About our centres

Cambridge ESOL exams are offered by approximately 2,500 authorised centres worldwide.

We work closely with our centres to ensure they are able to deliver our exams in line with our quality standards. We are also committed to giving centres the help and support they need in order to offer the best possible service to test takers.

Below you will find basic information for centres, links that will help you find out more, and ways to access some of the support services we offer centres.
Find your nearest centre.

Becoming a Cambridge ESOL centre

Before a centre is approved to run our exams and tests, we carry out a pre-approval inspection of the premises. This is to ensure they meet all the Cambridge ESOL security requirements . We may also check the examination rooms to ensure they are suitable ( for example, the listening test must be taken in a place where there is no distracting noise).

Find out more about the centre approval process.

Teaching Awards centres

If you are considering applying to be a centre for teaching awards only we have online centre FAQs and a centre questionnaire which will give you some more information and help you make a decision.

Centre inspection team

We currently have more than 100 centre inspectors around the world, plus inspections coordinators in most regions. The inspection team works with the owners and managers of centres to encourage continuous improvement in centre performance. Centres can get advice and support on how to meet our requirements from inspectors and inspector co-ordinators in our regional offices or the Centre Inspections unit in Cambridge.

All of our centres are inspected at least once every three years. A recent review of our inspections processes has highlighted the need for centres to be more actively involved in the inspections process and we are putting systems in place to help centres carry out their own self- assessment to ensure continuous quality improvement.

Support for centres

To help centres meet our demanding quality standards, we provide them with support in a number of ways: most of them are available through CentreNet. CentreNet is a comprehensive online resource for centres which allows forms and other publications to be downloaded along with archives, news, promotion and publicity materials and Frequently Asked Questions. It can only be accessed by authorised centres using their login and password.

Publications: Cambridge ESOL produces a number of publications to help centre managers run successful centres, and keep them updated with the latest information about our exams.

Handbooks: We produce a reference handbook for all centre managers explaining the procedures for running exams and the conditions necessary for holding exams.

Instructions: Each exam has its own set of instructions, explaining what centres need to provide to hold that particular exam. These instructions also contain any special requirements for that exam.

Bulletin: Bulletin is a monthly newsletter with all the latest information for centres.

Cambridge First: Published three times a year, Cambridge First contains news of events and developments from across the whole world of Cambridge ESOL exams.

Research Notes: Published quarterly, Research Notes contains a number of papers by Cambridge ESOL staff reflecting the latest research and developments.

Training: We provide a range of training materials for centre managers which is available through CentreNet, through our publications, in face-to-face training events and by DVD.

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