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D E G R E E SYSTUDINFRANCETESTS AND DEGREESIN FRENCH ASA FOREIGN LANGUAGEFive countries host more than half of the world’s international students:the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, France and Germany.France hosts 343,400 international students, putting it in fourth placeafter the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia but beforeGermany. International students account for 12% of enrollments inFrench Higher Education.program, and the institutional framework of theproposed program of study in France. Criterion4 deals with the importance of “languageproficiency, with assessment of applicants’proficiency in French, including applicants whoshow exceptional academic potential.”The TCF, administered by theFrench Ministry of Educationand the Ministry of Highereducation, Research andInnovation, is a standardizedtest of general French designedby CIEP (Centre lcenter for pedagogical studies), a certifyingorganization that is a member of ALTE (theAssociation of Language Testers in Europe).The TCF satisfies the quality requirementsof ISO 9001, version 2008, in all of itsprocesses.Several tests of French proficiency anddiplomas in French language are acceptedfor purposes of admission into a Frenchinstitution of Higher EducationThe TCF test of comprehension and thecomputer-based test of written expressionmay be taken on computer in somecountries.FRENCHAN INTERNATIONAL LANGUAGESpoken by 274 million people around the world,French is an official language of 32 states on5 continents. With English and German, it isone of the working languages of the EuropeanUnion, the third-most-common businesslanguage, and the second-most-commonlanguage of news. With 125 million learners ofFrench and 900,000 teachers, it is, after English,the most widely taugh language on the planet.Since 2001, the Council of Europe’s CEFRhas set reference levels for foreign-languageproficiency. The CEFR has become Europe’sstandard for language learning, with 6 levelsof proficiency for purposes of admission toFrench postsecondary institutions.TESTS AND DIPLOMAS IN FRENCHLANGUAGE REQUIRED FOR ADMISSIONTO POSTSECONDARY PROGRAMSThe levels of academic achievement requiredto obtain an extended-stay visa for study inFrance were set forth in an interministerialcircular (from the ministries of the Interior,Foreign affairs, and Higher education andresearch) dated January 27, 2006. The criteriaincluded the candidate’s educational level,the quality of the candidate’s prior academicTCF (Test de connaissancedu français - Test of knowledgeof French) To enroll in the first year of a programin a university (Licence 1) or school ofarchitecture, international students (fromoutside the European Union) must follow theso-called preliminary admission procedure,known as DAP. Applicants must demonstratetheir language proficiency, normally by takingthe TCF-DAP or earning a DELF B2 diploma(or higher). The TEF may be accepted inlieu of the TCF-DAP if the applicant scoredat least 14/20 on the written portion of theTEF. Some universities accept the DUEF(Diplôme universitaire d’études françaises)for admission into the first year of universitystudy (Licence 1). For enrollments in the third year of universitystudy (Licence 2 or 3), in a Master’s program,(Master 1 and 2), in a Doctoral program, or inone of France’s Grandes Écoles, no uniformrequirement applies.Test results are valid for 2 years. Candidateswishing to repeat the TCF or TCF-DAP mustwait 30 days from thedate of their priorsitting. www.ciep.fr/en/tcf-dapEach institution is free to set its own criteriafor French proficiency. Prospective studentsshould inquire about the language requirementsof the institutions of interest to them. Approved TCF centers: entres Study in France: levels required forapplications for preliminary admission (theDAP procedure). A specific version of theTCF (TCF-DAP) is required for applicationsfor preliminary admission (DAP). The TCFDAP includes a mandatory test of writtenFrench. www.ciep.fr/en/tcf-dap Description of the TCF and TCF-DAP:www.ciep.fr/en/tcffeesandlocations: RegistrationCandidates can take the TCF in 712centers approved by CIEP. Centers arelocated in 126 countries, including France.To register, candidates should contact anapproved center for information on testingdates and for the costs of the required andelective components of the test.

LS ANDOOHCS,SRETNCEECIALIZINGUNIVERSITY DEPARTMENTS SPIN FRENCH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGEA large number of schools and centers (some private, some nonprofit, some university-affiliated) offercourses in French as a foreign language and often other specialized courses, along with language-relatedtourism and travel, language testing, and preparation for language tests and diplomas. Such centers mayor may not be members of a network (Alliances Française, ADCUEFE, the FLE group, Catholic Institutes andinstitutes, Souffle, Unosel). They may or may not have earned national certification for quality in French asa foreign language (the “Qualité FLE” label). And they may or may not have partnerships with universitiesin France and abroad. A ministerial mark of quality: “Qualité FLE ”(quality in French as a foreign language)The “Qualité français langue étrangère” label, often seen as“Q-FLE,” recognizes quality instruction in French as a foreignlanguage. The label emerged from a quality-assuranceprogram undertaken by the French ministries of education,foreign affairs, and culture. It identifies language centers thatstand behind the quality of their courses and services. To date,about a hundred centers have earned the label. Reflecting thediversity of field, the recipients include centers at universitiesand grandes écoles, private language centers, and nonprofitcenters. The label program is managed by CIEP (CentreInternational d’Études Pédagogiques), a public institution that isdescribed further on. www.qualitefle.fr/en Professional groups and networks DCUEFE’s CAMPUS FLE network: the Association of directorsAof university centers for the study of French as a foreignlanguage, brings together 38 university-based centers forFrench as a foreign language that offer courses, certificates,and diplomas in French. Experts representing the ADCUEFEnetwork conduct annual missions to audit curricula and consulton techniques for teaching and learning languages for thebenefit of the French cultural network abroad, French studiesdepartments in foreign universities, schools, educationalsystems, and teachers’ associations.http://campus-fle.fr/en Alliance Française: Founded in 1883, the Alliance Française isa network of 834 Alliances in 132 countries that endeavor tomake French language and culture accessible to all audiences.The Alliance Française de Paris, as well as branches in severalregions of France, welcome students from every country in theworld.www.fondation-alliancefr.org Le français des affaires: For 60 years, the Paris Île-de-Francechamber of commerce and industry has promoted competencein business French through tests and diplomas at all levels andin various sectors of activity. www.lefrancaisdesaffaires.fr/en CIEP, Centre International d’Études Pédagogiques (CIEP):Established in 1945, France’s International Center forPedagogical Studies is a public entity operating under theauthority of the Ministry of Education. Its activities fall intotwo broad categories: education (recognition of degreesand diplomas; educational consulting at all levels, includingprofessional education) and languages (French; languages andmobility; and certifications in French, including the TCF, DELF,and DALF). It is a member of ALTE.www.ciep.fr/en FIPF, Fédération internationale des professeurs de français:FIPF brings together more than 70,000 teachers of French in165 associations, including several national federations. Withvarious partners -including government ministries in France,Canada, and Belgium- FIFP contributes to the internationaldiffusion of French language and culture. Every 4 years, FIPForganizes a world congress for teachers of French and theirinstitutional partners.www.fipf.info Groupement FLE: Founded in 1994, Groupement FLE bringstogether specialists in French as a foreign language from 33different schools. It has created its own quality-assurancesystem based on the quality of the information and servicesoffered to students, the availability of instruction consistentwith the CEFR, and compliance with legal requirements relatedto safety, security and labor law.www.groupement-fle.com/en/learn-french-france SOUFFLE, Groupement professionnel des organismes defrançais langue étrangère: SOUFFLE is made up of 16 Frenchlanguage centers, all of which have earned the “Qualité FLE”label. www.souffle.asso.fr UNOSEL, Union nationale des organisations de séjourséducatifs, linguistiques et des écoles de langues: Founded in1978, UNOSEL is a national federation of 69 language schoolsand organizations active in educational and languagerelatedtravel. Its membership includes 22 schools that offer coursesin French language, culture, civilization and French economy.www.unosel.comGOODTO KNOW ests of and diplomas in French as a foreign languageTenable applicants for Licence and Master’s programs todemonstrate their level of French proficiency. any language schools, branches of the Alliance Française,Mand cultural institutes in France and abroad provide rapidpreparation for tests of French as a foreign language suchas the TCF and TEF. Preparing for the DELF and DALFexaminations requires more structure and greater planningbut guarantees a good command of French. Plus thediplomas are valid for life! tudents who prepare in France for a test of or diploma inSFrench as a foreign language earn higher scores and have agreater likelihood of success because they have the benefitof cultural and linguistic immersion. chieving a level B1 or B2 on the CEFR is desirable forApostsecondarystudy in France.

LE TEF(TEST D’ÉVALUATION DE FRANÇAIS FRENCH ASSESSMENT TEST)TEF (Test d’évaluation de français, Test of FrenchProficiency). Designed and distributed by Lefrançais des affaires de la CCI ParisIle-de-France, the(ESAA)TEF is an internationally recognized instrument forthe assessment of knowledge and skill in the Frenchlanguage. It offers candidates a “linguistic snapshot”of their proficiency in French on a 7-level scale keyedto the Common European Framework of Referencefor Languages (CEFR). Multiple-choice modulestest written comprehension, oral comprehension,vocabulary, and structure. Two open-ended modulestest written and oral expression. The written testsare taken on the computer.Candidates may take the TEF as many times asthey wish, but two months must pass betweensuccessive attempts. Study in France: Application for preliminaryadmission, or DAP (demande d’admissionpréalable), required students enrolling in the firstyear of a Licence program.For purposes of the DAP, the TEF is accepted inlieu of the TCF-DAP (ministerial decree of 25 April2014), provided the applicant passes all requiredparts of the test and earns a score of 325 / 450on the test of written expression, corresponding tolevel B2 of the CEFR and to a grade of 14/20. Therequired score may vary by institution or program.Exemption from the TCF-DAP is valid for a periodof 5 years. About the TEF omas/test-for-evaluating-french-tef/ Registration and fees:The TEF is administered at more than 400approved centers in a hundred countries. Eachcenter sets its own testing schedule and fees.Approved TEF ter/