French Certifications
DELF/DALF, TCF, TEF, Naturalization
Are you required or wishing to take a French exam? Great news, we regularly prepare our students for major French language assessments.
One of our teachers has been certified as a DELF/DALF examiner since 2023, ensuring the high quality of our exam preparation courses. Two of our team members have also taken the exams themselves to truly understand the challenges learners face.
Typically, to make the most of time with the teacher, we focus on the writing competency section of the tests and encourage students to independently prepare for the comprehension section, asking them to highlight any difficult areas. However, if you feel you need help with the comprehension sections as well, we can certainly spend time on these during our sessions.
Already know which exam you want to take? You can sign up for preparation courses now!
Need more information about French certifications before deciding? Here are three major differences between the DELF/DALF and the TCF and TEF exams:
Differences Between DELF / DALF and TCF / TEF
DELF / DALF
- Valid for life
- Academically oriented
- Pre-defined level: you register for a specific level, and if your actual level is higher, your certificate will only reflect the pre-defined level of the exam.
TCF & TEF
- Valid for two years
- Focused on everyday life situations
- A single exam caters to all levels: the further you progress, the higher your evaluated level.
Details for each exam are outlined below. Before you start preparing for an exam, the teacher will introduce it to ensure you know what to expect.
French Naturalization
To submit your application for naturalisation in France, demonstrating a certain proficiency in French is essential. This requires achieving at least a B2 level on the CEFR scale.
To validate your language skills, you may choose to take the TEF IRN test (Test d’évaluation de français – Intégration, Résidence et Nationalité), the TCF IRN test (Test de connaissance du français – Intégration, Résidence et Nationalité), or the DELF B2 exam.
In addition to these language tests, successfully passing the naturalization interview is crucial to confirm your readiness to become a French citizen. This comprehensive evaluation ensures that potential citizens meet all linguistic and cultural integration requirements for naturalization in France.
We are here to prepare you for these two steps
French Exam Level B2
Achieving a B2 level is quite feasible. Immersing yourself in Francophone cultures by watching movies, reading various types of literature, and listening to the radio will complement your classes and homework. This exposure will boost your confidence significantly.
Naturalization Interview
You’re almost at the finish line! You’ve demonstrated that you can independently navigate daily life in France with a sufficient grasp of French, showcased by passing your French language certification. Now, it’s crucial to show you’re an asset to the French state during the naturalisation interview. You’ll answer personal questions about your lifestyle habits, associations, knowledge of French cities, tax contributions, and the language you speak with friends. As well as questions about French culture.
To thoroughly prepare, you’ll study the Citizen’s Booklet, which includes vital information on French values and history. This preparation will also involve crafting a presentation about your journey and relationship with France. Our tailored approach ensures you’re well-prepared for both the language aspects and the cultural integration required by the interview.
Whether you are preparing for the DELF B2, TEF IRN, or TCF IRN exams, our comprehensive courses and resources are designed to guide you through every step of your preparation. Naturalisation in France can be a challenging process, but with our expert guidance, you’ll be ready to not only meet but exceed the requirements.
LFM takes pride in having already helped several students become French citizens.
Become one of these people, enroll in our classes now!
DELF / DALF Exams
DELF: A1 to B2
The Diplôme d’Études en Langue Française (DELF) is an official French language certification granted by France’s Ministry of National Education. Recognized worldwide and valid indefinitely, the DELF consists of four key components:
- 3 Collective Tests: Listening Comprehension, Reading Comprehension, and Written Production.
- 1 Individual Test: Oral Production.
Each component is graded out of 25, with a passing mark requiring a minimum total score of 50 out of 100. Note that any score below 5 in any component is grounds for automatic disqualification.
Here is a small illustrative example:
LC
RC
OP
WP
Total
a
24
12,5
7
6,5
50
Passed
24
12,5
9
4,5
50
Failed
LC: Listening Comprehension ; RC: Reading Comprehension ; OP: Oral Production; WP: Written Production
Overview of the exams, from level A1 to B2:
A1
LC: 20mn, 4 or 5 exercises, 2 times listening*
RC: 20mn, 4 exercises*
OP: 30mn, 2 exercises
WP: 15mn, 3 exercises
A2
LC: 25mn, 4 to 7 audios, 2 times listening*
RC: 25 to 30mn, 4 exercises*
OP: 45mn, 2 exercises
WP: 20mn, 3 exercises
B1
LC: 25mn, 3 audios, 2 times listening*
RC: 45mn, 2 or 3 exercises*
OP: 45mn, 1 exercise
WP: 20mn, 3 exercises
B2
LC: 30mn, 2 to 5 audios, 1 or 2 times listening depending on the document*
RC: 1h, 2 or 3 exercises*
OP: 1h, 1 exercise
WP: 50mn, 2 exercises
*Multiple Choice Questions, short answers, true or false, options to link/connect
DALF: C1 & C2
The Diplôme Approdonfi en Langue Française (DALF) is an official French language certification granted by France’s Ministry of National Education. Recognized worldwide and valid indefinitely.
DALF C1
The DALF C1 consists of four key components:
- 3 Collective Tests: Listening Comprehension, Reading Comprehension, and Written Production.
- 1 Individual Test: Oral Production.
Listening Comprehension
40mn, 2 exercises, 2 times listening for the first exercise, 1 time for the second one
Reading Comprehension
50mn, 1 exercise
Oral Production
2h30, 2 exercises
Written Production
1h30, 2 exercises
DALF C2
The DALF C2 consists of two parts:
- A collective test of written comprehension and production, lasting 3 hours and 30 minutes.
- An individual test of oral comprehension and production, lasting 2 hours.
The collective test involves reading a file of documents (approximately 2000 words in total) and then writing a text of at least 700 words.
The individual test is conducted in three stages: listening to a document twice for about 15 minutes each, one hour of preparation, and three exercises (presentation of the document in 5 to 10 minutes, argumentative viewpoint in 10 minutes, and debate in 10 minutes) with a total duration of about 30 minutes.
TEF exam - Test d'évaluation de français
The Test d’évaluation de français (TEF) is issued by the Paris Île-de-France Chamber of Commerce and Industry and recognized worldwide.
It is valid for two years, so it’s important to carefully choose the date to take it. There are several types of French exams within the TEF framework. You’ll need to select the exam that best suits your needs.
Different types of TEF exams
IRN
Tests
Reading Comprehension (30 min)
Oral Comprehension (20 min)
Written Expression (30 min)
Oral Expression (10 min)
Objective
Long-term residency card or naturalisation in France
Studies
Tests
Reading Comprehension (1h)
Oral Comprehension (40 min)
Lexis and structure (30 min)
Written Expression (1h)
Oral Expression (15 min)
Objective
Secondary or higher education in a French-speaking country, DAP* procedure, student mobility
General Public
Tests
Reading Comprehension (60 mn)
Oral Comprehension (40 mn)
Lexis and structure (30 mn)
Written Expression (60 mn)
Oral Expression (15 mn)
Objective
Certification of a language level, professional recruitment, or placement test
*Preliminary admission required
Canada Immigration
Tests
Reading Comprehension (1h)
Oral Comprehension (40 min)
Written Expression (1h)
Oral Expression (15 min)
Objective
Immigration to Canada
Canada Citizenship
Tests
Oral Comprehension (40 min)
Oral Expression (15 min)
Objective
Naturalization in Canada
Québec - TEFAQ
Immigration
Tests
Reading Comprehension (1h)
Oral Comprehension (40 min)
Written Expression (1h)
Oral Expression (15 min)
Objective
Immigration to Québec
Québec - TEFAQ
Citizenship
Tests
Oral Comprehension (40 min)
Oral Expression (15 min)
Objective
Immigration to Québec
LC: Listening Comprehension ; RC: Reading Comprehension ; OP: Oral Production; WP: Written Production
TCF exam - Test de connaissance du français
The Test de connaissance du français (TCF) is issued by the French Ministry of Education and recognized worldwide.
It is valid for two years, so you need to carefully choose the date to take it. There are several types of French exams within the TEF framework. You’ll need to select the exam that best suits your needs.
Different types of TCF exams
Canada
Tests
Reading Comprehension (1h)
Oral Comprehension (35 min)
Written Expression (1h)
Oral Expression (12 min)
Objective
Canadian Immigration or Citizenship
Québec
Tests
Reading Comprehension (1h)
Oral Comprehension (35 min)
Written Expression (1h)
Oral Expression (12 min)
Objective
Immigration to Québec
IRN
Tests
Reading Comprehension (35 min)
Oral Comprehension (20 min)
Written Expression (30 min)
Oral Expression (10 min)
Objective
Long-term residency card or naturalisation in France
General Public
Tests
Reading Comprehension (45 min)
Oral Comprehension (25 min)
Mastery of Language Structure (15 min)
Written Expression (1h) *
Oral Expression (12 min) *
Objective
Certification of a language level, professional recruitment, or placement test
LC: Listening Comprehension ; RC: Reading Comprehension ; OP: Oral Production; WP: Written Production
*Optional tests that the candidate may need to take depending on their objective