EF SET

Take the 50-minute test if you only need certified reading and listening scores and are short on time. Choose the 90-minute test if you need your writing and speaking assessed as well, since it is described as the most complete version covering all four skills. Both are free and both yield a CEFR-aligned certificate.

The reading-and-listening version takes 50 minutes; the four-skill version takes 90 minutes. Both are free, and the provider states there should be no barriers to testing your English. There is also a separate 20-question practice test you can take beforehand at no cost.

The source material does not describe a pass mark. Results are reported as CEFR levels from A1 to C2 rather than as a pass or fail, and a certificate is issued upon successful completion. Treat your CEFR band as a description of your current proficiency, not a threshold to clear.

It is an online test you take from home on any desktop, tablet or mobile device. All you need is an internet connection and a quiet place where you can concentrate. The provider notes the reading and listening measure is adaptive, adjusting to your responses to estimate your level efficiently.

The source material does not state a retake policy, so confirm current rules on the official site before relying on a second attempt. Practically, because the test is free and online, many candidates take the practice test first to reduce the risk of an unrepresentative first sitting.

Start with the 20-question practice test to learn the format and pacing. Then drill the skills your chosen version measures: timed reading passages and audio comprehension for the 50-minute test; add structured paragraph writing and recorded spoken answers for the 90-minute test. Simulate full-length timing at least once before test day.

Three recurrences: misjudging pacing on the timed reading and listening sections, being unfamiliar with the adaptive format so early questions rattle them, and - on the four-skill version - treating writing and speaking as afterthoughts. Practise producing extended written and spoken answers under time pressure rather than only doing comprehension drills.

The provider reports that thousands of companies, schools and universities use its assessment solutions to define proficiency benchmarks, and the certificate can be added to a CV or LinkedIn profile. Recognition for a specific admission or hiring decision is set by that institution, so check its requirements directly.

No. The provider states that if you have received a custom test link from your school or employer, you must use that link for them to receive your score. Taking the test through the public site instead may mean your organisation never sees your result.