Certificate of Proficiency (CPE) preparation course
A C2 Proficiency qualification shows the world that you have mastered English to an exceptional level. It proves you can communicate with the fluency and sophistication of a highly competent English speaker. Preparing for and passing the exam means you have the level of English that’s needed to study or work in a very senior professional or academic environment, for example on a postgraduate or PhD programme.
WHO SHOULD TAKE THIS EXAM?
You should take the CPE if you want to prove to employers that you can use English at a senior management level, or if you want to study at postgraduate or PhD level at an English-speaking university.
To take the exam you should be able to:
- understand almost everything you hear or read in English
- use and understand formal, academic and colloquial language
- negotiate, argue and discuss the subtle issues of complex subjects.
HOW DOES THE EXAM PROCESS WORK?
There are four parts to the CPE exam. You will complete papers Reading & Use of English, Writing and Listening on the same day. The Speaking may be on a different day. You do the speaking with two examiners and one other candidate.
| CPE | READING AND USE OF ENGLISH | WRITING | LISTENING | SPEAKING |
| Time allowed | 1hr 30 mins | 1hr 30 mins | 40 mins | 16 mins per pair of candidates |
| Marks (% of total) | 40% | 20% | 20% | 20% |
The course provides complete and careful preparation for all aspects of the C2 Proficiency examination and includes:
- dedicated full-day classes preparing for Cambridge CPE exam
- practice interviews with experienced Cambridge examiners
- mock examinations under authentic exam conditions
- regular tutorials with your teacher to give individual help and study advice
We offer:
- long 09-12 week intensive courses leading to the exams in March, June and December – 25 or 30 lessons (18.75 or 22.5 hours) per week
There is a core of 25 lessons/week in a dedicated class focussing on preparing for the Cambridge CPE exam. If you choose the 30 lessons/week course, for the extra 5 lessons per week you can choose an elective. This may be to focus on a particular area that you need extra help with for the CPE exam such as ‘speaking, pronunciation, listening’ or ‘reading, writing and vocabulary’. Alternatively, you may wish to focus on a new skill like ‘English for Work’.