International Certifications

Alliance Française de Washington is an official exam center that offers evaluations of French language proficiency and awards several internationally reputable diplomas. The tests and diplomas are based on the same levels as the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (A1, A2, B1, B2, C1 and C2). The tests (TEF and TFC) are reliable measurements for determining proficiency and are only valid for a period of time. The diplomas are similar to university degrees in that they confirm language proficiency and are valid for life. International certifications are particularly useful for employment purposes, migrants to Canada or students seeking admission to Grandes Ecoles or French speaking universities. However, Alliance Française offers assessment opportunities to all who wish to determine their level in French.

TEF and TEFAQ Certificates

Alliance Française is the only center in Washington to provide the TEF (Test d'Evaluation de Français) and the TEFAQ (Test d'Évaluation de Français adapté au Québec). The TEF is a widely recognized exam offered by the Paris Chamber of Commerce (CCIP) and serves as legitimate proof of fluency. The TEF is required for Canadian immigration, while the TEFAQ is useful for the Quebec immigration process.

The TEF consists of 3 compulsory sections: written comprehension (1 hour), listening comprehension (40 mins), vocabulary and structures (30 mins). There are 2 optional sections: written expression (1 hour) and oral expression (40 minutes). Citizenship and Immigration Canada requires both compulsory & optional sections for immigration purposes.

The TEFAQ consists of 2 sections: listening and speaking. The CCIP delivers a certificate that rates the candidate's quantitative and qualitative performance and provides an analysis of results which are valid for two years.

You can prepare for either test by reviewing the book Test d'Evaluation de Français published by the CCIP and Hachette (ISBN: 2011551668 / ISBN-13: 9782011551665). A copy is available at our library (please check for availability).

Schedule 2011-2012:

28 octobre 2011: TEF général

11 novembre 2011: TEF général + TEFAQ (Québec)

2 décembre 2011: TEF général

12 janvier 2012: TEF général + TEFAQ (Québec)

13 janvier 2012: TEF général + TEFAQ (Québec)

3 février 2012: TEFAQ (Québec) - FULL

10 février 2012: TEFAQ (Québec) - FULL

9 mars 2012: TEF général + TEFAQ (Québec)

13 avril 2012: TEF général

11 mai 2012: TEF général + TEFAQ (Québec)

8 juin 2012: TEF général

Registration deadline is one week before the date of the exam.

Costs

Note: It is possible to register for portions of the exams, provided you have taken the compulsory sections of the TEF within 1 year. The price for the oral section or writing section alone is $80. Since registrants will have to provide a hardcopy of their TEF certificate, registrations will only be taken in person at our office.

For more information about the TEF : http://www.fda.ccip.fr/tef

TCF, TCF Québec and TCF DAP Certificates

The TCF (Test de connaissance du français), designed by the CIEP (Centre International d’Études Pédagogiques) and accredited by the French Ministry of Education, is a French language proficiency test for non-native speakers who need their level of proficiency certified for professional, academic or personal reasons. The TCF is an 80 question, multiple-choice exam that covers reading comprehension, command of grammatical structures and listening comprehension (1.5 hours). It also includes optional written and oral examination portions, which are 1.45 hours and 15 minutes respectively.

Like the TEF, the TCF has adaptations for immigration purposes, and Alliance Française offers the TCF Québec examination. TCF Québec is useful for the Quebec immigration process and includes two sections: listening comprehension (30 minutes), and spoken expression (15 minutes).

Additionally, Alliance Française offers the TCF DAP (Test de Connaissance du Français pour la Demande d’Admission Préalable). In the absence of the DELF B2 exam, this test is useful for preliminary admission to undergraduate university studies and architectural schools in France.

The TCF DAP includes 2 sections. The first section includes oral comprehension, language structures (vocabulary and grammar) and written comprehension (90 mins). The second sections consistes of a written expression portion (90 minutes).

Our 2011-2012 TCF sessions wil be held: