Test de connaissance du français
The Test de connaissance du français (TCF) is a language placement test for non-native speakers of French. It is administered by the "Centre international d'études pédagogiques" (CIEP) for the French Ministry of Education. It fulfils French language entry requirements, can be used to demonstrate language ability for job applications or for personal use, and is used by Québec for immigration procedures. The TCF follows the European standards for language tests as set forward in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages and is equal to DALF, also offered by the CIEP. Lowest level  is A1 indicating beginner, top fluency levels are C1 and C2. Level C1 and C2 indicate advanced mastery of French. French university Sciences-Po uses TCF level C1 as the primary language prerequisite for evaluating the abilities of non-native speakers to follow academic discussions and carry out academic research in the French language. The test is made up of compulsory and optional sections. The reading, listening and language structures sections are mandatory while the writing and speaking sections are optional. The compulsory examinations. These examinations consist of 80 multiple-choice questions in total, with progressive difficulty starting from level  A1 to level C2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. Listening comprehension. This part consists of 30 questions and lasts for 25 minutes, with recordings from spoken text heard in France or French-speaking countries. Candidates are expected to: Use of language structures: grammar and vocabulary. This part consists of 20 questions and takes 20 minutes to complete. These questions test the ability of candidates to master the structure of the language, from basic to more complex communicative situations, by: Reading comprehension. There are 30 questions in the part, and 45 minutes to complete. The questions test  the candidates' ability to understand: The optional examinations. Spoken expression. The spoken expression examination takes the form of a one-to-one interview with an examiner, which lasts for 15 minutes maximum. Preparation is not required for this examination. The questions are divided into six levels, from level A1 to level C2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. The interview is recorded and sent to the CIEP for centralized assessment after the examination. The candidate is assessed on their ability to communicate and react to the cues given by the examiner. Candidates are asked to: Written expression . This examination includes six exercises that get progressively more difficult, each of which corresponds to one of the six levels of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (level A1 to level C2). Candidates have 1 hour 45 minutes to complete this examination. Description of the exercises: Candidates are assessed on their ability to: Test scores. TCF scores are ranked on 6 levels, ranging from A1 to C2 of the "Common European Framework of Reference for Languages".