Aptis B1: What Score You Need and How It Is Certified

To certify a B1 with Aptis General you need at least 24 in Listening and 26 in Reading, Writing and Speaking, out of 50. These are the official cut-off scores. There is no "B1 version" of the exam. It is the same Aptis General, and your level comes from your scores. Back to home.

The B1 cut-off scores

Starting point of B1 in Aptis General (out of 50):

For B2 the cut-offs are 34, 38, 40 and 41.

What the certificate says

• Each skill has its score out of 50 and its level.
• If you take all four skills, you also get a global score out of 200 and a global level.
• The global level is not the sum of points. It is the rounded average of the four levels. For example, two B1 and two A2 give B1.
• Since 24 April 2025, the official title of B1 is Entry 3. Earlier certificates are just as valid.

How B1 is described in each skill

The exam report includes an official description for each skill. For B1, in short:

• Listening: understands simple factual information on everyday or work topics, if the speech is clear and the accent is familiar.
• Reading: reads simple factual texts on topics in their field with satisfactory understanding.
• Speaking: describes a topic with some fluency, presenting it as a linear sequence of points.
• Writing: writes simple connected texts on familiar topics, linking short elements in a linear sequence.

Before you sit the exam: check your requirement

Some institutions, applications and scholarships ask for B2 or higher. Before you book B1, check which level they ask for, and whether they look at the global level or at each skill. If they ask for B2, B1 is not useful and it is better to go straight to a B1 to B2 plan.

And the Advanced

Aptis Advanced measures from B1 to C2. Its B1 starts at 14 (Listening), 16 (Reading) and 22 (Writing and Speaking). It is not the most natural way to certify a B1, because its range starts there and below those scores no level is reported.

How to prepare for B1

• Start with Core: it gives no level, but it can raise a skill to the next level if that skill is just below the cut-off.
• Practise the parts that aim at B1. In Speaking, parts 2 and 3. In Writing, part 3.
• Always answer all the questions in Speaking, even with simple sentences.
• Time the parts, so that the clock does not surprise you.

Frequently asked questions

What score do I need for B1 in Aptis? 24 in Listening and 26 in Reading, Writing and Speaking, out of 50.

Is there a specific B1 Aptis exam? No. Aptis General covers A0 to C1 and your level comes from your scores.

Does the certificate expire? No. Aptis ESOL certificates do not expire, although each institution sets the age it accepts.

Can I take only one skill? No. You must sit the complete exam.

Check if you reach the B1 cut-off: take a practice exam in your browser. The score is an estimate, not an official result.

Sources

"Aptis Scoring System" v2.1 (TR/2024/002); British Council 2025 sample report (skill descriptors); official letter on titles (April 2025); British Council FAQ (18 July 2023). The preparation advice is AptisBot's own judgement.

Aptis is a trademark of the British Council. AptisBot is an independent project.

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