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Frequently Asked Questions

What can we help you with?

If you have a disability or special condition that might require special arrangements, please fill out the Special Accommodations Request Form to make a request for such arrangements.

Each component of the test is given a CAEL score and an overall band score. There is no pass or fail on the test. It is recommended that you contact the institution to which you are applying to see what their English language requirements are.

It is not necessary to know anything about the topic to be successful on the CAEL. Everything you need to know is contained in the information provided within the test itself.

For CAEL Tests administered on or after May 15, 2017, the CAEL Overall Band Score will be calculated as an equally weighted average of the four component (Writing, Reading, Listening, and Speaking) scores rounded to the nearest ten-point interval.

Previously, CAEL Overall Band Scores were calculated using a weighted average in which the Writing component was the most heavily weighted. Based on an internal review by Paragon Test Research and Development staff and a careful review of current industry practices, Paragon Testing Enterprises has revised the overall band score calculation to equally weight each component score.

Examples of the new overall band score calculation:

  • A test taker achieving 70 for the Writing component, 70 for the Reading component, 60 for the Listening component, and 60 for the Speaking component will be awarded a CAEL Overall Band Score of 70 (260 ÷ 4 = 65, rounded to the nearest ten-point interval of 70).
  • A test taker achieving 70 for the Writing component, 70 for the Reading component, 60 for the Listening component, and 50 for the Speaking component will be awarded a CAEL Overall Band Score of 60 (250 ÷ 4 = 62.5, rounded to the nearest ten-point interval of 60).

The CAEL (Paper Edition) test was retired as of August 31, 2018.

Depending on the test centre, test registration closes approximately 2 to 3 days before the scheduled test date.

It is recommended that you register well in advance, because test centres have limited capacity and registration requests are processed in the order in which they are received.

The fee for CAEL in Canada is CAD $280.00 + tax. Test fees may vary for CAEL outside of Canada.

For complete information on our transfer and cancellation policy, please click here.

For CAEL at a Test Centre: No, you will not have to upload a photo of yourself during the online registration, as your picture will be taken at the test centre on the day of the test.

For CAEL Online: Yes, you will be prompted to take and submit a photo during the registration process.

For complete information on our transfer policy, please click here.

If you are currently registered for CAEL at a test centre but you would like to transfer to CAEL Online, please register for CAEL Online first, and then contact us to have your test centre test cancelled.

CAEL Online registration can only be completed online. 

 

CAEL at a Test Centre registrations can be done by any of the following methods:

  1. Online (Recommended)
  2. By Mail

Please note that CAEL Test Centres do not process any registrations. All registrations must be completed through the CAEL office by one of the methods listed above.

Test registration closes 2 to 3 days before the scheduled test date. It is recommended that you register well in advance, because test centres have limited capacity and registration requests are processed in the order in which they are received.

Before starting the registration process, make sure to have the following ready:

  • your original, valid photo identification
  • a list of institutions that you would like us to send your scores to (optional)
  • a credit card (Visa®, MasterCard® or American Express®) to make the registration fee payment

Please Note:

  • If you have provided all the required information and we received your payment, your registration request will be processed within 3 business days. You will then receive a Test Confirmation Email. Review this email, print it out, and bring it with you on test day.
  • If you do not have a credit card for online payment, we recommend prepaid credit cards such as MasterCard® Prepaid Cards or Visa® Gift Cards that you can purchase at several stores across Canada. Full payment must be made with one card only. You can also purchase RBC Visa® Gift Cards at any RBC Royal Bank branch in Canada.
  • We do not accept personal cheques. If you are paying by money order, payment must be made in Canadian dollars (CAD$) and made payable to “Paragon Testing Enterprises Inc.“. The name of the person taking the test or ordering study materials must be on the front of the money order.
  • We do not accept Visa® Debit as payment.
  • If paying by credit card, your statement will show this transaction as “Paragon Testing Ent.” Please ensure that anyone who reviews the statement is aware of the transaction.

You may register for no more than one Test Session within four (4) calendar days. Test Session registrations that violate this rule are subject to cancellation by Paragon.

The CAEL Office recommends that you do additional studying before retaking the test. See our CAEL Test Preparation page for more details.

For complete information on our cancellation policy, please click here.

For information on what kind of identification is acceptable for the CAEL Test, click here.

Before Test Day

During registration, you must upload a valid government-issued photo identity document (ID) that will be presented on test day and take a photo of yourself through our registration system.
See here for a list of accepted IDs.

