Where to register
TCF Canada can only be booked and taken at centres approved by France Éducation international (centres agréés); FEI does not take individual registrations. Each centre schedules its own sessions, and sessions run all year. Use the test centre map on the FEI website (filter by TCF): in Canada most centres are the local Alliance Française, and in China the Alliance Française centres run the test.
Before registering, confirm with the centre:
- the next session dates and registration deadline;
- how to register (online or in person) and the fee;
- whether the test is on paper or on computer;
- how the speaking interview is scheduled (usually the same day as the written sections or an adjacent day).
Fees are set by each centre and vary widely between countries and cities; the centre's published fee applies.
When seats are scarce
Seats in popular cities often fill soon after they open, especially around Express Entry French-language draws. It helps to:
- watch the opening times of several centres in your area;
- start checking two to three months before your target session;
- consider a centre in a nearby city, since the result does not depend on where you sit the test.
On test day
Bring the valid identity document you registered with (usually a passport) and arrive early to check in. Listening, reading and writing are taken as a group; speaking is a one-on-one interview with an examiner, recorded throughout. If anything goes wrong during the test (equipment, recording, room conditions), report it to the centre the same day, right after the session. Candidates who need accommodations (disability or health reasons) should ask the centre when registering.
Results and the certificate
- Results are released within 15 working days of FEI receiving the session materials. You view and download the certificate (attestation) from your TCF-Candidat account; if you cannot create one, contact your centre.
- The certificate carries two QR codes; the large one authenticates the results, which IRCC uses to verify them.
- Results are valid for 2 years from the issue date, printed on the certificate.
Re-marking: for sessions from 1 September 2026, requests to re-mark speaking and writing are suspended for about a year, with service expected to resume in autumn 2027.
Retaking the test
There is no limit on attempts, but you must wait at least 20 days between two TCF Canada sessions. A certificate only lists the four results from one session and results cannot be combined across sessions, so prepare all four abilities before you retake. A full mock test on TCFgo is a quick way to check your current level before choosing a session.