French is spoken by over 300 million people worldwide.
On an individual level, studies tend to show that those who speak multiple languages develop a certain cognitive agility and forms of creativity that give them a real advantage. Furthermore, work has shown that companies that do not have sufficiently advanced multilingual skills among their workforces can lose out in economic terms. English is essential but is not enough.
Here are a few tips to help you prepare.
You can obtain information from any French Embassy, Institut Français, Alliance Française or Campus France centre at any time.
Before you leave, find out about the options available to you with regards to discovering what France has to offer.
You might like to contact the tourist office for the region in which you will be staying to obtain information specific to the region in question. Each town or city will have a town or city hall that is also there to answer your questions.
Check with your language centre as they will likely have negotiated special rates with certain tourist agencies, museums, restaurants, etc.
You are sure to find a class to suit you, regardless of your level.
According to a study on Qualité français langue étrangère certified centres performed by BVA and funded jointly by the Ministry for Culture (DGLFLF), the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and International Development (French language and education mission) and FEI, the majority of students coming to France to study are at B2 level.
The following types of classes are offered by certified centres.
General French classes will enable you to learn to communicate in everyday situations. The class syllabus is generally designed based on international standards and the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFRL) in particular. All centres offer general French classes.
French as a foreign language tests validate the applicant's level of French at a given point in time. The result obtained is an assessment of your language skills. These tests are valid for a maximum of two years.
Here are a few tips to help you find the best language centre to meet your needs.
Use the search engine. This allows you to choose a language centre based on the type of class you are looking for.
You will find examples of class types and options in this section.
Some language centres are also examination centres for French language tests and qualifications. This same section contains information on these certifications.
France Éducation international (FEI) is a government body supervised by the Ministry of Education and is responsable for the French Government quality label and accreditation scheme for institutions teaching French as Foreign Language.
The website is managed by the French language department of FEI.
For further details about FEI: www.france-education-international.fr/en
Professional groups have committed to a quality-driven approach out of a concern for offering services of an excellent standard. They contribute their expertise in the field and have been consulted from the early stages in the creation of the Qualité français langue étrangère certification. The president of each group is member of the certification's Advisory Council and actively participates in working groups.
The Répertoire annuel des centres de formation en France (Annual Directory of Training Centres in France) is published for the first time by the Association pour la diffusion de la pensée française (Association for the Dissemination of French Thought, ADPF) under the aegis of the Department of Cultural Cooperation and French of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. This represents an initial attempt to produce a list of French as a foreign language centres in France.