French Language Schools

One of the great benefits of studying a language as popular as French is that you have numerous options on how you want to learn it. We're going to break down three of the most popular ways to learn French abroad, and the things to keep in mind for each. In general, these programs will appeal to different areas of your study-abroad soul! Some will give you more personal freedom, some will take your language skills to even greater levels, and some will simply give you one heck of an experience to tell your kids about. We'll focus on price, instruction, and convenience among other things to help you pick the right type for you!

University Courses

Enrolling directly in a foreign university is the option that gives you the most choice in customizing your experience. In this scenario, you enroll in classes at a foreign university, just as any other student from that country would. Classes will be conducted in French, you will be graded on the same scale as native students, and you will have the same housing and meal options as native students.

You should choose this program if you are unafraid of a challenge, and you want to make your study abroad experience into exactly what you want it to be. In this case, it's likely that most, if not all, classes will be instructed in French. However, if you want to watch your French skills ramp up like you wouldn't believe, this is a great way to do it. Secondly, if you are enrolling as any other local student, then you have the same options for housing, meal plans, etc. You can choose any apartment you can afford, in any neighborhood you like, with the primo meal plan (if you want simplicity) or no meal plan at all (if you like to cook and eat out). Many students love this freedom

Language Study and Cultural Immersion Programs

Choosing an all-encompassing program from a third-party study abroad provider is the best option for the student who appreciates the convenience of an all-inclusive package. Housing, meals, class enrollment, you pay a company to take care of it all. All you have to do is show up at the airport, get on the plane, and make sure you make it to class while you're there.

For the cost of your enrollment fee (which will probably be the highest of all your options - but you also get the most), your provider will arrange your housing (usually an option of a homestay, small apartment, or dormitory room), university enrollment, a meal plan, and several weekends of cultural excursions. Choose this option if you want your entire experience to be as effortless and stress-free as possible; that's what you're paying for. You're also paying for the cultural resources and excursions a third-party provider offers - including trips to interesting cultural locations, local etiquette classes, and fun outings like concerts and movies. If you want to get the most out of the experience, but are totally overwhelmed by the prospect of arranging it, pick this one.

Language Study and Internship Combination Programs

Maybe you're more focused on making a career for yourself, and trying to find a way to make your love for French fit into that plan. If that's the case and those are your priorities, this is the option for you.

In today's interconnected world of multinational corporations, expansion often means into a Francophone area. If you want to make yourself stand out to a company, offer to intern abroad and learn French! Many companies will be glad to train one of their own employees rather than bring in a brand-new outside person, and the French you will learn will likely be business-oriented. When you can learn French on your employer's dime, while making yourself a more attractive business prospect by adding French to your resume, that's a win-win. Check out company and intern job boards (whether your current company or otherwise) and take advantage of the opportunities available to you!

Cultural Immersion/Extracurricular Activities

Some of the "extras" offered by third-party providers can be hugely helpful towards your language acquisition. Taking a trip to visit a working winery, or a weekend day spent at a museum, can help bring the joys of the French language to life. You are able to see the literal fruits of French labor. Further, we recommend finding your own "spot" in your study destination, a place where you can post up with a good book, a cafe allongé, and soak in the ambient language. Observing local speakers can help bridge the gap between the sterile textbook French you are taught in school, and the actual language of life.

Did you know...? French (along with English) was the original working language of the UN?

The legacy of French colonialism is an ugly one, but the result of this history is the widespread, globe-spanning use of the French language. Today, students, like you, who want to learn French need only place their hand on a globe, give it a good spin, and point to a spot. Odds are good that you can study French there.

Hundreds of top-flight universities and French programs exist is France. However, there are world-class French language programs in West Africa, South America, the Caribbean, Southeast Asia, across Europe, and even right here in North America. So let us take a look at some of your very best options!

Paris, France

Ah, Paris. Le Grand Pomme, so to speak. For many students interested in learning French, Paris is the mecca of everything they've ever dreamed French to be. Paris is the ageless beating heart of the French language, the glimmering eyes of all the good things that have come from French. There really are cafes on every corner, good wine really is cheaper than water, and delicious food, warm comradery, and sights to make your heart leap really do offer themselves to you at every moment. As it was once said of the City of Lights, "there is some sort of beauty to enjoy with one of the five senses everywhere you turn."

Paris is an excellent choice for students who want the big city feel, and all of the magic (and expense) that goes with it. However, it's possible to study abroad in France on a budget. Parisians do have a slight accent to their French, but the Parisian accent is recognized and understood all over the world as the "original" French.

Read More: The 10 Best Cities for Studying Abroad in France

Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire

This buzzing, exciting economic hub of West Africa is the third-largest French-speaking city in the world. A fascinating melting pot of African, Arab, and French cultures, Abidjan offers an alternative to the mainstream, traditional French experience.

Students interested in studying in Abidjan will enjoy the lower cost of living, the sights, sounds and smells of this joyous confluence of cultures, and the study abroad two-fer of experiencing both life in a large city, and life on the continent where all humanity began. The local accent is having inflicted with African dialect, and, depending on the area, sometimes Arab. But fear not - excellent universities offer superb French education, and conversing with locals is an excellent way to hone your pronunciation and your listening ear.

Quebec, Canada

A whole French-speaking region just hours from home? You bet! Settled by both the British and the French, both languages are spoken today in Quebec, but French is widely preferred. A proud province with a rich trapping, hunting, and culinary history, Quebec also offers an absolutely world-class French education at some of the best universities on Earth.

Quebec also offers plenty of variety. Big cities like Montreal and Quebec City offer an exciting, cosmopolitan experience, while the more rural and suburban regions boast a more relaxed pace of life, lower living costs, and perhaps a more personal experience. The Quebecois accent is a strong one, heavily inflected with English, but the French taught in the universities is traditional. Quebec is also a great study abroad option for students with tighter purse strings because most American students will be able to avoid plane tickets and baggage fees and opt instead for train tickets or even a few tanks of gas.

Of course, no two students are alike, and no two students have all the same considerations and preferences. Whether your study abroad experience is going to be shaped by cost, health, or travel, we will break down some of the things to consider when choosing a French program.

Qualifications

Most French programs will have a proficiency entrance exam. In France, students are ranked on a continuum from absolute beginner, to fluent native. Your level, or "niveau," is based upon your entrance exam score, and will determine which classes you are required, or able, to take. Don't worry, though - whether you score Beginner level or Awesome Boss level, your corresponding program is designed to maximize your specific abilities.

Level of Difficulty

French is not a terribly difficult language to learn. The grammatical structures will be familiar to speakers of English, and the two languages share many cognates thanks to their shared Latin roots. Also, because of the popularity of French, there are tons of language-learning resources available online and in print. One thing that non-native speakers struggle with is French pronunciation. Because of the nasal truncation of many words in French, along with non-intuitive silent letters at the end of many words, proper pronunciation can be difficult for Anglophones to achieve. But it can be done, and students succeed at it every single day.

Costs & Funding

For students looking to keep costs down, direct-enrollment programs in more rural areas will be the cheapest. When using a third-party provider, you are paying a premium for all the convenience and amenities they offer - from registering you for your classes, to offering all-expense-paid weekend excursions. If cost is a factor, we recommend a direct-enrollment program (and forego that meal plan - cook your own meals)!

Scholarships

• There are many organizations out there that have several scholarships available for students of all levels.
• Walter Jensen Scholarship for Study Abroad: This $2000 award is for college students planning to teach French upon graduation.