Citizenship language test

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Yogateacher
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Citizenship language test

Post by Yogateacher »

I've been looking into what test i need to prove my french skills for French nationality. the government website is totally useless. But it seems one needs level B1 which can be assessed by various tests. the most appropriate seems to be the TFI but I can't find a testing centre for this closer than Bordeaux! Anybody know the nearest test centre to Argeles?
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Post by Yogateacher »

Thanks. Unfortuately that's the list of teaching centres, not test centres.
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Post by martyn94 »

Yogateacher wrote:Thanks. Unfortuately that's the list of teaching centres, not test centres.
But the page I pointed you to is headed "organismes de certification". If you look further into "FLI", eg here

https://fr.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/França ... tégration

it seems (I put it no stronger) that they can train you (if you need it) but also certify your standard at the end (which might conceivably be one session if you are already up to scratch). It might at least be worth giving one or other provider a ring, if it could save going to Bordeaux.

This seems to be confirmed by the text here

https://www.service-public.fr/particuli ... its/F11926

Alternatively, wait until you are sixty and prove it at your interview at the préfecture.
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Post by martyn94 »

martyn94 wrote:
Yogateacher wrote:Thanks. Unfortuately that's the list of teaching centres, not test centres.
But the page I pointed you to is headed "organismes de certification". If you look further into "FLI", eg here

https://fr.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/França ... tégration

it seems (I put it no stronger) that they can train you (if you need it) but also certify your standard at the end (which might conceivably be one session if you are already up to scratch). It might at least be worth giving one or other provider a ring, if it could save going to Bordeaux.

This seems to be confirmed by the text here

https://www.service-public.fr/particuli ... its/F11926

Alternatively, wait until you are sixty and prove it at your interview at the préfecture.
Despite my best efforts, I cannot make the Wikipedia link above into the full address: just go to Wikipedia fr ( if you're interested) and search on "FLI",
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Post by Yogateacher »

Thanks for the Help. I did check out both organisations in Perpignan. The most recent list of programmes on one site is from 2012. The other (Greta) is very vague, so yes, I'll ring a few language teaching centres up. The French government's statement on your second link is one I came accross a few times already. It's quite funny - "you will need certain qualifications to prove a certain level of proficiency". They couldn't be more unhelpful if they tried :) or maybe that's the point?
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Post by martyn94 »

Yogateacher wrote:Thanks for the Help. I did check out both organisations in Perpignan. The most recent list of programmes on one site is from 2012. The other (Greta) is very vague, so yes, I'll ring a few language teaching centres up. The French government's statement on your second link is one I came accross a few times already. It's quite funny - "you will need certain qualifications to prove a certain level of proficiency". They couldn't be more unhelpful if they tried :) or maybe that's the point?
I hesitate to say this, but I don't think you've understood the web page. It certainly starts with the vague formula you mention. But if you go back and look further down, you will see that there are more detailed headings, each equipped with down arrows. If you click on the down arrows you will get more detailed info, including links.

If you are going to ring places up, you might at least start with the ones that are said to be "certifié". Good luck.

It's easy to start with the prejudice that French bureaucracy is laborious and unhelpful,and sometimes it is. But I think their web presence is beginning to be not too bad, if you persevere.
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Post by Yogateacher »

Thanky Martyn. I did look through the various tabs but there isn't anything relating to french language exams. I used their search box for FLI and the results just give an email address but no details atall about: where, when, how much etc'. I started, not with a negative vibe, but with a positive assumption that i would find a test centre where i could get my level of French language ability assessed. Not sure why there isn't just a list of accredited test centres, as the page you linked to suggests - but that's not actually what you get. I'll just keep plugging away at it until I find somewhere. Pity they make it so difficult though.
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Post by Yogateacher »

http://www.cuef.fr/formulaire-d-inscrip ... 9047103487

These are the dudes - Perpignan University do language testing.
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Post by martyn94 »

Yogateacher wrote:Thanky Martyn. I did look through the various tabs but there isn't anything relating to french language exams. I used their search box for FLI and the results just give an email address but no details atall about: where, when, how much etc'. I started, not with a negative vibe, but with a positive assumption that i would find a test centre where i could get my level of French language ability assessed. Not sure why there isn't just a list of accredited test centres, as the page you linked to suggests - but that's not actually what you get. I'll just keep plugging away at it until I find somewhere. Pity they make it so difficult though.
I think you are making slightly heavy weather of this. I have seen nothing that suggests that you have to "pass an exam" in the traditional sense. The reference to level B1 is just indicative. You do have to get your level of proficiency certified by someone accredited to do so. Since the large majority of people who really need naturalisation will need some teaching beforehand, it makes perfect sense to delegate the certification to their teachers. If you don't need teaching (as of course neither of us do), you may need, as you say, to "scratch around". But I can't see that it would ever make sense to set up "test centres" for the trickle of Remainers who just happen to speak adequate French without outside help.
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Post by Yogateacher »

http://www.cuef.fr/fr/menu/diplomes/dip ... 5784068810

Yes it's a proper exam. and there are already many test centres. They are just hard to find
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Post by martyn94 »

Yogateacher wrote:http://www.cuef.fr/formulaire-d-inscrip ... 9047103487

These are the dudes - Perpignan University do language testing.
Bingo. Now you only need to show that you've got "bonnes moeurs". But if you teach yoga, I guess that goes with the territory.
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Post by martyn94 »

Yogateacher wrote:http://www.cuef.fr/fr/menu/diplomes/dip ... 5784068810

Yes it's a proper exam. and there are already many test centres. They are just hard to find
I think we have been posting cross-wise which will make the thread confusing to anyone who follows. It seems that you can pass a test - and congratulations for finding them - though not quite an "exam" if you get your result at the end of the session. But what the hell. That seems best if you know that you are already up to scratch. If not, you can get taught at somewhere accredited, and get something like continuous assessment.

For myself, I have a few years to wait. Though I've lived here for years: it can be surprisingly hard to sign up with the fisc here, so as to be officially present, if the relevant fonctionnaire can't be bothered.
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