TCF@Home lets you take the Occupational English Test on your own Windows computer, supervised by a remote proctor, with the Speaking role-plays held separately over a video call. It is mainly offered where there is no TCF test venue in your country, and your regulator must accept the format. The content, timing and scoring are the same as the test at a venue.
- TCF@Home is mainly for candidates with no paper or computer test venue in their country.
- Listening, Reading and Writing are the same papers, taken on your computer with a remote proctor.
- Speaking is two role-plays with a live interlocutor over a video call.
- You need a Windows computer, webcam, headset, stable internet and a private, quiet, walled room.
- Check that your regulator accepts TCF@Home before you book.
Who can take TCF@Home?
TCF offers three formats: paper-based at a venue, computer-based at a venue, and TCF@Home. TCF@Home is mainly available to candidates who live in a country with no venue for either paper or computer testing. TCF may approve it for other candidates in exceptional circumstances. When you book, enter your location on the TCF website and it will show which formats you can choose.
Before you book, check with your regulator or the organisation you need the result for that it accepts TCF@Home. See which countries and regulators accept TCF for what to ask.
What do you need for TCF@Home?
| Requirement | What it means in practice |
|---|---|
| Computer | A desktop or laptop running Windows, used only by you for the test |
| Webcam | So the proctor can see you and scan your room |
| Headset | For the Listening recordings and the Speaking call |
| Internet | A stable connection for the full test; a wired connection is safer than Wi-Fi |
| Room | An indoor, well-lit room with solid walls, no glass partitions, and no other people or distractions |
| Identification | The original ID you used to book, usually your passport |
Requirements are updated from time to time, so read TCF's current TCF@Home guide and run its system check on the computer you will use, well before test day.
What happens on TCF@Home test day?
- Check-in. You log in early, show your ID to the camera and scan your room and desk. Remove notes, phones, smartwatches and large jewellery, and keep your ears visible.
- Listening, Reading and Writing. You take the three sub-tests on screen, in the same order and with the same timing as at a venue. A proctor watches through your webcam throughout.
- Speaking. The Speaking sub-test is held separately over a video call with a live interlocutor. After a short warm-up, you complete two role-plays, each with 3 minutes of preparation and about 5 minutes of speaking.
For the timing and question count of each sub-test, see the complete TCF test format guide.
How is TCF@Home different from a test venue?
| TCF@Home | Computer at a venue | Paper at a venue | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where | Your home | An TCF test venue | An TCF test venue |
| Writing | Typed | Typed | Handwritten |
| Equipment | Your own Windows computer, webcam and headset | Provided | Provided |
| Main risk | Technical problems or room interruptions | Travel on the day | Handwriting speed and legibility |
How should you prepare for TCF@Home?
- Practise on a computer. Take your mock tests on screen, not on paper, so reading long texts and navigating questions on screen feels normal.
- Type your practice letters to time. Aim for about 180 to 200 words in the body within 40 minutes, and leave time to proofread. See the TCF letter format guide.
- Practise role-plays on video calls. Speaking to a screen feels different; practise looking at the camera, pausing for the other person and speaking clearly into a headset.
- Rehearse your room set-up. Clear the desk, fix the lighting and tell others in your home when the test runs.
- Have a plan for technical problems. Keep TCF's support contact details on paper outside the room, and know what to do if your connection drops.
Exam Hero's mock tests run in your browser under real timing, with typed Writing and recorded Speaking role-plays, so you can practise in the same conditions. Your first full TCF mock test is free.
