CAE exam (C1 Advanced): what it is, scores, certificate and fees
C1 Advanced (CAE) is a Cambridge English Qualification at CEFR level C1, formerly Cambridge English: Advanced and the Certificate in Advanced English. Its four papers take about 3 hours 55 minutes. You pass with 180 on the Cambridge English Scale, and 200–210 earns a certificate at level C2.
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The C1 exam at a glance
If you only need the facts, they are here, sourced at the foot of the page.
| Level | CEFR C1 (advanced) |
|---|---|
| Papers | Reading and Use of English (8 parts), Writing, Listening, Speaking |
| Total time | About 3 h 55 min (90 + 90 + about 40 + 15 min) |
| Ways to take it | Computer-based or paper-based; Speaking is face to face either way |
| Speaking | 15 min in pairs, 23 in a group of three |
| Scores reported | 142–210 |
| Lowest certificate | 160 (B2); C1 Advanced certificate from 180 |
| Pass mark | 180, Grade C. You cannot fail a single paper |
| Results | Computer: 5–10 working days. Paper: 4–6 weeks |
| Validity | No expiry date; each university or employer decides how old a result may be |
What is CAE (C1 Advanced)?
CAE comes from the Certificate in Advanced English, the exam’s former name. It was later renamed Cambridge English: Advanced, then became C1 Advanced when Cambridge added the CEFR level to its exam names. “The Cambridge C1 exam” means the same qualification.
The C1 exam targets C1 but certifies B2 to C2. Next to B2 First, it has a heavier reading load (3,000–3,500 words in 90 minutes), eight Reading and Use of English parts instead of seven, and Writing tasks of 220–260 words.
Who takes C1 Advanced and why
People take C1 Advanced for university courses taught in English, for jobs that ask for C1, or as the step after B2 First. Cambridge says it is accepted by over 11,000 educational institutions, businesses and government departments around the world.
Requirements are set by each organisation, which may ask for an overall score, a minimum in every skill, or both. Check with your institution; Cambridge’s recognition search is a starting point.
There is no for Schools version: Cambridge offers those for A2 Key, B1 Preliminary and B2 First only (Cambridge English Qualifications). Unsure about C1? Our free B2/C1 level test gives a first estimate, and B2 First or C1 Advanced sets out a decision rule.
Taking C1 Advanced on paper or on computer
The content, scoring and certificate do not change between formats. The computer-based version changes how you answer, adds on-screen tools and returns results sooner.
| Computer-based | Paper-based | |
|---|---|---|
| Reading and Use of English Part 1 | Options appear when you click the gap, unlettered | Options lettered A–D |
| Tools | Highlighting, on-screen notes, a timer at the top | Notes on the question paper |
| Writing | Live word count, no spell-checker; marked by technology plus human examiners | Answer booklet, with paper for plans |
| Listening | 2 minutes to check; both Part 4 tasks are drag and drop | 5 minutes to transfer answers |
| Results | 5–10 working days | 4–6 weeks |
The written papers and Listening are sat together; Speaking, face to face with two examiners, is usually on another day. The on-screen layout of our C1 mocks is modelled on the computer-based exam.
How C1 Advanced is scored
Your Statement of Results lists five Cambridge English Scale scores: Reading, Use of English, Writing, Listening and Speaking. Each carries equal weight, the overall score is their rounded average, and only that overall score decides the grade.
| Overall score | Result | CEFR level | Certificate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 200–210 | Grade A | C2 | C1 Advanced certificate stating level C2 |
| 193–199 | Grade B | C1 | C1 Advanced certificate at C1 |
| 180–192 | Grade C | C1 | C1 Advanced certificate at C1 |
| 160–179 | Level B2 | B2 | Cambridge English certificate at B2 |
| 142–159 | No grade | — | None (score on the Statement of Results) |
Reading is out of 50 because it includes Part 8, and Speaking out of 75. On Cambridge’s practice-test tables, 32 out of 50 in Reading is 180 and 43 is 200; 16 out of 28 in Use of English is 180. Live boundaries vary by a few points, so treat conversions as estimates. The CAE score calculator converts each paper.
Your C1 Advanced certificate: level, validity, who accepts it
A CAE certificate states the CEFR level you showed: C1 for 180–199, C2 for 200–210, and a Cambridge English certificate at B2 for 160–179. Scores of 142–159 appear without a certificate; lower scores are not reported.
“Your Cambridge English certificate does not expire,” Cambridge says, but recognising organisations choose how long they accept results for. If yours is a few years old, ask the institution.
