CIPLE A2 Exam Day: What Actually Happens (From Registration to Results)

You've studied for weeks. You know the exam structure on paper. But what actually happens on the day — from the moment you walk into the building to the moment you find out your result?

This guide pulls together firsthand accounts from people who have taken the CIPLE at various centres, so you know exactly what to expect. No surprises.

Before Exam Day

What you'll receive by email

After registering, CAPLE sends you several emails in Portuguese — all the official communication is in Portuguese, so be prepared for that. These emails confirm your exam centre, date, and what to bring. Closer to the date, you'll receive a separate email with the specific venue address and room assignment. This typically arrives 7 to 10 days before the exam.

Keep an eye on your inbox (including spam). The exam centre address is sometimes different from the university or institution where you registered.

What to bring

Arriving at the Exam Centre

Arrive early — at least 20–30 minutes before the start time. Most centres in Portugal are university faculties, and finding the correct building and room can take time if you're not familiar with the campus.

At the Faculdade de Letras in Lisbon (one of the most common centres), candidates often queue outside before being directed to their room. Staff check your ID at the door. Latecomers are not admitted once the exam has started.

The room setup is a standard examination hall: individual desks, spaced apart. You'll find an answer sheet and exam booklet at your seat. Do not open the booklet until instructed.

The Three Components — In Order

The exam runs as three separate components, all on the same day. The order is fixed:

1. Reading and Writing — 1 hour 30 minutes (45% of score)

This is the longest section and the first one you'll sit.

Reading part: You'll read several short texts — advertisements, notices, short messages, a slightly longer article. The texts are printed in the exam booklet. Questions are multiple choice or short answer, testing whether you understood the main points.

What catches people off guard: the reading texts are often mundane (a notice about a community event, a classified ad, a short email) but the questions require careful reading. A common mistake is to answer based on general knowledge rather than what the text actually says.

Writing part: Two written tasks.

Word limits are enforced. Examiners deduct marks for texts that are significantly over or under the limit. Count your words before moving on.

Tip from test-takers: complete the writing section first while your concentration is highest. You can come back to any unfinished reading questions with the remaining time.

2. Listening — 30 minutes (30% of score)

A break of around 15–20 minutes separates the reading/writing and listening components.

The listening section is consistently described as the hardest part of the CIPLE — harder than most candidates expect, and harder than practice recordings suggest. Here's why:

The content includes: short announcements, brief phone messages, a radio segment, a conversation between two people. Questions are multiple choice. You mark answers on a separate answer sheet.

Strategy: read the questions before each recording starts. The audio plays while you're still reading — you need to be ready before it begins.

3. Speaking — 10 to 15 minutes (25% of score)

The speaking component takes place in a separate room, with a different examiner. You are paired with another candidate and assessed together — this is the interação oral (oral interaction) format. You and your partner complete tasks together: describing a picture, a short roleplay scenario (buying something, making a complaint, asking for information), and a brief conversation on a familiar topic.

You don't need to know your speaking partner in advance. You'll be paired with whoever is scheduled at the same time. Some candidates report this as less stressful than expected — having another candidate to talk to makes it feel more like a conversation than a performance.

The examiner does not participate in the conversation. They observe and score.

Speaking appointments are sometimes scheduled on a different day from the written components at some centres. Check your confirmation email carefully — if your speaking test is on a separate day, missing it means failing the entire exam.

After the Exam

Results

Results are published approximately 6 weeks after the exam date on the CAPLE website at caple.letras.ulisboa.pt. You'll receive an email with instructions on how to access them. You need your candidate number (from your registration confirmation) to log in.

The grading scale:

One useful tip from a test-taker: after retrieving your result on the CAPLE website, clicking the print button reveals a breakdown of your scores for each section — not just your overall grade. This isn't prominently advertised but is there if you look for it.

Minimum section scores

There is a minimum threshold per section. You cannot score below 25% on any single component and still pass overall, regardless of your total score. This is why the listening section is particularly dangerous — a very poor listening score can fail you even if your reading/writing is strong.

Certificate

Once you pass, CAPLE issues your certificate. The certificate is valid indefinitely — it does not expire. You can use it for a citizenship or residency application at any point in the future. There is no rush to submit it immediately after receiving it.

If you fail, you can retake the exam at the next available session. Your scores from the failed attempt are not carried forward — you sit all three components again.

What Test-Takers Wish They'd Known

"The listening section caught me completely off guard." Multiple candidates who passed with comfortable scores on reading and writing report nearly failing because the listening was harder than any practice material they'd used. The background noise in recordings is not present in most preparation resources.

"I underestimated how much the word count matters on writing." The 25–35 and 60–80 word limits are strict. A response that's technically correct but 50 words short of the minimum will be penalised.

"The speaking partner format is less frightening than it sounds." Most people who worried about the speaking section found it the easiest part on the day. Having another candidate to converse with removes the pressure of performing solo.

"Each exam session is different." The topics that appear in the reading texts change every session. Candidates who prepared by studying the specific content of previous exams were sometimes surprised to find entirely different topics. The format stays consistent, but the content does not repeat.

"Book your slot before you start preparing." Not a day-of insight, but a pre-exam one. Candidates who waited until they felt ready to book often found slots were gone. Book first, then prepare.

Quick Reference: Exam Day Checklist

□ Photo ID (matching your registration document number exactly)
□ Pen (blue or black)
□ Pencil and eraser
□ Confirmation email (with room number and address)
□ Arrive 20–30 minutes early
□ Check if speaking component is same day or separate
□ Phone off and out of sight before entering

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Source: CAPLE - Camões Institute for Portuguese Language Certification