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All you need to know about CAE exam – C1 Advanced (CAE)

Level: C1
Article navigation:
Is there an age limit for the CAE exam?
How much does the CAE exam cost?
What are the CAE exam dates in 2024?
What are the benefits of the CAE exam?
How many candidates fail the CAE exam?
What is the CAE exam duration?
Does the validity of the certificate (CAE) expire?
When will my CAE exam results be available?
Where are the exam centres?
What is the equivalent of the CAE exam?
How is the CAE exam grade calculated?
Is C1 Advanced exam hard?
What does (CAE) stand for?
Is IELTS easier than CAE?
Is IELTS same as CAE?
Do universities accept CAE?
What is the minimum score to pass CAE?
Is CAE C1 or C2?
How many times can you take the CAE exam?
How long does CAE exam take?
Can you get C2 with CAE?
Can you get B2 with CAE?
Can I take CAE online?
↓ CLICK TO SHOW ALL ↓

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In this article, we have collected answers to all the most popular questions for candidates applying for CAE certification and preparing for the CAE exam. Use the top navigation to get directly to a specific question.

Is there an age limit for the CAE exam?

No. There is no such limit 🙂 – Cambridge accepts candidates of all ages.

no age limit at cae examSome exams are specifically designed with candidates of a certain age in mind, however, candidates of any age are welcome to take any exam.

Exams with a suggested age range are:

  • B1 Preliminary for Schools – secondary school
  • B2 First for Schools – secondary school
  • International English Testing System (IELTS) – recommended for candidates aged 16+

How much does the CAE exam cost?

Unfortunately, the CAE exam is not free 🙁 What’s more, prices for C1 Advanced exams can vary as the test centres in each country decide on the final price of the test.

Example prices (2024):

CountryExamPrice
SpainC1 Advanced (CAE)225.00 EUR
PolandC1 Advanced (CAE)650 PLN
NetherlandsC1 Advanced (CAE)323.00 EUR
Czech RepublicC1 Advanced (CAE)5000.00 Kc
Mexico C1 Advanced (CAE)4,650.00 MXN
Bulgaria
C1 Advanced (CAE)407.00 лв
PortugalC1 Advanced (CAE)203.00 EUR
GermanyC1 Advanced (CAE)323.00 EUR
United KingdomC1 Advanced (CAE)265 GBP
IndiaC1 Advanced (CAE)6,000 Rs.

In most centres, you can pay by bank transfer or in person with a debit or credit card (VISA / Master Card).

What are the CAE exam dates in 2024?

calendar presenting C1 exam datesThe following tables contain available dates defined by Cambridge, but please contact your local examination centre to find out about dates in your area.

Find out when you can take your Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) exam.

20227Jan, 4 Feb, 22 Feb, 11 Mar, 18 Mar, 22 Apr, 6 May, 11 May, 20 May, 3 Jun, 7 Jun, 17 Jun, 8 Jul, 28 Jul, 25 Aug, 9 Sep, 21 Oct, 4 Nov, 29 Nov, 9 Dec, 16 Dec
202321 Jan, 11 Feb, 10 Mar, 1 Apr, 11 May, 18 May, 27 May, 6 Jun, Sat 10 Jun, 24 Jun, 15 Jul, 29 Jul, 19 Aug, 16 Sep, 28 Oct, 11 Nov, 25 Nov, 1 Dec, 13 Dec
CountryExamExam dates 2024
SpainC1 Advanced (CAE)Check dates in Spain
ItalyC1 Advanced (CAE)Check dates in Italy
PolandC1 Advanced (CAE)Check dates in Poland
RomaniaC1 Advanced (CAE)Check dates in Romania
NetherlandsC1 Advanced (CAE)Check dates in Netherlands
Czech RepublicC1 Advanced (CAE)Check dates in Czech
MexicoC1 Advanced (CAE)Check dates in Mexico
HungaryC1 Advanced (CAE)Check dates in Hungary
BulgariaC1 Advanced (CAE)Check dates in Bulgaria
PortugalC1 Advanced (CAE)Check dates in Portugal
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What are the benefits of the CAE exam?

