BULATS

The BULATS test was discontinued in December 2019

The equivalent Business English test from Cambridge English is now called Linguaskill.

The BULATS (Business Language Testing Service) was a suite of tests used primarily by business schools and companies for language certification purposes. Until 2017, BULATS tested exist in English, French, German, and Spanish in both online and paper versions. Many of those tests were phased out, but the online English BULATS test remained available until December 2019. It has since been discontinued.

Exam structure

The BULATS was comprised of a required one hour listening and reading comprehension section, followed by optional modules testing speaking and writing. The listening and reading section of the BULATS was an adaptive test, which is to say that questions got easier or harder depending on how well the student was responding.

The BULATS speaking test lasted 15 minutes and included 5 tasks. This section was recorded and assessed by examiners at another location. The BULATS writing test lasted 45 minutes and included two tasks: an e-mail and either an essay or a letter. Both had to be be typed and submitted for correction by an examiner.

Scoring

Scores on the BULATS listening and reading tests were available immediately upon completion of the test. Scores on the BULATS speaking and writing tests were available later because they had to be corrected by humans. BULATS scores were expressed as CEFR levels. A BULATS certificate is valid for 2 years, and validity continues even though the test itself has been discontinued.

Ownership

BULATS was a product of Cambridge English Language Assessment, which is also the organization behind the Cambridge English exams and the IELTS. The BULATS was marketed as a test specifically for business English users, much like the TOEIC. The new Linguaskill Business test is meant to be an equivalent replacement.