On 4 September 2026, Swiss Exams ran its first official Linguaskill @home session. Candidates sat the Cambridge English test from their own homes and workplaces, with our team supporting them remotely from start to finish. Here's what we saw, what candidates asked about, and what we'd recommend to anyone booking their own test.
Candidates joined from the Zurich region, the canton of Schwyz, the Bern area and the Lausanne area, so from day one the test was running in both German- and French-speaking Switzerland, with no one needing to travel to a centre. Both versions of the test were represented, with most candidates sitting Linguaskill Business.
Ready for every scenario
Nothing about the first session caught the team off guard, and that was the plan. Before launch, we worked through the scenarios candidates might run into, from login questions to technical issues. On the day, our support team was on hand throughout, and candidates who needed help could reach us by phone. Candidates also moved quickly through the test: most had finished about an hour before the official end time.
What candidates asked about
Most questions came up at three points in the process:
- Logging in to the test
- Taking the photos of their ID during the pre-test checks
- How the remote system works during the test
These are the moments where a first-time candidate is most likely to pause, so that's where we're putting our effort next.
What we're improving
Based on the first sessions, we're making the instructions for the pre-test steps more detailed and running further training for the staff who support candidates on the day. The aim is simple: fewer questions at login and during the ID check, and more time for candidates to focus on the test itself.
Two tips before your test
If you're planning to take Linguaskill @home, two things make the biggest difference:
- Read the candidate instructions before test day, so the login and ID steps feel familiar when you reach them.
- Do the technical check in advance, not on the morning of your test. It gives you time to fix a webcam, microphone, or connection issue without any pressure.
Linguaskill @home at a glance
Linguaskill is a modular, adaptive online English test from Cambridge, available in General and Business versions. It covers Reading, Listening, Writing and Speaking, with results aligned to CEFR levels B1 to C2. During the @home test, AI-assisted monitoring runs throughout and a trained reviewer checks every recorded session afterwards. Results and a digital Cambridge certificate follow within 6–8 working days. Linguaskill @home is open to candidates aged 18 or older who are based in Switzerland.
Full details, including technical requirements, are on the Linguaskill @home page.
Next Linguaskill @home sessions
14 November: register by 16 October. 12 December: register by 13 November.
You can see available dates and register for further Linguaskill @home sessions on the Linguaskill @home registration page.