About TOCFL
The Test Of Chinese as a Foreign Language (TOCFL)is Taiwan's national standardized test designed and developed by the National Taiwan Normal University to evaluate and certify the Chinese language proficiency of non-native speakers, such as foreigners and overseas Chinese. TOCFL test is administrated by the Ministry of Education through the Steering Committee for the Test Of Proficiency-Huayu (SC-TOP). Overseas, the SC-TOP co-proctors test administration with local Taiwan representative offices and/or educational institutions.
Three types of TOCFL tests have been developed, including TOCFL Listening & Reading, TOCFL Speaking, and TOCFL Writing. The SC-TOP launched the overseas TOCFL Listening & Reading test services in 2006 to meet the high demand of international Chinese learners. In 2018, the test services were widespread in 40 countries, including Taiwan. Since then, nearly 500,000 people have taken the test and among them, more than 6,972 people are from Southern California.
TOCFL Listening & Reading has a level name change from January 1, 2014, in order to correspond to levels used by CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, and Assessment ) and ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages). This can provide a basis for recognizing language qualifications across national boundaries. The new version consists of band A, B, and C, which corresponds to 6 levels and is available in both traditional and simplified character versions. TOCFL in Southern California has reading and listening tests. The total question number is 100 and the test time is 2 hours. Those who have learned 240-720 hours or know 500-1000 characters can register for band A, basic level.
In order to encourage more people to improve their Chinese proficiency, now the new level “TOCFL-Novice” has been created for those adult beginning learners who have learned Chinese for at least 60 hours overseas. Beginning learners can know their Chinese proficiency through the listening and reading tests at the Novice level and gain more confidence. The listening test and the reading test take 50 minutes (each part takes 25 minutes).
The successful examinee will receive a Chinese Proficiency Certificate as a credential for the following: Become eligible for the Taiwan Scholarship and Huayu Enrichment Scholarship; Qualify for admission to the academic programs at colleges or universities in Taiwan; Serve as a job-required proof of Chinese language proficiency for individuals who wish to obtain Chinese-inclusive, bilingual employment globally; Provide an incentive to those who are interested in learning Chinese.
TOCFL Listening & Reading is a great way to challenge yourself as a learner of Chinese, also to assess your abilities in reading, listening, grammar, and vocabulary. In addition, it can be a powerful proof of language capability for individuals who wish to study, work, or do business in Chinese-speaking countries. Please join the thousands of Chinese learners in the world by signing up for TOCFL Listening & Reading and be an efficient and TOP-notch learner of Mandarin Chinese!
Children aged 7-12 can take the test of Children's Chinese Competency Certification (CCCC). Its levels include Sprouting, Seedling, and Blossoming, which takes 40, 50, and 60 minutes to complete the test. The test content has listening and reading parts. It is designed in consideration of children’s specific cognitive and linguistic development and is a standardized test to objectively measure the Chinese proficiency of young test takers from different language and cultural backgrounds. With its special emphasis on the everyday lives and interests of children, CCCC helps test takers to understand their own levels of Chinese proficiency and encourages them to pursue further Chinese studies.
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Things you need to know when signing up for TOCFL……
When and where will the TOCFL Listening & Reading test be held?
The Education Division of TECO in Los Angeles has held the TOCFL Listening and Reading test every year since 2006 at Pasadena City College, usually in late March or early April. The date for 2024 on-site testing is scheduled for Saturday, April 27 at Pasadena City College. Interested applicants, please submit your registration form to the Education Division by Wednesday, March 15, 2024, along with a copy of your driver's license and a check for the $40 application fee. Please make checks payable to the Education Division, TECO in LA. The mailing address is 3731 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 770, Los Angeles, CA90010. For further inquiries please contact losangeles@mail.moe.gov.tw
Due to the continued spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, please check this website regularly for any updates or changes.
Which level of TOCFL Listening & Reading is suitable?
The examinee can choose the test level that is most suitable for them. This chart provides helpful references to different levels of TOCFL Listening and reading requirements.
Where to find the TOCFL Listening & Reading mock test?
Applicants can try the Online Mock Test to familiarize themselves with the test format.
Download a complete Mock test for free at https://tocfl.edu.tw/index.php/exam/test#googtrans(zh-tw en)
In addition to Mock Tests on the website of the Steering Committee for the Test Of Proficiency-Huayu (SC-TOP) to practice, the following reference books are highly recommended:
1. The Ultimate Illustrated Chinese Grammar Guide
2. A Course in Contemporary Chinese
You can refer to Purchase Information for purchasing option.
What’s TOCFL Home Edition? How to sign up?
TOCFL Home Edition is designed by the Steering Committee for the Test of Proficiency-Huayu to meet the demands of overseas test takers. Using cloud-based testing, tests will be implemented using remote monitoring methods. Currently, only Band A and Band B segments of the TOCFL tests are available. Test fees are set at NT$3,000 (approximately US$108, subject to exchange rate) as the universal rate across all regions. Test dates and times will be set according to Taiwan’s time zone. The Listening and Reading Test is two hours long in total.
Applicants should complete the Application Form of TOCFL Home Edition and the TOCFL Home Edition Test Taker Agreement Form, and send them as attachments to the Steering Committee’s dedicated email address: service@sc-top.org.tw. For more details, please see the Application Procedure Guidelines, or send all inquiries to service@sc-top.org.tw. TOCFL Home Edition will be the best choice for those who need to obtain a Chinese language certificate during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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