How Many Hours Does It Take to Reach Each CEFR Level?

How long will it take you to reach B1, B2 or C1? The most widely used answer comes from Cambridge English, which publishes approximate guided learning hours for each CEFR level. This article sets out those figures, explains what they include, and shows how to turn them into a weekly plan.

The Cambridge English figures

The numbers below come from Cambridge English's guided learning hours guidance. They are cumulative: each figure is the total from complete beginner, not the extra time from the level below.

Cambridge English also gives a simpler rule: it takes approximately 200 guided learning hours to move from one level to the next (Cambridge English). The A1 row refers to Cambridge's exams for young learners, so it is less useful for adults starting from zero.

Cambridge describes the figures as a guideline only. You may need more or less time.

What counts as a guided learning hour

A guided learning hour is time spent in lessons or supervised study: a class, a lesson with a tutor, or study set and checked by a teacher.

Watching series, reading for fun or chatting in English all help, and they can shorten the time you need. They are not what the table counts.

What changes the number for you

Cambridge English lists four factors that affect how long it takes:

• Your language learning background. If you have learned other languages, or your first language is close to English, you may move faster.
• How intensively you study. Daily study usually beats one long session a week.
• Your age.
• How much you study or use English outside lessons. Reading, listening and speaking between lessons all add up.

Turning hours into a weekly plan

The hours become more useful when you divide them by the time you actually have. The table below uses the approximate 200 hours per level.

And for the cumulative figure to reach B2 from complete beginner (500 to 600 hours):

These are simple divisions of the Cambridge figures, not promises. Use them to check whether a deadline is realistic.

Why the higher levels feel slower

Each level takes roughly the same number of hours in the Cambridge guidance, but the higher levels often feel slower. At B1 you manage familiar, everyday situations. At B2 and C1 you deal with abstract topics, opinions and implied meaning, and progress is harder to notice from week to week.

If you are moving from B1 to B2, spend a good share of your study time on longer writing and speaking tasks with feedback. Reading and listening alone rarely close that gap.

Mistakes that add hours

• Studying at the wrong level. Material that is too easy or too hard wastes time. Check your level before you plan.
• Leaving speaking until the end. Speaking improves with regular practice spread over time.
• Counting only class time. Practice between lessons is one of the factors Cambridge English lists.
• Never checking progress. Take a level test every few months to see whether your plan is working.

Know your starting point

A plan only works if you know where you start. The International English Test level test has 60 questions and takes about 30 minutes, and you see your CEFR level at the end. For what each level means, read our guide to the CEFR levels. If you need proof of your level for an application, see the English certificate.

Key points

• Cambridge English gives cumulative guided learning hours: about 500 to 600 to reach B2 and 700 to 800 to reach C1 from complete beginner.
• Moving up one level takes approximately 200 guided learning hours.
• The figures are a guideline; background, study intensity, age and practice outside lessons change them.
• Divide the hours by your weekly study time to see whether your goal is realistic.