These are the answers to the most commonly asked questions about Cambridge
English: Advanced. (CAE). If your question is not answered here, then please ...
Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) – questions and answers for Centres These are the answers to the most commonly asked questions about Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE). If your question is not answered here, then please contact the helpdesk
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About the exam 1. Why is CAE a good test for Australian student visas? CAE is a high-quality, established, secure and reliable test aimed specifically at people who want to study and work in a demanding English speaking environment. It gives a much more in-depth assessment of the relevant language skills than most other tests on the market, which means that students and the institutions where they study can be sure that they really have the language skills they need to live and study in Australia.
2. Is Certificate in Advanced English the same as Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE)? Yes, they are the same exam. Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) is the official name used in the Statement of Results, certificates, test papers and other official documents. The title Cambridge English: Advanced is used for the promotion of the exam. The Australian Government’s Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) will be referring to the exam as Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) in their communication.
3. How long does DIAC accept a CAE result as valid? The Migration Regulations state that an English language proficiency test score is valid for two years from the date of the test. If an applicant takes CAE up to two years before their application and achieves the required score, then they will be able to meet the evidentiary requirements prescribed in migration legislation.
4. How quickly will applicants get their CAE result? Candidates will normally receive their results within two weeks if they have taken a computer-based version of CAE. If they have taken the paper-based version, they will get their results in four weeks. In India, paper-based exam results should be available after 15 days.
Verifying a candidate’s exam result 5. What CAE scores are accepted by DIAC? DIAC accepts all Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) scores of 32 and higher for exams taken up to two years before a candidate’s application. Exact scores for different visa categories and assessment levels will be published by DIAC.
The following comparison table has been approved by DIAC. Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) and IELTS scores comparison table
IELTS Band score
4.0
4.5
5.0
5.5
6.0
6.5
7.0
7.5
8.0
8.5
9.0
Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) scores
32
36
41
47
52
58
67
74
80
87
93
6. For student visa applications, in addition to the minimum overall CAE score, does DIAC also require minimum scores in the five papers (Reading, Writing, Speaking, Listening and Use of English)? At this stage, DIAC does not require a minimum score for each of the five CAE papers for student visas. As specified in the Migration Regulations, where evidence of an English language test is required for student visa applicants, the applicant must meet the overall CAE score required for the relevant Student visa subclass and Assessment Level.
7. How are CAE results presented? What is the difference between a CAE score and grade, and which will DIAC use? Every candidate who takes the exam successfully receives two documents, a Statement of Results and a Certificate. It is only the Statement of Results that is used by DIAC to make their decision. The Statement of Results provides a score and a grade the candidate has achieved in the exam. The score – which is what DIAC will be using for student visa applications – gives a more specific indication of the candidates’ performance for the whole exam across the five papers. It is shown as a number on a scale of 0 to 100 and can be compared with IELTS band scores. The grade a candidate is awarded relates to their score. A grade of A, B or C is awarded depending on what score a candidate has achieved. Score 80-100 75-79 60-74 45-59
Grade A B C Level B2
CEFR Level Level C2 Level C1 Level B2
Please note that candidates who do not achieve a C grade, but who have a score of 45 or over are awarded a Cambridge English certificate saying they have achieved Level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).
8. How will DIAC verify CAE results Like all recognising organisations, DIAC will use Cambridge ESOL’s Online Results Verification Service to verify CAE results. They will use the Results Verification Service as it’s the only wholly authoritative source of information for verifying results for immigration purposes since it is completely secure and cannot under any circumstance be tampered with.
9. What does the candidate need to provide DIAC with? Applicants who want DIAC to view their results must provide DIAC with two pieces of information. • •
Their ID Number (a sequence of 9 letters and numbers) Their Secret Number (a four digit number)
Both of these pieces of information can be found on the Confirmation of Entry which every candidate receives upon registering for their exam. If the candidate has lost their Confirmation of Entry, they will contact you, their examination centre, to get a copy.
10. What if there is no result shown or if DIAC cannot access the Results Verification website? If no result is shown, Cambridge ESOL has a process whereby DIAC Officials can still verify the result.
Test Day Photos 11. Who are test day photos taken by? Our test day photos are delivered by Aware, a leading international supplier of biometric services which provides solutions to many immigration services, border agencies and high-security organisations such as the FBI. It is a highly robust solution proven through extensive use. The software is able to take photos to the geometric requirements of ISO/IEC 19794-5 face image data interchange format standards. It has been developed to work in highly sensitive situations such as border control and is highly secure.
12. Where is the test day photo seen? The photo is available to be seen only on the online Results Verification Service and not on the Statement of Results or Certificate.
13. What if a result does not have a photo? Test day photos were globally introduced for CAE on 1 November 2011. The Migration Regulations state that an English language proficiency test score is valid for two years from the date of the test. If an applicant takes CAE up to two years before their application and achieves the required score, then they will be able to meet the evidentiary requirements prescribed in migration legislation even if the result does not have a photo.
