Swiss Exams is an organisation which specialises in “Professional Exam Management”. Founded in 1989, Swiss Exams has provided exams for over 100’000 candidates over the years. Various exam boards as well as over 800 schools and organisations in Switzerland trust our services. It is our utmost priority to provide the best possible exam registration, exam day and result process to our clients.

Special requirements I Cambridge exams I Swiss Exams

We have a number of different ways to help people taking our exams who have special requirements/needs, such as:
- visual difficulties
- hearing difficulties
- speaking difficulties
- specific learning difficulties.


### What special arrangements can I ask for?
There are lots of different options, depending on your needs and requirements. 
Please find the most common Special Arrangements below:
**Visual difficulties:**
- Enlarged question papers
- Pausable version of Listening tests
- Braille question papers
- Extra time
 
**Hearing difficulties:**
- Headphones (please register for a computer-based exam)
- Lip-reading version of Listening tests
- Pausable version of Listening tests
- Single interview
- Taking the Speaking test with a partner who is not a candidate
 
**Speaking difficulties:**
- Single interview
- Taking the Speaking test with a partner who is not a candidate

**Learning difficulties (e.g., dyslexia, ADHD):**
- Extra time

### How to apply for Special Arrangements
Please inform us soon as possible should you have any special requirements. **Applications must be received latest 2 months before the exam date.** 

In order to hand in a request for special arrangements a medical statement and the full payment by the registration deadline is needed. The medical statement cannot be older than 2 years. **The medical statement must be in English.**

Please note, special arrangements are subject to approval by Cambridge and cannot be guaranteed. **Special arrangements are only available for paper-based exams and will take place in our main office, Zürcherstrasse 46 in Winterthur.**


Do you have a disability or special requirements / needs?

Candidates sitting the exam in a big hall 

The Business English Certificates (BEC) by Cambridge will reach the end of their shelf-life in June 2024. We are preparing for this change and we have been in contact with many of you. However, until this time you can still register your students for BEC. **Swiss Exams will still offer BEC exams on the computer until the end of 2023 and one paper-based exam in  June 2024.** [So, check the dates and get registered.](https://registration.cambridge-exams.ch/list){target="_blank"}

### What will happen after the summer of 2024?
There are a number of options and you may just switch to an  alternative exam. We offer 3 very convenient BEC replacements: [IELTS](/exams-and-certifications/ielts){target="_blank"}, [Cambridge Main Suite Exams](/exams-and-certifications/cambridge){target="_blank"}, and [Linguaskill](https://skills.swiss-exams.ch/){target="_blank"}. Swiss Exams is the **only exam centre in Switzerland to offer these 3 alternatives.** And, based on our own experience, we are confident that these options will meet the various needs of schools and your students in testing candidates’ business English language skills.

### Will all BEC materials be thrown out of the window?
We know that this change has other knock-on effects, and you are perhaps considering throwing all your class preparation materials out of the window. Yet you don’t really have to do this. You may simply improve them and utilise them as BEC test substitutes. How? We discussed this in our webinars. [Give us a shout](/contact){target="_blank"} and we will send you the links.

### Do you have further questions about BEC exams?
[Get in touch with us.](/contact){target="_blank"} We also offer individual meetings, where we can explain to you what alternative would be suitable just for your school/students.


What comes after BEC? The last exam dates and what are the BEC alternatives?

A word from our CEO - Pete Kaithan I Swiss Exams

When we talk about quality in assessment, we mainly talk about the exam environment and the process for candidates, before, during and after the exam day. In particular, the environment in an exam hall, from entry to exit, is key in order to offer a fair and welcoming exam experience to candidates. Swiss Exams has previously been **awarded as one of the top centres globally in regard to quality and security.** In October 2022, **Swiss Exams was once again rated “excellent”** in an unannounced international inspection by Cambridge. 

In the exam business, one of the most **important aspects is reliability.** This starts with a reliable and flawless registration process for candidates and schools alike, continues with an excellent exam day experience and an efficient post exam process in order to deliver results as quickly and as reliably as possible. Over the years **Swiss Exams has continuously improved this process** to advantage of candidates schools and teachers. Our satisfaction surveys over the years have confirmed the high standard of the candidate journey and we will continue to improve where needed.

 Accessibility means a number of important aspects for us. First and foremost, it means that Swiss Exams is here when we are needed. In practice, this means we are **available 24/7** via phone/internet/e-mail and via our online support system.  We also have our candidate and our schools App “Swiss Exams Access”. Apart from our availability, accessibility means that we offer solutions when candidates and schools need them. In particular, with exams dates and locations, our annual exam dates schedule offers several options per month straight across Switzerland. In addition, we offer customised solutions regarding requested dates and locations for our school and partners. Swiss Exams was previously awarded the globally leading centre award for **outstanding services to schools and candidates by Cambridge.** 

 Swiss Exams believes in providing options to our clients. One of the most successful “projects” in the last five years was the **development of the Exam Retake Option,** invented and implemented by Swiss Exams. The uptake is in the vicinity of 75% and has **helped manage the costs for thousands of candidates.** At the start, the offer was set at CHF20.- for this service, which allows candidates to resit their exams for free in the case of unforeseen circumstances, but also in the case they fail by three points or less. We were able to offer this service for five years at CHF20.-/candidate. Now we are in a position, where we need to increase **the fee to CHF26.-/candidate**. We still believe this option offers an **outstanding price/benefit service to candidates.** At the same time, despite the overall rise in cost for Swiss Exams, for the time being, exam fees will remain the same.  

In 2023, Swiss Exams aims to explore new ways in order to enhance the options, the benefits and the services for our clients and partners. Hence, we are currently developing new innovative package offers for our clients and particularly our long-standing partners. Announcements are planned for January. 

We thank all our long-standing clients for their loyalty. **Please use our offer for personal meetings** with our management and if you have not yet been introduced to Swiss Exams and what we offer, please get in touch.  

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What comes after BEC? The last exam dates and what are the BEC alternatives?

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