The fee is the first thing anyone asks about the TCF Canada, and it is also the question with the most contradictory answers online. The reason is simple: there is no single price. Every accredited centre sets its own fee, and the gap between two countries can be twofold.
Below are the ranges we found in public sources, each with its verification date. Everything on this page was verified on 27 August 2026. Exam fees move — always confirm the amount with the centre at the moment you register.
The short answer: what the TCF Canada costs
| Country | Range | Currency | Main centre | Country page |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Côte d’Ivoire | 160,000 – 200,000 | XOF | Institut français, Abidjan Plateau | view page |
| Senegal | not confirmed | XOF | Institut français de Dakar | view page |
| Cameroon | 210,000 – 226,000 | XAF | Instituts français, Yaoundé and Douala | view page |
| Algeria | about 37,000 | DZD | Institut français d’Algérie (Algiers, Oran, Constantine, Annaba, Tlemcen) | view page |
| Morocco | about 2,400 | MAD | Institut français, Casablanca | view page |
| Canada | 380 – 415 | CAD | Alliance française Montreal and Toronto, UQÀM | view page |
Line by line, with sources:
- Côte d’Ivoire — 160,000 to 200,000 XOF, depending on whether you sit at the Institut français de Côte d’Ivoire or at CCI France–Côte d’Ivoire. Verified on 27 August 2026 (source). Medium confidence: confirm with the centre.
- Senegal — figure not confirmed. We would rather publish nothing than publish a doubtful number. The one public figure we found sits far below regional pricing and most likely refers to a different TCF, not the TCF Canada. Contact the Institut français de Dakar (source). Verified on 27 August 2026.
- Cameroon — 210,000 to 226,000 XAF, with the Instituts français of Yaoundé and Douala at the top of the range and the Alliance française de Garoua slightly below. Verified on 27 August 2026 (source). Medium confidence.
- Algeria — around 37,000 DZD on average, varying by centre and by paper or computer-based format. Verified on 27 August 2026 (source). Medium confidence.
- Morocco — around 2,400 MAD for all four papers, a harmonised rate across the Instituts français of the kingdom. Verified on 27 August 2026 (source). Medium confidence.
- Canada — 380 to 415 CAD, with Montreal centres in a tighter 382 to 400 CAD band. Verified on 27 August 2026 (source). High confidence.
We publish no figure for France, having no verified number at the same date. The principle does not change: the fee depends on the centre.
Why the price changes from one centre to another
Plenty of candidates search for "the official TCF Canada price" and never find it. That is expected: it does not exist.
The fee is set neither by France Éducation international nor by IRCC. Each accredited centre — an institut français, an alliance française, a chamber of commerce, a university — sets its own, based on local costs, the format offered and demand (source). Examia is not affiliated with France Éducation international or with IRCC: we report public fees, we do not set them.
Four factors explain the spread:
- The country and its operating costs. Cameroon is the most expensive market in this set — roughly double the Ivorian fee.
- The centre. Within one country, two centres can differ by 15 to 20 percent, as between Abidjan Plateau and CCI France–Côte d’Ivoire, or between Yaoundé and Garoua.
- The format. Computer-based and paper-based sittings are not always billed identically.
- The date. Fees get revised, often at the start of a calendar or academic year.
What the fee includes, and what it does not
The published fee covers all four papers: reading (39 questions, 60 minutes), listening (39 questions, 35 minutes), writing (3 tasks, 60 minutes) and speaking (3 tasks, about 12 minutes). It includes marking and the issue of your results certificate, valid for two years.
What it does not cover, and what catches people out:
- The resit. Taking the exam again is charged at full price, even if you only want to improve one paper.
- Administrative or registration surcharges applied by some centres.
- Travel and accommodation if the centre is not in your city. In Senegal, with a single centre in Dakar, this is a real line item for a candidate from Saint-Louis or Ziguinchor.
- Preparation. No exam centre trains you; it administers the test.
What the TCF Canada really costs
This is the angle almost nobody covers. The real cost of a TCF Canada is not the registration fee — it is the registration fee multiplied by the number of times you sit it.
