How to Gauge Passive Reading and Listening Ability (French)

[xypathos]

So I'm in the process of applying to a PhD program in Ottawa that wants me to test passive reading and listening ability in French and it's just simply too cost prohibitive to come to Ottawa for the exam (It's spread over two days, so housing and transportation, exam fees, etc - looking at really close to 1k just to take this exam for one program). The thing is, most English students simply only take English courses and the French ones take French, when they do take overlapping courses the students just use translated texts and speak in their native language. The POI for the Department has said the English and French students essentially isolate themselves from one another but the language exams are a mandate from the university.

Anyway - the Department is willing to let me find a French Department Chair of a university willing to attest that I have "passive reading and hearing ability of French" unfortunately, no one at Ottawa or the Chairs I've already spoken to, have an idea of what exactly that level of proficiency means. I spoke with my POI about this earlier today and his advice, jokingly but somewhat serious he said - find a Department Chair, slip them some money, and have them sign off that I have passive reading ability and be done with it. If I want to assuage my conscience, take French courses while in Ottawa for the next few years.

I guess I'm just venting more than anything. I love Ottawa, the POI, department, etc but a $1k bill for a language exam is a pill I can't afford to swallow as a grad student and I seem to have hit a roadblock in regards to the exam.

Edited November 16, 2016 by xypathos

[fuzzylogician]

I would take this POI seriously and see if you can find anyone who'd be willing to write some note saying that you have "passive reading and hearing ability of French". It doesn't matter what it means, as long as someone is willing to sign that note for you. It's all just bureaucracy anyway, and that's what they are trying to tell you. If you took French courses at your current school, hopefully your teacher will agree to help you, or maybe your former (high school?) teacher remembers you... Otherwise, you might have a bit more explaining to do but maybe there is someone around who could help. All they need is something official-looking enough.