LanguageCert English Literacy Challenge (LCELC)

LanguageCert Official Academic Support

Recognised by Ofqual, UKVI, and the Australian Department of Home Affairs, with assessments aligned to the CEFR framework.

Designed for English Learners Aged 6–16

A structured English learning pathway with progressive levels. Students will receive an official English proficiency report and certificate.

Prestigious Campus Experience

An immersive international campus experience that helps students build confidence in English and showcase their talents through communication challenges.

The LanguageCert English Literacy Challenge is academically supported by LanguageCert, a leading international provider of English language assessments. As the language assessment brand of the PeopleCert Group, a global leader in professional skills certification, LanguageCert is regulated by Ofqual, the UK government’s qualifications regulator, and recognised by a range of official bodies, including UKVI and the Australian Department of Home Affairs. Its qualifications are widely accepted by leading universities and educational institutions worldwide.

Aligned with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), the Challenge provides a clear pathway between classroom learning and internationally recognised standards of English proficiency. Open to primary and lower secondary students, it features three levels of difficulty and uses authentic, interactive tasks to assess and develop learners’ listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in real-world contexts.

In 2026, ASEEDER and LanguageCert entered into a strategic partnership to bring this globally recognised English assessment framework to more young learners across China. Through nationwide assessment opportunities and detailed performance insights, students can gain a clearer understanding of their English proficiency and confidently plan their future learning journey.

LanguageCert qualifications are recognised by more than 3,500 universities and educational institutions worldwide, including leading institutions such as Imperial College London, University College London, the University of Manchester, the University of Bristol, the University of Birmingham, the University of Glasgow, the University of Leeds, the University of Southampton, the University of Sheffield, the University of Nottingham, Queen Mary University of London, the University of St Andrews, the University of Bath, the University of Liverpool, the University of Exeter, Lancaster University, the University of York, the University of Melbourne, the University of Sydney, and the Australian National University. More than 90% of UK universities accept LanguageCert qualifications as evidence of English language proficiency for admission purposes. For a full list of recognised institutions, please visit: https://www.languagecert.org/en/about-us/recognition/languagecert-recognition

Recognised by Leading Universities Worldwide

LanguageCert is a globally recognised English language qualification trusted by government authorities and accepted by over 3,500 leading universities and educational institutions worldwide.
UK: Recognised by leading UK universities, including Imperial College London, UCL, the University of Manchester, and the University of Bristol.
USA & CAN: Recognised by leading universities in the United States and Canada, including Harvard University, Stanford University, McMaster University, and Queen’s University.
Australia, New Zealand and Europe: Recognised by leading universities across Australia, New Zealand and Europe, including the University of Melbourne, the University of Sydney, the University of Auckland, and the University of Amsterdam.
* For more recognised universities, please visit: https://www.languagecert.org/en/about-us/recognition/languagecert-recognition

CEFR	LCELC Preliminary Round	LCELC National Round	LanguageCert	Cambridge Assessment	IELTS	TOEFL iBT
Pre A1	Group A (Grades 1–3)	-	Young Learners ESOL FOX (Pre-A1)	Pre A1 Starters	-	-
A1	Group B (Grades 4–6)	Group A (Grades 1–3)	Young Learners ESOL OWL (A1) / IESOL A1 Preliminary	A1 Movers	-	1-1.5
A2	Group C (Grades 7–9)	Group B (Grades 4–6)	IESOL A2 Access	A2 Flyers / A2 Key (KET)	2.5-3.5	2-2.5
B1	-	Group C (Grades 7–9)	IESOL B1 Achiever	B1 Preliminary (PET)	4.0-5.0	3-3.5
B2	-	-	IESOL B2 Communicator	B2 First (FCE)	5.5-6.5	4-4.5
C1	-	-	IESOL C1 Expert	C1 Advanced (CAE)	7.0+	5+

Preliminary Round

Challenge Groups:：

Group A (Fox / Pre-A1): Grades 1–3
Group B (IESOL A1): Grades 4–6
Group C (IESOL A2): Grades 7–9

Assessment Focus: This round focuses on evaluating students’ foundational English skills, with an emphasis on listening, grammar, and reading comprehension.

- Duration：40 minutes for all groups (A, B and C)
- Assessment Components：Listening · Grammar · Reading
- Date：November 7, 2026
- Venue：Participating schools nationwide / Online assessment*
- Online Assessment Requirements：① A computer with a webcam ② A mobile phone or tablet positioned as a secondary camera

Core Learning Outcomes & Academic Positioning

Group A Focuses on understanding basic instructions and using high-frequency vocabulary. Aligned with the English learning stage of Grades 1–3, it aims to develop students’ interest in English and build early language awareness.

Group B Focuses on simple communication and everyday expression. Aligned with the English learning stage of Grades 4–6, it helps students strengthen sentence structures and build confidence in communication.

Group C Focuses on independent communication and logical expression across a range of topics. Aligned with lower secondary English development, it provides a strong foundation for future international curricula and overseas study.

Awards

Super Gold Award

Top 5% nationwide

Gold Award

Top 15% nationwide

Silver Award

Top 15%–30% nationwide

Bronze Award

Top 30%–45% nationwide

Merit Award

Top 45%–65% nationwide

*Participants receiving Super Gold, Gold, Silver or Bronze Awards will be invited to advance to the National Round.

Registration Information & Certificates

- Eligibility：Students in Grades 1–9 (Candidates may enter a higher-level group but may not register for a lower-level group.)
- Registration Fee：Includes assessment, administration, marking and electronic report fees. Printed certificates are available upon request and subject to postage charges.
- Academic Preparation Materials: After registration, participants will receive official LanguageCert practice materials and sample papers.
- Registration Methods:
  ① Scan the QR code to register
  ② Register through group registration (For School)

Registration QR Code

Certificates & Reports：Electronic proficiency report and certificate

Sample Certificate

Sample Report

National Round

Focus of the Challenge:
This round is designed to showcase comprehensive English language skills. It fully adopts the official LanguageCert assessment system to deeply evaluate candidates’ integrated abilities in listening, speaking, reading, and writing.

Event Date：January or February 2027
Venue：To be confirmed
Participants who achieve Super Gold, Gold, Silver, or Bronze awards in the Preliminary Round will be invited to advance to the National Round.

Assessment Duration

Challenge Groups	IESOL	Listening	Reading & Writing	Speaking	Total Duration (approx.)
Group A (IESOL A1) Grades 1–3	IESOL A1	20 mins approx.	1 hr 20 mins	Prepared speech 1.5 mins	1 hr 41 mins
Group B (IESOL A2) Grades 4–6	IESOL A2	20 mins approx.	1 hr 20 mins	Prepared speech 2 mins	1 hr 42 mins
Group C (IESOL B1) Grades 7–9	IESOL B1	30 mins approx.	2 hrs 10 mins	Prepared speech 3 mins	2 hrs 43 mins

Official Scoring & Results Release

Official Scoring：Written exam papers will be returned to LanguageCert Headquarters, where they will be standardised and scored by official senior examiners.
Results Release：Written exam results will be released within 15 working days after the exam. All other awards will be announced on-site.