First Certificate in English: How to obtain it?

The First Certificate is Cambridge’s third highest level certificate, corresponding to level B2 in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, but many people don’t know what it is all about. For this reason, we are going to show you how to obtain it and what the requirements for passing it are.

What is the First Certificate?

The First Certificate is one of several exams that exist to accredit a person’s English language level, in this case at the upper-intermediate B2 level.

This exam is affiliated to the University of Cambridge, which means that it can only be taken through this institution. It is important to know that this certificate is one of the most demanded for job applications or scholarships abroad. So it is an essential requirement if you want to obtain new job and study opportunities in the world.

Requirements to obtain it

To pass the First exam or assessment you need to score at least 160 on the scale, giving you a First Certificate grade C, which is a normal B2 certificate. However, if you score more than 173 points, you will obtain a B grade, which is higher than the above mentioned.

If you score more than 180 points, you will obtain a grade A, which is the highest grade in the exam and is equivalent to a C1. It should be noted that in this case it does not mean that the C1 level certificate is obtained automatically, as it is necessary to take this exam regardless of the grade obtained in the B2 exam.

Examination format

Before starting to prepare for the First B2 certificate, you should choose the exam format that suits you best. Because Cambridge has 2 formats: Paper Based and Computer Based.

Regardless of the format chosen, the test is taken in person with 2 Cambridge examiners and another candidate for the exam.

• Paper Based: It is done on a sheet of paper, where the Cambridge examiner will provide a sheet with all the questions and statements, and another sheet for the answers. Which is the one that must be given to the examiner at the end of each part of the exam.
• Computer Based: This is the second format available, it is done completely on the computer, for which the student is given a computer where he/she will read and answer each of the questions in the exam. It is done in the same way as the Paper Based, in person with other candidates and a Cambridge examiner.

Advance preparation

To take any exam you need to prepare beforehand, and the First Certificate is no exception. For this reason, the academies usually offer 2 types of courses to prepare for and pass the exam. These courses are:

General courses

This type of course lasts for 9 months with several lessons per week. They teach grammar and vocabulary necessary to obtain a B2 in English.

Here you follow a different book to the exam preparation books and the exercises are adapted to improve your level of English and to pass the exam.

Advanced courses

This type of course lasts 4 months, with lessons of 3 to 4 hours, very different from the general courses. Here you will practise exercises taken directly from the exam and they even do mock exams so that the student has a better chance of passing the exam and of passing the time while taking the exam.

Results and certificate

Depending on the type of format you choose to take the First Certificate, either computer-based or paper-based, you will receive your results sooner or later. Paper-based exams can take up to 5 weeks, while computer-based exams can take up to 2 weeks.

All those who take the First Certificate exam must wait to receive the official certificate from the exam centre previously selected. And these will arrive one month after receiving the Statement of Results, which is where all the answers and the marks obtained are shown.