Les Tests et diplômes de Français Langue Étrangère (FLE)

The levels of academic achievement required to obtain an extended-stay visa for study in France were set forth in an interministerial circular (from the ministries of the Interior, Foreign affairs, and Higher education and research) dated January 27, 2006. The criteria included the candidate’s educational level, the quality of the candidate’s prior academic program, and the institutional framework of the proposed program of study in France. Criterion 4 deals with the importance of “language proficiency, with assessment of applicants’ proficiency in French, including applicants who show exceptional academic potential.”
Several tests of French proficiency and diplomas in French language are accepted for purposes of admission into a French institution of Higher Education
> To enroll in the first year of a program in a university (Licence 1) or school of architecture, international students (from outside the European Union) must follow the so-called preliminary admission procedure, known as DAP. Applicants must demonstrate their language proficiency, normally by taking the TCF-DAP or earning a DELF B2 diploma (or higher). The TEF may be accepted in lieu of the TCF-DAP if the applicant scored at least 14/20 on the written portion of the TEF. Some universities accept the DUEF (Diplôme universitaire d’études françaises) for admission into the first year of university study (Licence 1).
> For enrollments in the third year of university study (Licence 2 or 3), in a Master’s program, (Master 1 and 2), in a Doctoral program, or in one of France’s Grandes Écoles, no uniform requirement applies.
Each institution is free to set its own criteria for French proficiency. Prospective students should inquire about the language requirements of the institutions of interest to them. Plus...