In a nutshell
What are the qualifications about?
The City & Guilds International ESOL qualifications will help you demonstrate your ability to communicate in English to enable you to work or study in English-speaking countries and/or environments.
Who are they for?
The International ESOL qualifications are for anyone who is a non-native speaker of English and who would like to demonstrate their ability to communicate in English.
Many English-speaking universities accept this qualification as evidence of language proficiency for entry on to their courses.
Why choose City & Guilds?
A City & Guilds qualification is proof that you have the right skills to do your job well - which is why so many employers look for people who have one. You can be confident your qualification is well respected within your industry.
City & Guilds qualifications are engaging and rewarding, and can lead to a whole range of fulfilling careers - including many of the UK's happiest professions.
Your questions
... if you're taking these qualifications
- What sorts of things do they cover?
International ESOL qualifications are available at six levels and is benchmarked to the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). You'll cover:
- reading English texts
- writing in English
- listening to and understanding English.
- How will I learn and be assessed?
Essentially these qualifications are procifiency tests to assess your ability to communicate in English, so you don't necessarily learn but demonstrate your skills.
Your centre may provide you with an exam preparation course to help you get ready for the exam.
- Which level is right for me?
Preliminary - A1 (Entry Level 1)
You can:
- use everyday expressions and very basic phrases for practical needs
- ask and answer questions about personal details
- understand short texts on familiar topics and obtain information from signs and symbols
- write simple phrases and sentences in documents, ie forms.
Access - A2 (Entry Level 2)You can:
- understand sentences and frequently-used expressions
- communicate in tasks requiring an exchange of information
- obtain information from short documents, familiar sources, signs and symbols
- write to communicate with some awareness of the intended audience.
Achiever - B1 (Entry Level 3)You can:
- understand main points of clear standard communication
- convey information, feelings and opinions on familiar topics
- engage in discussion to reach a shared understanding
- produce a simple connected text
- describe experiences, events, hopes & ambitions.
Communicator - B2 (Level 1)You can:
- understand main ideas of complex communication
- interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity without strain for either party
- engage in discussion in familiar and unfamiliar situations
- communicate in detail, appropriate to purpose and audience.
Expert - C1 (Level 2)You can:
- understand demanding texts and recognise implicit meaning
- use language fluently and spontaneously
- engage in discussion making clear and effective contributions
- produce well-structured, detailed text on complex subjects
- communicate ideas and opinions effectively.
Mastery - C2 (Level 3)You can:
- understand with ease virtually everything heard or read
- summarise information, reconstruct arguments and accounts coherently
- express self spontaneously, very fluently and precisely, differentiating finer shades of meaning even in more complex situations.
For more detailed level descriptors please go to International ESOL & SESOL (CEFR) overall descriptors for each level. - How long do they take?
Guided learning hours
Guided learning hours are the hours you spend learning with your training provider or on your own. The guided learning hours for this qualification are:- Entry Level 1: 90-120 hours
- Entry Level 2: 90-120 hours
- Entry Level 3: 90-120 hours
- Level 1: 90-120 hours
- Level 2: 90-120 hours
- Level 3: 90-120 hours.
- What jobs could they lead to?
A City & Guilds International ESOL could help you to get a job in an English-speaking company or a place on a course at an English-speaking university.
When taken as part of the International ESOL Diploma (9992) these qualifications are recognised by the UK Border Agency as approved English language tests for Tiers 1 and 2 visas.
... if you're delivering these qualifications
- How would we deliver and assess them?
International ESOL is available at six levels and is benchmarked to the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). The upper levels, Expert and Mastery, are recognised by many English speaking universities as evidence of language proficiency for entry purposes.
When taken as part of the International ESOL Diploma (9992) it is recognised by the UK Border Agency as an approved English language test.
Recognition
City & Guilds levels CEFR
Preliminary A1
Access A2
Achiever B1
Communicator B2
Expert C1
Mastery C2
Have a look at who recognises our International ESOL and SESOL Qualifications. You can also browse our recognitions search page for information about other qualifications.International ESOL has undergone a rigorous examination through a CEFR benchmarking project. This has resulted in modifications to all six levels. B1, B2, C1 and C2 are in a new format, recognisable by the changed appearance in the cover sheet.
These changes have been made due to our ongoing improvements of the IEQ suite, in particular our exciting CEFR linking project. We have updated and revised the following levels:
- Preliminary (A1)
- Access (A2)
- Achiever (B1)
- Communicator (B2)
- Expert (C1)
- Mastery (C2).
In the Key Documents section you can download detailed reports, demonstrating the qualifications' links to the CEFR and explaining our project work.
Assessment is by a single exam paper which covers Listening, Reading and Writing. Testing is on demand, so you can choose your own dates.
To help you familiarise with the new, improved version of our International ESOL exam papers, Practice Papers are now available for download from the Key Documents section.Full details on the requirements for assessment and delivery are available from the Key Documents section.
- What resources do we need?
A set of course books is also available to support the new International ESOL qualification, complete with Teacher's book and CDs. You can dowload an order form for this material from the Key Documents section.
You can also take a look at our Support Materials booklet providing a full list of City & Guilds resources and a selection of additional course materials by other publishers. Alternatively, have a look at our Frequently Asked Questions for any additional information.These documents are all available to download from the Key Documents section.
- How can we get approval to offer them?
New to City & Guilds?
First become a centre - then you can apply for qualification approval.Already a centre?
Download and complete the qualification approval form and send it to your local City & Guilds office. - Are there any learner eligibility requirements?
Anyone can take these qualifications, but you must make sure all your learners can access the resources they need to complete it.
- Do these qualifications replace any others?
These International ESOL qualifications replace the old Pitman qualifications.
e-learning support
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Online tutor and learning support available (SmartScreen) What is this?
Related qualifications
Related careers
- A job in an English-speaking company or
- A place on a course at an English-speaking university
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