Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
General Questions
1. Who is BULATS suitable for?
The Business Language Testing Service (BULATS) is a language assessment service specifically for the use of companies and organisations. BULATS is for organisations which need a reliable way of assessing the language ability of groups of employees or trainees.
The service is designed to test the language of employees who need to use a foreign language in their work, and for students and employees on language courses or on professional/business courses where foreign language ability is an important element of the course.
For further information please click here.
2. How can individuals take BULATS?
You should contact the nearest BULATS Agent to you. To search for an agent please click here.
If there is no agent listed in your country/region, please contact ESOLhelpdesk@CambridgeESOL.org
3. How can my company use BULATS?
There are several ways in which companies can use BULATS. Please see the full list in the ‘Why Use BULATS’ section.
To discuss using BULATS at your company you should contact the nearest BULATS Agent to you. To search for an agent please click here.
If there is no agent listed in your country/region, please contact ESOLhelpdesk@CambridgeESOL.org
4. How can I become a BULATS Agent?
A BULATS Agent is an organisation that promotes and sells the BULATS service to other organisations. For more information on your options, click here.
5. How long does the test last?
- The Computer Test lasts about 60 minutes.
- The Standard Test lasts 110 minutes.
- The Speaking Test lasts about 12 minutes.
- The Writing Test lasts 45 minutes.
6. Is it necessary to take the Standard Test / Computer-based test, the Speaking Test and the Writing Test on the same day?
BULATS offers an organisation the flexibility to assess their staff, trainees or applicants in whichever way they like. They can use just one test (e.g. the Standard Test) or they can use all three tests. They can administer all three tests in one day or on three different days. The client organisation is able to choose whatever strategy they think most useful - though of course the Agent will advise the client on what options are most likely to meet the client's requirements.
7. Where can I get sample tests?
Sample paper-based and computer-based test materials are available to download from our website. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to do this, which is available as a free download from the Adobe website.
8. What other organisations use BULATS?
For some examples of organisations which have used BULATS, please click on the link below .
9. How long should candidates wait before repeating a test?
It is strongly recommended that candidates do not retake BULATS within 3 months. It is unlikely that any significant gain in language ability will have occurred within this period and therefore the first administration of the test is as likely to be as accurate an assessment of a candidate's ability as the second administration within this period.
10. How long is a BULATS test score valid for?
BULATS test scores are valid for as long as a candidate's ability remains the same. However, proficiency in English language can improve or decline over time. Therefore it is advisable that companies or organisations seek further indicators of a candidate's language ability or request that the candidate retake the test if the BULATS test was taken more than 2 years previously.
11. What if half my staff take the Standard Test and the other half take the BULATS Computer Test?
The two types of test are fully compatible. The results from the Computer Test mean the same thing as the results from the Standard Test. However, organisations should also bear in mind that not all candidates get exactly the same result on both tests. There can be a number of reasons for this - firstly, different people react differently to computers generally - some are technophiles and some are technophobes - and this can affect their performance. Another reason could be that the adaptive nature of the Computer Test means that candidates will generally encounter fewer questions which are above their level than they would in the paper-based test.
12. What languages are available?
All BULATS tests are available in English, French, Spanish and German.
13. Are the question types the same in the Computer Test and the Standard (pencil and paper) Test?
The BULATS Computer Test shares many of the same question types as the Standard paper test. The Standard test also includes a form-filling item type, an error correction activity and a multiple matching listening task, which are not used in the Computer Test.
14. Does there need to be any supervision during the test?
It is the responsibility of the Agent to determine the appropriate level of invigilation for the test, based on the client’s requirements. We would recommend as a minimum that Agents use non-specialist supervisors to ensure that collusion has not taken place while tests are being run.
15. Is there any special provision for candidates with special needs?
Candidates can be given extra time for the Computer Test at the discretion of the testing organisation. In this case the time limit option within the Supervisor mode should not be selected. Candidates with visual impairment may not find the Computer Test suitable; For the hearing impaired, there are special and Lip-reading versions of the Listening section of the Standard Test, and for the sight-impaired there are large-print and Braille versions of the Standard Test. These can be ordered using a downloadable form available in the members area of the website and must be ordered 6 weeks in advance of the test date.
16. How is the Overall BULATS score calculated for the Standard and Computer-based Tests?
The overall BULATS score is not simply an average of the two section scores. The program uses encrypted look-up tables to calculate the overall score as there is different ability weighting attached to the two sections. If a result on the Listening section is 50 for example, and the score for the Reading and Language Knowledge section is 60, it will not necessarily follow that the overall result will be 55.
17. Is BULATS an international test?
Yes, BULATS is an international test and this is reflected in the range of accents and texts used, which are sourced from a wide range of English speaking countries. Also, in the BULATS speaking test, all accents are accepted fully and no one is penalised in any way for a non–British accent. In the writing test, US or other spelling is accepted if it is used consistently.
