All the exams in the Oxford Test of English suite are certified by the University of Oxford. The quality of the Tests is endorsed by one of the world’s leading educational institutions.
The Oxford Test of English is a new, high-quality general English proficiency test. It has been developed and validated by Oxford University Press and independent experts.
Certified by the University of Oxford
The Oxford Test of English gives Test Takers an externally validated statement of their proficiency in English, certified by the University of Oxford.
100% online
It is modern in style and content, relevant for today’s learners. It is 100% online and takes approximately 2 hours.
Aligned to the CEFR
The Test is independent of any curriculum or course and is aligned to the CEFR, providing external international credibility.
Discover the full suite of general English proficiency tests in the Oxford Test of English
Content adapted to the interests and experiences of 12- to 16-year-olds.
A more academic and professional focus for higher-level Test Takers.
About the exam
Are you going to university? Changing courses? Going away on Erasmus? Or planning the next step in your career?
Here are just a few reasons why you should take the Oxford Test of English:
The Oxford Test of English gives Test Takers an externally validated statement of their proficiency in English, certified by the University of Oxford.
The Test can be taken when it's really needed and in any module combination: Speaking, Reading, Listening, and Writing. All four skills are assessed in approximately 2 hours.
Individual modules can be later re-taken, and the Report Card will always show the latest and best result.
The task scenarios replicate real-life language usage in social, work, and study situations.
The Test covers all four skills: Speaking, Listening, Reading and Writing. Test Takers are given a time limit to complete the tasks.
Reading and Listening modules are adaptive, which means the Test adjusts according to the Test Taker’s responses, making each test a unique and motivating experience.
It also makes the Test shorter and more accurate than traditional paper-based tests.
Speaking and Writing modules offer the Test Taker individualized tests, marked by trained Assessors.
Results for the test are on the same day for Reading and Listening. Speaking and Writing results are typically received within 5 days. The Certificate shows the Test Taker’s proficiency in each of the four skills and overall, according to CEFR levels. Read the “Understanding Results” guide to fully understand your certificate.
To find out the price of the Test, please contact your nearest Test Centre.
The Oxford Test of English has been designed and developed over several years, with great care taken at each stage to ensure reliability, accuracy, alignment to CEFR, and quality.
Read the Oxford Test of English Test Specifications for a detailed description of the development process.
The following letter marks the University’s endorsement and certification of the Oxford Test of English.
A letter from the University of Oxford
Download and read useful documents for the Oxford Test of English.
Overview of every module
All the Oxford Test of English exams consist of four modules: Speaking, Listening, Reading and Writing. The Listening and Reading modules are computer-adaptive, whereas the Speaking and Writing modules are randomized with questions selected at random from the item bank. The Speaking and Writing modules are marked by trained, expert assessors.
The table below shows the approximate length, number of parts, structure and content in each module for the Oxford Test of English.
The Speaking module has five parts. It takes approximately 15 minutes.
| Part | Task type | Number of questions | Task format | Testing focus | Detailed timing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part 1 | Interview | 6 (plus two unassessed) | Eight questions on everyday topics |
| Preparation time: none Response time: Questions 1 and 2: 10 seconds per question Questions 3–8: 20 seconds per question |
| Part 2 | Voicemails | 2 | Two voicemails in response to two different situations |
| Preparation time: 20 seconds Response time: 40 seconds |
| Part 3 | Talk | 1 | Short talk on an issue or scenario |
| Preparation time: 30 seconds Response time: 1 minute |
| Part 4 | Follow-up questions | 6 | Six follow-up questions on the theme of the Part 3 talk | As in Part 3, plus:
| Preparation time: none Response time: 30 seconds per question |
The Listening module has four parts. It takes approximately 35 minutes. Test takers can listen to each audio twice.
| Part | Task type | Number of questions | Task format | Testing focus | Detailed timing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part 1 | Multiple choice – picture options | 5 | Five short monologues/ dialogues each with one 3-option multiple-choice question with picture options | Listening to identify:
| time to answer = length of audio plus an additional 10 seconds |
| Part 2 | Note completion | 5 | A longer monologue with five 3-option multiple-choice note-completion questions | Listening to identify:
| time to read the task = 30 seconds; time to answer = length of audio plus an additional 15 seconds |
| Part 3 | Matching opinions with people who say them | 5 | A longer dialogue with five 3-option multiple-choice questions focussing on identifying opinion | Listening to identify:
| |
| Part 4 | Multiple choice | 5 | Five short monologues/ dialogues each with one 3-option multiple-choice question | Listening to identify:
| time to answer = length of audio plus an additional 10 seconds |
The Reading module has four parts. It takes up to 35 minutes.
| Part | Task type | Number of questions | Task format | Testing focus | Detailed timing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part 1 | Multiple-choice questions on short texts | 6 | Six short texts from a variety of sources, each with one 3-option multiple-choice question | Reading to identify:
| 6 questions x 1 minute 20 seconds |
| Part 2 | Multiple matching | 6 | Six items to match with three profiles of people OR six profiles of people to match with four longer text descriptions | Expeditious search reading at local and global levels to identify:
| 8 minutes |
| Part 3 | Gapped sentences | 6 | Six extracted sentences are inserted into a longer text | Reading to identify:
| 11 minutes |
| Part 4 | Multiple-choice questions on a longer text | 4 | Four 3-option multiple-choice questions | Reading to identify:
| 8 minutes |
* In these parts of the Reading module the task type and number of questions that the test taker gets will depend on their level.
The Writing module has two parts. It takes up to 50 minutes. The tasks in both parts are compulsory.
| Part | Task type | Number of questions | Task format | Testing focus | Detailed timing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part 1 | 1 | Written response to an input email. 80—130 words. |
| 20 minutes | |
| Part 2 | Essay or Magazine article/review | 1 | Essay OR Magazine article/review on a topic typical of classroom discussion. 100—160 words. | Essay
| 25 minutes |
Get ready for the Test!
Preparation material
Advice and resources to have you feeling comfortable and confident on the day of the test.
Online demo
The demo gives you a realistic experience of what it’s like to take the Test. We recommend using one of the following browsers: Chrome, Firefox, Safari or Edge.
Accessing the demo doesn’t count as registering for the Test and you will not receive results or a certificate.
Testimonials
Some of our Oxford Test of English Test takers have shared their experiences of the test and how it has helped them achieve their goals.
Watch their testimonials below to find out more.
“You take the test in two hours, you have the results typically in 5 days, and the price is good” – Marina Rodrigo Lozano, test taker, Spain
“I absolutely recommend the Oxford Test of English because it takes just two hours, and you’ll have it your whole life” – Francisco Liébana Castelló, test taker, Spain
“I could focus on my English instead of learning how to take a test” – Valeria Garro Abarca, test taker, Costa Rica
Recognition
The Oxford Test of English is proud to be recognized by a growing number of universities, educational institutions and organizations across Spain and around the world.
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