In the United States, L’Alliance New York (formerly FIAF) runs TEF Canada at 22 East 60th Street in Manhattan and TCF Canada in Manhattan and in Montclair, New Jersey. Both cost US$399 (US$350 for members) plus a US$15 admin fee, and each date has a registration deadline about 10–14 days before the exam. We also verified TEF Canada at Alliance Française de Seattle and Chicago, and TCF Canada at Alliance Française de Los Angeles; our alerts cover New York only.
Key takeaways
- L’Alliance New York: TEF Canada in Manhattan; TCF Canada in Manhattan and Montclair, NJ.
- US$399, or US$350 for members, plus a non-refundable US$15 admin fee.
- Each date closes about 10–14 days before the exam. Missing it means no seat.
- Verified elsewhere: TEF Canada in Seattle and Chicago, TCF Canada in Los Angeles.
- Our seat alerts cover New York only. Check other centres directly.
On this page
IRCC accepts a TEF Canada or TCF Canada result taken anywhere, so you don’t need to cross the border to test. In the US, the centre we monitor is L’Alliance New York, the former French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF). It runs both exams, with a fixed registration deadline for every date.
- US$399
- Full test, non-members (US$350 members)
- +US$15
- Non-refundable admin fee per registration
- 10–14 days
- Registration closes before each exam
How does L’Alliance New York run TEF and TCF Canada?
#- Manhattan only: 22 East 60th Street
- Friday sessions, about monthly
- Remaining 2026 date: 20 November (deadline 9 November)
- Certificate mailed; allow 5–6 weeks
- Manhattan (Fridays) and Montclair, NJ (Mondays)
- Reading, listening and writing on computer; speaking face to face
- Montclair dates run monthly into June 2027
- Allow 5–6 weeks for the certificate
| Exam date | Test | Venue | Registration deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri 6 Nov 2026 | TCF Canada | Manhattan | Mon 26 Oct |
| Mon 16 Nov 2026 | TCF Canada | Montclair, NJ | Tue 3 Nov |
| Fri 20 Nov 2026 | TEF Canada | Manhattan | Mon 9 Nov |
| Mon 14 Dec 2026 | TCF Canada | Montclair, NJ | Tue 1 Dec |
| Mon 25 Jan 2027 | TCF Canada | Montclair, NJ | Tue 12 Jan |
| Mon 22 Feb 2027 | TCF Canada | Montclair, NJ | Tue 9 Feb |
A date being before its deadline doesn’t mean it has places. When we checked in late September, sold-out dates were taking a waiting list, and several TCF dates had dozens of names on it. The TCF calendar runs further ahead (Montclair dates are listed to June 2027) than the TEF one, which had no 2027 dates yet. Track both on TEF Canada dates in the US and TCF Canada dates in the US.
How do you book in New York?
#- 1Choose the test and the venueTEF Canada is Manhattan only. TCF Canada alternates between Manhattan and Montclair, so check the venue for your date.
- 2Note the deadlineUsually 10–14 days before the exam. After it, you can’t register for that date.
- 3Register onlineThrough the Register Now link on the exam page.
- 4Pay in fullVisa, Mastercard or American Express. The US$15 admin fee is added and isn’t refundable.
- 5Keep the day freeThe centre asks you to be available from 9am to 6pm on exam day.
What if you need to cancel or move your date?
#| Situation | What happens |
|---|---|
| Cancel before the deadline | Partial refund minus a US$80 cancellation fee; the admin fee is not refunded |
| Transfer before the deadline | US$50, to the next available session only |
| Cancel or transfer after the deadline | No refund; a new registration means paying again |
| Medical reason | Transfer to the next session without the fee if a medical certificate is emailed within 3 days of the exam |
| Membership | Members pay US$350 instead of US$399 per test |
Which other US centres run TEF or TCF Canada?
#We checked the US Alliances Françaises we could find for a page that names TEF Canada or TCF Canada specifically (not just the general TEF or TCF). These three do. We don’t monitor them, so check their pages yourself.
| Centre | Exam | What the centre says |
|---|---|---|
| Alliance Française de Seattle | TEF Canada | US$365 for the four modules; Friday sessions; Oct–Dec 2026 dates full or closed; Jan–Mar 2027 dates due in late November 2026; no waiting list; up to two sessions per release |
| Alliance Française de Chicago | TEF Canada | Lists TEF Canada for economic immigration and citizenship; no TCF Canada. Ask the centre for dates and fees. |
| Alliance Française de Los Angeles | TCF Canada | US$505 for the full TCF Canada; email the form and ID to tcf@afdela.org at least 15 days before the exam; pay by the same deadline |
Other US cities may have a centre we couldn’t verify. If a local Alliance Française offers only the TCF Tout Public or the general TEF, that result won’t work for IRCC: see TCF Canada vs TCF Tout Public. The test centre finder lists every centre we track worldwide.
Seattle (TEF Canada) and Los Angeles (TCF Canada) are the verified options. Vancouver and Victoria run both exams, but seats there go fast too.
- Myth
A result from the US counts less than one from Canada.
FactIRCC accepts TEF Canada and TCF Canada results the same way wherever you sit them.
- Myth
I can register up to the day before.
FactL’Alliance New York closes each date about 10–14 days before the exam.
- Myth
Any TCF at a US Alliance Française works for Express Entry.
FactOnly TCF Canada (or TEF Canada) counts. TCF Tout Public and the general TEF don’t.
Check yourself
1 of 3.Where does L’Alliance New York run TEF Canada?
2 of 3.What does a transfer before the deadline cost in New York?
3 of 3.Which verified US centre runs TCF Canada outside New York?
Further south, Mexico City and São Paulo also run the tests. See TEF Canada in Brazil and Mexico.
Questions people ask
At L’Alliance New York, 22 East 60th Street, Manhattan. TEF Canada isn’t offered at its Montclair, NJ site.
US$399 for non-members or US$350 for members, plus a non-refundable US$15 admin fee per registration.
Yes. L’Alliance New York runs TCF Canada at 17-19 Munn Street, Montclair, NJ, on Mondays, with dates listed into June 2027.
The centre says to allow 5–6 weeks from the test date for the certificate, which is mailed to you. Results are valid for 2 years for IRCC.
Alliance Française de Seattle runs TEF Canada (US$365 for four modules). For TCF Canada, Alliance Française de Los Angeles lists it at US$505. We don’t monitor either centre.
Not in the US. Our alerts cover L’Alliance New York; for Seattle, Chicago and Los Angeles, check the centres’ own pages. We alert you to seats; you always book on the centre’s site.
Terms in this guide
- TCF Tout Public
- Waitlist
- Alliance Française
- Institut français
- Exam session
- Result validity
- IRCC
- Express Entry
Each one is defined in plain English in the TEF & TCF Canada glossary.
Sources
- L’Alliance New York: TEF Canada
- L’Alliance New York: TCF Canada
- L’Alliance New York: Visit us
- Alliance Française de Seattle: TEF
- Alliance Française de Chicago: Exams
- Alliance Française de Los Angeles: TCF
- IRCC: Language testing for Express Entry
Rules and fees change. Always confirm with IRCC and your test centre before you pay.
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