  • More than 9,000 educational institutions, businesses and government departments around the world accept C1 Advanced as proof of high-level achievement in learning English
  • Once you have taken the Cambridge First Certificate, your result is valid for life! This means you don’t have to take it ever again.
  • The exams achieve their primary purpose – helping you gain the confidence you need to communicate effectively in English!
  • Opens doors to international travel, work and study.
  • A certification on your CV will make you stand out from the crowd as it not only shows you have that level of English officially but also speaks volumes about your effort, willpower and determination, values that will not go unnoticed by prospective employers.
  • It grants exemption from lectures and final English language exams at some universities and allows participation in exchange programmes between universities
  • Combined with the appropriate pedagogical training, it gives the right to teach English in primary schools, middle schools and high schools in some countries

How many candidates fail the CAE exam?

Are you afraid of failing the test? Take the CAE exam confidently with the best CAE preparation platform.

a man after cae exam failureThe number of people who pass or fail the CAE exam varies from country to country but based on global statistics only less than 5% fail the exam completely. 20% of the candidates get a B2 grade.

The rest, i.e. about 75%, pass the exam with a C1 or C2 grade.

  • Grade A – C2 level – 13%
  • Grade B-C – C1 level – 64%
  • Level B2 – 20%
  • Fail – 5%

 

If you want to see the results in your country click below “See the full list of countries”.

LocationGrade AGrade BGrade CLevel B2Fail
Argentina12.8%23.0%45.4%17.7%1.1%
Bulgaria18.2%27.0%37.6%15.9%1.4%
Japan3.9%10.7%32.0%44.7%8.7%
Mexico6.8%16.4%41.8%28.9%6.2%
Grand Total13%21.3%42.2%20%5%