On Test Day

  • After launching your test, you will be prompted to go through self-check-in by taking a photo of yourself and the ID you registered with.
  • ProProctor’s readiness agent verifies the valid government-issues ID presented by you matches the real-time webcam feed.
  • Please refer to the ProProctor User Guide for additional information.

Post-Test Day

Paragon reviews the webcam footage to ensure that the valid government-issued photo ID presented on test day matches the valid government-issued photo ID that was uploaded to the company’s systems at the time of the test.

To see if your browser is compatible with our online transaction system, click here.

Paragon Testing Enterprises works with organizations in India to allow for in-person CAEL Test registration and payment. Please note that Paragon Testing Enterprises is not responsible for exchange rates, which may differ between organizations.

You can register and pay in person at our test centre, India2Canada, or at any of these accredited organizations:

Please note:

Registration in person is only available for CAEL at a Test Centre.

  • Your CAEL Online Test will be remotely proctored by ProProctor, please read the ProProctor User Guide before attending your test
  • Please make sure you download and install the ProProctor application that delivers your test (instructions on how to start your test will be sent within two calendar days of your test date).
  • A desktop computer or laptop computer (you cannot use a phone, tablet, or Chromebook)
  • Internet speed of at least 2Mb/s download speed, 1Mb/s upload speed.
  • Chrome web browser (current version).
  • A webcam, microphone, and speakers (headphones are not allowed)
  • Minimum screen resolution to be 1024×768
  • Mac OS 10.13 / Windows 8.1 or higher
  • It may not be possible to take the test on a corporate laptop unless you ask your company’s IT to configure it for you. Please refer to ProProctor’s instructions for corporate computers.
  • You cannot launch the ProProctor application using virtual machines or remote desktop connections.
  • Test Your System

CAEL at a Test Centre: You must arrive 45 minutes prior to your test and check-in for your test closes 15 minutes before the scheduled start time. If you arrive after this time, you will be denied entrance to the test and will not be eligible for a refund or transfer. It is the test taker’s responsibility to arrive early for their test. 

CAEL at a Test Centre: If you provided all the required information and we received your payment, your registration request will be processed within 3 business days. You will then receive a Test Confirmation Email.

If you have not received (or have lost) your Test Confirmation Email, please do the following:

  1. Check your email Junk Folder, or
  2. Contact us.

For more information about preparing for CAEL, click here.

For CAEL at a Test Centre, please review the Test Day Information page for details about prohibited behaviours and items.

For CAEL Online, please review the Test Day Information page for details about prohibited behaviours and items.

For information on the format of CAEL and the time allowed, please click here.

CAEL at a Test Centre: We do not allow any food or drinks in our testing rooms. However, if you do need some water during the test, please raise your hand and a test supervisor will escort you to the water fountain.

CAEL Online: You can have a drink at your desk, but there must be no writing on the container. Food is not allowed.

 

CAEL at a Test Centre: Late entry to CAEL is not permitted. Latecomers will be denied entrance to the test and will not be eligible for a refund or transfer.

CAEL Online: You may begin your check-in up to 30 minutes after your start time. 

The test is timed and does not pause.

CAEL at a Test Centre: To learn about washroom breaks for CAEL, see Test Day Information.

CAEL Online: There are three optional 5-minute breaks during the test. You may go to the washroom during this break.

 

Yes, you should write responses in standard academic English using correct spelling. Whether you are writing an extended, short, or one-word response, pay attention to the accuracy of your writing.

For information on CAEL scoring, please click here.

In rare instances, your CAEL scores may be delayed. This could be for one of the following reasons:

  • We determined that your test required additional review before scores could be released. We may contact you for more information.
  • You reported an issue to Paragon Testing Enterprises within 48 hours of your test. We may hold the scores if we are still investigating.
  • We require additional confirmation of your identify, or we are investigating possible testing irregularities.
If it has been more than 8 business days since your test and you have not received an email from the CAEL Office, please feel free to contact us directly for more information.
 

If it has been 8 business days or less since your test, your scores should be posted soon! You will receive an email confirmation once your scores are available online.

You can apply for a re-evaluation of some or all components of your CAEL, as long as the application is made within 6 months of the test date. You must pay a re-evaluation fee at the time of your application. If the score changes for any component that has been re-evaluated, the re-evaluation fee for that component will be refunded. Please note that there is a limit of one re-evaluation for any particular component of the test. Re-evaluation requests are final sale, and cannot be cancelled once the request has been submitted.

