Cambridge Examination Courses
The University of Cambridge ESOL examinations are recognised and respected by educational institutions and employers throughout the world.
At Portsmouth Language College, we offer courses in FCE, CAE and CPE mostly in the evenings (typically Monday & Wednesdays from 18.00-21.00) and often daytime courses as well. Please check with us for daytime availability. Evening courses run from January to June (20 weeks), July to August (8 weeks) and September to December (13 weeks) each year.
We will provide a placement test at the College to check the appropriate exam for your English ability.
First Certificate in English (FCE)
The FCE exam is a qualification in upper-intermediate English (B2) and our course will prepare you for all aspects of the exam. You can take the Paper-based exam in March, June, August or December.
It has 5 papers:
Each paper is worth 20% of your total marks and Grades A, B or C indicate a Pass.
Cambridge Advanced Examination (CAE)
CAE tests you at an Advanced level of English (C1) and will provide strong evidence that you have reached a very high level. Our course will prepare you for all aspects of the exam, which you can take in March, June, August or December (Paper-based version). Most university courses in the UK will accept a CAE certificate as proof of your ability in English. Like FCE, it has 5 papers, but some are slightly longer:
Each paper is worth 20% of your total marks and Grades A, B or C indicate a Pass
Cambridge Proficiency Examination (CPE)
This exam is the most difficult of the 3 Cambridge exams we offer and should only be attempted by students with a very high level of English. We can advise you on your suitability for this exam. A CPE certificate is extremely impressive to employers and shows that you have near-native speaker competence in English. You can take the Paper-based exam at PLC in March, June or December. It is the top level of the Common European Framework (C2).
Each paper is worth 20% of your total marks and Grades A, B or C indicate a Pass
Important Note – Cambridge Examinations are externally assessed and registration is not included in the course fee. The registration fee is around £115 and is payable at Reception.
