French Level Up Launches DELF B2 and TCF IRN Readiness Check for Citizenship Applicants

In one hour with a coach, English-speaking applicants find out whether they are ready to take the DELF B2 or the TCF IRN and which exam date is realistic for them, with a written study plan to get there.

Plozévet, France, Nov. 02, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- French Level Up, an online French coaching practice for English-speaking adults, has launched the Bilan B2, a one-hour assessment that tells applicants for French citizenship whether they are ready to take the DELF B2 exam or the TCF IRN, and when they can realistically sit it.

Yann Le Bouhellec, French coach and founder of French Level Up

Since 1 January 2026, naturalisation by decree and citizenship by marriage require a B2 level in French, spoken and written, proven by an official certificate. Applicants can present the DELF B2, which is valid for life, or a TCF IRN or TEF IRN result less than two years old. Many English-speaking residents only discover the requirement when they put their file together, and few have a reliable way to know how far they are from B2.

Free online level tests are mostly multiple choice. They check grammar, vocabulary and comprehension, but they cannot hear a candidate speak or read what they write, two of the four skills both exams assess. The Bilan B2 is built to fill that gap, with a coach assessing speaking, writing and listening directly and estimating a score for each of the four papers, rather than relying on a score generated by software.

The session takes place online by video call with the founder of French Level Up and requires no preparation beyond a quiet place, a pen and paper. The candidate talks about their history with French and their deadline, writes a short text and completes a listening task in the exam style.

Six hours after the session, they receive a written debrief by email containing:

• an estimated score for each of the four papers
• their main strengths and weak points
• the exam and the session to aim for
• a study plan built around their working week

The Bilan B2 is designed for English-speaking adults who need a B2 certificate for a naturalisation or marriage-based citizenship file and are unsure whether to book the exam now or later. DELF B2 results can take up to two months, so a failed attempt can delay an application by several months. The assessment also suits candidates hesitating between the DELF B2 and the TCF IRN, whose formats, validity and timelines differ.

Both exams test the same four skills: listening, reading, speaking and writing. The DELF B2 is marked out of 100, with 25 points for each paper. Candidates need 50 points overall and at least 5 points in every paper, so one weak skill can cost a pass even with a good total. The Bilan B2 is meant to show which skill needs work first and how long that work is likely to take.

"Most people with a B2 deadline have only been told their level by an app or a placement test," said Yann Le Bouhellec, founder of French Level Up. "What they need is someone who listens to them speak, reads what they write and tells them plainly how far they are from B2, so they book the exam when they are ready rather than on a guess."

The Bilan B2 costs €95. It is an assessment, not an official certificate, and it does not replace the exam. Candidates who are not yet ready leave with a preparation plan and a place kept for them in the next Objectif B2 cohort, French Level Up's eight-week small-group course for the DELF B2 and the TCF IRN, with the €95 taken off its price.

Candidates book and pay online, then choose a time slot straight away. A full refund is available within 14 days of payment, provided the session has not yet taken place.

French Level Up has coached English-speaking adults in French since 2022 and has worked with more than 460 students. Its founder spent eighteen years working in English in the humanitarian sector before becoming a French coach. Students prepared by French Level Up have passed the DELF B2 and now live and work in French in France and Switzerland.

The Bilan B2 is available now at frenchlevelup.com/bilan-b2.

Sample Bilan B2 debrief: an estimated score for each of the four exam papers and a 10-week study plan to exam day.

About French Level Up

French Level Up is an online French coaching practice for English-speaking adults, founded in 2022 by Yann Le Bouhellec and based in Plozévet, Brittany. It prepares candidates for the DELF B2 and the TCF IRN, including applicants for French citizenship, through one-to-one coaching and small-group courses.

Press Inquiries

Yann Le Bouhellec
yann@frenchlevelup.com
https://frenchlevelup.com