When a scholarship asks for "at least B2 in French", it means a level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. There are four main certificates to prove it: DELF, DALF and TCF from France Éducation international, the French education ministry's agency, and TEF from the Paris Île-de-France Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Diploma or test? The key difference
| DELF / DALF | TCF / TEF | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Official diploma | Test that measures your level |
| Result | You pass the level you chose (e.g. B2) or you don't | You get a level from A1 to C2 based on your performance |
| Validity | For life | Two years from the result |
| When to choose it | Lasting proof for all your future applications | An admission or immigration file coming up soon, or when you are not sure of your level |
DELF and DALF: diplomas for life
- DELF is four separate diplomas: A1, A2, B1 and B2. DALF is two: C1 and C2.
- France Éducation international describes it as "recognised worldwide and valid for life".
- DELF B2, and increasingly DALF C1, are what French, European and francophone universities ask for.
- University students take the "tout public" version; there are also versions for children and teenagers (Prim and Junior).
- You do not have to pass the levels in order: you sit the level that suits you directly.
TCF: the French education ministry's test
TCF tout public is for anyone aged 16 or over whose first language is not French:
- 3 compulsory multiple-choice sections:
- Listening: 29 questions in 25 minutes.
- Language structures: 18 questions in 15 minutes.
- Reading: 29 questions in 45 minutes.
- 2 optional sections: writing (3 tasks in 60 minutes) and speaking (12 minutes with an examiner).
- You can retake it as often as you like, with 20 days between attempts.
- Results take about 15 working days for the paper test, and less for the computer test when only the multiple-choice sections are taken.
- The certificate is valid for two years from the date it is issued.
- Note: from the sessions of 1 September 2026, re-marking of the speaking and writing sections is suspended, with a return expected in autumn 2027.
For immigration there are other versions such as TCF Canada and TCF Québec; they do not replace TCF tout public in French university files.
TEF: the Paris Chamber of Commerce test
A test in five sections: listening, reading, speaking, writing, and vocabulary and structure. You register for the version that matches your goal:
- TEF Études: for university admission, recognised by the French higher education ministry.
- TEF Canada and TEF Québec (TEFAQ): for immigration to Canada and Québec.
- TEF IRN: for long-term residence and citizenship in France.
Results are valid for two years.
First-year licence in France: the TCF for the DAP
If you are applying to the first year of a licence (L1) at a French university through the "demande d'admission préalable" (DAP), you need TCF tout public with the writing section, which is compulsory:
- For September 2027 you must sit the test by 12 February 2027, because admission committees start on 16 March 2027.
- Outside France, contact the Campus France office in your country or the cultural service of the French embassy.
You are exempt in cases including:
- Holders of DELF B2 or DALF C1 or C2, and those who have passed the TEF.
- Holders of the French or European baccalauréat.
- Nationals of countries where French is the only official language. Where it is not the only one, your whole secondary education must have been in a French-language school.
- Graduates of listed bilingual francophone sections.
- French government scholarship holders.
The platform and its dates are in the guide to studying in France through Études en France.
What some scholarships on ForsaEdu ask for
| Scholarship | Certificate required |
|---|---|
| Rifaa Al-Tahtawi master's scholarship in France | B2 in French or English: DELF, DALF or TCF, or IELTS or TOEIC, or equivalent |
| Université Laval Citizens of the World scholarships | Laval asks applicants who did not do primary or secondary school in French to take the TCF tout public after applying, no more than two years before their application |
Which one should you take?
- Applying for a licence in France in a few months: TCF with writing, unless you already hold DELF B2.
- Want a certificate that lasts for every future application: DELF B2 or DALF C1.
- Applying to a university in Québec: check that university's own rule; Université Laval, for example, asks for TCF tout public.
- Planning to immigrate to Canada: TCF Canada or TEF Canada, not the study versions.
Before you book
- Fees and dates are set by each approved centre, so contact the nearest one, such as the Institut français in your country.
- Book early: seats fill up before admission seasons, and results take weeks.
- Check the certificate is still valid on the day you apply, especially TCF and TEF, which last two years.
- Do not mix up versions: a TCF Canada certificate is not accepted instead of TCF tout public in a DAP file.