PROGRAMS
/ TEST OF RUSSIAN AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE (TORFL)
The TORFL test was developed by the Russian government as a means of objectively assessing a person's Russian language skills. Currently, with very few exceptions, this test may only be taken in Russia.
Program Cost: ~225$
This is an average cost. Actual charge may vary by university, date, and the level of test you chose to take. Payment is made directly to the university (or as directed by the university). SRAS assists in arranging the test (not available at all times or in all locations) as a free service with any program.
About the Test:
There are six levels of TORFL testing, each measuring language skills in a different area of activity (e.g. basic conversation, professional, academic). The standardized tests take into consideration the each communicative situation and the factors affecting each, the communicative objectives and how to achieve them via different communicative strategies and tactics, and corresponding grammatical systems and vocabularies.
Students must score a minimum of 66% overall to have "passed" the exam.
The test consists of 5 sections. Each section tests a different area of language proficiency:
Section 1. Vocabulary and Grammar.
Section 2. Reading.
Section 3. Writing.
Section 4. Listening Comprehension.
Section 5. Speaking.
There are elementary and intermediate levels to the tests as well as four certification levels:
ÒÝÓ. Test of Russian as a Foreign Language. Elementary level.
ÒÁÓ. Test of Russian as a Foreign Language. Basic level.
TPKÈ-1. Test of Russian as a Foreign Language. First level.
TPKÈ-2. Test of Russian as a Foreign Language. Second level.
TPKÈ-3. Test of Russian as a Foreign Language. Third level.
TPKÈ-4. Test of Russian as a Foreign Language. Fourth level.
The Certificates of the Elementary & Basic Level confirm that the student is able to generally achieve his or her basic communication objectives in everyday communication in basic conversations.
The TORFL 1 Certificate confirms that the student is able to achieve his or her basic communicative objectives in everyday communication on a variety of social and cultural topics. In addition, the TORFL 1 Certificate allows its holder to enroll in a Russian university as an undergraduate. If the student chooses to continue his or her education in college, he or she has to complete an additional section to test the student's abilities to achieve minimum communicative objectives in the student’s area of professional/academic communication.
The TORFL 2 Certificate confirms a relatively high level of communicative competency in all communicative contexts. At this level, the speaker is able to conduct professional activity in Russian in different areas (such as Humanities, Engineering, technology, and Natural Sciences) and can enter graduate studies in Russia.
The 3rd Level Certificate indicates that the candidate has a high level of language command in all communicative contexts, which allows him/her to conduct language-related professional activity in Russian (e.g. Linguistics, Translation, Editing, Journalism, International Relations, business management).
The 4th Level means that the speaker can speak as well as an educated native speaker. This level allows its holder to work as a philologist and a teacher of Russian as a Foreign language.
The Russian state testing system is included in the ALTE (Association of Language Testers Europe). Levels of competency in Russian as a foreign language have been standardized with those used in other countries for other languages (see table):
| 
