Guide to taking Linguaskill remotely

Five things to know first

Miss any of these and you may not be able to start the test, or you may not receive a result.

• You must be in Korea to sit it

  A remote test has to be taken inside the Republic of Korea. You cannot sit it while you are abroad. If that is your situation, contact us before you register.

• The secure browser and technical check are due 24 hours before

  The test will not open at all unless the secure browser is installed. The technical check needs no login and can be run at any time, so get it out of the way early.

• You must be alone where you take the test

  If another person is seen, you will not receive a result. Keep the door closed, and note that you cannot leave your seat once the test starts. Use the restroom beforehand.

• Remote testing is for candidates aged 18 and over

  Candidates aged 16 or 17 may only test in a centre, with parental consent. This is a Cambridge rule, and there are no exceptions.

• You have four hours from your scheduled start time

  You must finish every module within four hours of the exam start time given in your confirmation email. Starting late does not move the deadline, so have everything ready and log in at the start time.

What to prepare

• Only a computer will work

  You need Windows 11 or macOS 13 (Ventura) or later. The secure browser does not run on phones, tablets (iOS or Android), Chromebooks or Linux, so you cannot test on them.

• Headset

  You need over-ear, closed-back headphones that cover the whole ear, with a microphone on a boom. Connect by USB or a standard wired connection. Bluetooth is not supported, and built-in computer microphones are not allowed.

• Webcam

  640×480 or better; a built-in laptop camera is fine. On a desktop computer you will need an external webcam.

• Computer and internet

  At least 2 GB of free memory before you start (8 GB recommended), 10 GB of free disk space, and an internet connection of 5 Mbps or more both up and down.

• One monitor only

  A second monitor is not allowed anywhere in the room, even unplugged. Switch off any printer and put it out of reach, do not attach other devices to the computer, and remove any notes stuck to the computer or around the screen.

• Photo ID

  Bring the original of the same ID you registered with: a passport, national ID card or driving licence. It must show your name and photo and must not be expired. If your ID has changed since you registered, tell us before test day.

• AI tools and translation software must be closed

  Anything that checks spelling, improves your writing or translates counts as malpractice. Close input method editors (IME) and keyboard translation tools too. If the secure browser finds one of these running, the test will not start.

• Be at your desk before the start time

  If you start late you may not finish every module, and you would not be eligible for a refund.

Where you take the test

Before the test starts you have to sweep the whole room with your webcam through 360 degrees. Set the room up in advance so it meets these conditions.

• A room where you can be alone

  It must be a private residence or a private space inside a public building. You cannot test in a shared public place such as a library, café or open-plan office. A booked room (a hotel room, a university library study room) is fine if you can guarantee you will not be disturbed.

• Door closed, glass walls covered

  Keep the door closed during the test. If the room has glass walls, close the curtains or blinds.

• Quiet and well lit

  There should be no distracting background noise such as traffic, and your surroundings must be clearly visible at all times.

• Nothing with English writing in view

  No posters or other material with English writing may be visible. Close any desk drawers as well.

• At a desk or table

  Sit or stand at a desk or table. A low table such as a coffee table is not allowed, and you cannot test with the laptop on your lap, on a sofa or lying down.

• Not in a vehicle

  The test cannot be taken in a vehicle, moving or parked.

What can be on your desk

The list is fixed. Anything not on it has to be cleared away.

Allowed

• · Computer or laptop, a stand if you need one, and the charger
• · Keyboard, mouse and mouse mat
• · Headset with the microphone on a boom (external speakers instead, if you are not taking Speaking)
• · Webcam
• · Your login details, written down
• · The original photo ID you registered with
• · Pen or pencil and blank paper for notes
• · A bottle of water with the label removed, or water in a clear glass
• · Tissues or a handkerchief
• · Medicine and medical devices you told us about and we approved

Must be cleared away

• · All electronic devices and watches, including phones and smartwatches (switched off and kept outside the room)
• · A second monitor (not allowed in the room even if it is not plugged in)
• · Any printer attached to the computer (switched off and out of reach)
• · Notes stuck to the computer or around the screen
• · Labelled water bottles, and any food or drink other than water
• · Printed material of any kind, including a printout of this page

You may need your phone to reach us if something goes wrong during the test, so keep it just outside the room and only pick it up if you have to.

Allowed items: an example

Banned items: an example

The screens, in order

From installing the secure browser to closing the test, in the order you will actually meet them.

1. 01

   Install the secure browser

   Download and install the Talview secure browser, from the Microsoft Store on Windows or as a separate installer on Mac. Uninstall any older version first.

   

2. 02

   Open the secure browser and run the diagnostic

   Opening the installed browser brings up a diagnostic screen. Press Start and it lists the applications you will need to close on test day.

