TCF - Test of Knoweldge in French
Test de Connaissance du Français
Any non-French-speaker who, for personal, academic or professional reasons, wants to have their competency in French assessed and certified reliably and by way of a recognised test.
The TCF was designed to be taken by older teenagers (aged 16 or over) and adults. You do not need to have any qualifications or prepare in any specific way in order to take the TCF.
Why should I take the TCF? For:
- personal reasons: This test gives an assessment of the candidate's competency in French (listening and reading comprehension, spoken and written expression), potentially with a view to improving it. It is a kind of linguistic snapshot of the candidate's level of French at the time of taking the test;
- professional reasons: It provides objective information that candidates can show to institutions or companies, to help them secure a job or a promotion;
- academic reasons: The TCF, consistent with international standards, is a reliable assessment of a candidate's linguistic abilities that is taken into account for admission to higher education institutions (universities, Grandes Ecoles, art schools, schools of architecture, business schools, etc.).
Where? When? How do I register? How much does it cost? To know more about admission, tuition and exams sessions, click on Exams schedule.
How can I prepare?You can download the document on the right: booklet of presentation of the TCF.
What are the levels?Read the levels grid.
What are the examinations?Read this page.
How can I get a certificate?
Every candidate gets a certificate that is valid for 2 years.
The front of this certificate shows:
the name of the test centre and the date of the examination session; the first name(s) and surname of the candidate; the candidate code; the following information: date of birth, nationality, country of birth and native language(s); the candidate's test results: overall mark and overall level; the results broken down according to competency, mark and level; where applicable, the marks obtained in the optional examinations (mark out of 20).
The back shows the levels grid and grid for interpreting marks: a detailed competency grid and a global scale. The levels are defined in terms of "can do" statements ("the person can...") so that end users of the certificate (educational establishments or employers) can understand what the holder of the certificate is able to understand or express in French.
Booklet
Contact
Université Catholique de Lyon
ILCF Lyon
25, rue du Plat
69288 Lyon Cedex 02
FRANCE
Phone
00 33 - (0)4 72 32 50 53
Fax.
00 33 - (0)4 72 32 51 82