Whether you need a qualification to further your education, or because you are starting a new job, or because you wish to move forward in your career, or simply want to know your French language level, know that there are various tests according to your profile.
ILA offers preparation courses for the DELF and DALF exams which are an advantage in the workplace through international recognition.
But there are also other French exams and certifications that will allow you to prove your level of French knowledge. It is important to choose the exam according to your objectives, and usefulness of this diploma in your curriculum.
ILA can offer preparation to all the exams in private groups of minimum 8 people.
20 or 30 lessons per week.
Year round.
You may contact us for a specific quote.ILA can also prepare you for any of the exams during French private lessons.
Level certifications
a) The French knowledge test (TCF)
Issued by the International Centre for pedagogical studies.
This is a test that allows a quick and easy way to know your level.
It is a test that is useful if you are seeking French citizenship. It consists of a multiple-choice questionnaire that increases in difficulty as you go through it. For the understanding part, authentic documents are privileged, because the objective of the review is to evaluate you in a context as close as possible to real life situations you may encounter every day in France. It is therefore important to have knowledge in the fields of tourism, social life, work or studies, to be properly prepared.
It is composed of three compulsory tests (oral comprehension, understanding of language structures, and reading comprehension) and two additional tests (oral and written). These two additional tests are systematically subject to a double correction.
b) The French Evaluation Test (TEF)
Issued by the CCIP – Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Paris.
This test is especially recognized by French National Education and opens doors for students who want to enrol in the first cycle of a French university, or obtain French nationality.
For this diploma, the terms vary depending on which TEF is selected, but it is always necessary to study the 4 skills (Oral and Written Comprehension and production) as well as vocabulary and language structure. Depending on your needs, you can retake the test in order to obtain the expected score.
c) The language proficiency certificate (DCL)
Issued by the French Ministry of Education.
It is a professional and national diploma created especially for adults, which meets the needs of business world. It evaluates the 4 skills in a situation close to the real world of work. At the end of it, you receive a grade corresponding to a CEFR level and this allows companies to ensure your proficiency in French more explicitly that with the phrase “reading, writing and speaking” that is often found in resumes.
National or professional degrees
a) The DILF
This degree is only offered on French territory, it is issued by the Ministry of National Education, Higher Education and Research.
It is designed for students who are starting to learn French and newcomers in France. It assesses the four language skills: reading comprehension, oral comprehension, written and oral production.
b) The DELF and DALF
These are degrees which are independent from each other and that evaluate four skills. There is an exam for each level of the CEFR: DELF A1, DELF A2, DELF B1, DELF B2, DALF C1 and DALF C2. Our French language school offers group preparation courses for the DELF B1, DELF B2, and DALF C1, and private French lessons for other levels. It is important to be accompanied in this preparation because each examination has its own characteristics and methodology, which are difficult to acquire alone.
There are several options for specific audience:
- Junior DELF using media and themes adapted to the interests of young people.
- DELF Pro is specifically offered to professionals seeking professional integration in a francophone environment. It evaluates the communicative skills in professional situations of everyday life.
- The school DELF is aimed at teenagers enrolled in a public or private schools.
Professional qualifications
DFP (professional French Degrees), issued by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Paris Ile-de-France, are for people who wish their abilities to communicate in French in a professional context, to be validated.
These Professional French Diplomas are offered for 7 different fields, and are based on the levels A1 to C1 of the Common European Framework for Languages (CEFR):
- Tourism, catering, restaurant DFP
- Science and technology DFP
- Secretarial DFP
- Law DFP
- Health DFP
- International Relationships and Diplomacy DFP
- Fashion DFP