TEF to DELF / DALF Converter

The conversion goes via the shared CEFR scale: both TEF and DELF / DALF are anchored to CEFR. TEF reports all four sections on a unified 0 to 699 scale. The CCIP-published bands map to DELF / DALF as follows: 549 to 699 = C1+ = DALF C1 (approaching DALF C2), 503 to 548 = C1 = DALF C1, 462 to 502 = B2+ = DELF B2 (top), 434 to 461 = B2 = DELF B2, 398 to 433 = B1+ = DELF B1 (top), 369 to 397 = B1 = DELF B1, 331 to 368 = A2+ = DELF A2 (top), 249 to 330 = A2 = DELF A2, 181 to 248 = A1 = DELF A1. The equivalent level is what you would be expected to pass at if you took DELF / DALF; it is not a substitute for actually holding the diploma.

Only the specific TEF Naturalisation version is accepted for French citizenship; standard TEF Canada or TEFAQ 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 TEF Canada certificate at A2 or B1 level, it does NOT satisfy the French citizenship requirement; you must either retake the TEF Naturalisation or take DELF A2 / B1. DELF / DALF is universally accepted for French citizenship and lifetime-valid.

Only the specific TEF Canada version is accepted by IRCC for Canadian Express Entry. TEF 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 TEF Canada or TCF Canada specifically; if you also want a French citizenship-eligible certificate, you will need to add DELF or TEF Naturalisation.

Because TEF is a numeric placement test (0 to 699 across four skills, with sub-bands like B2+ and C1+) and DELF / DALF is a level-specific pass / fail diploma (one diploma per CEFR level). They are administered by different bodies (CCIP for TEF; France Education International for DELF / DALF) but both anchor to the CEFR. The equivalence is via the shared CEFR scale; there is no direct numeric-to-diploma mapping because they are fundamentally different test designs.

Each TEF section maps to a CEFR level independently using the CCIP bands. 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 (440), B2 in Listening (450), B1+ in Writing (410), and B1 in Speaking (380), your TEF result corresponds to DELF B1; you would likely fail DELF B2 because of the Writing and Speaking shortfall.

For most French universities, both TEF and DELF / DALF are accepted at equivalent CEFR levels for admission. For non-EU undergraduate admission, TEF Etudes (with all four mandatory sections) or DELF B2 / DALF C1 are accepted. For postgraduate admission via Etudes en France, TEF Canada or TEF Etudes results are typically accepted at B2 / C1 thresholds. DALF C1 is universally preferred for selective programs (Sciences Po, Grandes Ecoles) and has lifetime validity. Standard TEF Canada is NOT specifically tailored for academic admission; verify the version with the registrar.

TEF results (all versions including TEF Canada, TEF Naturalisation, TEFAQ, TEF Etudes) 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 TEF score that maps to DELF B2 today is not the same as holding a DELF B2 diploma, because the TEF 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 (DELF A2 / B1 specifically), study at a French university, or want a single certificate accepted across all use cases. Take TEF if you need a fast, repeatable test, need results in weeks rather than months, or your specific use case names TEF (Canadian Express Entry via TEF Canada, Quebec immigration via TEFAQ, French citizenship via TEF Naturalisation). For French citizenship: standard TEF Canada is NOT accepted; you need DELF or the specific TEF Naturalisation version.