Registration for 2027 is open.
The first 2027 dates for Cambridge English, IELTS and Linguaskill are now live on the Swiss Exams registration pages, and schools can already reserve seats for whole classes.
We are Switzerland's largest provider of Cambridge English, Goethe, Linguaskill, IELTS, and TCF exams, and more than 800 schools and organisations trust our services. Whichever English exam your students need, the same Swiss Exams team looks after registration, exam day and support.
This article explains why you should register early, where you can take each exam, and which exam suits which students.
Three English exams at a glance
| Cambridge English | IELTS | Linguaskill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | School-age learners at every level, from primary to Gymnasium | Study abroad, work or migration | Vocational schools, university applicants, professionals |
| Format | Mostly computer-based, some paper-based dates | Computer-based at our centres | Online, adaptive, full exam or single-skill modules |
| Results | Usually 5 to 10 working days (computer-based) | 3 to 5 days | About a week |
| 2027 dates open now | January to June | January and February, more to follow | January to early April, more to follow |
Why registering early pays off
You get the date and venue you want. Every venue has a limited number of seats per day. Popular dates and locations can fill well before the registration deadline, and some exams have only a few sessions. For IELTS and for the Young Learners and A2 Key exams, early booking makes the biggest difference.
Deadlines come sooner than you think. For most Cambridge English and Linguaskill exams, standard registration closes about four weeks before the exam date. Cambridge English paper-based and Young Learners sessions close earlier, about seven to eight weeks before. For most Cambridge English exams, late registration after the deadline costs an extra CHF 50.
You keep flexibility. On the Cambridge English registration platform, the standard Flex option lets you change a registration without a surcharge until the registration deadline (cancellations aren't included). The earlier you book, the longer that window stays open.
Results arrive in time. If students need a certificate for a university application, an exchange programme or a job application, an early exam date leaves time for results to come through.
Your students have a clear goal. A confirmed date gives teachers a fixed point to plan their lessons around and gives students a reason to work steadily. It also makes it easier to show parents and school leadership what the preparation is building towards.
Our venues and locations
Swiss Exams runs exams at locations across Switzerland, from Geneva and Lausanne in Romandie to St. Gallen and Chur in the east. This map shows where 2027 dates are open for registration at the time of writing. We add dates regularly, so check the registration pages for the latest updates.
We're continuing to strengthen our exam infrastructure. In Central Switzerland, our Lucerne exams now take place at the Digital Language Exam Hub at KV Luzern, the official Swiss Exams hub for the region.
If travelling to a venue doesn't work for your group, we can also discuss running exams on-site at your school.
Cambridge English Qualifications
What they are: internationally recognised English qualifications at every level, from Pre A1 Starters to C2 Proficiency. More than 25,000 organisations in 130 countries rely on Cambridge English Qualifications. Swiss Exams is a Cambridge English Platinum Authorised Exam Centre.
Who they benefit:
- Primary pupils: Pre A1 Starters, A1 Movers and A2 Flyers
- Lower and upper secondary students: A2 Key, B1 Preliminary and B2 First, each also available as a "for Schools" version
- Gymnasium students and those heading to university: B2 First, C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency, which give students a qualification to show universities, exchange programmes and employers.
2027 dates: more than 260 sessions from January to June in eleven locations. B2 First and C1 Advanced have the widest choice. Most sessions are computer-based. Paper-based sessions run on selected dates in Chur, Lucerne, Thun, Winterthur and Zurich. Basic registrations are limited and can't be changed or refunded, so Flex is usually the better fit for school groups.
IELTS
What it is: the International English Language Testing System, developed by the British Council in partnership with Cambridge. Swiss Exams is an official British Council partner. IELTS is accepted by more than 12,000 organisations in over 140 countries.
Who it benefits:
- IELTS Academic: students applying to university or seeking professional recognition in an English-speaking environment
- IELTS General Training: candidates heading abroad for work, vocational training, secondary education or migration
- IELTS for UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI): anyone who needs IELTS for a UK visa.
Format and results: computer-based at our centres, with results in 3 to 5 days. With IELTS One Skill Retake, a candidate can retake a single skill without sitting the whole test again.
2027 dates: The first dates for January and February are open, with more to follow. See the current list on our IELTS page.
Linguaskill
What it is: an online, adaptive Cambridge English test that adjusts to each candidate's level. It covers reading, listening, writing, and speaking, leads to an official Cambridge certificate, and has received the Q-Mark from the Association of Language Testers in Europe (ALTE).
Two versions:
- Linguaskill General: English in everyday situations, for academic and general professional purposes
- Linguaskill Business: English used in business and workplace settings.
Who it benefits: vocational schools and apprentices, students applying to universities, and professionals and employers who need a reliable measure of English. Each skill can be taken as a separate module, so candidates can retake only the skill they want to improve, and their best score is kept.
2027 dates: full exams and single-skill modules from January to early April. Results are released about a week after the exam. Later dates will be added as soon as they're confirmed.
How schools register
Teachers can reserve seats for a whole class in Swiss Exams Access, our online tool for schools. You manage your candidate list, exam bookings and payment status in one place, with block registration and collective invoicing. If your school doesn't have an account yet, setting one up takes a few minutes and is free.
Candidates registering on their own can book directly: Cambridge English and Linguaskill on the Cambridge English registration platform, and IELTS through our IELTS page.
Special requests
If your school needs something the published dates don't cover, such as a different date, a group session or anything specific to your students, contact our Customer Service Team. Tell us roughly how many candidates you have, which exam and level, and your preferred location, and we'll look at what's possible.
What about later in 2027?
We'll publish Cambridge English dates from July, Linguaskill dates from April and further IELTS dates as soon as they're confirmed. Newsletter subscribers will hear first.
See Cambridge English and Linguaskill dates