B1 Preliminary Test Date France: September 2026

France has one adult B1 Preliminary session in September 2026: digital in Reims on September 26, with registration closing September 6. Ecole Internationale Henri Farman is the named authorised centre.

There is no adult B1 paper session in September. The next fixed paper date is November 21. The September 5 paper entry shown elsewhere in France belongs to B1 Preliminary for Schools and must not be treated as an adult session.

Key takeaways

• Adult B1 Preliminary runs in Reims on September 26.
• Registration closes September 6, twenty days earlier.
• The session is digital and in person.
• No adult B1 paper date exists in September; the next is November 21.
• Digital Statements of Results normally take 1 to 2 weeks.

In this guide: date | Schools distinction | paper calendar | centre checks | Speaking | scores | results | later dates | research | FAQ

France B1 Preliminary September 2026 date

This is the only adult B1 Preliminary row in Cambridge's French September table. It provides no same-month fallback after the deadline or if the centre fills.

The twenty-day lead time is a local centre decision. Other digital Cambridge entries in France close closer to the exam, so do not infer one common registration rule.

After the centre confirms entry, start a free SpeakShark conversation for general spoken-English practice and use official Cambridge resources for B1 tasks.

Adult B1 and B1 for Schools are separate calendars

Cambridge offers B1 Preliminary and B1 Preliminary for Schools. They certify the same level but have separate entries in the France calendar.

The Schools calendar includes Paris paper on September 5, Epernay digital on September 12, and Reims digital on September 26. Those rows do not add adult seats.

Choose the version suited to the candidate and accepted by the receiver. A date advantage alone is not enough.

Why September has no adult paper date

Cambridge's adult B1 Preliminary paper dates in late 2026 are November 21 and December 3. September is absent.

Digital centres can run other dates, creating the Reims September 26 option. The written components use a computer at the centre; the exam is not taken unsupervised from home.

Cambridge's digital exam guidance explains the supervised test-day process.

For adjacent levels, compare the France B2 First date, France C1 Advanced calendar, and France C2 Proficiency date.

What to ask the Reims centre

Before payment, request:

1. Confirmation that the September 26 session still has capacity.
2. Current exam fee.
3. Final venue address.
4. Speaking date and reporting time.
5. Required original ID.
6. Transfer and cancellation terms.

Cambridge's date page does not include these details. An authorised centre may use an agreed venue different from its office.

France also has separate English evidence routes. See DCL English, CLES certification, and CPF English certification before assuming B1 Preliminary is the named requirement.

The Speaking appointment is local

B1 Preliminary Speaking has four parts. The public France calendar lists only the main exam date.

Our guides cover the Part 1 interview, Part 2 extended turn, Part 3 discussion, and Part 4 general conversation.

The test normally uses two candidates and two examiners. Ask the centre whether Speaking is on September 26 or a nearby date.

For general fluency, practise free with SpeakShark while using Cambridge's own samples for exam-specific preparation.

B1 Preliminary score outcomes

The exam reports Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking scores. A receiving organisation can demand an overall threshold or individual skill performance beyond earning a certificate.

The Council of Europe CEFR descriptions explain the level scale. Use CEFR speaking levels and Cambridge speaking criteria by level before selecting B1.

Cambridge certificates do not expire, but receivers can impose recency. See English certificate expiry compared.

Result planning after September 26

A normal digital result window places the Statement of Results in early to mid-October, with the certificate later in October.

Those are planning estimates, not guaranteed release dates. Ask the receiving institution whether it can verify the online Statement before the certificate arrives.

If the target deadline is early October, the September 26 date may leave little margin. A faster digital result does not eliminate administrative processing.

Use the free speaking-level check to assess whether B1 is realistic before paying.

Later B1 Preliminary dates in France

The France table listed later adult digital sessions in Lyon on November 21 and Sophia Antipolis on November 25. Paper dates appeared later in the global calendar and through local centres.

If September 6 has passed, ask the centre about cancellations, then move to a verified later date rather than using a third-party calendar.

The B2 First for Schools France calendar remains a different version and level. Do not use it as the adult B1 fallback.

How to register

1. Confirm adult B1 Preliminary is accepted.
2. Contact Ecole Internationale Henri Farman through Cambridge's France calendar.
3. Confirm capacity, fee, venue and Speaking date.
4. Enter and pay before September 6.
5. Keep the Confirmation of Entry and result credentials.

After registration, start free daily speaking practice and use official Cambridge materials for the exam.

How we researched this guide

We checked Cambridge's official France calendar, global B1 Preliminary dates, digital guidance, centre finder and B1 score information on August 28, 2026.

We excluded every B1 Preliminary for Schools row. Only one adult entry remained: digital Reims on September 26 with a September 6 deadline.

We did not invent fee, seats, venue or Speaking date. No real questions or unofficial answers were copied.

We are a speaking improvement tool. We are not an exam preparation provider, and we are not affiliated with Cambridge English, the IELTS partners, Pearson or any exam board. For test format, booking and official practice material, go to the exam body directly. Use SpeakShark to make your spoken English stronger, and use official material to learn the test.

FAQ

Cambridge's France calendar lists one adult B1 Preliminary session in September 2026: a digital exam in Reims on Saturday, September 26. The named centre is Ecole Internationale Henri Farman, and registration closes September 6. Confirm the fee, remaining capacity, final venue and Speaking date with the centre.

No adult paper session appears in France, and Cambridge's fixed 2026 paper calendar has no B1 Preliminary date in September. The next global paper date is November 21. Do not import the September 5 B1 Preliminary for Schools paper date into the adult exam calendar.

The published deadline is September 6, twenty days before the September 26 digital exam. The centre can fill earlier. Cambridge's calendar does not publish the fee, seat count or final room, so candidates should contact Ecole Internationale Henri Farman before the cutoff and before arranging travel.

Both target CEFR B1, use the same exam format and scoring, and lead to equivalent certificates. The Schools version uses topics aimed at school-age candidates. Their French September calendars differ, so candidates should choose by profile and receiving requirements rather than switching because another date is available.

Cambridge normally publishes digital Statements of Results in one to two weeks and certificates in about three to four weeks. Paper results take longer. The online Statement is official and can be verified, but the receiving school, employer or authority decides whether it can proceed before the certificate arrives.

The public France calendar does not show the Speaking appointment. Cambridge states that Speaking dates are subject to local provision, so it may not be September 26. Ask the Reims centre for the complete timetable, final venue, reporting time and required identity document before making travel plans.

Use official Cambridge resources and start free daily speaking practice for general English. Premium costs $10 for one month, $25 for three months, or $69 for one year. See pricing.

SpeakShark details

• Site: speakshark.com
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Sources

1. Cambridge France calendar, checked for the Reims date, deadline and centre.
2. Cambridge global exam dates, checked for adult B1 paper dates.
3. Cambridge digital exam guidance, checked for centre-based delivery.
4. Cambridge B1 Preliminary format, checked for the four components.
5. Council of Europe CEFR descriptions, used for the independent framework.
6. SpeakShark pricing, checked for current free and paid options.

Dates, deadlines, availability, fees, venues and Speaking appointments can change. Confirm every detail with the named centre before paying or arranging travel.