TFI to DELF / DALF Converter

The conversion goes via the shared CEFR scale: both TFI and DELF / DALF are anchored to CEFR. TFI total (10 to 990) maps to CEFR per ETS: 855 to 990 = C1 = DALF C1, 785 to 854 = B2 = DELF B2, 605 to 784 = B1 = DELF B1, 405 to 604 = A2 = DELF A2, below 405 = below A2 (no DELF equivalent). The TFI test ceiling is C1 (DALF C1), so DALF C2 cannot be reached through the TFI scale alone. 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 DELF / DALF diploma.

No. The TFI is a workplace-only test and is NOT accepted by the French government for naturalisation, regardless of score. For French citizenship, you must take DELF A2 / B1 (DELF B1 from January 2026), TCF Integration Resident Naturalisation (TCF IRN), or TEF Naturalisation. Even if your TFI score corresponds to DELF B1 or B2 on CEFR, you cannot present TFI for French citizenship. DELF / DALF is the safest option because it is universally accepted and lifetime-valid.

No. The TFI is a workplace-only test and is NOT accepted by French universities (which require DELF B2 / DALF C1 or TCF DAP / TEF Etudes), Belgian / Swiss French-region universities (which require DELF or TCF), or Canadian universities for French-language programs. The TFI tests only Listening and Reading, not the productive skills (Writing and Speaking) typically required for academic admission. For university admission, take DELF B2 / DALF C1 instead.

Because TFI is a numeric workplace test (10 to 990) and DELF / DALF is a level-specific pass / fail academic / general diploma. They are administered by different bodies (ETS for TFI; France Education International for DELF / DALF) and serve different purposes (workplace vs general / academic). The equivalence is via the shared CEFR scale, but the practical use cases barely overlap: TFI is for employer use, DELF / DALF is for everything else.

The TFI was designed as a workplace assessment that maxes out at C1 (Effective Operational Proficiency), the level required for high-stakes professional French use. C2 (Mastery) is generally reserved for academic and translation contexts, where DALF C2 is the certification of choice. The TFI test ceiling is 990, which corresponds to top C1; there is no further band for C2. To prove DALF C2 equivalent French, you must take DALF C2 directly; no other test substitutes.

TFI scores are valid for 2 years from the test date for most employer use, matching the validity of TCF / TEF / TOEIC. DELF and DALF certificates are valid for life with no expiration date. This is a critical practical difference: a TFI 855+ score that maps to DALF C1 today is not the same as holding a DALF C1 diploma, because the TFI certificate expires in 2 years. For long-term French language certification, DELF or DALF is the safer choice.

TFI is commonly required by multinational employers in francophone Africa, Asian francophone business markets, and Quebec workplaces (especially sales / customer service / technical support roles). DELF / DALF is commonly required for French universities, French citizenship by naturalisation, Quebec immigration as an alternative to TEFAQ / TCF Quebec, and as a general-purpose French language certification. Many candidates working in francophone business environments hold both: TFI for employer recognition, DELF / DALF for citizenship and academic options.

Take TFI if your specific employer or industry requires it (multinational subsidiaries in francophone markets, sales / customer service roles in Quebec, francophone African corporate jobs). Take DELF or DALF if you want a lifetime certificate, plan to apply for French citizenship, study at a French university, or need a credential accepted across multiple use cases. The TFI is faster (2 hours, multiple-choice only) and cheaper than DELF / DALF, but the certification is workplace-only. For most academic and immigration use cases, DELF / DALF is the only valid option.