TCF Score to CEFR
Convert a TCF score on the 100–699 scale to its CEFR level.
450 falls in the 400–499 band — Intermédiaire supérieur. 50 more points would reach C1.
Each TCF section is scored on the same scale and reported separately, so your level can differ between listening, reading, and grammar. Institutions usually set a requirement per section rather than on the average.
The TCF reports on a 100–699 scale divided into six equal CEFR bands of 100 points each: 100–199 is A1, 200–299 A2, 300–399 B1, 400–499 B2, 500–599 C1, and 600–699 C2. A score of 450 is therefore B2.
A scored test, not a level certificate
French has two families of qualification and they work differently. DELF and DALF are certificates: you sit the exam for one CEFR level and either pass it or not, and the certificate never expires. The TCF — Test de connaissance du français — is a scored test that places you somewhere on a continuous scale, and its result has a limited validity period.
That makes the TCF the practical choice when you do not know your level in advance, or when an institution wants a current measurement rather than a lifetime certificate. Immigration authorities in particular tend to prefer a scored, recent result.
Sections are scored separately
Each part of the TCF — listening, reading, language structures, and the optional speaking and writing papers — receives its own score on the same 100–699 scale, and each therefore carries its own CEFR level. A candidate can be B2 in reading and B1 in listening, and the report shows both.
This is why institutions almost always state a requirement per section rather than on an average. Averaging your section scores to produce a single headline figure can hide a section that falls below the threshold, and it is the section results that will be assessed.
Worked example: a score of 450
The bands are evenly spaced, so the conversion is a lookup:
- 1 Take the score for one section. The attestation reports each section separately — 450 in listening, for example.
- 2 Recall the band width. Each CEFR level covers exactly 100 points, starting at 100 for A1.
- 3 Find the band. 450 is at least 400 but below 500, so it falls in B2 — intermédiaire supérieur.
- 4 Repeat for every section. Each section has its own level, and they will not always match.
- 5 Compare with the requirement. Check the threshold your institution sets for each section, not for the average.
TCF score bands and CEFR levels
The scale is divided into six equal bands of 100 points. The French descriptors are the ones printed on the attestation.
| Score | CEFR level | French descriptor |
|---|---|---|
| 600–699 | C2 | Supérieur |
| 500–599 | C1 | Avancé |
| 400–499 | B2 | Intermédiaire supérieur |
| 300–399 | B1 | Intermédiaire |
| 200–299 | A2 | Élémentaire supérieur |
| 100–199 | A1 | Élémentaire |
Choosing between the TCF and DELF or DALF
If you need to prove a specific level and expect to hold that proof indefinitely — for a university application years ahead, or a permanent record of achievement — a DELF or DALF certificate is the stronger asset, since it does not expire.
If the requirement is a recent measurement, or you are unsure which level you would pass, the TCF is more forgiving: there is no fail, only a placement on the scale. It also has variants aimed at specific purposes, including versions used for Canadian immigration and for French nationality applications, each with its own required sections.
One thing neither test settles is which sections you need. Some requirements cover only listening and reading; others add speaking and writing, which on the TCF are optional papers taken separately. Confirm the required combination before booking, because sitting the wrong set means sitting the test again.