LocationGrade AGrade BGrade CLevel B2Fail
Albania9.7%11.8%36.6%33.3%8.6%
Algeria12.9%3.2%41.9%29.0%12.9%
Andorra0.0%16.7%55.6%27.8%0.0%
Angola0.0%0.0%0.0%37.5%62.5%
Argentina12.8%23.0%45.4%17.7%1.1%
Armenia5.2%10.3%25.9%49.1%9.5%
Australia7.1%16.4%44.7%26.3%5.5%
Austria28.1%28.6%32.4%9.9%0.9%
Azerbaijan10.3%6.9%20.7%31.0%31.0%
Belarus19.5%20.4%38.1%20.4%1.8%
Belgium10.7%17.1%42.5%27.5%2.1%
Bolivia5.9%12.7%44.1%28.4%8.8%
Bosnia and Herzegovina5.9%11.8%62.7%17.6%2.0%
Brazil9.0%17.9%42.3%26.2%4.5%
Bulgaria18.2%27.0%37.6%15.9%1.4%
Cambodia0.0%0.0%15.4%42.3%42.3%
Canada8.5%18.5%41.3%28.2%3.5%
Chile12.3%17.0%39.3%27.4%4.0%
China4.1%7.7%38.6%41.8%7.8%
Colombia7.3%5.5%20.9%49.1%17.3%
Costa Rica9.8%17.2%47.5%20.5%4.9%
Cote D’ivoire12.5%6.3%31.3%50.0%0.0%
Croatia28.7%29.9%32.2%8.6%0.6%
Cuba0.0%44.4%33.3%22.2%0.0%
Cyprus10.3%17.2%41.4%27.6%3.4%
Czech Republic25.6%28.4%36.4%8.8%0.7%
Denmark27.7%29.0%29.4%11.2%2.6%
Dominican Republic5.9%35.3%23.5%11.8%23.5%
Ecuador7.1%14.6%39.4%33.0%5.8%
Egypt0.0%27.6%20.7%31.0%20.7%
Estonia17.6%25.5%39.7%16.6%0.6%
Fiji1.5%1.5%37.9%39.4%19.7%
Finland17.9%35.7%33.9%7.1%5.4%
France13.0%19.0%44.2%21.3%2.5%
Georgia8.4%21.7%26.5%41.0%2.4%
Germany20.5%25.6%37.6%14.6%1.6%
Greece8.3%20.2%45.4%22.5%3.7%
Guadeloupe12.5%7.8%37.5%32.8%9.4%
Guatemala6.3%43.8%43.8%6.3%0.0%
Hong Kong25.0%18.3%31.7%23.3%1.7%
Hungary23.3%26.8%36.7%11.4%1.7%
India16.1%9.8%17.8%19.4%36.9%
Indonesia6.0%20.0%36.0%30.0%8.0%
Ireland7.3%13.6%39.6%32.7%6.8%
Italy12.0%22.5%43.9%19.8%1.8%
Japan3.9%10.7%32.0%44.7%8.7%
Kazakhstan0.0%16.7%33.3%0.0%50.0%
Kenya17.4%43.5%30.4%8.7%0.0%
Korea (Republic of )6.1%18.4%42.9%30.6%2.0%
Kyrgyzstan10.5%10.5%36.8%26.3%15.8%
Laos18.2%27.3%18.2%36.4%0.0%
Latvia26.8%32.1%25.0%12.5%3.6%
Lebanon2.0%5.6%18.1%32.2%42.1%
Lithuania25.9%29.6%28.7%13.9%1.9%
Luxembourg18.0%16.9%38.2%18.0%9.0%
Macedonia23.8%27.7%32.7%12.9%3.0%
Malaysia16.0%14.3%29.7%23.6%16.5%
Maldives9.8%20.3%43.2%23.5%3.2%
Malta9.7%12.6%32.0%35.9%9.7%
Mauritius7.7%15.4%69.2%7.7%0.0%
Mexico6.8%16.4%41.8%28.9%6.2%
Moldova (Republic of)12.6%16.6%44.3%23.3%3.2%
Montenegro7.7%30.8%46.2%7.7%7.7%
Morocco4.3%8.7%27.5%30.4%29.0%
Myanmar0.0%0.0%55.6%33.3%11.1%
Nepal25.0%50.0%25.0%0.0%0.0%
Netherlands18.3%33.2%40.7%7.4%0.3%
New Caledonia5.0%5.0%45.0%25.0%20.0%
New Zealand7.6%21.0%48.5%22.1%0.8%
Norway100.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%
Pakistan5.1%12.8%30.8%41.0%10.3%
Panama22.2%19.4%27.8%27.8%2.8%
Paraguay10.2%24.5%40.8%20.4%4.1%
Peru7.8%13.6%41.7%32.2%4.6%
Philippines14.0%12.0%44.0%22.0%8.0%
Poland23.5%27.7%35.3%12.1%1.4%
Portugal18.8%28.8%40.6%11.0%0.8%
Reunion12.5%12.5%31.3%37.5%6.3%
Romania23.5%28.6%36.1%10.6%1.1%
Russia14.2%21.9%40.4%20.9%2.6%
Saudi Arabia63.8%16.6%12.4%3.6%3.6%
Serbia23.6%28.1%35.1%11.6%1.6%
Singapore0.0%0.0%60.0%40.0%0.0%
Slovak Republic24.8%28.2%36.1%9.5%1.4%
Slovenia32.0%29.0%33.0%5.0%1.0%
South Africa28.7%12.3%26.3%18.6%14.0%
Spain6.7%17.1%50.4%24.3%1.5%
Sri Lanka6.5%9.9%25.5%28.1%30.0%
Sweden29.2%28.1%32.1%9.7%0.8%
Switzerland13.3%21.2%43.5%20.7%1.4%
Taiwan7.8%9.8%39.2%37.3%5.9%
Thailand12.5%21.9%46.9%17.2%1.6%
Tunisia2.9%13.2%35.3%38.2%10.3%
Turkey25.0%9.3%21.1%26.5%18.1%
Ukraine12.0%17.5%33.5%31.9%5.1%
United Arab Emirates28.1%16.1%18.4%15.0%22.4%
United Kingdom10.5%20.0%43.0%23.9%2.6%
United States of America5.8%14.1%47.8%28.2%4.0%
Uruguay5.7%18.0%48.8%26.2%1.4%
Uzbekistan3.0%9.1%27.3%39.40%21.2%
Vietnam6.8%13.0%27.7%23.2%29.4%
Grand Total13%21.3%42.2%20%5%

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Would you pass C1 Advanced (CAE)?

