For more than two decades now the TEF (Test d'évaluation de français) exam has been considered by many to be the best way to test an examinee’s proficiency in French.

There are several versions of the TEF. The Learn French With Alexa TEF Preparation Course is designed to prepare learners for TEF Canada, which is comprised of four sections:

• Oral comprehension: 40 min – 40 questions
• Written comprehension: 60 min – 40 questions
• Oral expression: 15 min – 2 topics to cover
• Written expression: 60 min – 2 topics to cover

Examinees making a TEF Canada citizenship application - as opposed to an immigration application - are only required to take the two oral modules of the exam.
For the specifications for TEF Québec and other versions of the TEF, please see here.

In some cases, certain institutions may wish for applicants to take only one or a couple of modules of the TEF as proof of proficiency. You should contact support at the institution to which you are applying if you wish to know which modules you need to take.

Once you have completed the exam, you should receive your results via email within a month.

You can read learners’ experience with taking the TEF exam:

• Interview with a TEF candidate: David
• Interview with a TEF candidate: Lucia

It's important to note that once you have taken the exam, you must wait at least two months before taking the exam again, if you wish to do so. Unlike some other exams, once the TEF exam has been taken, the results only remain valid for two years, after which point the exam must be taken again if you wish to use the results for official purposes. All sections of the exam must be completed on the same day for the results to be valid.

The TEF was created in 1998. Since then it has been officially recognised by numerous national institutions, including

• The French Ministry of Education
• The French Ministry of the Interior
• The Swiss State Secretariat for Migration
• The Department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship of Canada
• the Quebec Ministry of Immigration, Francisation and Integration

Various other academic and employment institutions also recognise the TEF as proof of French language skills. Check their websites or get in touch with their support to find out.

The TEF exam can only be taken in a registered TEF centre. You can find your closest TEF centre using this interactive map. Depending on where you live, you may need to travel to a different city or even abroad to take the exam, so it’s worth bearing this in mind as you prepare.

You can find more information about taking the TEF exam here.

If you’re trying to prepare for the TEF Canada exam, the Learn French With Alexa TEF Preparation Course is perfect for you.

Our TEF Preparation Course is designed to help learners achieve the best results possible on the exam. The course corresponds with the material you are likely to find on the latest version of the TEF, and includes hundreds of TEF exam practice exercises, videos and support guides. In addition, the course includes two hours of TEF speaking practice with one of our TEF experts, as well as two TEF writing submissions with feedback from one of our TEF experts, and the option to purchase more.

For full details, please visit the TEF Preparation Course page.

As well as the TEF Preparation Course, we also offer a range of resources across YouTube and social media, completely free!

On our YouTube channel you’ll find helpful videos on topics such as TEF exam practice or general explanations of the exam. If you’re subscribed to the Complete French Course or TEF Preparation Course, you’ll also get access to our regular live lessons, including past live lessons about the TEF.

Tune in to our Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn accounts for regular content to do with all things French, including preparing for the TEF.

You can find more information here.

Parts of the exam may be taken from real sources, such as newspapers or journals. Try to read widely in French so that you are prepared for a diverse range of material.

• Allocate your time wisely. Often the start of the exam will be easier than the end.
• Read each question carefully. You are being tested on your comprehension skills as well as your speaking and writing skills, and examiners want to make sure you’ve inferred information correctly.
• Get in the habit of speaking and writing in French as often as you can. Doing so will help it feel much more natural during the TEF exam.

For more top tips, visit our blog on how to prepare for the TEF exam.