Taking TCF Canada: my experience
Our family's immigration process to Canada began with the TCF exam.
Why we went this way, and what came of it, read in full detail in our story on link.
And in this article I will tell you exactly how my TCF Canada exam went. I took it in May 2019 at the French Institute in St. Petersburg.
By a happy coincidence, when the idea of moving came to our minds, there were almost two months left before the next French exam and active registration was just underway.
THIS WAS LUCKY: TCF WAS HELD ONLY A COUPLE OF TIMES A YEAR AT MOST IN ST. PETERSBURG.
At the beginning of April, I went to the examination center on Nevsky Prospekt 12, filled out the form and made full payment - 12,000 rubles at that time.
I WAS TOLD IMMEDIATELY THAT THE EXAM FEE WAS NON-REFUNDABLE, EVEN IF I GAVE ADVANCE NOTICE THAT I COULD NOT ATTEND.
This is what the registration form looks like. It is filled out in French.
TWO DAYS BEFORE THE EXAM
The Institute sent a detailed schedule by email:
- 10.00 registration;
- 10.00-11.00 – oral part;
- 11.30-12.30 – reading;
- 13.00-13.40 – listening;
- 14.00-15.00 – written part.
ON THE DAY OF THE EXAM
There were five candidates, including me. Our documents were checked and we were divided into two groups of two and three people, having previously assigned one examiner. Each group took the test in its own office.
I answered first. I was asked to tell:
- About myself, education, work, family.
- In the second task - ask questions about traveling on a cruise ship (for other candidates - about a family trip to a zoo, amusement park, theme park).
- In the third - to express whether it is easier or more difficult for a family with children to adapt to a foreign country. (Other candidates were asked whether it is necessary to teach children to tell the truth. And whether it is necessary to preserve Russian traditions while living in another country).
The examiner was very kind: she smiled and showed interest in my answers. I am very grateful for that, because I was incredibly nervous. My entire response was recorded. At the end, before I left the room, we checked together that the recording was clearly audible. I spent about 20 minutes in the room in total, and all 5 candidates finished within an hour.
After a short break, we gathered in a small office on another floor for listening and reading. Since these parts went without interruption, we were immediately given assignment booklets and forms for the two modules and were clearly instructed on how to fill out and correct the answers. The audio recording was on the computer and could be heard clearly.
A MAXIMUM OF TWO CORRECTIONS WERE ALLOWED PER QUESTION. ANY MORE, AND IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO TELL WHICH ANSWER YOU MEANT TO MARK. SO THINK CAREFULLY BEFORE ADDING A CROSS.
After the time was up, all the handouts were collected and we were allowed to go to lunch.
WHERE TO EAT?
It should be noted that there are no problems with food at the Institute - you can always go to a cafe in the Mediatheque and enjoy a meal with a view of Nevsky, enjoying delicious coffee and fresh pastries. Plus, there are at least a couple of vending machines with snacks and drinks on the floors.
But I still recommend taking water and a few protein bars from home. What if...
HALF AN HOUR LATER IN THE SAME OFFICE WE COMPLETED THE WRITTEN PART – BY HAND.
Many centers offer a computer version of the exam. I haven’t taken this one, but by analogy with the English IELTS, I think it’s convenient when the computer counts the words for you. Whatever one may say, precious time is wasted on calculations when you write by hand. Well, the verification time, logically, should be faster, since there is no need to send a “dove” with an envelope to France. Whether this is so, you need to find out in a specific center. Diacritics can be presented directly on the screen, and you insert them as symbols into your text.
CHECK WITH THE CENTRE IN ADVANCE WHICH PEN IS ALLOWED — BLUE OR BLACK, BALLPOINT OR GEL. I WROTE WITH ERASABLE INK. IT SAVED ME A COUPLE OF TIMES, BUT I RECOMMEND PRACTISING WITH THAT PEN AT HOME FIRST.
My writing tasks were:- You are the owner of the apartment. Reply to a letter that asks you to describe it. Be sure to describe the payments and the neighbourhood where it is located.
- You started your studies at a Canadian university. You've been studying for a week now. Tell your friends how your first week of study went, about your teachers and the university.
- Two texts are given. First: giving a child an animal is good. Second: this is a serious decision that needs to be weighed. Because if the child loses interest, the animal will end up on the street. Express your opinion.
WHEN DID THE RESULTS COME?
Exactly a month after the test, at the end of June, I received an email that the Institute had received certificates. They could be picked up on weekdays, during working hours, and only with a passport.
IF SOMEONE ELSE WILL COLLECT YOUR CERTIFICATE, NOTIFY THE TEST CENTRE IN ADVANCE. THEY ARE STRICT ABOUT THIS.
CONCLUSION
In general, the exam was organized clearly, without unnecessary delays, but also without fuss. Of the minuses, I would only note the timing: a month of waiting for results is still a long time, you are exhausted. Well, the fact that the results are not sent by email, and you will only find out when the certificate falls into your hands, is a little sad. Circumstances vary. For example, we managed to leave for another city while we were waiting. And when the notification letter arrived, I had to dodge to find out the results as soon as possible.