With the BULATS Standard and Computer–based test, we aim to have a balance of 60% UK Based texts and accents and 40% accents from other parts of the English speaking world. In the listening mode of the sample standard test available for candidates to download from the BULATS website for example, there is the following breakdown of accents: 60% UK based accents 35% North American based accents, 5% Australasian based accents. This reflects the overall balance we aim for across all BULATS tests.
BULATS Computer Test - General Questions
18. Should I set a time limit for the Computer Test?
It is at the discretion of the organisation delivering the test to decide whether or not to set the optional time limit in a Computer-based BULATS test. Cambridge ESOL's recommendation, however, is that customers don't set a time limit but instead allow the algorithm to calculate each candidate's level in the time most appropriate to them. If a time limit is not set, a test will usually take approximately 60 mins; but this will depend on the level of the candidate.
19. Can I see a demonstration of the BULATS Computer Test?
We have added a demonstration of the BULATS computer test to this website. If you have difficulty accessing the test, you can contact your nearest Agent for a copy of the Demo CD or for the Agent to visit your organisation and give a demonstration of the Test. If there is no Agent close to you, please contact Cambridge ESOL.
20. Several candidates scored zero on the Listening section of the test. Their scores on the Reading and Language Knowledge test were much higher. How is this possible?
The zero that these employees received was due to the candidate either skipping questions or not completing the test in the allotted time (if set). As the Computer-based BULATS test is an adaptive test, if candidates choose to skip questions or not answer enough questions, the test simply cannot calculate their ability in that skill area.
To avoid this happening you should:
- ensure that all candidates know that they have to answer all the questions put to them during the test.
- ensure that they finish the test prior to the time limit set (if this has been set in the Supervisor mode).
- ensure that they know to pay attention to the progress bar in the test which tells them how much of the test remains.
BULATS Computer Test - Online Version
21. The Candidate Test is not running as expected/has no sound/doesn't run at all
Please make sure you visit the Technical support page to check the computer has been set up correctly. All the documents you need are on this page.
Your computer will need to be configured properly by using the IE configuration guide
The bandwidth of the computer can be checked by using the bandwidth checker
The diagnostic tool will also check your computer will be able to run the tests
22. The BULATS Online token doesn't work
Ensure that the correct token has been entered. Check that all the characters have been entered correctly.
Another reason is that the token may have expired - i.e. the token has been used to start a test, but this test has then been stopped for some reason. If this happens, the candidate has 8 hours to try again, otherwise the agent will need to reactivate the token.
23. I can't print candidate results
This may be caused by the customer logging into the administration site as a test administrator other than the one who created the tokens. Please approach the test administrator who created the tokens, or the Agent, who is able to see what has happened.
24. Where is XXX functionality? / I can't see what I expected to when I logged into the administration site
Please make sure you have logged in with the correct role (i.e. logging in as an Agent, rather than a Test Administrator).
To enable you to synchronise passwords so you can use the same password and access both roles please log into the Members Area and find the ‘Training’ folder. Then look for the section ‘BULATS Interactive Help Videos’ and view the second video in the list which is titled ‘2) Synchronize Password’
25. I'm an indirect customer and...
If you are an Indirect customer we would encourage you to approach your BULATS Agent to ask for advice in the first instance.
26. Something went wrong during the test and we had to stop it - what do we do now?
- Re-entering the token within 8 hours of stopping the test will allow the candidate to continue from where they finished at that point.
- After 8 hours the Agent will need to reactivate the token, but even if they do this, the candidate can still continue from where they were when the problem occurred.
- Tokens cannot be given to a different candidate once the candidate information at the beginning of the test has been completed, even if they are reactivated. Agents should try and avoid just giving candidates new tokens.
BULATS Computer Test - CD-ROM Version
27. Can I run the BULATS computer test CD-ROM version on a network?
Yes, for details please download the BULATS Computer Test: Network Notes & Installation Instructions.
28. Do I have to be a technical expert to install the CD-ROM version of the BULATS Computer Test?
The BULATS Computer-based Test is simple to install on standalone workstations. To install BULATS on a network, you should consult your network administrator. If you have any problems, you will probably find the solution in the User Manual or the Technical FAQs page on this website.
29. What is a computer adaptive test?
This is a test where the computer selects questions for you according to how well you have answered previous questions. In other words, the questions adapt to the level of the candidate. The Computer Test includes a large bank of test questions, covering all levels of ability from basic to advanced. The questions are displayed on-screen, and candidates respond using the keyboard and mouse. As each question is answered, the computer assesses the response and selects the next question. The questions are selected according to whether the candidate's previous answer was right or wrong; in this way, the questions become progressively easier or harder until the system has a reliable assessment of the candidate's level.
30. What if something goes wrong with the Computer Test?
The Computer Test comes with a detailed User Manual available in a number of different languages. Agents can download these from the Members' area. This website also has a Technical FAQs section.
Registered users may need more detailed information on particular technical issues. If you can't find the information you need from the User Manual or this website, you should contact the BULATS Agent who supplied you with the tests. The Agent is able to deal with many questions directly, but is also able to call on technical support from a national support officer or from the Cambridge ESOL Technical Support Officer.