DELF, DALF and TCF Exams for France

17 min read · Published on August 11, 2026 · Updated on August 11, 2026

There isn’t one French language test for every student going to France. Your named programme and application route decide whether you need DELF, DALF, TCF, English evidence, or no test at admission. This applies to Indian students planning French-taught, English-taught and first-year public-university routes for 2027. Before booking, the four useful details are the language, minimum level, accepted test or exemption, and the date by which the result must remain valid.

A lifetime DELF diploma can still be the wrong level, and a valid TCF result can still be the wrong version. The 2027 India calendars and fees were not published on the checked official pages on 10 August 2026. Current 2026 amounts and sessions below are reference information for the wider France study plan, while the selected centre’s live 2027 details will control the final booking.

Which French language test should you choose for France?

The programme or route requirement is the starting point, not the exam name you recognise. DELF and DALF award a fixed level for life. TCF measures your current level for a stated purpose and remains time-limited. IELTS proves English, so it can fit an English-taught programme but cannot prove French.

The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, shortened to CEFR, is the six-level scale used to describe language ability. It runs from A1 at beginner level through A2, B1 and B2 to C1 and C2. C1 is higher than B2.

Which test route fits your application?Green is a usual match. Amber needs the exact programme or cycle instruction. Red is a different purpose.

Your route	Evidence that may fit	What decides the answer	What to do before booking
French-taught bachelor’s or master’s	DELF, DALF, TCF tout public, TEF or another item named by the programme	The programme’s minimum level, accepted certificates, required skills and exemptions	Save the current admissions page and ask the faculty or school in writing if any part is unclear.
Fully English-taught programme	IELTS, TOEFL, another accepted English test, or a stated waiver	The programme’s English rule and whether it also sets a French prerequisite	Check the exact track, because a university can run English and French tracks with different evidence.
Programme taught partly in French	French and English evidence may both apply	The language used in compulsory modules, assessment and placement activity	Ask which language condition applies to your selected track, not the university generally.
First-year public-university admission through DAP	TCF tout public with compulsory written expression, or a listed exemption under the current notice	The live DAP notice for your cohort	Read the 2027/28 notice before using the closed 2026/27 rule.
Études en France file for a French-taught course	The result or exemption required by the programme and application route	The programme prerequisite and the language section of your EEF file	Upload the correct evidence, but do not treat EEF as a separate national score rule.
French residence, nationality or Canadian immigration	TCF IRN, TCF Canada or TCF Québec may apply	The named immigration procedure	Do not book these versions for university admission unless an admissions page explicitly accepts one.

Two students at the same university can therefore need different evidence. A student entering a French-taught history licence through DAP may need the TCF route stated in the current DAP notice. A student entering an English-taught data master’s at the same institution may instead need IELTS or an accepted English waiver. The country, city and university name are identical, but the programme language and application route change the answer.

Études en France, shortened to EEF, is the online procedure used by applicants resident in countries including India. EEF can carry your language evidence, but it does not turn every programme into one national requirement. The Campus France India procedure asks applicants to complete the language-skills section. Its current test FAQ says a French-taught course may ask for DELF, TCF or DALF.

What do DELF A1 to B2 and DALF C1 to C2 mean?

DELF covers A1, A2, B1 and B2, while DALF covers C1 and C2. Each is a separate diploma. You choose one level to write, and passing B1 does not automatically issue A1 or A2 diplomas. For university entry, the question is not which exam sounds advanced. It is which minimum the selected programme publishes.

DELF stands for Diplôme d’études en langue française. DALF stands for Diplôme approfondi de langue française. France Éducation international, the public body that manages the certifications, assigns the first four CEFR levels to DELF. Its DALF page assigns C1 and C2 to DALF.

Diploma	CEFR level	Plain-language position	Admission use
DELF A1	A1	Beginner	Proof of an early learning level, not a general university-entry standard.
DELF A2	A2	Elementary	Useful progress evidence, but use it for admission only if the programme names A2.
DELF B1	B1	Intermediate	Accepted only where the named programme or route publishes B1.
DELF B2	B2	Upper intermediate and independent	A common university threshold, but not a national promise for every course.
DALF C1	C1	Advanced and proficient	Used by programmes that expect stronger academic French than B2.
DALF C2	C2	Highest CEFR band	Evidence of very advanced ability, but unnecessary where a lower accepted level is enough.

