C1 Business (BEC) Higher
Business Certifications
Important Announcement: Discontinuation of Cambridge English Business Exams
After 28 years of making a significant impact on learners globally, Cambridge English Business Qualifications (BEC) is now discontinued. Despite its historical success, a decline in global BEC candidates over the past five years and evolving assessment preferences have led Cambridge Assessment English to discontinue these exams. As of January 2024, BEC sessions will no longer be offered. Moving forward, learners will find alternatives in products like Cambridge English Qualifications for General and Higher Education.
The last BEC examinations took place up until December 2023, and no further exam sessions will be scheduled thereafter. Certificates issued before this date will remain valid, allowing candidates to showcase their English proficiency to employers and universities.
C1 Business Higher is made up of four papers (Reading, Writing, Listening, Speaking) developed to test candidates’ English skills. Having C1 Business Higher qualification shows that candidates can communicate effectively at managerial and professional level, participate with confidence in workplace meetings and presentations, express themselves with a high level of fluency, and react appropriately in different cultural and social situations. Achieving a certificate at this level proves that candidates have reached a very advanced level of English.
C1 Business Higher is aimed at learners who want to:
- Succeed in business-related studies with English language skills they can prove.
- Improve their career opportunities – get the English language skills they need to be successful.
C1 Business Higher is accepted globally by top international companies as well as education institutions and business schools.
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Section |
Time |
Description |
# of items |
|
Reading |
1 hour |
Part 1 Either a single text which is divided into sections or five short, related texts and a series of statements. Candidates have to match each statement to the section or text where they can find the information. |
8 questions |
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Part 2 A text with six numbered gaps, each of which represents a missing sentence, followed by some sentences (A–H). Candidates have to read the text and the sentences and decide which sentence best fits each gap. |
6 questions |
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Part 3 A text followed by some multiple-choice questions. These may be either whole questions or incomplete sentences. For each one, there are four options and candidates have to choose A, B, C or D. |
6 questions |
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Part 4 A text with some numbered gaps, each of which represents a missing word. Candidates have to choose the right word for each gap from four options (A, B, C or D). |
10 questions |
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Part 5 A text with some numbered gaps, each of which represents a missing word. Candidates have to identify the right word for each gap. |
10 questions |
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Part 6 A text in which some lines are correct and some lines have an extra, unnecessary word. If the line is correct, candidates write 'CORRECT' on their answer sheet. If the line is not correct, they have to write the extra word down. |
12 questions |
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Writing |
1 hour 10 minutes |
Part 1 A guided writing task. Candidates have to write a short report (memo or email) based on some input in the form of graphs, bar charts or pie charts. |
120-140 words |
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Part 2 A choice of three questions: a piece of business correspondence (letter, fax or email), a report (memo or email), or a proposal (memo or email). For the question candidates choose, they have to read some input material which describes a situation and write the specified response. |
200-250 words |
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Listening |
about 40 minutes |
Part 1 A monologue of 2–3 minutes which contains some information. To answer the questions, candidates have to take notes or complete sentences using a word or a short phrase (up to three words). |
12 questions |
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Part 2 Five short monologues linked by theme or topic, by five different speakers, followed by two tasks which relate to the content and purpose of the monologues. Candidates listen to the recordings and they then have to match each speaker to one of the items (A–H) in Task 1 and one of the items (A–H) in Task 2. |
10 questions |
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Part 3 A conversation/interview/discussion between two or more people and some multiple-choice questions. Candidates listen to the recording and then choose the correct answer from three options (A, B or C). |
8 questions |
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Speaking |
16 minutes per pair of candidates |
Part 1 Conversation between the examiner and each candidate. The examiner encourages the candidates to give information about themselves and to express personal opinions. |
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Part 2 A ‘mini-presentation’ by each candidate on a business theme. The candidates are given prompts which generate a short talk on a business-related topic. |
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Part 3 A collaborative task which candidates do together. The candidates are presented with a discussion on a business-related topic. The examiner extends the discussion with prompts on related topics. |
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C1 Business Higher (BEC Higher) is recognized by the private sector. It is also officially recognized in Greece by the state (ASEP/Supreme Council for Civil Personnel Selection) as a certification of English language competence at various levels depending on the Cambridge English Scale overall score, as follows:
|
Level of recognition |
Overall score |
|
C2 |
200-210 |
|
C1 |
180-199 |
C1 Business Higher is accepted globally by top international companies as well as education institutions and business schools.
