What is the Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English (CAE)?
The CAE is a respected UK qualification. It’s an in-depth assessment of English language ability and is recognized by thousands of employers and educational institutions around the world as a qualification at advanced level (Level C1 in the Common European Framework of Reference).
Who accepts the CAE?
Employers count on the exam for recruitment because it features real-life language skills for use in the professional world. Universities and colleges rely on the CAE because they know candidates will have the academic language skills they need for studying at degree level.
Why take the exam with the British Council?
A million people take exams with the British Council every year. In Spain, we have many years experience working with the Certificate in Advanced English and other Cambridge exams. We provide pre-exam support and a professional and efficient service to make your exam day run as smoothly as possible.
What’s in the exam?
The exam is made up of five parts:
- reading,
- writing,
- use of English,
- listening
- speaking.
Learn more about the exam and how to prepare for it.
How to Register
Registering is easy: find out how to book your CAE.
Useful Links
CAE – official Cambridge exam site.
Register for your Cambridge CAE exam
Registering for your exam is simple:
- Check exam dates and locations in the table below.
- Download and complete the registration form and instructions for your exam.
You’ll find all the information you need on the exam registration form for your centre.
- Registration forms are only available during the registration periods shown in the table below.
- The registration forms below are for individual candidates only.
- If you are a school, academy or other organisation and want to register multiple candidates, please visit our exams for schools and academies page.
About the Certificate in Advanced English (CAE)
There are five parts to the CAE exam:
- Reading: You will need to read and understand different types of text, including fiction and non-fiction books, newspapers, magazines and informational materials.
- Writing: You will have to write in two different text styles, such as essays, proposals, reports and reviews. You may write about a set reading text if you prefer.
- Use of English: This paper requires you to demonstrate your knowledge of English vocabulary and grammatical structures at C1 level.
- Listening: You’ll answer questions after listening to either short monologues or conversations.
- Speaking: You take this with one or two other candidates and will have to speak alone, with the examiner and with the other candidates.
Learn more about CAE at the Cambridge website.
Prepare with the British Council
You can follow an exam preparation course in any of the British Council Teaching Centres in Spain. On these courses you will learn how best to approach the different papers. This will include:
- techniques for doing the reading tasks quickly and efficiently
- how to organise and compose the different writing options: narratives, reports, articles etc
- the types of grammar and vocabulary exercises which appear in use of English and how best to approach them
- hints and techniques for listening
- how to produce the best English possible on the day of your speaking exam
More preparation help
If you’d prefer to prepare the CAE on your own, take a look at the Cambridge ESOL exam preparation site. You can download many free materials, such as a short booklet about the exam, information for candidates, sample exam papers and sound files for the Listening Test materials.
Top tips for CAE answers your last-minute questions. There are also many other books and materials to help you prepare for the CAE.
Do you have a disability?
If you have a disability, please contact your local British Council Exams centre to find out how we can help. You can also get more information on the Cambridge exams site.
Your Cambridge Advanced English (CAE) results
You will receive detailed results for the CAE in a “Statement of Results” document. You will also be awarded a certificate if your performance is above a certain level - between the Common European Framework of Reference Levels C1 and B1.
What is the Statement of Results?
It contains:
- Your candidate result. This result is based on your total score in all papers.
- A graphical display of your performance in each paper (shown against the scale Exceptional – Good – Borderline – Weak).
- A standardised score out of 100 which allows you to see exactly how you performed.
Find out more at Understanding your Statement of Results – Cambridge Advanced English (PDF).
Can I get my results online?
You can access your results online through the Cambridge ESOL Results Online website. Please note that you are required to register to receive this service.