PSL University’s graduate guidance shows the variation inside one institution. It says French-taught programmes generally expect B2 or C1, evidence can include DELF/DALF, TEF or TCF, and its English-taught tracks can have no French prerequisite. That is why a list of universities that supposedly accept DELF B2 is less reliable than the current page for your exact master’s track.

The language prerequisites vary with each program. They are indicated on the degree program’s website and at the application portal.Université PSL

A higher diploma lasts longer only in the sense that you keep it for life. It doesn’t make an unnecessary C1 attempt safer than a well-timed B2 where B2 is accepted. Choosing a level far above the requirement can add preparation time and exam risk without improving eligibility.

Which TCF version is used for study and DAP?

TCF tout public is the TCF version designed for academic, professional and personal evaluation. TCF stands for Test de connaissance du français. France Éducation international currently lists separate TCF versions for Canada, Québec, and French integration, residence and nationality. Their names describe different procedures, not interchangeable booking options.

TCF version	Official purpose	Fit for a France study application
TCF tout public	Academic, professional or personal evaluation of general French	Possible, when the programme or DAP route accepts it with the required components.
TCF Canada	Canadian economic immigration or citizenship	Not the study version to assume for France.
TCF Québec	Permanent immigration to Québec	Not the study version to assume for France.
TCF IRN	French integration, residence and nationality procedures	Not a general university-admission test.

The TCF Canada, TCF Québec and TCF IRN rows matter because exam centres advertise them alongside TCF tout public. Availability for one version says nothing about the others. A TCF Canada seat doesn’t establish availability for a DAP application. The booking confirmation needs to name TCF tout public and every component required by the receiving programme or DAP notice.

DAP means demande d’admission préalable, or preliminary admission request. It covers many non-European applicants seeking first registration in the first year of a French public-university licence, the French bachelor-level national degree. The French Ministry’s 2026/27 DAP notice required TCF tout public with compulsory written expression unless a listed exemption applied.

Le TCF TP avec épreuve d’expression écrite obligatoire est destiné à vérifier que votre niveau linguistique est adapté aux études.French Ministry of Higher Education, 2026/27 DAP notice

In plain English, the DAP test checks whether your French suits the studies you selected. The 2026/27 notice’s last test date was 13 February 2026 and its DAP filing deadline was 15 December 2025. Both dates are closed-cycle reference information. A 2027 applicant must use the new notice’s test version, exemptions and last accepted test date.

There is one booking detail that is easy to miss. A centre’s ordinary TCF tout public price table may call writing optional because it is optional for some users. Under the checked DAP rule, written expression was compulsory. The correct DAP booking therefore included both the test family and the route’s required component set.

Are admission, Campus France and visa language rules the same?

No. They are related stages, but they do not create one universal French score. The programme sets its admission evidence. EEF records the relevant language information and documents. DAP carries a statutory test route for the applicants it covers. France-Visas then asks for the supporting documents generated for your individual visa situation.

Stage	Who owns the requirement	What you may need to show	What this stage does not prove
Programme admission	The faculty, school or programme	Its accepted French or English test, stated exemption, or internal assessment	Acceptance by every other programme at the university.
DAP application	The current French Ministry notice and EEF route	The stated TCF components or valid exemption evidence	That the same DAP rule applies to a master’s, MBA or doctorate.
Études en France file	Campus France procedure and programme prerequisites	Language skills, result, diploma, waiver or registration evidence as requested	A separate national score above the programme rule.
Student visa	The personalised France-Visas assistant and consular process	Admission and other supporting documents named for the individual case	A country-wide DELF, DALF or TCF threshold on the general student page.

The current France-Visas student page requires acceptance by a higher-education institution and directs the applicant to its personalised visa assistant for the exact checklist. The general page does not publish one DELF, DALF or TCF cutoff for all student visas. Treating an admission condition as a universal visa rule would therefore overstate the official evidence.

The practical file can still reuse the same evidence. A programme may accept your DELF B2, EEF may ask you to record or upload it, and the resulting admission letter may enter the visa file. Reuse doesn’t mean the three organisations made the same decision.

How long are DELF, DALF and TCF results valid?

DELF and DALF diplomas are valid for life. A TCF tout public attestation is valid for two years from the date the results are issued. A usable TCF check covers both the expiry date and the receiving organisation’s deadline because an unexpired result can still arrive too late or omit a required component.

