Cambridge CAE Exam in Dublin

On this page you will find out more about the Cambridge CAE Exam in Dublin. For instance, what is it, how to register, what are the benefits, how to prepare with Atlas and much more.

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Cambridge English C1 Advanced (CAE) Exam

The Cambridge C1 Advanced exam (formally known as the CAE exam) is an in-depth test of your general English language skills in all areas. It assesses your use of English, and your reading, writing, listening and speaking skills for familiar, semi-formal and professional environments. The C1 Advanced (CAE) is a high-level qualification that demonstrates to many employers and universities that you have the necessary language skills to successfully communicate in higher education and / or professional workplaces. Here at our Rathmines Exam Centre in Dublin 6 you can take the test in the paper-based format.

Registration process

How can I register for the Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE) exam?

Step 1 – Choose a Date. Choose when you would like to take your Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE) exam. 

Step 2 – Book your Test. Fill in the online application form and send that to us.

Step 3 – Pay the Exam Fee. After we receive your application form we will send you details of how you can confirm a place by paying the exam fees by bank transfer.

How much does it cost to take the Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE) exam?

The CAE exam fee is EUR195.

What is the deadline for registering for the Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE) exam?

The list of Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE) exam dates and application deadlines is available in the table below.

Exam Date Registration Deadline
Saturday 15 June 2024 Tuesday 7 May 2024
Saturday 7 September 2024 Tuesday 30 July 2024
Saturday 7 December 2024 Tuesday 29 October 2024

Please note that you are only registered for the exam once we have received payment of fees. In order to avoid disappointment, both the completed registration form and the payment must be received before the registration deadline.

Key Information

The exam has four papers. 

You take the following 3 papers one after the other on the same day:

  • Reading & Use of English – 8 parts, 56 questions in 90 minutes
  • Writing – 2 tasks in 90 minutes.
  • Listening – 4 parts, 30 questions in 40 minutes

The fourth paper, Speaking (4 parts, 15 minutes), you will be scheduled to take on a different day, most probably two or three days before the written papers. You’ll do the Speaking test with two examiners and, normally, one other candidate.

Arrive 20 to 30 minutes before the exam start time.

The only thing that you must absolutely bring is a government-issued photo ID. This can be a passport, European Union (EU) ID card, Biometric Residence Permit or Photographic Driving License (including a provisional licence). Obviously, the ID document must be in date.

Before you go into the exam room, you will be asked to leave your bags, coats, watches etc. in a separate room. No watches at all are allowed in the exam room. We will also collect your mobile phones at the start of the day and keep them in the safe until the exam has finished. Please make sure you switch your phone off. We strongly recommend that you do not bring any valuables (including watches) with you on exam day. We cannot take responsibility for the loss or damage of your personal belongings.

You may only bring into the exam room:

  • A pen, black or dark blue ink (for the writing paper). Please also remember that no correction fluid (e.g., Tippex) is allowed.
  • A pencil (non-mechanical), H or HB (for the Reading / Use of English and Listening papers)
  • A rubber / eraser
  • A pencil sharpener
  • A bottle of still water
  • Your ID document

Apart from water, you should also bring some food to eat in the waiting room in the short breaks between exam papers. We’d recommend sandwiches, bananas or some chocolate. Candidates may not smoke during the short breaks since they are not supposed to leave the building.

The Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE) written papers take between 4 to 5 hours to complete, including breaks, all in one day. If we schedule the session to start at 9.00am you should certainly be finished before 2.00pm.

The Speaking paper at Atlas has always been scheduled to take place in the week leading up to written papers (usually on the Wednesday or Thursday), i.e., 2 or 3 days before the written papers.

All papers carry an equal weighting of 20% towards the final score. The Reading and Use of English papers are taken together, giving 40% of the overall score. This ensures a balanced overview of your language skills.

  • Reading & Use of English  40%
  • Writing  20%
  • Listening  20%
  • Speaking  20%

In order to receive an overall mark you must sit all papers. If, for example, you miss the Speaking paper, you will not receive an overall mark or any certificate.

The C1 Advanced (CAE) exam is scored out of 210 points on the Cambridge English Scale. A score of 180 or above is considered a “pass” and students with that mark will receive the Cambridge C1 Advanced Statement of Results and certificate. This corresponds to the C1 level of English in the CEFR.

Students scoring 200 or above in the C1 Advanced exam will receive a Cambridge English C1 Advanced certificate, but the Statement of Results will serve as proof of C2 ability. This Grade A pass in the C1 Advanced (CAE) exam is equivalent to the Grade C in the next higher C2 Proficiency (CPE) exam.

When doing practice exams, as a rule of thumb, you should be looking to get at least 60% in order to “pass”.

Officially, there is no “pass” or “fail” mark. However, even though there is no official ‘fail’ grade, you still need to reach an overall result of at least 180 in order to “pass” the exam and get the C1 certificate and Statement of Results.

If your overall result is below 180 (i.e., below the C1 level), though, but falls within B2 band level (i.e., 160 – 179), that achievement is recognised and you will receive a Cambridge English certificate stating that you demonstrated your English language abilities at the B2 level. You won’t receive a certificate if you fall below this B2 level.

Test Score Grade CEFR level
200 – 210 Grade A C2
193 – 199 Grade B C1
180 – 192 Grade C C1
160 – 179 Level B2 B2

Officially, Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE) results are released at some point in a 2-week window that opens 4 weeks after the exam date. In practice, in our experience, the results are generally available on the first day of that window, i.e., exactly 4 weeks after taking the exam.

Candidates receive an “ID number” and “secret number” on the Confirmation of Entry document they receive from Cambridge to confirm their registration details before the exam, along with an invitation to register for their results on the first day of the window.

The Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE) certificate is valid for life.

Certificates are sent to the Exam Centre 6 weeks after the exam date. We will contact you to confirm that you can collect your certificate, or to ask if you would like us to post them by registered post. There is an additional 10 Euro fee to cover these costs.

Practise your reading skills by reading a wide range of materials, such as books, including graded readers, newspapers and magazines. Make a note of any useful expressions from the text. Build a vocabulary notebook. Practise your writing skills by completing timed essays. Listen to podcasts and Youtube videos with and without the transcripts. And do practice tests, first untimed to practise the strategies that work for you, and then timed so that you can also learn to manage your time. For more advice and tips on how to prepare for the exam, you can also download our C1 Advanced Preparation Guide. And, of course, you can also sign up to join one of our part-time or full-time Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE) exam preparation courses here at Atlas Language School in Dublin.

If you have any questions or want to know any more about registering for the Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE), either as an individual or on behalf of a group of candidates from a school, please email us: enquiries@atlaslanguageschool.com

Or you can call us on 01 4782845 between 9.00am and 5.00pm, Monday to Friday.

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