Cambridge Assessment English: B2 First
Ready for success in study, work and life
B2 First, formerly known as Cambridge English: First (FCE), is the most popular Cambridge Assessment English qualification, accepted by thousands of businesses and educational institutions worldwide.
A B2 First qualification proves you have the language skills to live and work independently in an English-speaking country or study on courses taught in English. This exam is the logical step in your language learning journey between B1 Preliminary and C1 Advanced.

 Cambridge English: First FAQs

  • Overview
  • The exam
  • Results
  • Support
  • Registration


A B2 First qualification shows that you can:

> communicate effectively face-to-face, expressing opinions and presenting arguments

> follow the news

> write clear, detailed English, expressing opinions and explaining the advantages and disadvantages of different points of view

> write letters, reports, stories and lots of other types of text.

Reasons to choose B2 First:

> Accepted for entry to foundation/pathway/pre-sessional courses in English-speaking countries
.

> Accepted for entry to undergraduate programmes taught in the medium of English in non-English-speaking countries.

> Click here to see some of the leading organisations that will accept your certificate:






Fair and reliable

General and
higher education leaflet

B2 First is respected and accepted internationally. It:
  • provides the most reliable reflection of your language skills
  • covers all major varieties of English (e.g. British English, American English)
  • is designed to be fair to users of all nationalities and linguistic backgrounds
  • is supported by the largest research programme of its kind
  • can be taken by people with a wide range of special requirements.
A Cambridge English qualification
Once you have earned a Cambridge English certificate, you hold one of the most valuable English qualifications in the world. It’s an achievement you can be really proud of.

What’s in the B2 First?
The B2 First exam consists of four papers developed to test your English language skills in all areas of language ability: Reading and Use of English, Writing, Listening and Speaking. The Speaking exam uses a face-to-face test with two candidates and two examiners. This creates a more realistic and reliable measure of your ability to use English to communicate.

B2 First has four papers:

Reading and Use of English: 1 hour 15 minutes
The B2 First Reading and Use of English paper has 7 parts and 52 questions and has a mix of text types and questions. For Parts 1 to 4, candidates read a range of texts and do grammar and vocabulary tasks. For Parts 5 to 7, candidates read a series of texts and answer questions that test their reading ability and show that they can deal with a variety of different types of texts This paper accounts for 40% of the total mark.

Writing: 1 hour 20 minutes
The B2 First Writing paper has two parts. Candidates have to show that they can write different types of text in English. In Part 1 there is one compulsory question and in Part 2 candidates answer one question from a choice of three. This paper accounts for 20% of the total mark.

Listening: About 40 minutes
The B2 First Listening paper has four parts. For each part you have to listen to a recorded text or texts and answer some questions. You hear each recording twice.This paper accounts for 20% of the total mark.

Speaking: 14 minutes per pair of candidates
The B2 First Speaking shows how good your spoken English is as you take part in conversation by asking/answering questions and talking, for example, about your likes and dislikes. The test has four parts and will be conducted face-to-face with one or two other candidates. This makes your test more realistic and more reliable. There are two examiners. One examiner (the interlocutor) talks to you and the other examiner (the assessor) just listens. Both examiners decide your grade but the assessor gives more detailed marks than the interlocutor. Examiners may use their mobile phones for entering marks using an app. The Speaking test accounts for 20% of the total mark.




Exams Owl is our support site for candidates, schools and teachers. The site provides comprehensive information on exam structure and content as well as support to help you or your students prepare for their exam and understand their

- Paper based exams - Computer based exams
- Answer keys
- Regulations for candidates
- Exam day tips - Practice tests

YOU WILL FIND ALL THE INFORMATION YOU NEED ABOUT EXAM RESULTS AND CERTIFICATES ON OUR DEDICATED SITE...
Official support site of Exams Catalunya,Exams Madrid and Exams Balears for Preparation Centres, Teachers and Candidates


Exams Owl is our support site for candidates, schools and teachers. The site provides comprehensive information on exam structure and content as well as support to help you or your students prepare for their exam and understand their results:

- Exam results - Statement of Results
- Checking and verifying results
- Certificates
- Enquiries and appeals  - Lost certificates


Useful resources to help you to prepare for your B2 First exam
ALL THE INFORMATION AND SUPPORT YOU NEED TO PREPARE FOR B2 FIRST EXAM ON OUR DEDICATED SITE...
Official support site of Exams Catalunya,Exams Madrid and Exams Balears for Preparation Centres, Teachers and Candidates

Exams Owl is our new support site for candidates, schools and teachers. The site provides comprehensive information on the B2 First exam structure and content as well as support to help you or your students prepare for their exam and understand their results:

- Sample tests - Speaking test videos
- Candidate information
- Preparation resources
- Exam day tips


Are you a private candidate?
It’s easy to register for B2 First
in just three steps:
Step 1  Find an exam date

You can take the Cambridge English exams most months of the year.
Use our online search to find an exam date.

Step 2  Complete the registration form

You can complete the exam registration form online or come to our offices to register for an exam.

Step 3  Make payment

Payment must be made before the registration deadline. If you register or pay after the deadline a late fee will be applied.
Masterclass for Candidates included in the exam fee

This online class lasts about 1 hour and 30 minutes and is included in your exam fee. During the session, a teacher, expert on Cambridge Assessement English exams, will review the different questions in each paper with tips and in-depth advice on how to approach them.
We will also advise you about what to expect on the exam day so that you feel confident and better prepared.

We will send you the information to access the class when you have completed and paid for your exam registration.




You can choose to pay for your exam via the following payment methods:
  1. By credit/debit card




  2. By bank transfer to any of the following accounts:
    Banco Santander
    Account holder: Assessment and Certification Services, S.L.
    Account number: 0049 4754 89 2516056032
    IBAN: ES9400494754892516056032
    Banco Sabadell
    Account holder: Assessment and Certification Services, S.L.
    Account number: 0081 0053 54 0001180228
    IBAN: ES7300810053540001180228
    IMPORTANT: If you pay for your exam by bank transfer you should clearly state the name and surname/s of the candidate and the level and date of the exam session. All transfers must reach us free of bank charges or interest. Exams Catalunya will not be responsible for these charges. You must send us the payment receipt by email to [email protected] so that we may trace your payment with the bank. Your place on the exam will not be confirmed until we receive a payment receipt for the exam fee.

  3. At our offices:
    Registration and payment for exams may also be made at our offices. If candidates choose this option payment should be made on registering. Payment may be made in cash, by bank transfer or credit/debit card.

    C/ Freixa, 5-9
    08021 Barcelona
    Tel: 934 111 333
    Opening hours: Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm

    The candidate may register directly or send someone to register in his/her name.
IMPORTANT: After we receive the exam registration form a confirmation of receipt will be sent to the candidate. Once the exam fees have been settled the candidate will receive confirmation that he/she is registered to take the exam.
If you do not receive confirmation of your exam registration within 3 working days please phone us on tel.: 934 111 333. You should also check that our email has not been sent to your junk/spam mail folder.

Top