French level test (A1–C2): free options and the DELF

A French level test tells you where you stand on the CEFR scale, from A1 (beginner) to C2 (mastery). For a rough idea, a free 10-minute online test is enough. For a university, an employer or a visa file, only an official exam counts: the DELF, the DALF or the TCF.

If you're a student with an application deadline, or you're moving to a French-speaking country and a form asks for "your level of French", this guide tells you which test to take, what it costs in the US in 2026 and how the pass rules work.

The CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) is the Council of Europe's six-level scale. A1 and A2 are basic users, B1 and B2 independent users, C1 and C2 proficient users. Every test below reports its result on that scale.

Which free French level test should you try first?

Start with a free test that takes under 15 minutes and gives a CEFR level, then treat the result as a range, not a grade. Free online French tests use short multiple-choice quizzes, so they measure recognition well and speaking hardly at all.

Three free options cover most needs:

• TV5MONDE (the French public broadcaster's learning site): 14 questions, under 10 minutes, listening only, and a result between A1 and B2, according to its support page (checked November 2026).
• Lawless French: 8 to 18 questions per level and a CEFR rating at the end; you register first.
• Our own two-minute level quiz: four French questions, useful to see whether you're a fresh starter or past the basics before you spend time on a longer test.

TV5MONDE's cap at B2 matters. If you already read French novels, the test can't tell you whether you're C1, and a C1 learner will simply land at B2.

How accurate is an online French test compared with the DELF?

An online French test is accurate to about one level at best, because it skips the two skills that decide most exam results: speaking and writing. The DELF, by contrast, gives the same weight to each of four skills, so a learner who reads well and speaks little gets a very different picture.

Fees: Alliance Française de Chicago, December 2026 and October 2026 sessions (checked November 2026). Other centres set their own prices.

Verdict: use a free French test to pick a course or a target exam, and the DELF or TCF whenever someone else has to trust the number.

The gap between "I scored B1 online" and "I passed the B1" comes up often for the same reason. Multiple-choice questions reward recognition. A DELF speaking examiner asks you to produce French under time pressure, with no options to choose from, which is a different skill from spotting the right answer.

What is the DELF, and what score do you need to pass?

The DELF (Diplôme d'études en langue française) is the official French diploma for levels A1 to B2, and the DALF (Diplôme approfondi de langue française) covers C1 and C2. France's education ministry issues both, and each level is a separate diploma: you register for the level you want, not for a general test.

The pass rules come from the DELF and DALF regulations published by the French education ministry:

• From DELF A1 to DALF C1, each of the four sections (listening, reading, writing, speaking) is marked out of 25.
• You pass with 50 out of 100 overall.
• Below 5 out of 25 in any single section, you fail, whatever your total.
• The DALF C2 has two sections out of 50 each, with a minimum of 10 per section.

The 5/25 floor is the rule people forget. A candidate with 70/100 who freezes in the speaking test and scores 4/25 doesn't get the diploma. If your level test shows strong reading and weak speaking, that's the section to train first.

How much does a French test cost in the US?

A French test in the US costs between $135 and $385 in 2026, depending on the exam and the level. Each test centre sets its own fees, so the figures below come from one centre, Alliance Française de Chicago, checked in November 2026.

Verdict: the B2 and C1 sessions fill first, so register as soon as registration opens. In Chicago, it opens on December 1, 2026 for the March 1 to 5, 2027 session.

Fees are non-refundable at that centre. The digital result for the DELF arrives within 4 to 5 weeks; the printed diploma takes 3 to 6 months, which matters if an application asks for the paper copy.

DELF or TCF: which French test do you need?

The DELF is the better French test when you need a diploma at a target level; the TCF is better when you need your exact level measured once, from A1 to C2. The deciding factor is what the university, employer or immigration office names in its requirements, so read that page before you book anything.

The two exams work differently. The DELF is pass or fail at the level you chose: register for B2 and fall short, and you leave with nothing. The TCF has no pass mark. You get a level whatever your score, but the result is valid for two years only, according to Alliance Française de Chicago.

For moving abroad, check the exact name in the requirement. Some immigration procedures ask for a specific TCF or TEF version rather than the general one, and a DELF won't replace it. That's the same trap we describe for Spanish in our DELE or SIELE comparison: the right exam is the one your file accepts.

How do you prepare for a French level test with a tutor?

Preparing for a French test with a tutor works best when the tutor runs the speaking and writing sections as mock exams, since those are the sections you can't check alone. A free online test can't tell you why a sentence is wrong. A tutor who knows the DELF grading grid can.

A plan that works for most students:

1. Take a free test to get a starting range, and book a trial lesson where the tutor places you after 10 minutes of conversation.
2. Pick the target exam and level, then count back from the exam date.
3. Do one timed practice paper per section, with the tutor marking writing and speaking out of 25.
4. Spend most lessons on your weakest section until it's safely above 5/25.

Timing depends on the gap. The US Foreign Service Institute puts French at 30 weeks of full-time study to reach professional working proficiency, and our guide on how long it takes to learn a language turns that into part-time figures.

On Preply, you choose the tutor yourself after reading profiles that list what they teach. The real limit: tutors' DELF experience isn't verified by the platform, so ask in the trial how they mark a speaking test. Our Preply review covers the trial rules and prices. Skip paid lessons altogether if you only need a level for your own curiosity: the free tests are enough.

More exam guides for students are on our students page, and the French hub gathers our French articles.