Test takers who apply for a re-evaluation of their test results will be notified of the re-evaluation results within 3 to 4 weeks of submission of their application and payment of the re-evaluation fee.

The re-evaluation fee is $65.00 per component.

To make a re-evaluation request, sign in to your CAEL Account.

We will make your scores available to you and other institutions for 2 years from the date of the test. The length of time that your scores are valid for various institutions however, is determined by their individual policies. You can obtain this information from the specific institution.

If you are applying to an undergraduate program, your results will automatically be communicated to the Undergraduate Admissions Office at the post-secondary institution to which you are applying (as indicated at the time of your test registration).

If you are applying to a graduate program (Master’s or Doctorate), your results will be forwarded to the appropriate department at each post-secondary institution (as indicated at the time of your test registration).

For information on obtaining you CAEL test scores, please click here.

We will send your CAEL Official Score Report to five institutions at no cost. Please provide institution details when registering online, or up to 1 business day before your scores are posted online.

If you need to request additional score reports after your test date, they can be ordered through your CAEL Account at a cost of $20.00 each.

Official score reports will only be mailed to academic and professional institutions.

The listening and reading sections for CAEL are scored by computer. Each correct answer contributes proportionally to your test score in each section. There are no points deducted for wrong answers. Your CAEL Reading and Listening test score will be reported as a band score on a scale from 10 to 90.

Your speaking and writing responses are scored by trained and experienced CAEL Raters according to scales established by Paragon Testing Enterprises. The rating scales guide CAEL  Raters to pay attention to the following features of your responses:

  • Completing the task: Whether you fulfilled the requirements of the task.
  • Content of the response: How well you communicate your ideas or argument.
  • Vocabulary use: How well your chosen words, idioms, and collocations convey your intended meaning.
  • Grammatical accuracy: Your degree of mastery over linguistic patterns of English to clearly and precisely communicate your intended message.
  • Delivery: Your ability to produce clear, intelligible, and fluent speech.
  • Use of source materials: How well you use the information from the passage or mini-lecture in your response (if applicable).
  • Audience awareness and tone: Your ability to set and maintain an appropriate academic tone throughout your response.

All your speaking and writing responses contribute towards your test score in each section. Your CAEL Speaking and Writing test score will be reported as a band score on a scale from 10 to 90.

Transfer, Cancellation & Retake Policies

For more information about transferring, cancelling, and retaking CAEL, click below.

Request Forms

For a complete list of forms, including paper registration forms and special accommodations forms, click below.

Browser Requirements for Online Purchases

As of May 16, 2018, our online payment client, E-xact, will introduce Transport Layer Security (TLS) to all transactions. As a result, in order to complete your purchase of study materials, a test registration, express rating, or re-evaluation, your internet browser must be TLS-compatible.

Contact Us

Get in touch with our customer service team if you have any questions about your test sitting or CAEL account. Our offices in Vancouver and Toronto are open to help you
Addresses Office:
801-180 Bloor St. W. Toronto, ON M5S 2V6 Canada
Office Hours:
To protect the health and well-being of our test takers and personnel, our Toronto office will be closed for the time being. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
Holiday Closures:
Monday, August 2, 2021
Monday, September 6, 2021
Monday, October 11, 2021
Thursday, November 11, 2021
Email:
Phone - Toll Free
(within North America):
1-855-520-2235

Telephone Hours:
Monday to Sunday
8:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET
Addresses Office:
110-2925 Virtual Way, Vancouver, BC V5M 4X5, Canada
Office Hours:
To protect the health and well-being of our test takers and personnel, our Vancouver office will be closed for the time being. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
Holiday Closures:
Monday, August 2, 2021
Monday, September 6, 2021
Monday, October 11, 2021
Thursday, November 11, 2021
Email:
Phone - Toll Free
(within North America):
1-855-520-2235

Telephone Hours:
Monday to Sunday
5:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. PT
CAEL
What I liked most about the CAEL was that you can do the test on the computer, it uses Canadian English, and the results are released quickly!
- Alinsson, CAEL - Test Taker
CAEL
I appreciated the availability of test dates for CAEL, and found it convenient and inexpensive compared to other English proficiency tests.
- Aashima, CAEL - Test Taker
paragon
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