First Certificate in English (FCE)
FCE is an exam for people who can use everyday written and spoken English at an upper-intermediate level. It is an ideal exam for people who want to use English for work or study purposes.
Updated FCE and CAE from December 2008
In order to ensure our exams meet the needs of users, FCE and CAE have recently undergone a review and the examinations have been updated. The first session of the updated FCE and CAE exams will take place in December 2008.
What does FCE involve?
FCE has five papers:
Reading: 1 hour
You will need to be able to understand information in fiction and non-fiction books, journals, newspapers and magazines.
Writing: 1 hour 20 minutes
You will have to show you can produce two different texts such as a short story, a letter, an article, a report, a review or an essay.
Use of English: 45 minutes
Your use of English will be tested by tasks which show how well you control your grammar and vocabulary.
Listening: 40 minutes
You need to show you can understand the meaning of a range of spoken material, including news programmes, speeches, stories and anecdotes and public announcements.
Speaking: 14 minutes
You will take the Speaking test with another candidate or in a group of three, and you will be tested on your ability to take part in different types of interaction: with the examiner, with the other candidates and by yourself.
A world of opportunities — worldwide recognition
FCE is a truly international exam, recognised by thousands of industrial, administrative and service-based employers as a qualification in intermediate English.
It is also accepted by a wide range of educational institutions for study purposes.
Companies such as American Express, Agfa-Gevaert GmbH, Siemens and Procter & Gamble all recognise the value of FCE in their overseas offices
Exam dates
FCE can be taken in March, June and December.
Reading (Paper 1)
1 hour
Saturday 06 December 2008
Tuesday 09 December 2008
Writing (Paper 2)
1 hour 20 minutes
Saturday 06 December 2008
Tuesday 09 December 2008
Use of English(Paper 3)
45 minutes
Saturday 06 December 2008
Tuesday 09 December 2008
Listening (Paper 4)
40 minutes
06 December 2008 or 09 December 2008
Paper 5 is held by separate arrangement, within specified periods — contact your centre for more details.
Speaking (Paper 5)
14 minutes
14 November to 14 December 2008
Please note that special timetable arrangements will apply for FCE candidates at centres in Greece.
Set texts
From December 2008, when the updated FCE exam is introduced, there will be two set texts with one text specific question on each.
December 2008 — December 2009
Charles Dickens, Great Expectations (Macmillan or any edition)
Gaston Leroux, The Phantom of the Opera (Penguin or any edition)
Next steps
Register
If you are studying English at the moment, speak to your teacher about how to enrol.
If you are not studying at the moment, your nearest Cambridge ESOL exam centre will be able to advise you about how to register, fees, the dates of the exam and other arrangements. We have more than 2,000 centres in 130 countries. Please note that centres may set registration deadlines that are earlier than those published.
Entries cannot be made directly to Cambridge ESOL.
