What is the Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE)?
The CPE is the most advanced Cambridge exam, and is for learners who have achieved an extremely high standard in the English language. (Level C2 in the Common European Framework of Reference).
Taking this exam demonstrates that you are highly fluent in English and will open doors to work at upper-managerial level in international business settings or post-graduate study opportunities.
Who accepts the CPE?
This world-class exam is recognised by thousands of employers globally - companies such Hewlett-Packard, Sony, Siemens and Bosch.
If you’re planning to study abroad the CPE is accepted by a wide range of educational institutions as evidence of your English ability.
For study in the UK, a good grade in the Certificate of Proficiency in English will give you ‘UCAS Tariff Points’, which will help you in your application to a UK university.
Why take the CPE 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 CPE 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.
Find out more about the exam and how to prepare for it.
How to Register
Registering is quick and easy. Register for your CPE exam.
Useful Links
CPE – official Cambridge exam site.
Register for your CPE 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 CPE
There are five parts to the CPE exam:
- Reading: You have to read and understand the meaning of written English – not simply ‘word for word’ but at the level of the sentence, paragraph and the whole text.
- Writing: You have to write in a number of different styles and formats: a short story, a letter, an article, a report, a review or an essay, each of about 300-350 words.
- Use of English: You are tested on your grammar and vocabulary and how well you can summarise information.
- Listening: You’ll need to show that you understand the meaning of a range of spoken material, including lectures, news programmes and public announcements.
- Speaking: The test is with one or two other candidates, and you’ll have to speak alone and in conversation with the examiner and other candidates.
Find out more about the CPE exam 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 for the CPE on your own, take a look at the Cambridge ESOL exam preparation site. You can download many free materials, including a short booklet about the exam, information for candidates, sample exam papers and sound files for the Listening Test materials.
Top tips for CPE answers your last-minute questions. There are also many other books and materials to help you prepare for the CPE.
Your Cambridge CPE results
You will receive detailed results for the CPE 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 C2 and C1.
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 English Proficiency (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.