How useful is DALF (Diplôme approfondi de langue française)?

Hi there,

Im going into y12 in September and wanted to do Spanish for A level since I enjoyed it at GCSE, but unfortunately my school isn't offering it due to low interest. However, since I also did French GCSE outside of school, my French tutor recommended to me that I can do DALF after I turn 18, outside school, which is a test run by the French Embassy. Does anyone know anything about it and how hard it would be? How useful is it for uni applications, or even for jobs? Also, is it valued in the same way as an A level?

Thanks. Hope I made sense :smile:

Reply 1

Euapp

Original post

by aaravshah07

Hi there,
Im going into y12 in September and wanted to do Spanish for A level since I enjoyed it at GCSE, but unfortunately my school isn't offering it due to low interest. However, since I also did French GCSE outside of school, my French tutor recommended to me that I can do DALF after I turn 18, outside school, which is a test run by the French Embassy. Does anyone know anything about it and how hard it would be? How useful is it for uni applications, or even for jobs? Also, is it valued in the same way as an A level?
Thanks. Hope I made sense :smile:

DALF C1 and C2 are very different to A level French but imo provide a level of « useful » French superior to A level. They are looking for complete fluency in the French language and as such test the candidates ability understand complex situations and vocabulary.There is no literature to study but you would be expected to be able to debate societal issues from an almost philosophical point of view. A past paper for example wanted the candidates to debate « bad parenting makes for happy children ». There may also be questions on current affairs etc.
How this qualification would be viewed by universities, I couldn’t say, but potential employers looking for applicants with language skills would very much value proof of mother tongue level of fluency.