Frequently asked questions about the TCF

The TCF is the  language proficiency test  of the French Ministry of Education and Youth. France Éducation international is the Ministry’s operator in charge of supervising and distributing the test in France and around the world. Two optional tests assess listening and reading expression. The grade obtained on the test results in the issue of a level of proficiency certificate. The elaboration of the TCF is based on a methodology of extreme scientific rigor : it is a standardized, graded and calibrated test. Throughout the sessions and regardless of the version of the test, the grades remain comparable and ensure a reliable ranking of candidates on a six-level knowledge scale from “ basic ” (A1) to “ advanced superior ” (C2). These levels correspond to the ones defined by the Council of Europe in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. The flexibility and simplicity of the TCF make it a convenient tool to meet the needs of everyone who, for personal or professional reasons, must certify their French level proficiency.

SUPERIOR ADVANCED : C2 Excellent command of the language. The individual can understand with ease virtually everything heard or read, and can summarize everything in a coherent way. They can express themselves very fluently and in a differentiated and nuanced way on complex matters.
SUPERIOR : C1 Good command of the language. The individual can understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts with implicit meanings. They can express themselves fluently and in a well-structured way on their social, professional or academic life and on complex matters.  
INTERMEDIATE ADVANCED : B2 General and spontaneous command of the language. The individual can understand the main ideas of a complex text. They can take part in a discussion on a general or professional topic in a clear and detailed way by providing reasoned opinions. INTERMEDIATE: B1 Efficient but limited command of the language. The individual can understand a clear and standard language if it applies to familiar matters. They can deal with most situations when traveling, talk about their areas of interest, and produce brief explanations on a project or an idea.  
BASIC ADVANCED : A2 Basic command of the language. The individual can understand isolated sentences on familiar matters. They can communicate in everyday situations, and ask questions relevant to them in a simple way.  
BASIC : A1 Basic command of French. The individual is able to understand simple and concrete situations of everyday life. They can communicate in a simple manner if the other person speaks slowly.