Aptis ESOL is the British Council's CEFR-aligned English test: computer-based, fast, and offered in dozens of countries to certify a level from A1 to C2. Where it is accepted (universities, employers, public bodies) depends on each institution and country — it is not a UK visa/immigration test.
Aptis ESOL is a British Council English test that measures your level against the CEFR (the A1-C2 scale). You take it on a computer at a supervised centre, it covers the four skills plus Grammar and Vocabulary, and you usually get results in 48-72 hours. There is no pass or fail — it certifies the level you demonstrate.
Every Aptis test combines a core component with the four language skills:
The whole test takes roughly two to two and a half hours and is sat in a single supervised session on a computer.
There are two main variants for adults, calibrated for different level ranges:
Not sure which one you need? Read Aptis General vs Advanced — what each one certifies.
General, Advanced and for Teachers share the same 5 components and are all taken on a computer (Speaking is recorded with a microphone — no examiner in front of you). What changes is the level calibration and, above all, the number of tasks in Writing and Speaking:
| Component | General / for Teachers | Advanced |
|---|---|---|
| Grammar & Vocabulary (Core) | 50 questions · 25 min | ~50 questions · 25 min |
| Reading | 4 parts · 35 min | 4 parts · 60 min |
| Listening | 17 tasks · ~40 min | 11 tasks · ~30 min |
| Writing | 4 parts · ~50 min | 3 parts · ~45 min |
| Speaking | 4 tasks · ~12 min | 3 tasks · ~12 min |
| Level measured | A1 to C1 (since 1 Sept 2024; no C2) | B1 to C2 (splits C1/C2) |
The difference that catches everyone out: General has 4 Writing parts and 4 Speaking tasks; Advanced has 3 and 3, but the tasks are longer and harder (an article, a formal email to an authority, speculating about images). Don't prepare Advanced as if it were "a harder General" — the format is different. For Teachers uses the same format as General (4+4), with classroom-based task contexts.
Source: British Council — Aptis ESOL Test Format Overview.
Your report is detailed — not a simple "pass/fail":
Grammar & Vocabulary, Reading and Listening are machine-marked; Speaking and Writing are marked by qualified examiners. More on results and timing →
The hard part of self-study isn't the exam fee — it's feedback: knowing whether your Speaking is C1 or still B2, and whether your Writing uses the right structures. AptisBot gives you 6 full web mock exams, an extensive question bank and AI feedback on Speaking and Writing (7-day trial, then flexible plans or the daily challenge).
Full exam format: minutes, parts and word counts →
Measure your real level in a few minutes.
Practise Aptis nowDon’t use Telegram? Take the full mock exam on the web →Aptis® is a registered trademark of the British Council. This page is an independent project and is not affiliated with the British Council. Recognition varies by country and institution — see British Council — Aptis ESOL recognition.
Looking for the IELTS comparison? There is no official conversion between the two — here is what each test actually reports.
All five parts with the real number of questions and the official timings, plus writing and speaking marked by AI. Included in your 7-day trial: you sign in with your Google account, which is what saves your score for each part. No test repeats another one's questions.
Start with the first one for your variant: the next opens when you finish all five parts.
Start the General mock →No sign-up needed to read any of this.