Development of the TOCFL in the U.K.

The test was very successfully run in 2013: five separate exams across three levels were held at the Taipei Representative Office in the UK’s London headquarters in February and March, and appropriate versions of the TOCFL were also made accessible to students at the University of Cambridge and to primary school pupils at the Chinese Community School in the London borough of Lewisham last year. Following that a TOCFL opportunity was scheduled for Wednesday, February 19 in response to demand from Mandarin speakers and learners in the UK.

Many of those registering for the test hope to use their TOCFL results to strengthen applications for scholarships to study in Taiwan; others hope to boost career opportunities related to Mandarin and to the Asia-Pacific region. Still other candidates, who have undertaken the test previously, wish to evaluate their further progress in Mandarin learning by progressing to a higher test level.

The Education Division assists candidates by liaising with the TOCFL Steering to ascertain standardised registration fees for the traditional and simplified character versions of the test, and to guarantee that marking will be completed before the deadlines set for applying for the Huayu Enrichment Scholarship and the Taiwan Scholarship, which fall at the end of March.

As a result, a greater number of prospective students are able to improve their chances of studying in Taiwan, and scholarship assessors are better able to grant awards based on proven academic ability and commitment.