Take a candidate in Canada, at 400 CAD a sitting.
| Scenario | Registrations | Preparation | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passed first time, no preparation | 400 | 0 | 400 CAD |
| Failed, then resat, still no preparation | 800 | 0 | 800 CAD |
| Passed first time after 3 months of structured prep | 400 | about 165 | 565 CAD |
The arithmetic speaks for itself. Three months of preparation cost a fraction of a second registration, and the real financial risk is not the subscription — it is the second exam. In Canada that risk is compounded by scarcity: sittings are often quarterly, registration opens about a month ahead, and Toronto sessions frequently fill on the day they open.
Before paying for anything, measure the gap between where you are and where you need to be. A candidate already at B2 has nothing in common with a shaky B1, and our 30-day study plan sets out the realistic timeline for each starting point.
Paying for preparation from Africa and elsewhere
The exam itself is paid at the centre, usually in cash or by local transfer. Paying for preparation online is where candidates actually get stuck, especially without an international card. Our payment methods are chosen market by market:
- Côte d’Ivoire — Orange Money CI, MTN MoMo, Wave, Moov Money, card and PayPal. Wave dominates locally.
- Senegal — Wave first, then Orange Money SN and Free Money, plus card and PayPal.
- Cameroon — MTN Mobile Money and Orange Money Cameroun, plus card and PayPal.
- Algeria — EDAHABIA and CIB, plus CCP deposit or bank transfer with proof uploaded online and processed within 12 hours. This is the market where payment is the genuine barrier, and we treat it as one.
- Morocco — Visa and Mastercard through CMI, PayPal, transfer with proof.
- Canada — card, PayPal, Apple Pay and Google Pay.
Plans and prices in your own currency are on the pricing page.
How to register, country by country
Côte d’Ivoire. Abidjan is a regional hub and seats go fast, including to candidates travelling from neighbouring countries. Book one to three months ahead; registration closes two to three weeks before the session. Centres and detail.
Senegal. One centre for the whole country, in Dakar. The constraint is availability, not price: if no session falls before your deadline, the usual fallback is sitting in Abidjan. Schedule and detail.
Cameroon. Yaoundé and Douala run the most sessions; Garoua, Maroua, Buea, Bamenda, Dschang and Ngaoundéré run fewer. Candidates in the anglophone regions are preparing a French exam from an English-speaking environment — plan more lead time. Centres and detail.
Algeria. Five cities: Algiers, Oran, Constantine, Annaba and Tlemcen, with one to two sessions a month depending on local demand and results usually within ten to fifteen working days. Registration and detail.
Morocco. The densest network, from Casablanca to Oujda via Rabat, Marrakech, Fez, Tangier and Agadir. Watch out for the most common misunderstanding in the Moroccan market: the TCF Canada is not the TCF DAP or "studies in France" test billed at around 350 MAD. They are two different exams with two different fees. Cities and detail.
Canada. Alliance française Montreal and Toronto, UQÀM, Centre Yves-Thériault and various accredited centres. Sessions are often quarterly and fill on the day registration opens, especially in Toronto: watch for registration openings rather than exam dates. Centres and detail.
If you are still weighing the two tests accepted for Canadian immigration, our comparison of TEF vs TCF Canada covers cost and format together, and the complete TCF Canada guide walks through the papers themselves.
FAQ
How much does the TCF Canada cost in Canada?
Typically 380 to 415 CAD, with Montreal centres clustered between about 382 and 400 CAD. Verified on 27 August 2026 from centre websites. Confirm the exact figure with your centre when you register.
What does the TCF Canada cost in Senegal?
We do not publish a figure for Senegal. The public numbers we found are inconsistent with regional pricing and may refer to a different TCF. Contact the Institut français de Dakar directly.
Is the TCF Canada the same test as the TCF for Campus France?
No. The TCF DAP, used for studying in France, is a different test at a much lower fee. The TCF Canada is for Canadian immigration and citizenship, and it costs considerably more.
Who sets the TCF Canada fee?
Each accredited centre sets its own price. Neither France Éducation international nor IRCC imposes a single fee, which is why two cities in the same country can differ by 15 to 20 percent.
Is a resit cheaper?
No. Resitting the TCF Canada, even a single paper where a centre allows it, is charged at the standard rate. That is the main reason serious preparation costs less than a second attempt.