The Oxford Test of English for Schools is an affordable, personalized test that fits you. It’s 100% online, flexible, fast and available at Approved Test Centres worldwide. Plus, it’s the only proficiency test certified by the University of Oxford.
The advantage of the Oxford Test of English for Schools is that you can take it without completing a specific preparation course, as long as you are studying at the right level.
You can use the materials provided in our Get ready for the test hub to help you prepare for the test, alongside your course materials. These resources will also give you an understanding of the format of the Oxford Test of English for Schools and types of questions asked, so you know what to expect.
To find out more about the appropriate level for you, speak to your teacher or a local Approved Test Centre.
Get your FREE test preparation materials!
The format of the Oxford Test of English for Schools is exactly the same as the Oxford Test of English. It assesses the ability to understand and communicate effectively in English, reporting at three CEFR levels: B2, B1, and A2.
The test covers all four skills: Speaking, Listening, Reading, and Writing.
The Reading and Listening modules are computer adaptive, which means that the test adjusts the difficulty of questions based on the test taker’s responses, making the test more motivating, shorter, and giving a more precise measurement than traditional proficiency tests.
The Speaking and Writing modules use task randomization, making each test an individualized experience.
| Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Speaking – Approximately 15 minutes | |||
| Interview Eight questions on everyday topics | Voicemails Two voicemails in response to two different situations | Talk Short talk on an issue or scenario | Follow-up questions Six follow-up questions on the theme of the Part 3 talk |
| Listening – Approximately 30 minutes | |||
| Multiple choice – picture options Five short monologues/ dialogues each with one 3-option multiple-choice question with picture options | Note-completion A longer monologue with five 3-option multiple-choice note-completion questions | Matching opinions with people who say them A longer dialogue with five 3-option multiple-choice questions focussing on identifying opinion | Multiple choice Five short monologues/ dialogues each with one 3-option multiple-choice question |
| Reading – 35 minutes | |||
| Multiple-choice questions on short texts Six short texts from a variety of sources, each with one 3-option multiple-choice question | Multiple matching Six profiles of people to match with four longer text descriptions or Six items to match with three profiles of people | Gapped sentences Six extracted sentences are inserted into a longer text | Multiple-choice questions on a longer text Four 3-option multiple-choice questions |
| Writing – 45 minutes | |||
| Email Written response to an input email 80 – 130 words 20 minutes | Essay or article/review Essay OR article/review on a topic typical of classroom discussion 100 – 160 words 25 minutes | – | – |
Experience the Oxford Test of English for Schools with the online demo.
- By accessing the demo you are not registering for the test.
- You will not get results or a certificate.
- The demo is free to use as many times as you want.
- The appearance of the real test may be different from the demo.
- You can close the demo at any point. You do not have to answer all of the questions.
Do you have any special requirements? You can view options here.
For the best experience, use the demo in a desktop browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge).
Download the sample test
You can download the sample test with answer key and audio files.
Results and certification
With the Oxford Test of English for Schools, your overall level of English is certified by the University of Oxford. Results are ready within 14 days. Your certificate is exactly the same as for the Oxford Test of English.
Organizations and institutions
Organizations and institutions are also able to independently verify the results.
How your certificate works
- You are given a score for each module.
- If you have taken all four modules you will get an overall score.
- The overall score is the average of each module.
| Module | Score |
|---|---|
| Speaking Taken 03 September 2016 | 100 |
| Listening Taken 25 June 2016 | 112 |
| Reading Taken 25 June 2016 | 128 |
| Writing Taken 03 September 2016 | 140 |
| OVERALL CEFR LEVEL |
| B2 |
| OVERALL SCORE |
| 120 |
Breakdown of the Oxford Test of English certificate
- The Oxford Test of English scale is from 51–140.
- The scale is aligned to CEFR levels B2, B1 and A2.
- This scale is used for individual modules and overall score.
A2
A2.1
A2.2
B1
B1.1
B1.2
B2
B2.1
B2.2
Oxford University Press is committed to making the Oxford Test of English for Schools accessible to learners with special requirements. For more information about the options available, click the links below:
For test takers For test centres
How the test was developed
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 (PDF) for a detailed description of the development process.
A letter from the University of Oxford
The following letter marks the University’s endorsement and certification of the Oxford Test of English.
Carelli's Digital Library 