Cambridge English Exam at LSI/IH Portsmouth

Take the Cambridge English Exam at LSI/IH Portsmouth

Advance your skills and your career opportunities by choosing LSI/IH Portsmouth to support you through the Cambridge English Exams, no matter what level. Over the years, we have helped a diverse range of people from around the world to enhance their qualifications and strengthen their career path.
With decades of experience of teaching English as a foreign language, you can trust the team at LSI/IH Portsmouth to provide you with specialist training in the skills required to succeed in the Cambridge English Exams. Read on to find out exactly how we can help you.

What Are Cambridge Exams?

Cambridge English Qualifications are recognised by thousands of universities, employers and governments worldwide as proof of English language ability. 
With a Cambridge English qualification, this can open many doors, from being accepted into higher education to gaining new employment opportunities. At LSI/IH Portsmouth, these exams encourage people to develop practical skills for real-life situations in a rewarding and enjoyable learning environment. Each exam focuses on a level of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), guiding learners to improve their key skills (speaking, writing, reading and listening) with a clear, continuous progression.

What Are the Three Different Types of Cambridge Exams?

At LSI/IH Portsmouth, we prepare students for the three main exams, which are B2 First, C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency:
  • The B2 First (also known as Cambridge First Certificate or FCE) is a qualification which certifies your language ability. Generally, it demonstrates that you have the confidence and ability to communicate in English-speaking environments.
  • The C1 Advanced (also known as Cambridge English Advanced or CAE) is a high-level qualification which certifies your language skills.
  • The C2 Proficiency (also known as Cambridge English Proficiency or CPE) is the highest-level Cambridge qualification and it is proof that your language skills are of a highly-advanced standard.

Why LSI/IH Portsmouth?

LSI/IH Portsmouth was awarded its official Cambridge test centre status in 2020. However, LSI/IH Portsmouth has been an IELTS test centre for over 17 years and an OET test centre since 2019. Our test centre is fully-equipped and presents a comfortable, professional environment to help you learn and achieve your potential.
At LSI/IH Portsmouth, you can receive specialist Cambridge Exam training and take your test at the school. Our fully qualified teachers are on-hand to help you progress step-by-step, no matter what your level of expertise is. 

Cambridge English Exam Preparation Advice

Learning the English language is challenging, especially if it is not your first language. To maximise your chances of passing the Cambridge English Exam the first time around, we highly recommend partaking in our preparation course.
We are proud to say that LSI/IH Portsmouth was recently ranked the joint number 1 English language school in the UK. As an official, recognised Cambridge test centre, you can be promised that our preparation courses have seen extremely high pass rates. Our preparation courses can provide you with:
  • Exam prep classes
  • Exam prep materials
  • Highly qualified and dedicated teachers
  • Flexible learning
  • Monitored progress
  • Convenient on-site test centre
To ensure you are fully prepared for your exam.

Cambridge Exam Test Dates 2023

B2 First (FCE) Exam Date Booking deadline
Price in 2023 – £185* 6th June (Tuesday) 5th May
24th August (Thursday) 25th July
28th November (Tuesday) 30th October
 
C1 Advanced (CAE) Exam Date Booking deadline
Price in 2023 – £190* 7th June (Wednesday) 5th May
28th July (Friday) 27th June
25th August (Friday) 25th July
29th November (Wednesday) 30th October
 
C2 Proficiency (CPE) Exam Date Booking deadline
Price in 2023 – £195* 9th June (Friday) 9th May
30th November (Thursday) 30th October
30th November (Thursday) 30th October
*Prices subject to change without notification You can book by scanning the code below or through the link here.

Useful Links

How does a Cambridge exam compare to an IELTS score? Click here
What institutions will accept a Cambridge qualification? Click here and here.