France Éducation international’s candidate guidance confirms lifetime validity for a successful DELF or DALF diploma. Its current TCF tout public page gives the two-year result period.

Votre attestation aura une durée de validité de 2 ans à partir de la date de délivrance des résultats.France Éducation international

The quote means the TCF certificate lasts two years from result issue. The 2026/27 DAP notice added a route-specific timing condition. An existing TCF attestation had to remain valid on the DAP submission deadline.

Usable result window = result issue date + two years, provided the receiving deadline falls inside that period

Consider a TCF result issued on 20 September 2025. Its official two-year window runs to 20 September 2027. It can be valid for a December 2026 file deadline, but it would not remain valid for a deadline after 20 September 2027. You must also confirm that the version, components and score fit that file.

TCF tout public result delivery takes up to 15 working days after France Éducation international receives the session material. Computer-based multiple-choice-only results can be faster under stated conditions, but DAP includes written expression. The shorter multiple-choice-only case isn’t a safe planning assumption for DAP.

How much do French exams cost in India, and when can you book?

French exam fees and availability in India depend on the centre, year, level, candidate category, test version and components. The latest checked Kolkata figures are useful reference information, not national 2027 prices. A calendar date also does not guarantee a seat.

Exam or component	2026 external-candidate fee	Scope of the figure
DELF A1 or A2	INR 11,210	Kolkata adult or junior external candidate.
DELF B1 or B2	INR 13,265	Kolkata adult or junior external candidate.
DALF C1 or C2	INR 14,553	Kolkata external candidate.
TCF tout public compulsory components	INR 13,000	Kolkata computer session from 1 January 2026.
TCF tout public writing	INR 6,500	Kolkata component fee. Writing is compulsory for the checked DAP route.
TCF tout public speaking	INR 6,500	Kolkata component fee where the receiving organisation needs speaking.

Candidate category changes the price before the level does. The Kolkata centre defines its internal category by recent study at Alliance Française, while an applicant outside that definition uses the external row. The centre also says seats remain subject to availability. A published fee therefore proves the price category for that centre and year, but it does not reserve a place or prove that the required TCF version and written component are offered on the preferred date.

The Kolkata DELF/DALF page says registration is subject to seat availability. Its TCF page asks candidates to register at least 15 days before the preferred date and choose from the dates exposed in the booking form. That is a centre process, not a promise that every version is available nationwide.

Exam cash needed = correct fee row + required TCF component fees + travel for every scheduled appointment

For a worked example, a Kolkata external candidate using the checked DAP component set would start with INR 13,000 for TCF tout public and add INR 6,500 for written expression, giving INR 19,500 before travel. This is a 2026 Kolkata example. The 2027 centre price and DAP notice may change.

Alliance Française Bombay lists adult DELF/DALF sessions in March, June, September and December 2026. Those are current-year reference points. Alliance Française Delhi adds an important travel warning.

For the oral exam, each center reserves the right to schedule within a week prior or later to written exam.Alliance Française de Delhi

A written date therefore doesn’t prove that speaking happens the same day. Before payment, the selected centre needs to confirm the registration window, seat, written date, oral window, result estimate and certificate collection method.

Is IELTS enough for an English-taught programme in France?

IELTS can be enough only when the exact English-taught programme accepts it and does not impose a separate French condition. IELTS can’t prove French. A medium-of-instruction letter can replace IELTS only when the faculty or school explicitly accepts that waiver for your background.

Campus France’s page updated 25 February 2026 says students can complete an English-taught degree in France without learning French for the course. It also says French remains useful for daily life. These are two separate plans. Admission proof determines whether you enter the programme, while practical French helps with housing, administration, internships and ordinary conversations after arrival.

Fully English track. Check the accepted English tests, minimum component scores, result age and waiver policy.
Partly English track. Check whether compulsory French-taught modules create a second language condition.
English-medium Indian degree. Ask whether the programme accepts a medium-of-instruction letter from your institution.
French for daily life. Plan learning separately even when no French certificate is needed for admission.

The language field on the exact course page carries more weight than a catalogue filter. A programme described as taught partly in English can still assess compulsory work in French. The France master’s guide, France MBA guide and France PhD guide separate the admission route at each level.

How should you plan a French test for 2027 entry?

