The Test of Chinese as a Foreign Language (TOCFL) 收藏

大學問編輯部 2022-04-01 2022-04-01 Global

The Test of Chinese as a Foreign Language (TOCFL) is a set of standardized Mandarin proficiency tests developed for non-native speakers of Chinese such as foreigners and overseas Chinese. It was developed by the National Taiwan Normal University and administered by the Ministry of Education, Taiwan, through the Steering Committee for the Test of Proficiency-Huayu (SC-TOP). It is the only officially recognized Chinese proficiency test in Taiwan and is widely accepted in many corporate and government sectors.

Format

The TOCFL has been standardized and developed under the strict scrutiny of researchers and scholars in the fields of linguistics, language teaching and testing. The authentic materials used in the TOCFL are extracted from materials in daily life, such as advertisements, public announcements, notices, letters, time schedules, and weather broadcasts. These diverse texts are derived from different fields, including literature, science, art, astronomy and history.

The TOCFL is divided into four sub-tests: TOCFL Listening, TOCFL Reading, TOCFL Speaking, and TOCFL Writing, and is available in both traditional and simplified character versions. Different sub-tests have different full scores and passing scores. Please refer to Test of Chinese as a Foreign Language for reference.

Level of proficiency

There are basically three proficiency bands: Band A, Band B, and Band C, and each band is sub-divided into two levels making a total of six levels: Level 1 to Level 6. Those who have learnt for 240-720 hours or know 500-1000 Chinese characters can register for Band A. In order to encourage more people to improve their Chinese proficiency, the level “TOCFL-Novice” was later created for the beginning learners who have learnt Chinese for at least 60 hours. Candidates can choose the level that best suits their Chinese language proficiency and learning background for each sub-test they want to take. The following table sets out the suggested learning hours of Mandarin Chinese, and suggested vocabulary base at each level.

Purposes of TOCFL

As an international or overseas Chinese student, the TOCFL results will serve as the assessment of your Chinese proficiency for:

Applying for Taiwan Scholarship and Huayu Enrichment Scholarship.
International students applying for academic programs at colleges and universities in Taiwan.
Overseas Chinese Students applying for admission to a university in Taiwan through the University Entrance Committee for Overseas Chinese Students (UECOCS).
Enhancing your competence and career development in dealing with trades and businesses with Chinese people.
Obtaining bonus points for international and overseas Chinese students who wish to work in Taiwan after graduation to apply for a work permit from the Ministry of Labor.

Testing centers

To meet the demand of numerous international Chinese learners, TOCFL tests are organized frequently in Taiwan and around the world. As of January 2022, there are 37 test centers across 27 countries and 21 centers in Taiwan. Here is the list.

For more information about TOCFL, and the schedule for the tests organized in Taiwan and overseas, please check Test of Chinese as a Foreign Language.