Allow 3–4 weeks (computer) or 7–10 weeks (paper) for the certificate to reach your centre. Before that, the Statement of Results appears online and includes a photo taken on test day. Employers can confirm it through Cambridge’s Results Verification Service.
How much does CAE cost?
C1 Advanced has no fixed worldwide fee. The authorised centre you register with quotes the price, so it depends on the country and the centre; we print no figures for that reason.
Look up centres with Cambridge’s Find an exam centre search, then ask each for the fee, the format it offers and the registration deadline. Preparing on CambridgeMock is free, with no sign-up to start.
CAE exam dates, booking and results
- 01Pick a session
Cambridge lists computer and paper dates throughout the year; your centre decides which it runs.
- 02Register
With the centre or your school. Your Confirmation of Entry gives the date, address, Candidate ID and Secret Number.
- 03Sit the papers
Bring an original photo ID. Speaking, in a pair or a group of three, is usually on another day.
- 04Get your result
Through Cambridge’s free results service: 5–10 working days (computer) or 4–6 weeks (paper).
Rehearse all four C1 Advanced papers
Each mock is a complete C1 Advanced exam, timed to the published paper lengths. Full descriptions are on the CAE practice tests page.
- C1 Advanced Mock Test 1Reading Part 5: an article by a stage designer.
- C1 Advanced Mock Test 2Reading Part 5: an article about an ocean researcher.
- C1 Advanced Mock Test 3Reading Part 5: an extract from a novel about a translator at work.
- C1 Advanced Mock Test 4Reading Part 5: an article by an amateur astronomer.
- C1 Advanced Mock Test 5Reading Part 5: an article about a distance runner.
- C1 Advanced Mock Test 6Reading Part 5: an article about a software designer.
CAE practice tests · CAE mini mocks (about 24 minutes)
Practise each C1 Advanced paper
CAE Reading and Use of English
Eight parts, including key word transformations of three to six words, a cross-text task comparing four writers and a paragraph-gapped text.
Guides: CAE word formation · CAE key word transformations · C1 vocabulary list
CAE Writing
An essay weighing two of three points, then one of three tasks set from email or letter, proposal, report and review.
Guides: CAE essay · CAE report · CAE proposal
CAE Listening
Three conversations, a talk with gaps, a four-option interview and two matching tasks on five speakers. Spelling must be correct.
Guides: CAE Listening Part 4
CAE Speaking
A long turn on two of three photos that always asks you to speculate, then a shared task and a five-minute discussion. Ours is solo practice.
Guides: CAE Speaking Part 2
CAE Writing Test 2 is the Writing paper of Mock Test 2, and so on. The CAE exam format page covers every part.
CAE exam questions
Is CAE the same as C1?
Yes: CAE is the older name, from the Certificate in Advanced English, and C1 Advanced the current one. It is set at CEFR level C1, needs 180 to pass at C1, and can also certify B2 or C2.
Is C1 English considered fluent?
“Fluent” is not a CEFR level. C1 is the advanced level, the second highest of six, and Cambridge describes C1 Advanced as proof of high-level English for study and work. If someone asks for “fluent” English, ask which certificate or score they mean.
What is a good C1 Advanced score?
180–192 is a pass at Grade C and 193–199 Grade B; 200 or more is Grade A, stating C2. A good score is the one your institution asks for, including any minimum per skill.
What are the different levels of Cambridge English exams?
From A2 Key and B1 Preliminary through B2 First and C1 Advanced to C2 Proficiency. All report on the Cambridge English Scale; the Cambridge score calculator shows where B2 and C1 sit.
Does C1 Advanced have a word list?
No: according to Cambridge, exams at B2 level and higher, C1 Advanced among them, come without a set vocabulary list. Parts 1 and 3 of Reading and Use of English test vocabulary most directly; our C1 vocabulary list is a starting point.
Sources: C1 Advanced Handbook for Teachers · C1 Advanced Information for Candidates · Cambridge English results and scale scores · C1 Advanced exam format · C1 Advanced · Cambridge English Qualifications · Cambridge English Qualifications Digital · Converting practice test scores to Cambridge English Scale scores · Exam dates · Find an exam centre · Who accepts Cambridge English exams · How our exam names have changed.
Updated 15 November 2026. Exam facts are checked against the Cambridge University Press & Assessment documents above. Found an error? Tell us through the contact page.
You know the exam. Now try it against the clock.
Take C1 Advanced Mock Test 1: all four papers, timed to the published lengths, with an estimated Cambridge English Scale score for each skill.