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 GREAT LUCK, SINCE TCF IS HELD AT MAXIMUM A COUPLE OF TIMES A YEAR IN ST. ST.
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 IMMEDIATELY NOTIFIED THAT THE PAYMENT FOR THE EXAM IS NON-REFUNDABLE, EVEN IF YOU TELL ME IN ADVANCE THAT YOU CAN’T ATTEND IT.
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 dealers, 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 ARE ALLOWED IN EACH QUESTION. IF YOU HAVE DONE MORE, Alas, VISUALLY ON THE FORM IT WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE TO UNDERSTAND WHICH ANSWER YOU THINK IS CORRECT. SO IT’S BETTER TO THINK THINGS BEFORE PUT 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 IN ADVANCE IN THE CENTER WHICH PEN CAN BE USED – BLUE/BLACK, BALLPOINT/GEL. I WRITTEN WITH ERASABLE INK. THIS SAVED A COUPLE OF TIMES, BUT I ADVISE YOU TO PRACTICE WITH THIS HANDLE AT HOME IN ADVANCE.
Topics included in the letter:- You are the owner of the apartment. Reply to a letter that asks you to describe it. Be sure to tell about payments and the quarter in which 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 YOU ASSIGN ANOTHER PERSON TO PICK UP YOUR CERTIFICATE, YOU MUST NOTIFY THE EXAMINATION CENTER ABOUT THIS IN FIRST. EVERYTHING IS STRICT HERE.
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.