TCF to DELF / DALF Equivalent

The conversion goes via the shared CEFR scale: both TCF and DELF / DALF are anchored to CEFR. For TCF Listening / Reading (0 to 699): 600+ = DALF C2, 500 to 599 = DALF C1, 400 to 499 = DELF B2, 300 to 399 = DELF B1, 200 to 299 = DELF A2, 100 to 199 = DELF A1. For TCF Writing / Speaking (0 to 20): 18 to 20 = DALF C2, 16 to 17 = DALF C1, 14 to 15 = DELF B2, 10 to 13 = DELF B1, 6 to 9 = DELF A2, 4 to 5 = DELF A1. The equivalent level is what you would expect to pass at if you took DELF / DALF; it is not a substitute for the DELF / DALF diploma itself.

Only the specific TCF Integration Resident Naturalisation (TCF IRN) version is accepted for French naturalisation; standard TCF Tout Public is NOT accepted, no matter how high the score. Since 2020 the threshold has been A2 in Listening AND Speaking; from January 2026 it rises to B1. If you have a standard TCF Tout Public certificate at A2 or B1 level, it does NOT satisfy the French citizenship requirement; you must either retake the TCF IRN or take DELF A2 / B1. DELF / DALF is universally accepted for French citizenship and lifetime-valid.

Only the specific TCF Canada version is accepted by IRCC for Canadian Express Entry; standard TCF Tout Public is NOT accepted. TCF Canada test results are valid for 2 years from the test date and award per-skill CLB points (Canadian Language Benchmarks) used in the Comprehensive Ranking System. DELF and DALF certificates, regardless of level, are NOT accepted by IRCC for Express Entry. If your goal is Canadian PR, take TCF Canada or TEF Canada specifically.

Because TCF is a numeric placement test (0 to 699 for L / R, 0 to 20 for W / S) and DELF / DALF is a level-specific pass / fail diploma (one diploma per CEFR level). Both are anchored to the CEFR by France Education International (the same body that administers them), so the equivalence is via the shared CEFR scale. There is no direct numeric-to-diploma mapping because they are fundamentally different test designs.

Each TCF section maps to a CEFR level independently. The DELF or DALF level you would be expected to pass is the lowest of your four section CEFR levels (because DELF / DALF is only awarded if all skills meet the level). For example, if you score B2 in Reading, B2 in Listening, B1 in Writing, and B1 in Speaking, your TCF result corresponds to DELF B1 (your weakest sections); you would likely fail DELF B2 because of the Writing and Speaking shortfall.

For most French universities, both TCF and DELF / DALF are accepted at equivalent CEFR levels for admission, but the version of TCF matters. For non-EU undergraduate admission (DAP), you need TCF DAP (with the mandatory Writing section) or DELF B2 / DALF C1; standard TCF Tout Public is generally NOT accepted for the DAP process. For postgraduate admission via Etudes en France, TCF Tout Public is typically accepted at B2 / C1 thresholds. DALF C1 is universally preferred for selective programs and has lifetime validity.

TCF results (all versions including TCF IRN, TCF Canada, TCF Quebec) are valid for 2 years from the test date for most institutional and immigration uses. DELF and DALF certificates are valid for life with no expiration date. This is a critical practical difference: a TCF score that maps to DELF B2 today is not the same as holding a DELF B2 diploma, because the TCF certificate expires in 2 years. For long-term French language certification, DELF / DALF is the safer choice.

Take DELF or DALF if you want a lifetime certificate, plan to apply for French citizenship, study at a French university, or want a single certificate accepted across all use cases. Take TCF if you need a fast, repeatable test (every few months in major cities), need results in weeks rather than months, or your specific use case names TCF (Quebec PSTQ, Canadian Express Entry via TCF Canada, French citizenship via TCF IRN). For French citizenship: standard TCF Tout Public is NOT accepted; you need DELF or the specific TCF IRN version.