The French language, with more than 80 million native speakers and more than 190 million people that speak it as their second language, is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world. Even when it might seem surprising, the majority of French speakers live on the African continent, where the French Empire had a lot of colonies. Actually, French is an official language in 29 countries from different continents, so we can agree on the fact that French is a true global language.
As a matter of fact, quite a few decades ago French was used as the lingua franca in most parts of Europe and it was the foreign language to learn at the time. Nowadays French has lost part of its international relevance against the hegemony of English, but it’s still very important for diplomatic purposes, being one of the official languages in key international organizations such as the UN or the European Union, and it is also very important in the business environment.
French Exams in Hong Kong
Many students in Hong Kong want to get their french certified but most of them don’t know the different options available and the difficulties. Here we explain you the differences so you know the options you have.
- DELF
DELF is an international Diploma of Studies in French Language awarded by the French Ministry of Education. It has different levels starting by beginners level which is the A1 level.
This exam is designed to be taken by adults or teenagers who are at least 14 years old, it is not intended for kids. It is available to apply 2 times a year in Hong Kong, one time in May and the other in November. You will need to learn french typically for at least around 70 hours before you reach the A1 level so you can pass the exam. If you want to continue to further your level like A2 it will take another 70 hours or more of learning.
- I/GCSE French
IGCSE stands for International General Certificate of Secondary Education and is an exam elaborated by different UK educational organisations.
Students in Hong Kong can take this exam through their school. You can choose in Hong Kong whether you want to take the Cambridge Board or Edexcel Board, while French Edexcel is easier.
This exam is intended for students that are 15 years old although anyone is free to register for this exam. Students typically learn french for 4-5 years before they can pass this exam although with the help of a french private tutor you can speed up the process.
- A-levels French and HKDSE French
HKDSE French and A-levels french are exams of exactly the same difficulty. They are designed for students who are 17 years old and you should have learned french from secondary 1 to secondary 6 if you want to pass this exam. With the help of a french tutor however this learning process can be done faster.
Students can register for this exam in Hong Kong through the HK Examination Bureau twice a year.
- IB French Standard Level, HL and Ab Initio
Many students from international schools in Hong Kong specially from ESF schools prepare for these exams. We have been helping students to prepare for these exams for over 10 years and we know not only the syllabus but the typical questions that students get questioned by their school teachers in the internal assessed oral exam.
Unfortunately students cannot register for this exam in Hong Kong by themselves unless it is through their school or taking the language registering in a online platform called Pamoja where they will need you to complete the tasks given by the online teachers.
- AP French, SAT French
These exams are less common in Hong Kong but students that follow the American program will typically take these exams. If you want to go to an American college you will need a high score in these which we can surely help you too.
