Nivelo

Free English Level Test

Find your English CEFR level (A1–C2) in 5 minutes. Aligned to the CEFR framework Cambridge English uses. Free, no signup required.

Free · No signup required · 5 minutes

What's your English level?

If you're prepping for Cambridge English (B2 First / C1 Advanced / C2 Proficiency) or IELTS, you need a real CEFR placement first. Self-assessment doesn't cut it — the gap between "I can hold a conversation" and "I can pass C1 Advanced" is enormous.

Our free 5-minute test places you on the CEFR scale (A1–C2) the same way Cambridge does. The 30-minute paid test goes further: it grades all four skills against Cambridge rubrics and tells you which one needs the most work before exam day.

English CEFR levels at a glance

A1 — Basic introductions. Slow, clear speech. Asks simple questions.

A2 — Routine situations. Can talk about past events with effort. KET / A2 Key exam.

B1 — Travel situations. Opinions and plans. PET / B1 Preliminary exam.

B2 — Comfortable across most topics. Detailed writing. FCE / B2 First exam — the most common Cambridge level.

C1 — Demanding texts. Flexible, fluent use. CAE / C1 Advanced exam — required by many UK universities.

C2 — Near-native. CPE / C2 Proficiency exam.

Which Cambridge exam should I take?

Cambridge English maps to CEFR: B2 First (FCE), C1 Advanced (CAE), C2 Proficiency (CPE). B2 First is the standard "I speak English well" credential. C1 Advanced is required by many UK universities. C2 Proficiency is for very advanced learners.

Take our free English test to see your range, then pick the exam one level above your current placement — that gives you a realistic challenge with 6–12 weeks of focused prep.

Ready to find out?

Take the free 5-minute test

Frequently asked questions

Is this similar to IELTS?

Both IELTS and our test are CEFR-aligned, so the levels map directly. IELTS band 6.5–7.0 corresponds roughly to C1; 5.5–6.0 to B2. Our test is faster (5 min vs 2.5 hours) and free for the placement, but doesn't substitute for the official IELTS score if you need one for university or visa.

Cambridge English or IELTS — which should I take?

Cambridge English certificates are lifetime-valid and accepted by most UK universities + employers. IELTS is valid 2 years and required by many visa programs. If you need a certificate forever, Cambridge. If you need it now, IELTS. Our test calibrates to both because they share the CEFR framework.

American or British English?

Nivelo supports both at the dialect level — listening audio includes US and UK accents, and content is tagged. The CEFR levels are the same regardless of dialect; vocabulary specific to one variant is rare at A1–B1 and only becomes a discriminator at C1–C2.

CEFR-based proficiency assessment. Not an official certification from Cambridge, Cervantes, or the Council of Europe.