Most universities and colleges that offer admissions to international students hailing from countries where English is not the first language have specific English language proficiency requirements. The Cambridge English: Advanced, also known as Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) is an exam offered by the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations in 113 countries. Over 3,000 educational institutes, governments and employers around the world, including the United Kingdom, Australia and North America, accept CAE scores for this purpose. For example, the UK Border Agency accepts CAE for student visa applications, and the UK Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) awards points towards your college application that correspond to your score in the exam.

If you are planning to study abroad for an undergraduate degree, you may be able to use the scores of CAE as a proof of your English language proficiency, and that you have the necessary skills to study in an English-speaking environment overseas. Other than the CAE, there are other English language proficiency tests that are widely accepted like the TOEFL.

Eligibility criteria

There is no official age limit for taking the exam, and students most commonly sit for the CAE exam while in 10+1 or 10+2 secondary education, in preparation for applying to undergraduate courses in the U.K., Canada and/or Australia. It is however, advised to submit test scores that fall within two years of your application to study abroad.

You can sit for the exam as many times as you require/want, although you cannot register for the same exam twice in the same month.