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What is the CAE exam duration?

stopwatch measuring cae exam durationUsually, the exam takes two days. On the first day you will struggle with Reading, Use of English, Writing and Listening, on the second day with Speaking

  • Reading, Use of English, Writing, Listening – 3 hours and 40 minutes.
  • Speaking – 15 minutes

The entire C1 Advanced (CAE) exam, i.e. Reading and Use of English, Writing, Listening and Speaking last a total of 4 hours and 5 minutes! 

PaperTime/Duration
Reading and Use of English1 hour 30 minutes
Writing1 hour 30 minutes
Listeningabout 40 minutes
Speaking15 minutes per pair of candidates
 Total: 4 hours and 5 minutes 
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Does the validity of the certificate (CAE) expire?

Your Cambridge English exam result/certificate does not have an expiry date. 🙂 Unlike the TOEFL and IELTS exams which are only valid for 2 years, the Cambridge exams (FCE, CAE, CPE) are valid FOR LIFE!

When will my CAE exam results be available?

When you entered for your exam, your exam centre should have provided you with a Confirmation of Entry document, telling you the final date by which your results will be available. If you have not received your results by this date, please contact your centre who will be able to assist you.

  • paper-based exams – around six to nine weeks after the exam date.
  • computer-based exams about two weeks after the exam. 

Where are the exam centres?

To register for your Cambridge English C1 CAE exam, you will need to find an authorised exam centre. Once you have found your local exam centre they will tell you how to book your exam, exam dates and preparation courses.

Find an exam centre

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What is the equivalent of the CAE exam?

IELTS

A passing grade in C1 Advanced (CAE) would be the equivalent of about 7.0 in IELTS.

TOEFL

A passing grade in C1 Advanced (CAE) would be the equivalent of about 10-11/95-110 in TOEFL.

What are the CEFR Levels?

TOEIC

A passing grade in C1 Advanced (CAE) would be the equivalent of about 945-990 in TOEIC.

PTE

A passing grade in C1 Advanced (CAE) would be the equivalent of about 76-85 in PTE

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How is the CAE exam grade calculated?


  • (Grade A) – Students scoring 200 or above will receive a Cambridge English certificate for level C2 
  • (Grade B-C)A score of 180 or above is considered a “pass” and students with that score will receive a certificate, which corresponds to a level C1
  • (No Grade) – Students scoring between 160 and 179 will receive a B2-level English certificate.
  • Students scoring under 160 will not receive a certificate.

Reading
There are 50 possible marks in the Reading section.
cae reading score scale
Use of English
There are 28 possible marks in the Use of English section.
cae use of english score scale
Writing
There are 40 possible marks for the whole paper.
cae writing score scale
Listening
There are 30 possible marks on the Listening paper
cae listening score scale
Speaking
There are 75 marks available in the Speaking test
cae speaking score scale

Is C1 Advanced exam hard?

Definitely yes.

man scared by hard cae examIt is proof of language skills similar to those of native speakers. Although it is not the highest language level, (higher is C2) it represents the understanding of the language at the academic level and the ability to talk about virtually any topic freely.

The Cambridge Certificate C1 Advanced (CAE) is difficult to pass without proper preparation. Even if you think you have decent language skills it will test your grammar thoroughly and you may have difficulties on many levels.

If you would like to see a sample CAE exam test and check if you would be able to handle it, visit our platform that reflects a C1 Advanced level exams

What does (CAE) stand for?

Certificate in Advanced English

It is simply an abbreviation formed from the initial letters of Certificate in Advanced English = CAE.  It is a prestigious certificate of English language skills signed by Cambridge English, proving language qualifications at an advanced level similar to those of native speakers and enabling one to study and work abroad.

