The TCF exam (Test de Connaissance du Français) is an official French language test that measures your listening, reading, writing and speaking skills. It is designed by France Éducation International, the body that works under the French Ministry of Education, and it places you on the CEFR scale from A1 to C2. For Indian applicants, the most common version is TCF Canada, which IRCC accepts for Express Entry and citizenship. This guide explains the TCF exam pattern, TCF syllabus, TCF score, TCF exam fee, registration rules and TCF preparation in plain language, including a few recent changes that many older guides miss.

What Is the TCF Exam?

TCF stands for Test de Connaissance du Français. It checks general French, so you do not need to study a fixed textbook to sit it. You are placed at one of six CEFR levels for each skill, and for Canada those results are converted into NCLC levels, the French version of the Canadian Language Benchmarks. Your certificate is valid for 2 years.

There is no pass or fail in the TCF exam. The organisation asking for your result sets the level it needs. IRCC, for example, reads each of your four skills separately, so a strong reading score cannot make up for a weak speaking score. You may even get a different level in each skill, such as B2 in reading and B1 in writing.

Which TCF Version Do You Need?

The TCF exam has several versions, and they are not interchangeable. Book the one that matches your purpose before you pay.

This guide focuses on TCF Canada, because that is the version Indian candidates ask about most. One useful detail for Delhi students: Alliance Française de Delhi conducts only TCF Canada, so if you need another version, check which centre offers it.

Who Needs to Take the TCF Exam?

Most candidates take TCF Canada to add French to a Canadian immigration profile. French can be your first official language, or a second official language that earns extra points beside English. IRCC sets these minimum French levels.

Our Canada destination page explains study and immigration routes in more detail, and our course and university selection guide can help if you want to pair French with a study plan. Immigration rules and points systems change, so confirm the current requirement on the IRCC website before you book.

TCF Exam Pattern

The TCF Canada exam pattern has four compulsory modules, and you must complete all of them. The test is computer-based, including the writing section, which you type. The speaking test is a live conversation with an examiner.

Questions in the two comprehension modules get harder as you go, from A1 level up to C2, and each question has only one correct answer. Listening recordings play once, so you need to pick up the answer on the first hearing.

TCF Syllabus: What Each Module Tests

The TCF syllabus is about real communication, not memorised grammar rules. Here is what the four modules ask you to do.

• Listening: short dialogues, announcements, radio extracts and interviews. Early questions use simple everyday language, and later ones test opinions, implied meaning and faster speech.
• Reading: notices, messages, articles and longer texts. You find specific details, follow an argument and grasp the writer's attitude.
• Written expression: Task 1 is a short message of 60 to 120 words. Task 2 is an article, letter or account of an experience of 120 to 150 words. Task 3 asks you to compare two short opinions in 40 to 60 words and then give your own view in 80 to 120 words, for 120 to 180 words in total.
• Oral expression: Task 1 is a guided interview of about 2 minutes with no preparation. Task 2 is an interactive role-play of about 5 minutes 30 seconds, with a short preparation time. Task 3 is about 4 minutes 30 seconds, where you present and defend a point of view without preparation.

The tasks rise in difficulty within each module, so the last writing and speaking tasks carry the toughest language demands. Do not spend all your time on the first task.

How Is the TCF Score Calculated?

Listening and reading are scored by computer on a scale up to 699. Writing and speaking are marked by trained examiners out of 20. IRCC converts each skill on its own into an NCLC level, so your lowest skill sets the limit of what you can use.

In the Federal Skilled Worker grid, NCLC 7 earns 4 points per ability, NCLC 8 earns 5 and NCLC 9 or above earns 6. If French is your second official language, meeting NCLC 5 in every ability adds 4 points. Your result must be less than 2 years old when you complete your Express Entry profile and again when you submit your permanent residence application.

Your official certificate arrives by email as a digital file. Alliance Française de Delhi says this takes about 2 to 4 weeks after the test, and it also says a provisional reading result appears on screen at the end of the computer-based test. No paper copy is sent.

TCF Exam Fee, Dates and Registration

At Alliance Française de Delhi, the TCF Canada exam fee is ₹26,000 including GST, and other Indian centres commonly quote the same amount. Fees can change, so check the current figure with your centre before you pay. Seats are the real challenge. Delhi lists 22 seats per exam date, allocates them on a first-come, first-served basis, and says seats often fill within minutes of registration opening.

1. Check your passport. From January 2026, a valid passport is required at the time of registration for all TCF exams, and other photo IDs are not accepted.
2. Watch for the registration date. Delhi opens booking about two weeks before each session, at 9:00 AM, and announces it on its notice board.
3. Create your account in advance. Set up your profile before booking opens so you can pay the moment slots appear.
4. Pay to confirm your seat. A seat is confirmed only after successful payment, and refunds are not given except when the centre cancels the exam.
5. Join the waiting list if you miss out. The front desk can help move your fee to the next available date.
6. Check your notification email. You receive it 2 to 3 days before the exam, and you cannot change the day or time it gives.

The minimum age is 16, and you can retake the test after a gap of at least 20 days. If you want help lining up your test date with your application timeline, our services team can plan it with you.

What Happens on TCF Test Day

The exam is held in person, not online. Bring your original passport and a printout of your notification email. Phones and smartwatches are not allowed in the exam room, and no food or drink is allowed inside, so eat before you enter or during your break.

Delhi runs the test in two randomly assigned slots. In one, you take the written part in the morning and the oral test in the afternoon. In the other, the order is reversed. Late arrivals are refused entry with no refund, so plan to reach the centre early.

One practical tip for the writing module: the computer uses an English QWERTY keyboard, and the software has an on-screen keyboard for accented letters such as é, à and ç. Practise clicking those characters quickly, since missing accents can cost time and marks.

How to Prepare for the TCF Exam

TCF preparation depends on where you start. Most Canadian programmes need around B2, and reaching B2 from zero takes a long stretch of regular study. If you are already at B1, a focused plan of a few months is often realistic. Treat these as rough guides, since everyone learns at a different pace.

• Listening: train with radio, podcasts and interviews at natural speed. Since audio plays once, practise noting names, numbers and dates on the first listen.
• Reading: read French news and notices daily, and practise finding the answer without translating every word. Sixty minutes for 39 questions leaves little spare time.
• Writing: practise all three tasks within the word limits. Time yourself, since Task 3 needs the most thinking. Check every text for verb tenses, agreement and connectors.
• Speaking: record yourself answering guided questions, playing roles and defending an opinion. Listen for long pauses, wrong tenses and repeated words.
• Mock tests: do at least two full timed practice tests on a computer before the real date, and sort your mistakes by type.

If you are starting from the beginning, our French language course takes learners from beginner level upward with exam skills built in, and our exam preparation page explains how we support test students with mock papers and feedback.

TCF vs TEF for Canada

IRCC accepts both TCF Canada and TEF Canada, and both convert to the same NCLC levels, so neither is officially better. The right choice comes down to format, dates and comfort.

One point that surprises TEF candidates is that their certificate shows two sets of scores and IRCC wants the older column. TCF uses a single set of numbers, which some candidates find simpler to read. Try one practice set of each and see which feels natural.

Common Mistakes in the TCF Exam

• Booking the wrong TCF version, then finding out the authority does not accept it.
• Missing the seat because registration opened and they were not ready with an account and payment.
• Registering with a passport that expires before the exam date.
• Ignoring the word limits in the writing tasks, especially Task 3.
• Practising only reading and listening, then losing marks in speaking and writing.
• Counting on a re-correction request, which is suspended for sessions from 1 September 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions