Summer study programs at French language schools

Learning French in France is an established tradition in France for Europeans, Americans, and people from all over the world. Summer programs in France are particularly popular, however.

Learning French in France during the summer means great weather, vacation, and a great opportunity to take in France's rich culture.

Advantages of summer French-in-France programs:

• Anyone can apply (minimum age is usually 17, but can vary with program type)
• Direct enrollment enrollment in the French schools is rolling, so you need apply only a few weeks before you go (though earlier is always better)
• No minimum GPA is required—the French schools promote French language and culture, enrollment is open
• Academic progress is not a factor—again, the French schools promote French language and culture, so you have to be there to benefit
• If you have already spent a semester or academic year abroad, summer programs at French schools allow you additional time to learn French in France
• Direct enrollment at a French school in France is affordable and flexible
• Summer programs are flexible: you can study for the entire summer or just two weeks
• All French language schools have summer programs, so you can choose where in France you want to study
• You can study at two or more French schools in France if you want exposure to different parts of France
• You will learn a lot during a single summer program in France—20 hours a week is a standard French course at nearly all the French schools in France

Are French summer programs serious study abroad programs or vacation?

The French language and culture programs offered by French language schools are in fact serious French learning programs. That doesn't mean that you won't have fun, however.

You may go with (and you should) the intention of learning as much French as possible in order to take a placement exam or aa standardized test in French to get credit for your study in France, but you will, as most people do, enjoy yourself so much that it will feel like vacation.

Conversely, you may go with vacation as your primary motive, but you will still learn tons of French. You will have to study your French and learn French in order to keep up with the class, and you will find that everyone does, even those who are more interested in vacation study abroad.

French summer courses

French summer course offered at French language schools are generally the same as the French classes they offer during the course of the year. Some French courses, however, such as annual courses broken up into consecutive trimesters (where each successive trimester builds upon the previous one), may not be offered during the summer. French classes offered by French schools in France include:

• French grammar and conversation (divided into approximately 6 levels)
• Art History of France
• French literature
• History of France
• Business French
• Contemporary Issues in France
• French Culture & Traditions
• The Economy of France
• French Culinary classes

French summer courses—typical daily schedule for a French school summer program

• 09:00 - 11:00am - French grammar classes (divided into levels)
• 11:00 - 11:15am - Break
• 11:30am - 1:00pm - French vocabulary class and French conversation class
• 1:00pm - 2:30pm - Lunch (lunch schedules may vary)
• 2:30 - 3:30pm - French Elective class (may meet 2x, 3x, or more times per week)

Another direct enrollment advantage

One of the greatest advantages of direct enrollment in a French language school in France is that you will meet others like yourself studying French in France—you will have a very international group of friends during you stay in France. While English is a widely-used language internationally (including at French language schools in France), the fact that you enrolled directly and not with a large group of other English-speaking students means that you will practice much more French than in any other scenario.

Students at French schools in France always spend time together, but this is particularly true in the summer when students learning French spend endless hours together in cafs, at the beach, or wherever. The out-of-class time spent together is an excellent time to practice and improve your French.