The Edinburgh Experience is a Cambridge English Exam Preparation Centre. We prepare students for FCE, CAE, CPE and Academic IELTS exams. We recommend a 6 month preparation period for part time students (4 hours a week), and 3 months for full-time students (8 hours a week). ​

Cambridge Exams
Part time £100 a month, Full-time £180 a month

The Cambridge English exams are internationally recognised qualifications. Our courses help you prepare all 4 papers of the exam, as well as giving you great tips on how to get top marks. We also do a language or skills focus in each class to help you develop your English. Courses include

• exam technique
• a mock exam before presenting
• help with exam enrollment
• course book *
• exam focused conversation classes
• online resources for self-study exam practice

Part time courses work on a 6 month cycle, and full time courses on a 3 month cycle.  
To know which is the best exam for you, take the Cambridge level test to find out. 
*there is a cost of £30 for the CPE course book

Cambridge Level Test

Academic IELTS
Part time £100 a month

IELTS is one of the most internationally recognised English qualifications, especially by unviersities. We prepare our students for a 6.5+ IELTS score.  In each class you will work on exam technique as well as language and skills development to help develop your English and get you a higher score.

• The book we use is IELTS Express Upper Intermediate (£22), which is a very useful book for familiarising you with the exam. It also contains a full practice exam. 
• We supplement this with vocabulary and skills work to help you raise your score. 
• The courses work on approxiamtely a 6 month cycle where we work through the 8 units of the book.
• As well as your 4 hours of class a week, you are also entitled to a conversation class a week
• Students have access to our online materials for self-study exam practice.

Should I take a Cambridge or IELTS exam?

Different countries have different preferences to English exams, and Cambridge and IELTS have both advantages and disadvantages. Here is some information about both to help you decide which is the best option for you. Alternatively, contact us for advice on which you should choose

• In most southern European countries such as Spain or Greece, Cambridge is more recognised
• IELTS is the most commonly asked qualification for entrance to UK universities. While some universities also accept Cambridge exams, the skills you have to learn for IELTS are ones you will need if you plan to study at a UK university, so it is usually more helpful.
• The IELTS qualification is only valid for 2 years, and some universities ask you for your certificate to be a maximum of 6 months old. Cambridge exams do not have an expiry date.
• If you are looking for a certificate for a UK visa, then you will need to do a General IELTS exam. While we do not prepare for this exam, it is very similar to the Acadmic IELTS format.
• Cambridge have now changed their way of scoring their exams. This means now that even if you don't pass the exam, you will have achieved the lower level certificate. For example. you need 180 to pass the CAE exam. If you score 175, you won't have achieved the CAE, but you will have the FCE
• You do not need the FCE to take the CAE, you just need to be at that level.