Failed your Cambridge exam? What happens next
Failing a Cambridge exam is not the end of the story. If you were close, you usually still get a certificate, and many people pass the second time. Here is what you get with your score, whether a re-mark is worth it, and how to prepare for the next exam.
If you are just below a pass, you get a certificate at the level below: for example, 140–159 in B2 First gives you a B1 certificate. You can’t retake one paper on its own: next time, you take the whole exam again. A re-mark rarely changes the result unless you missed by a point or two.
What you get with your score
| Exam | Pass | Just below: certificate | No certificate |
|---|---|---|---|
| B1 Preliminary | 140+ | 120–139 · A2 | below 120 |
| B2 First | 160+ | 140–159 · B1 | below 140 |
| C1 Advanced | 180+ | 160–179 · B2 | below 160 |
Everyone gets a Statement of Results with their score in each paper. That is the most useful thing you have now: it shows where to work.
Should you ask for a re-mark?
Usually not. The re-mark (an enquiry on results) goes through your exam centre and has a fee, refunded only if your result changes. Your score can also go down. And because your overall score is the average of all papers, your Writing has to go up about 5 points for your overall score to go up 1.
Carlos, who created Levoop: the first time I took a Cambridge exam, I failed by one or two points. My teachers and people who had taken the exam all told me a re-mark wasn’t worth it, so I didn’t ask for one. I used the time to prepare the next exam instead, starting with my weakest paper.
It may be worth it only if you missed by one point, your Writing score is much lower than your other papers for no clear reason, and you are not in a hurry.
How to pass next time
- Find your weakest paper on your Statement of Results. All papers count the same, so that is where you gain the most.
- Work out how far you are with the B2 First or C1 Advanced score calculator.
- Practise that paper a little every day, and do a timed mock exam every two or three weeks.
- If Writing was the problem, write a task a week (B2, C1) and get feedback on it.
- Book the exam when you are ready. Check if you would pass today first. Computer-based exams have more dates and faster results.
Frequent questions
What happens if I fail B2 First?
With 140–159 you get a B1 certificate. Below 140 there is no certificate, but you get your Statement of Results with your score in each paper.
What happens if I fail C1 Advanced?
With 160–179 you get a B2 certificate. Below 160 there is no certificate, but you get your scores.
Can I retake just one paper?
No. You don’t pass or fail each paper: your result is the average of all of them. If you take the exam again, you take the whole exam.
Is it worth asking for a re-mark?
Usually not. It has a fee, your score can go down, and the overall score rarely changes enough. It may be worth it only if you missed the pass by one point and your Writing score looks too low.
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