   

3. 03

   Run the technical check

   Go to Technical Check on the Cambridge English Test Portal (Metrica). No login is needed. It works through your operating system, internet speed, headphones and microphone in turn.

   

4. 04

   On test day, log in through the secure browser

   Open the secure browser and type the address in by hand. Copy and paste does not work, so write it down beforehand. After you log in you accept the terms, check your registration details under Your Details, fill in First language and Reason for taking the test, then press Submit.

   

5. 05

   Take your test-day photo

   Clicking the test tile starts the pre-test checks. Once you have accepted the terms and shared your Entire Screen, it is time for the photo. Face the camera with your head and shoulders in frame.

   

6. 06

   Capture or upload your ID

   Hold the ID you registered with up to the camera, or upload it as a png or jpg file. Covering any of the details with your fingers counts as malpractice.

   

7. 07

   Sweep the room through 360 degrees

   Turn your webcam right around so your desk, the floor and the ceiling are all visible. If the camera is built in, turn the whole laptop. Deliberately hiding part of the room counts as malpractice.

   

8. 08

   Pick a module and take the test

   The Timeline screen lists the modules you are entered for, and you can take them in any order. Read the instructions, then press Start at the bottom right.

9. 09

   Finish with the blue Close button

   At the end of a module two screens appear asking for feedback. Your test is only submitted once you press the blue Close button. Do not close the browser with the X in the corner.

   

What not to do during the test

Everything you do is recorded, and both the AI and a reviewer go through it afterwards, so avoid anything that could look suspicious.

• Looking around the room reads as suspicious

  Looking away from the screen or scanning the room can be treated as suspected malpractice.

• Do not cover your mouth

  Keep your hand and any object away from your mouth. Your face has to stay visible to the camera.

• No speaking out loud

  Do not talk or whisper aloud except during the Speaking module.

• Water only

  No smoking, vaping, eating or drinking anything but water in the test room.

• Stay in the test window

  Do not switch to another window or use another device, and do not use keyboard shortcuts. If you press one by accident, press CTRL to return to the test.

• Stopping the screen share is treated as malpractice

  The screen-sharing message can be tucked away with Hide. If you press Stop sharing the recording ends and you will not receive your result.

• Stay within the camera frame

  Any stretch with no recording, or where only part of you is visible, is flagged as suspicious. Click the video icon on screen to check that you are fully in frame.

• Breaks and leaving your seat: between modules, up to 20 minutes

  You cannot leave your seat once the test has started. If you need a break, take it between modules and keep it under 20 minutes.

Results

Ready in 6–8 days

Results are normally available 6–8 days after the test, or up to 10 days if the test has to be reviewed. You will get an email from no-reply@metritests.com when they are ready.

You view them yourself

Log in to the Cambridge English Test Portal with the same Username, Password and Institution ID you used for the test, and open the Results tab. You do not need the secure browser to view results.

Download your digital certificate

It shows a Cambridge English Scale score and CEFR level for each module, an average score, and your photo and identity document number. If you are asked to try again in five minutes, the certificate is still being compiled.

If you see an asterisk (*)

On Speaking it means the audio was not good enough to assess. On Reading or Listening it means too few questions were answered in the time available. Contact us about re-sitting.

Re-sit and your certificate shows the better score

You can re-sit any module on its own, and a better result feeds into My Best Score automatically, provided you sit it with the same centre and the same login (email).

Results do not expire

There is no expiry date on a Linguaskill certificate, but organisations set their own limits on how recent a result must be, so check with whoever you are submitting it to.

If you think a result is wrong

For Speaking and Writing you can request an Enquiry on Result within 28 days of the test date. Reading and Listening are adaptive, so no enquiry is available for them. If you want to appeal the outcome, you have 21 days from being told.

If something goes wrong

The test froze or closed

Refresh with F5 first. If that does not help, press CTRL + F5 for a hard refresh. If it still will not continue, shut down the secure browser and Metrica completely, then reopen and log back in. Your previous answers are stored and you return to the start of the question you were on.

Going back in means redoing the pre-test checks

If the test closes, or you refresh during the pre-test checks, you have to redo the photo, ID capture and 360-degree check from the start. It takes time, so do not refresh during the test.

No sound, or your voice is not recording

Restart the test. If the sound still does not work and you have a spare headset, try that instead.

The internet dropped out

Once you are back online, close the test window and reopen it to continue. Repeated or long disconnections can be treated as malpractice, so tell the centre straight away.

Your login email never arrived

Cambridge sends your login details from no-reply@metritests.com. It is an overseas sender, so check your spam folder. If it has not arrived 24 hours before your test, tell us.

You forgot your password

Press Forgotten your password? on the login screen and enter your Username and Institution ID. Our Institution ID is KR066.