Avoid the Alliance Française Montreal for Your Language Exam
I have been living and working in Montreal since late 2021, and French is my primary language of communication at work. On March 20, 2026, I took all four components of the TEF and my oral expression result was C1 – NCLC 8. Believing I could improve, I retook all four tests on May 8, 2026 — and my oral expression result dropped to B1 – NCLC 4. In the span of one month, I went from C1 to B1, despite feeling even more confident about the material in May. I filed a complaint, but it was rejected. In light of this, two things stand out:
Dropping from C1 – NCLC 8 to B1 – NCLC 4 in a single month on the TEF — especially when every other component came in at NCLC 7 or above — goes well beyond the realm of normal grader subjectivity. To make matters worse, I was never provided any proof that the oral recording reviewed was actually mine. A mix-up in recording assignments is entirely plausible, given that I was made to switch computers mid-session during the other tests — worth noting, by the way, that the equipment there is terrible.
Because this is ultimately a business, we as consumers are completely defenceless against any injustice or wrongdoing by these institutions. They refuse to acknowledge complaints or errors, and they certainly don't make exams public — because doing so would cost them credibility, and credibility is their livelihood.
I will be bringing this case to the attention of the immigration and language certification bodies responsible for overseeing this process in both Canada and France, in an attempt to recover the recording and verify that the voice on it is mine, as well as to request a second review.
In closing, I understand why the Alliance may seem more reputable than other institutions — but it isn't. In fact, in terms of facilities and equipment, it may be the worst testing center in Montreal.
My recommendation: avoid taking any exam at the Alliance Française.
