Language Courses Schools and Programs in France

Language Courses Studies in France

Language courses in France are, above all, courses in French as a foreign language, known in France as FLE (français langue étrangère). According to Campus France, there are 300 million French speakers around the world, and French is a working language of the United Nations and the European Union. Students come to learn it for a few weeks in summer, for a full academic year before university, or for work.

SpainExchange lists 50 schools in France with language courses. Nice has seven, Paris five, Tours and Lyon three each, and there are schools in Bordeaux, Grenoble, Montpellier, Perpignan, La Rochelle and in small towns where students live in full immersion.

Types of school

Three kinds of institution teach French to foreigners in France:

• Private language schools, many of them in the Groupement FLE, an association of French schools created in 2008. Its members offer general French, professional French, exam preparation, courses for teachers and courses for juniors
• Alliances Françaises, associations that belong to the Alliance Française network. Examples in the list are the Alliance Française de Lyon, the Alliance Française de Nice and CAVILAM – Alliance Française in Vichy
• University centres for French as a foreign language, such as the Centre Universitaire d'Études Françaises (CUEF) of the Université Grenoble Alpes. Campus France points students who prefer a university setting to the Campus FLE network of these centres

Some examples show the range. The Institut de Touraine in Tours has taught French since 1912 and places students with more than 150 host families. CAVILAM states that it receives more than 4,000 international students a year and has worked for over 60 years. The CUEF in Grenoble runs monthly intensive courses, semester courses and a June course that combines French with mountain sports. CAREL in Royan, created in 1966 by the Université de Poitiers and the town, also teaches English, German and Spanish. Small residential schools such as Coeur de France in Sancerre and the Ecole des Trois Ponts in Riorges teach adults who live on site.

Quality labels

France has a state quality label for these schools: Qualité FLE. Campus France recommends centres that hold it and describes the label as a guarantee of quality language training. Members of the Groupement FLE hold at least one label among Qualité FLE, Eaquals and EduQua. The label applies to a school, not to a course, so check on the school's own page which label it holds and when it was last awarded.

Certificates: DELF, DALF, TCF and DUEF

A course gives you a school certificate. An official qualification requires an exam:

• DELF and DALF: diplomas awarded by the French Ministry of National Education. There are six independent diplomas, DELF A1 to B2 and DALF C1 and C2, matching the levels of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). They are valid for life
• TCF: the ministry's official test of French. Scores are valid for two years
• TEF: a test created by the Paris Île-de-France chamber of commerce and industry
• DUEF: university diplomas in French studies awarded by university FLE centres, which state the level reached

France Éducation international, the public body that designs the DELF, DALF and TCF, says that DELF B2, and increasingly DALF C1, give access to French universities. The exams are held in more than 1,200 centres worldwide. Many schools in the list are exam centres or prepare students for these exams; the Alliance Française de Lyon, for example, is an official exam centre.

Visas

Citizens of the European Union, the European Economic Area and Switzerland do not need a visa to study in France. Other students may need one even for a course of less than three months, depending on nationality; Campus France notes that nationals of certain non-European countries are exempt for stays of up to 90 days. For a course of more than three months, non-European students must apply for a long-stay student visa. The long-stay visa valid as a residence permit (VLS-TS) allows its holder to work 964 hours per year. Applications are made on France-Visas, the official visa website, which has a tool that shows whether you need a visa (checked in October 2026).

Choosing a course

• Intensity: schools sell courses by weekly or monthly hours. An intensive month at the Alliance Française de Lyon is 80 hours, with classes from Monday to Friday, 9am to 1pm
• Price: there is no official tariff. As an example, that intensive month in Lyon costs €860 according to the school's website in October 2026. Accommodation is extra
• Goal: for university entry, choose a school that prepares the DELF B2 or DALF C1, or a university centre that awards the DUEF
• Accommodation: host families, residences and shared flats are usually booked through the school

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to speak French to study in France?

Not always. Campus France counts over 1,400 higher education programmes taught in English. For programmes in French, universities usually ask for a certificate such as DELF B2 or DALF C1.

What is the difference between the DELF and the TCF?

The DELF and DALF are diplomas for a specific level and are valid for life. The TCF is a test that places you on the scale of levels, and its scores are valid for two years.

How do I know if a French language school is reliable?

Look for the Qualité FLE label, which Campus France recommends, or for membership of a network such as the Alliance Française, the Groupement FLE or the university centres of Campus FLE.