Cambridge certificate for the Romanian bac English test in 2026–2027: accepted levels and scores, why A2 Key no longer counts, and when to file.
In short: The English part of the Romanian bac's language test (proba C) can be replaced by a Cambridge B1 Preliminary (or B1 Preliminary for Schools), B2 First, C1 Advanced, C2 Proficiency or Cambridge Business certificate passed at Grade A, B or C. The minimum is 140 points on B1 Preliminary. A2 Key (KET) has not been on the Ministry of Education's list since September 2023, whatever the score. For the 2027 bac, the equivalence request goes to the high school on 5–9 April 2027, so the certificate has to be in hand before then.
Any Cambridge exam on the official list, from B1 upwards, passed at Grade A, B or C. The list is Annex 2 to Order 5.219/2010, replaced in full by OME 6152 of 31 August 2023 (Monitorul Oficial no. 800, 5 September 2023). Later orders added new exams, Linguaskill among them, but left the B1 Preliminary, B2 First, C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency rows unchanged.
Exam → minimum score → level recognised:
The certificate must state explicitly that the exam was passed. On B1 Preliminary, Grade C is 140–152 points, per Cambridge's results table; below 140 the result is A2 level and does not count.
No. A2 Key and A2 Key for Schools have not been on the list of exams that replace proba C since OME 6152/2023 took effect on 5 September 2023. That holds even for a KET at Grade A (140–150 points), although the certificate itself says B1 level.
Sources that say otherwise are out of date. Cambridge's Romanian-language page still cites Order 6063/2020 and accepts A2 Key at 140 points or more. OM 3262/2023, from January 2023, still had an "Entry 3 (Key)" row at 140–150 points. In September 2023, OME 6152/2023 replaced the whole list, and the new list starts at B1 Preliminary. Later orders (OMEC 7694/2024, OMEC 3712/2025 and OM 6815/2025) only changed rows for Aptis, Linguaskill, NOCN, Pearson and Oxford.
Exam centres, the Ministry and Cambridge announced the A2 Key change back in autumn 2022 (Edupedu, October 2022). If a student has only KET, the safe plan is B1 Preliminary.
By registration for the competence tests, 5–9 April 2027. From 2027, proba C takes place during the school year, on 19–21 April, under OME 5.211/2026 (Monitorul Oficial no. 758/2026), and the equivalence request is filed during registration.
If the certificate is late, the equivalence methodology lets the student file a letter from the exam body at registration. The notarised copy of the certificate must then follow at least 3 days before proba C.
The draft 2027 bac order also said certificates could be recognised up to 4 June 2027. We could not find the final text of that article, so check with the school whether it stayed. For a grade 12 student, the safe route is a Cambridge session whose results come out before April 2027. The exam centre can tell you the results date.
Articles about the 2026 bac (proba C in June, registration on 2–4 June) no longer apply to 2027.
You file a written request for recognition and equivalence at the school office, with a notarised copy of the certificate, during bac registration. The school's language and digital competence committee decides. If the request is approved, the student does not sit proba C.
The bac competence certificate shows the level from the Cambridge certificate. The bac diploma lists the exam name, the level and the note "recognised and treated as equivalent to proba C".
It does not expire. Cambridge certificates carry no expiry date, and the methodology only asks the committee to check validity where a certificate states one. A B1 Preliminary passed in grade 9 can be used at the bac.
According to the European Examinations Centre, neither the format (paper or computer) nor the exam centre matters. The methodology covers exams passed "during pre-university education". For a certificate taken in middle school (grades 5–8), check with the high school or the county school inspectorate.
Choose the level the student can pass with at least Grade C, not the highest level they hope for. A score below the exam's own pass mark does not count. For example, 150 on B2 First is a B1-level result, which is not on the list.
At Pathway, Cambridge exam preparation runs online in small groups of 6–8 students of the same level, with Cambridge-certified lecturers and a monthly progress report. If you would like to see how we work before choosing an exam, book a free trial lesson.
At least Grade C in the exam you sit: 140 on the Cambridge English Scale for B1 Preliminary, 160 for B2 First, 180 for C1 Advanced and 200 for C2 Proficiency.
No. Since September 2023, under OME 6152/2023, A2 Key is no longer on the list of exams that replace proba C, whatever the score.
No, under the current list. B2 First counts only at Grade A, B or C (160–190). A B1-level result on B2 First is not on the list.
During registration for the competence tests, 5–9 April 2027, at the school office: an equivalence request plus a notarised copy of the certificate.
No. Cambridge certificates carry no expiry date, and the committee only checks validity where a certificate states one. A B1 Preliminary passed in grade 9 can be used.
No. The exam format (paper or computer) and the centre where it was taken make no difference to the equivalence.
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