A safe timetable works backwards from the earliest official application deadline, then adds the centre’s registration window, exam date, result time and a correction buffer. Beginning with a convenient session can leave a valid certificate arriving after the file closes.

Fix the exact programme. Record the track, teaching language and faculty or school, using the current France university shortlist.
Copy the evidence rule. Save the accepted tests, minimum level or score, required components, exemptions and result-age condition.
Identify the route. Separate direct admission, DAP and the later Campus France and EEF steps.
Check the live centre. Confirm the correct test version, category, fee, registration window, available seat and oral date.
Build the result buffer. Allow for the stated result timeline, document upload and any centre or programme follow-up.
Recheck before payment. Make sure the 2027 rule has not changed and save the booking confirmation.

Planning point	Action you can take now	Item that needs a live 2027 check
August to September 2026	Shortlist programmes and record teaching language, evidence and route.	The programme’s final 2027 admission rule.
Before booking	Choose DELF, DALF or the correct TCF version and components.	The centre’s 2027 fee, seat and registration window.
Before the application	Prepare the result or accepted exemption file in the requested format.	The live France intake deadline and any EEF upload timing.
After admission	Retain the certificate, admission letter and EEF record for later stages.	The personalised France student visa checklist.

If the result will arrive after the deadline, the programme’s written policy must settle whether a test registration, pending result or conditional language offer is accepted. There is no country-wide grace rule that makes late evidence acceptable.

Key takeaways

The programme or application route chooses the language evidence. France does not impose one admission test on every international student.
DELF covers A1 to B2 and DALF covers C1 to C2. The diplomas remain valid for life, but the level must still meet the programme rule.
TCF tout public is the academic-purpose version. Its attestation remains valid for two years, while DAP can also require written expression and cycle-specific timing.
Admission, EEF, DAP and student-visa evidence are related but separate. The general France-Visas student page does not publish one French cutoff.
India fees and seats are centre-specific. The checked 2026 calendar and prices are reference information, not 2027 promises.
IELTS can fit an English-taught course only when the exact programme accepts it. It cannot prove French.

Frequently asked questions about French language tests

What is the difference between DELF, DALF and TCF?

DELF and DALF are level-specific diplomas. DELF covers A1 to B2 and DALF covers C1 and C2, with successful diplomas valid for life. TCF measures your current level through a purpose-specific test and its attestation lasts two years. Your programme or application route decides which evidence fits.

Is DELF B2 enough to study in France?

Sometimes, but not everywhere. Many French-taught programmes use B2, while others require C1 or accept a different test. English-taught tracks can have no French prerequisite. Read the exact programme’s current language section and confirm the accepted certificate, level, skills and any exemption before booking DELF B2.

How long are DELF and DALF certificates valid?

A successful DELF or DALF diploma is valid for life. That means the document does not expire, but it proves only the level you passed. A university can still require a higher level, another form of evidence or a programme-specific assessment, so check acceptance separately from certificate validity.

How long is a TCF result valid?

A TCF tout public attestation is valid for two years from the date results are issued. The receiving organisation can also require that it remains valid on a particular filing deadline. Confirm the version, components, score and expiry date together because a valid certificate may still be unsuitable for your route.

How much does the DELF exam cost in India?

The price depends on the Alliance Française centre, year, level and whether you qualify as an internal or external candidate. As 2026 reference information, Kolkata listed external adult fees from INR 11,210 to INR 14,553, inclusive of GST. Check your selected centre’s live 2027 category and fee before payment.

When are DELF and DALF exams held in India?

Alliance Française Bombay listed adult sessions in March, June, September and December 2026. These dates do not guarantee the same 2027 calendar or a seat. The national date is the written exam, while your centre can schedule the oral in the week before or after it.

Do I need TCF for a French university application?

Only if your route requires it. The checked 2026/27 first-year public-university DAP notice required TCF tout public with compulsory written expression unless an exemption applied. Other bachelor’s, master’s, business-school and doctoral routes follow their own language rules and may accept DELF, DALF, TEF, another test or an exemption.

Is IELTS enough to study in France?

IELTS can be enough for admission to an English-taught programme that accepts your score and does not set a separate French prerequisite. It cannot prove French. Some programmes accept a medium-of-instruction letter instead, while others still require IELTS or another English test after an English-medium Indian degree.

DELF, DALF and TCF Exams for France | 2027