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Russian as a foreign language test

Russian state system of testing for the foreign citizens in Russian as a foreign language is a federal program which was created in 1998. This system takes part as an associate member of ALTE (European Association for Language Testing) and represented in the International Association for the Assessment of Education (IAFA) and other foreign organizations. The test standard for Russian as a foreign language meets international requirements. The testing system for Russian as a foreign language allows you to determine and certify the level of proficiency in Russian as a foreign language, regardless of place, time and form of training

Kuban State University is a regional representative of the Russian state testing system in the South of Russia since 2000.

Highly qualified specialists organize testing of foreign citizens in order to identify the level of general knowledge of the Russian language, including the language of the specialty (engineering and economic profile).

The test comprises 5 parts examining language competences: Writing, Lexis/ Grammar, Reading, Listening, and Speaking.

«Lexis/ Grammar» part is aimed to assess the lexical minimum. The vocabulary for this level contains the lexis for everyday use and social and cultural spheres.

«Reading» part is aimed at assessing the understanding of a text with difficult grammatical structures and expressive means of language, the ability to use text messages.

«Writing» part is aimed at assessing the skills and abilities to express various communicative intentions in the writing form using the communicative means.

«Listening» part is aimed at assessing the ability to comprehend information contained in a monologue and dialogue speech: the subject, the main idea and additional information of each notional part of a message.

«Speaking» part is aimed at assessing a candidate’s ability to express their thoughts in Russian in accordance with a given communicative task, to compare and summarize facts, to provide logical reasoning, ability to process and transfer the information retrieved from a text, to produce the monologue according the proposed subject.

Levels description

Elementary Level (TEL/A1). Successful performance at the Test at Elementary Level represents a standard of initial competence in Russian which demonstrates a candidate can satisfy their elementary communicative needs in a limited number of everyday situations. The certificate of Elementary Level proves the competences of candidate for further language learning and achievement of Basic Level of Russian language proficiency.

Basic Level (TBL/A2). Successful performance at the Test at Basic Level represents a standard competence in Russian which demonstrates a candidate can satisfy their basic communicative needs in a limited number of situations in everyday and cultural spheres. This level stands for the minimum level required to obtain Russian citizenship. At the same time this level is not sufficient for studying in the Russian educational institutions, except for preparatory faculties (programs or courses) for foreigners.

1st Level Certificate (TORFL-I/B1). Successful performance at the First Level Certificate indicates an intermediate level of language competence, which demonstrates a candidate can satisfy their main communicative needs in everyday, cultural, educational and professional spheres in line with the State Standard of Competence in Russian as a Foreign Language. In addition, the First Level Certificate authorizes its holder to apply to a Russian university.

The 2nd Level Certificate (TORFL-II /В2). Successful performance at the Second Level Certificate indicates a high level of competence in Russian which demonstrates a candidate can satisfy their communicative needs in a wide range of situations in cultural, educational and professional spheres. It allows its holder to receive bachelor's, master's and PhD degrees from Russian universities, excluding certain philology-related subjects. This level also allows one to carry out professional activities in the Russian language in the related subject areas: humanitarian sciences (except for philology), engineering, natural sciences, etc.

The 3rd Level Certificate (TORFL-III /C1). Successful performance at the Third Level Certificate indicates that the candidate has a high level of language command in all communicative contexts, which allows them to conduct professional activity in Russian in areas such as Linguistics, Translation, Editing, Journalism, International Relations and Management.

The 4th Level Certificate (TORFL-IV/C2). Successful performance at the Fourth Level Certificate indicates Proficiency in Russian and the candidate's language competence close to a native Russian-speaker. It also enables its holder to receive a Master of Arts degree in philology, undertake all forms of work in Russian philology.


Contact information

Testing Center for Russian as a Foreign Language +7 (861) 233-26-56, +7 (861) 219-95-01 kafruskin@yandex.ru