Language tests for studying abroad: IELTS, TOEFL, TCF

Start with what your university asks for

Do not pick a test first and a university second. Each university, and sometimes each programme, lists the tests it accepts and the minimum scores. Visa authorities may have their own rules too. Check the admissions page of every programme on your list, then choose the test that is accepted by all or most of them.

We checked the official test pages on 22 October 2026. Prices and formats change, so always confirm on the test owner’s site before you book.

IELTS

IELTS is owned jointly by the British Council, IDP and Cambridge University Press & Assessment. It tests listening, reading, writing and speaking. There are two main versions:

• IELTS Academic for university study;
• IELTS General Training, used mainly for work and migration. Canada, for example, asks for General Training for Express Entry immigration, not for study.
• IELTS for UKVI is a version for some UK visa purposes.

Where in Cameroon: IELTS.org’s test-centre finder lists British Council centres in Yaoundé and Douala. Fees differ by centre and format; one Yaoundé centre listed IELTS Academic at XAF 217,000 (as of October 2026), and IELTS.org notes that prices vary and may include local tax. Book only through IELTS.org or the centre’s official booking page.

TOEFL iBT

TOEFL iBT, run by ETS, measures the four academic skills of reading, listening, speaking and writing as they are used in class. ETS says you can take it in a test centre or at home. It is widely used by US universities and accepted by many others.

Check centre availability and dates in Cameroon in your ETS account before choosing. If you plan to test at home, read ETS’s equipment and room rules carefully: a stable internet connection and a quiet room are essential.

Duolingo English Test and PTE Academic

• Duolingo English Test (DET): an online test taken on a computer. It is accepted by a growing number of universities, but not all, so check each programme before you book.
• PTE Academic (Pearson): a computer-based test of about two hours covering speaking, writing, reading and listening, scored from 10 to 90. Pearson says results usually arrive within two business days and that it must be taken in an authorised test centre, not at home. Use Pearson’s booking site to see whether there is a centre you can reach; you may need to travel.

Because availability in Cameroon changes, confirm test centres and dates on the official sites before you promise a score date to a university.

French tests: TCF, TEF, DELF and DALF

• TCF tout public (France Éducation international): a test that places you on the six levels of the Common European Framework (A1 to C2). The results certificate is valid for 2 years. Sessions are held through the year by approved centres.
• TCF-DAP for Campus France: Campus France Cameroun says that students with English-language secondary schooling applying for L1 in France must take the TCF tout public without the speaking part. The Institut français du Cameroun organises sessions in Yaoundé and Douala.
• DELF and DALF: official French diplomas from the ministry of education, DELF for levels A1 to B2 and DALF for C1 and C2. France Éducation international says the DELF is valid for life.
• TEF (Le français des affaires, CCI Paris Île-de-France) and its versions such as TEF Canada. IRCC accepts TEF Canada and TCF Canada for Canadian immigration programmes such as Express Entry; for a study permit, your school’s requirements matter most.

Francophone Cameroonians who did their secondary schooling in French are often exempt from French tests for French-speaking universities. Always check the exact rule of each programme.

Which test for which country?

• USA: TOEFL is the classic choice; many universities also accept IELTS, Duolingo or PTE. See our USA guide.
• UK: IELTS (including IELTS for UKVI) and PTE are common, but read our UK guide first because of the visa brake.
• Canada: IELTS Academic or another test accepted by your school for English programmes; French programmes may ask for a French test. See our Canada guide.
• France: TCF-DAP for anglophones applying to L1 through Campus France; DELF or DALF where a programme asks for it. See our France guide.
• Germany and Belgium: English tests for English-taught programmes; German or Dutch tests for programmes in those languages. See our Germany and Belgium guides.

Timing, validity and sending scores

Scores do not last forever. Pearson says PTE Academic results are valid for two years, and France Éducation international says the same for the TCF tout public certificate. Universities also set their own limit on how old a score can be, so check that your result will still be accepted on the day you apply and, for some visas, on the day you file.

Plan backwards from your earliest deadline: book a first date at least three months before it, leave room for a retake, and find out how each test sends results to universities and whether extra score reports cost money. Use exactly the same name as in your passport when you register, or the university may not be able to match your result.

How to prepare in 8 to 12 weeks

1. Take a full practice test under real timing to find your weakest skill. IELTS, ETS and France Éducation international all publish sample materials.
2. Learn the format. Every test has task types with their own tricks. Knowing them can be worth a band or a level.
3. Train writing and speaking with feedback. These are the skills students usually lose most points on, and they are hard to improve alone.
4. Read and listen every day in the target language: news, lectures, podcasts.
5. Take a second full test two weeks before the exam and adjust.

Book your test date early enough to retake it before your application deadline if you miss your target.

Get help where it counts

A tutor who corrects your essays and practises speaking with you can make the biggest difference. Houselewa has IELTS tutors and French tutors who teach online or at home, and families pay by mobile money.

Whatever test you choose, never buy “guaranteed scores” or certificates from intermediaries. Results are checked directly with the test owner, and fraud can end an application. Our study-abroad checklist has more warning signs.