years) brought to our attention upon registration, we can ensure special examination conditions for candidates with special needs. You can find more on the Cambridge ESOL official website. |
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How can I find out about exam recognition? |
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HOW CAN I CHECK MY RESULT ONLINE FOR A CAMBRIDGE EXAM? |
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The result can be checked online at www.CambridgeESOL-results.org starting with the date indicated in the registration form, after 12:00 p.m. local time. The registration data (ID Number and Secret Number) are included in the e-mail confirming the exam registration. Should you encounter any difficulties when checking your result online, please contact the Customer Services teams of the British Council centres in Romania (Bucharest, Cluj and Iasi). |
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What happens if I disagree with my Cambridge result? |
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The papers are marked by at least two independent examiners and, if necessary, by three or even four. Should you be discontented with your result, follow the procedure explained in the result email sent by British Council. Please note that examining boards always retain the right to decide whether a revision is applicable or not. |
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What is the difference between Cambridge English, IELTS and TOEFL examinations? |
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TOEFL test is owned by ETS, Cambridge ESOL exams are owned by Cambridge ESOL and IELTS is owned by British Council, Cambridge ESOL and IDP: IELTS Australia.
All of them test English language skills. There are differences between the tests such as test administration or how results are being issued.
There is no official comparison between them. However, you can find an IELTS/ Cambridge English Advanced (CAE) score comparison table on the CAE official website.
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Who marks the Cambridge English exam? |
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A team of highly trained examiners mark the written papers in Cambridge. The oral exam is assessed by Speaking examiners who are assessed and monitored by Cambridge ESOL. |
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