CAMBRIDGE, England, May 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Australian Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Chris Bowen MP, has announced that the Cambridge English Advanced exam (also known as Certificate in Advanced English, CAE) will be recognised for Australian student visas. The new rules give students who want to study in Australia the opportunity to use this high quality, secure international qualification to prove that they have the language skills they need for academic success. Previously, IELTS was the main English language test accepted by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) for Australian visa purposes.

"I am very pleased Cambridge has been chosen as one of the new English test providers and I am confident they will provide a valuable service to student visa applicants," Mr Bowen said.

Cambridge English Advanced is taken in 110 countries around the world and recognised by more than 2,800 organisations - including nearly 50 Australian universities and colleges. It is also accepted by almost all UK universities as well as the UK's Border Agency for student visas. This means that students with a Cambridge English Advanced qualification can now use their certificate to study in Australia, UK and beyond. The exam is run by Cambridge ESOL, the department of Cambridge University which also produces the IELTS tests. It has been taken by hundreds of thousands of students since 1991.

Dr Mike Milanovic, the CEO of Cambridge ESOL, welcomed the Minister's announcement and said the decision ensured there is greater choice in the English language tests available for student visas:

"Cambridge English Advanced goes beyond simply providing a snapshot of the student's knowledge of English. It gives an in-depth assessment of their ability to communicate in an academic environment. Most students who take Cambridge English Advanced follow a preparation course, which means that they're really well prepared for studying in an English speaking institution."

As well as the four skills tested by other exams - reading, writing, speaking and listening - the exam covers knowledge of grammar and vocabulary, increasing the reliability of results. It also includes a face-to-face speaking test with two examiners which gives a more rigorous assessment of the ability to use English than is possible with an online test.

Cambridge English Advanced is particularly popular with students in Europe and Latin America. Preparing for the exam enables them to master English to a degree that allows them to communicate confidently in the education and professional world.

Details of the new arrangements will be published by the Australian Government's Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) on their website soon: http://www.immi.gov.au

About Cambridge ESOL

Cambridge ESOL is a not-for-profit department of the University of Cambridge. We are a world leader in language assessment and have been providing high-quality English language exams since 1913, backed by one of the largest dedicated language research teams in the world. Over 3.3 million candidates take Cambridge ESOL exams in 130 countries every year. The organisation has a global network of 2,500 test centres in over 130 countries and Cambridge ESOL exams are recognised and used by 12,000 organisations globally. For further information go to http://www.cambridgeESOL.org

Launched in 1991, Cambridge English Advanced (known as CAE) was updated in 1999 and 2008 to keep pace with changes in language teaching and testing. One of its major strengths is that it is fit for academic purpose and regarded by stakeholders as a high-quality test of English for academic and professional purposes. This is demonstrated by the global acceptance of the test by more than 2,800 organisations including education institutions, governments and employers.

Cambridge English Advanced reflects a user's language proficiency in terms of their overall communicative ability. As well as the four skills tested by other exams - reading, writing, speaking and listening - the exam covers knowledge of grammar and vocabulary, increasing the reliability of results. It also includes a face-to-face speaking test with two examiners which gives a more rigorous assessment of the ability to use English than is possible with an online test.

A special feature of Cambridge English Advanced is that it is available in both computer-based and paper-based formats, giving candidates more choice.

http://www.CambridgeESOL.org/Advanced

SOURCE Cambridge ESOL