DELF (Diplôme d'Etudes en Langue Française) and DALF (Diplôme Approfondi de Langue Française) are official qualifications awarded by the French Ministry of Education to certify the competency of candidates from outside France in the French language according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, taking into account all four linguistic competences: writing, reading, speaking and listening.
Created by a team of psychometricians and experts in language testing, these tests are recognized on an international level and often used by foreign education ministries as a scale to evaluate their students’ level in French.
Which diploma is right for me?
The diplomas that make up DELF and DALF are completely independent. This means that candidates can register for the examination of their choice, according to their level. All examinations include the four skills at every level, with varying degrees of interaction and mediation required depending on the level. A score of at least 50/100 is required in order to be awarded the diploma; awarded diplomas are valid for life.
All of the examinations have been designed to reflect the principle of action used by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, which defines users of a language as social actors who have tasks to perform (that are not only linguistic) in given circumstances, in a given environment and within a specific area of action, which may be personal, public, academic or professional. As a matter of fact, different examinations corresponding to different diplomas are offered:
DELF Prim
The DELF Prim is oriented towards school kids learning French. DELF Prim examination can be taken at A1.1, A1 and A2 levels of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. The examination subjects are adapted to 7 t 12 year old kids.
DELF Junior/Scolaire
The DELF Junior/Scolaire is oriented towards the teenage lifestyle and adapted to the interests of teens (12 to 17 years old).The DELF Junior/Scolaire examiniation can be taken at the A1, A2, B1, and B2 levels.
DALF (C1 and C2 levels)
DALF diploma is the advanced version of the DELF; only C1 and C2 level examination are offered.
Where can I take an examination to get a French language diploma?
Outside of France, DELF and DALF exams can be taken in more than 1200 centers spread across 175 countries around the globe. Please, follow the link to find the nearest approved examination center.
When can I take a DELF-DALF examination?
Testing Dates TBD
