Articles
International Certificate of Financial English
ICFE (The International Certificate of Financial English) is an international Cambridge ESOL exam that assesses the English ability necessary to work in an international financial context.
To meet the demand for helping finance professionals demonstrate tha they have the financial English skills they need, University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations and ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) have combined to develop the International Certificate in Financial English (Cambridge ICFE).
Who is ICFE for?
- Finance professionals
- Students studying for a degree in finance or management
- Individuals preparing to obtain international certificates in finance, investment, or management, such as ACCA, CPA, CFA etc
- Translators working in a finance or business context
Requirements
The International Certificate of Financial English (ICFE) is for candidates at Levels B2 (Upper-Intermediate) or C1 (Advanced) of the Common European Framework of Reference, an internationally recognised standard of languages which Cambridge ESOL helped develop.
Exam format
The International Certificate of Financial English (ICFE) is composed of four separate tests: Reading, Writing, Listening, and Speaking.
The exam lasts approximately 3.5 hours.
The tasks are based on exercises and topics that finance professionals would expect to encounter in their daily lives, such as:
- Financial reporting
- Insurance
- Investment banking
- Ethics and professionalism
- Accounting software
- Assests and company valuations
- Mergers and acquisitions
Results
Test results are normally reported approximately six weeks after the test date. A range of passing and failing grades distinguishes levels of performance in the exam. The passing grades are B2 Pass, C1 Pass, and C1 Pass with Merit. An ICFE certificate awarded by the University of Cambridge ESOL is valid for life.