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Is IELTS easier than CAE?

In general, the CAE is a more demanding exam.

woman thinking which is harder IELTS easier than CAE? If you have studied the traditional way and used textbooks we recommend it, as it has a stronger emphasis on grammar.  On the other hand, if you didn’t learn English at school but rather as a result of living or working in a certain country, it should be easier for you to pass IELTS.

Another clear difference is in the speaking part, C1 Advanced (CAE) is carried out with you and one partner with whom you answer various questions, while in IELTS is performed only with the examiner.

However, it is best to find out which of the certificates is required by the institution you are applying to (for work or study abroad) because this should really determine which exam you want to take.

Are you wondering if you could pass the CAE exam?try our app 

Is IELTS same as CAE?

No, they are not two different exams.

Although both exams are developed by the University of Cambridge and certificates are given after both exams, they have quite a few differences.

CAEIELTS
Less academic – broader topics.More academic.
If you have studied the traditional way and used textbooks we recommend it, as it has a stronger emphasis on grammar. if you didn’t learn English at school but rather as a result of living or working in a certain country, it should be easier for you to pass it.
The exam is about 4 hours long.The exam is 2 hours and 45 minutes long.
No expiration dateValid for 2 years.
Used for employment overseas and university entrance.Is used for immigration purposes and for entrance to higher education.
Speaking:
Discussion with a partner and examiner.
Speaking:
Discussion only with an examiner
Writing: 90 minWriting: 60 min
See how it looks 

Do universities accept CAE?

Yes, the vast majority of them

university CAE examC1 Advanced is a truly international certificate. Exams are recognised by over 25,000 universities in more than 150 countries around the world and accepted by nearly all UK universities and colleges for undergraduate and postgraduate courses.

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What is the minimum score to pass CAE?

Exactly 180 points, but if you get less you still can get B2 level certificate.

Cambridge exams have the advantage that by passing the exam at the C1 Advanced level you can get also a higher or lower grade – C2 or B2. Sounds great right?

C1 Advanced (CAE) Score Table
If you get 200–210 points – will receive a Cambridge English certificate at Level C2
If you get 80–199 points – will receive a Cambridge English certificate at Level C1
If you get 160–179 points – will receive a Cambridge English certificate at Level B2.
If you get less than 160 points – you will not receive a certificate

Is CAE C1 or C2?

It is, of course, level C1 – advanced level.

CAE is short for the full expression for Cambridge English: Advanced while the C2 exam is named CPECambridge English: Proficiency.

Would like to see the difference between CAE and CPE exams?

See sample CAE       See sample CPE

How many times can you take the CAE exam?

There are no limits and you can take an unlimited number of times.

For some exams, there may be more than one exam session in the same month. There are no restrictions and you can take it multiple times.

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How long does CAE exam take?

The exam is about 4 hours long.

Yes, it is a lot of time and although the Speaking part can be done on another day, it only takes 15 minutes so you will still spend at least 3 hours and 40 minutes in the exam room.

PartTime
Speaking15 minutes per pair of candidates
Reading and Use of English1 hour 30 minutes
Writing 1 hour 30 minutes
Listening About 40 minutes

Want to see what a sample test looks like?  Check our app.

Can you get C2 with CAE?

Yes, definitely.

Although the aim of the CAE exam is to obtain a C1 certificate, when you get more points, you have a chance to get a C2 grade.

If you get 200–210 points – will receive a Cambridge English certificate at Level C2

Can you get B2 with CAE?

Yes, definitely.

Although the aim of the CAE exam is to obtain a C1 certificate, when you get fewer points, you still have a chance to get a B2 grade.

If you get 160–179 points – will receive a Cambridge English certificate at Level B2.
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Can I take CAE online?

Unfortunately not.

Although you can choose the computer version of the test, you cannot take it online, it must be taken at an authorized examination centre.

But the positive news is that you can prepare for the exam online, see our app

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