THE TORFL TEST

YOUR COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE

The Test of Russian as a Foreign Language (TORFL)
(Russian: Тест по русскому языку как иностранному, romanized: Test po russkomu yazyku kak inostrannomu or ТРКИ)

The TORFL is a modern assessment of Russian language proficiency for foreign citizens, aligned with the highest European quality standards.

Levels
The TORFL levels correspond to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR): Learning, Teaching, Assessment. The test consists of six levels:

• Elementary Level (TEL / A1): Demonstrates basic competence in Russian, enabling candidates to meet elementary communicative needs in limited everyday situations. This certificate supports further language learning and progression to the Basic Level of proficiency.

• Basic Level (TBL / A2): Indicates basic competence, sufficient for everyday and cultural communication. This is the minimum level required for obtaining Russian citizenship but is not adequate for studying at Russian educational institutions, except for preparatory courses for foreigners.

• First Certification Level (TORFL-I / B1): Represents an intermediate level of language competence, meeting main communicative needs in everyday, cultural, educational, and professional contexts. This certificate allows candidates to apply for admission to Russian universities.

• Second Certification Level (TORFL-II / B2): Demonstrates high competence in Russian for a wide range of situations, including cultural, educational, and professional spheres. It enables holders to obtain bachelor's, master's, and PhD degrees at Russian universities (excluding certain philology-related fields) and work professionally in areas such as engineering and natural sciences.

• Third Certification Level (TORFL-III / C1): Indicates advanced language command, enabling professional activity in fields like linguistics, translation, editing, journalism, international relations, and management.

• Fourth Certification Level (TORFL-IV / C2): Represents proficiency comparable to a native Russian speaker. This level qualifies holders for advanced work in Russian philology and allows them to obtain a Master of Arts in philology.

Test Content
The TORFL assesses proficiency across five core competencies: writing, vocabulary/grammar, reading, listening, and speaking.

The test evaluates candidates' ability to:

• Express communicative intentions in writing using correct words and phrases.

• Understand various types of written information in Russian.

• Comprehend spoken Russian.

• Participate effectively in dialogues.

• Deliver structured monologues on given topics.

​Exam Results and Certificate Delivery Information

Results are issued within 5–7 working days following the successful completion of the exam.
Digital certificates and score reports are sent within 9 working days.

If a hard-copy certificate is required, it can be mailed to the candidate’s address at no additional cost.

However, please note that no delivery timeframe can be guaranteed, as postal services may vary. At this time, private courier services from Russia are not available.​​