How long to reach NCLC 7? French study hours calculator
Tell us where you are and how much time you have. You’ll get an honest range, not a promise, and whether it fits your exam date.
- A00
- A160–100
- A2160–200
- B1360–400
- B2560–650
- C1810–950
A rough guide, not a promise. Hours vary widely with how much French you hear day to day, the languages you already speak, and how you study. Based on Alliance Française guided-learning hours; NCLC ↔ CEFR matches are approximate.
How it works
Alliance Française estimates about 560–650 guided hours to reach B2 from zero, and 360–400 for B1. NCLC 7 is roughly a strong B1. We plan to the start of B2 to give you a safety margin, because your weakest skill decides. From B1 that’s about 160–290 hours, or roughly 20–37 weeks at 8 hours a week.
We show a range on purpose. Someone early in B1 needs more time than someone nearly at B2, and your speed depends on daily exposure, the languages you already speak, and how you study. The CEFR ↔ NCLC match is approximate. Research for the Centre for Canadian Language Benchmarks puts A2 at about NCLC 3–4, B1 at 5–7 and B2 at 8–9.
Add an exam date and we’ll check whether the hours fit, and how many hours a week would make them fit. Hours from Alliance Française.
- ✓ Hours and weeks as a range
- ✓ Projected ready date
- ✓ Exam-date fit check
- ✓ Hours per week you’d need
Common questions
About 560–650 guided hours from zero, according to Alliance Française, or roughly 160–290 more hours if you’re already at B1. Personal pace varies a lot.
Both sit roughly within B1, but NCLC 7 is the top of it. Planning to the start of B2 for a safety margin means roughly 160–290 hours from early B1. At 10 hours a week that’s about 4–7 months.
From B1 with around 10–12 hours a week, often yes. From A2 you’d need more like 360–490 hours, so 6 months means about 14–19 hours a week.
Roughly a strong B1 (B1+), according to research for the Centre for Canadian Language Benchmarks. There’s no official one-to-one match, so aim for B2 to be safe and check with a timed mock TEF or TCF Canada test.