Cambridge Exam Frequently Asked Questions

Pre exam

If you wish to register for one of the Cambridge exams, please click ‘Book Now’. During the application process, you will be asked to provide details of your passport or national ID card (for EU citizens only). On the test day, you must bring the same form of identity with you.
· The 2023 price for B2 First (FCE) is £185*.
· The 2023 price for C1 Advanced (CAE) is £190*.
· The 2023 price for C2 Proficiency (CPE) is £195*.
*Prices are subject to change without notification
You will not be able to pay for the exam until we have received your completed application form. Once we have received your application, we will send you details on how to make a secure online payment via Flywire.
Please see the table of exam dates and deadlines above
If you are under 18, please contact us via email. We will send you a Consent Form which needs to be completed in full by your parent or legal guardian and returned to us. Unfortunately, we do not accept applicants who are under 16 years of age

If you require special arrangements, please fill in the required section of the application form. Before we can fully process your application, a report as evidence of a disability will be required. Please note that the deadline for submitting your application form may be earlier as we will need time to make appropriate arrangements.

Between 9:00am and 4:30pm Monday to Friday except public holidays.

By train: We strongly recommend that if you are travelling by train that you alight at Portsmouth and Southsea train station as it is only a 5-10 minute walk from our centre. o Portsmouth and Southsea Station (PMS) – 0.3m from LSI/IH Portsmouth
o Fratton Train Station (FRT) – 0.9m from LSI/IH Portsmouth
o Portsmouth Harbour Station (PMH) – 1.0m from LSI/IH Portsmouth

By bus: Bus numbers 1, 2, 3, X4, 7, 8, 13, 14, 15, 19, 19A, 20, 21, 23, 700, and the Hoverbus also stop at the station. Bus numbers 7, 19 and 700 also stop on Winston Churchill Avenue and Cambridge Road, which are just a few metres from LSI/IH Portsmouth

By car: If you are driving to our test centre, the easiest way to get directions from wherever you are coming from is to enter our postcode PO1 2AH into google maps.
There is plenty of pay & display parking near to the school. Please don’t forget to put money in the meter and then the ticket in your car!
LSI/IH Portsmouth offer both face-to-face and online options for Cambridge exam preparation. Our full-time Cambridge exam preparation courses are designed to help you improve the language skills required to get the best possible grade in your exam
We strongly advise that you do not book an exam if you know that you may have to send your passport away. You may not be allowed to sit the exam if you cannot present the ID which you applied with.
You may not be allowed to sit the exam if you cannot present the ID which you applied with. If you apply for a cancellation before the registration closing deadline, you may be offered a refund.

Exam day

What to expect on exam day https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/exams-and-tests/what-to-expect-on-exam-day/
Paper-based exams https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/exams-and-tests/what-to-expect-on-exam-day/paper-based/
Speaking tests https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/exams-and-tests/what-to-expect-on-exam-day/speaking-tests/
You must bring your photo ID (the same ID that you applied with). You can also take into the exam room:
o Pens, pencils, erasers, highlighters, pencil sharpeners o Small pencil cases o Water in a clear plastic bottle o Medicine o Tissues
Any other items such as notes, correction tape/fluid and dictionaries are not allowed in the exam room but can be kept in your bag and accessed during the breaks in the exam.
If you choose to bring electronic items such as mobile phones and smart watches, these will be kept securely until the end of the last written component.
The exam registration usually starts at 8:30 (please note that this time may vary depending on the number of candidates sitting the exam, please wait for further information to be sent before the exam day). The sub-tests are in the following order: Reading & Use of English, Writing, and Listening in the morning, with the Speaking taking place in the afternoon. The latest you will finish will be 6.00pm, depending on how many speaking exams are taking place that day.
Yes, there are short breaks (approximately 10 minutes) between each sub-test in the morning. During this time, you will have access to all your belongings except any electronic items.
If you are unwell on the test day, please obtain a medical certificate from your doctor. We may be able to arrange a partial refund or a transfer to another test date.
If you are late for the exam, you may not be allowed to sit the exam. Whether or not you can is up to the LSI/IH Portsmouth’s discretion. We strongly advise that you plan ahead and leave yourself enough time on the exam day to arrive within the registration window

Post exam

Your results will be released online approximately four to six weeks after your exam date.
Your certificate will be sent to the Exams Centre about three weeks after the results are available online. The Exams Centre will then send these to the candidates.
Please use this link to find more information about the Cambridge enquiries about results processes.
Your certificate has been sent to the address which you supplied on the test day. Please contact the LSI/IH Portsmouth Exam centre for more assistance.

Talk to us

Have we answered all your questions about studying English courses in Portsmouth?
If not, find out more here or contact us. We look forward to meeting you in Portsmouth and helping you to learn English in the UK!