What is the International Certificate In Financial English (ICFE)?
The Cambridge ICFE is a high-level qualification that will help you demonstrate that you have the language skills for a successful career in international accountancy and finance. The exam is set at levels B2 and C1 of the Common European Framework for Languages (CEFR) and assesses language skills in the context of finance and accounting.
How can ICFE help my career?
As a finance professional, you already know that English is the language of international business. Now, developments such as International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) open up more international career opportunities to you. If you want to make a career in the world of finance, you will need excellent English language skills and the ability to confidently communicate within the international business community.
Why take ICFE with the British Council?
A million people take exams with the British Council every year. In Spain, we have many years’ experience working with ICFE and other specialist 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 ICFE consists of four separate papers testing reading, writing, listening and speaking, which together last under four hours. The tasks are based on tasks and topics that finance professionals would expect to encounter in their daily lives, such as: financial reporting, insurance, investment banking, ethics and professionalism, accounting software, assets and company valuations and acquisitions and mergers.
Find out more about the exam and how to prepare for ICFE.
How to Register
Registering is quick and easy. Register for your ICFE exam.
Useful Links
ICFE – official Cambridge exam site.
Register for your Cambridge ICFE 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.
Preparing for the ICFE
There are four parts to the ICFE exam:
- Reading: you have to show you can deal confidently with a wide variety of finance-related texts.
- Writing: you will write a response to a letter that is provided, as well as a report covering specific points.
- Listening: you’ll need you show that you can follow and understand a range of spoken materials including interviews, discussions, telephone conversations and messages.
- Speaking: you’ll demonstrate your ability to communicate effectively in face-to-face business situations.
Find out more about ICFE at the Cambridge website.
More preparation help
If you’d prefer to prepare for the ICFE on your own, take a look at the Cambridge exam preparation site. You can download a wide range of free materials, including:
- A short booklet about the exam (PDF).
- Sample exam papers.
- Sound files for the Listening Test materials.
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 ICFE results
You will receive detailed results for the ICFE 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 B2 and C1.
What is the Statement of Results?
It contains:
- Your candidate result. This result is based on your total score in all four 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 ICFE (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.