International Certificate in Financial English
WHAT IS ICFE?
To meet the demand for helping finance professionals demonstrate that they have the financial English skills they need, University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations (English for Speakers of Other Languages) and ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) have combined their areas of expertise to develop the International Certificate in Financial English (Cambridge ICFE).
WHO IS THE ICFE EXAM FOR AND WHY SHOULD I TAKE IT?
Cambridge ICFE is an ideal qualification for anyone thinking of, or already pursuing, a career in accountancy or finance. If you are considering a career in finance or are about to embark on studying towards an accounting or finance qualification, the qualification will be a valuable addition to your CV.
WHAT IS THE FORMAT OF THE EXAM?
ICFE has 4 tests:
Reading 1 hour 15 min (50 marks)
Writing 1 hour 15 min (50 marks)
Listening 40 min approx (50 marks)
Speaking 16 min approx (50 marks)
ICFE has 3 passing grades:
Pass with Merit (CEFR C1) 80% and above
Pass (CEFR C1) 70 – 79%
Pass (CEFR B2) 50 – 69%
Narrow Fail 45 – 49%
Fail 44% and below
There are no pass of fail levels in individual papers. Your marks for each paper are added together to calculate your grade for the whole exam.
WHEN DO THE EXAMS TAKE PLACE?
The London Exam Centre, which is part of Wimbledon School of English, is a certified exam centre for Cambridge. The exam can be taken at our centre usually twice a year: May and November. To register for the exam you need to see the Examinations Officer.
WHEN ARE THE RESULTS RELEASED?
The results for paper-based exams are released approximately 6-8 weeks after the exam (for computer-based exams approximately 2-3 weeks). If you pass the exam you will receive a certificate in 4 weeks after the result release day for paper-based exams (2 weeks for computer-based exams).
CAN YOUR RESULTS BE VERIFIED?
The results can be verified by organisations and agencies nominated by candidates (e.g. universities and employers) on https://verification.cambridgeesolonline.org (which can include the optional Test Day Photo, i.e. AIC).
