Intensive French : preparation for higher education

Alliance Française de Montpellier

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Course description

You wish to study in France, get easily integrated in a French university or in a prestigious school that will allow you to obtain the diploma that you have always dreamed of? You need:

to obtain the level of French requiered for the higher education (university, grandes écoles)
develop the linguistic and methodological skills requiered for achieving your studies in France
Programme Overview:
26 French lessons per week for 1 to 12 months depending on your starting level and your goals:
20 lessons of French courses in small groups of 5 to 10 participants to obtain the B1 or B2 level to integrate a higher education course in France. You will work on all skills (oral expression and comprehension, written expression and comprehension) and develop your intercultural skills to adapt quickly to life in France.
6 specialization lessons ("university preparation workshops") in French for university purposes in small groups to develop the skills necessary for the success of your studies (note-taking, understanding and production of university writings, speaking, etc.) and get to know the university system better.
The university preparation workshops -6 specialization lessons of 45 min per week in total- are organised 3 afternoons a week as follows:
Specialized oral expression: 2 lessons per week with a professor: to succeed in speaking in a university context: to present a project or an academic presentation, to participate in group work or to lead, to speak at a conference,
Reading comprehension and written expression: 2 lessons per week on your own: writing university texts, comprehension of university texts, linguistic improvement (grammar and vocabulary), methodology: note-taking, comprehension of texts and speeches,
Listening comprehension, intercultural skills, language structures: 2 lessons per week of specialized activities according to your level and your needs practiced independently..
Benefits:
The French course that will allow you to achieve successfully your studies in French!

Our opinion:
Count on at least 6 months of this specialized course if you have an elementary level of French language and get well prepared for your studies in France.

Course topics

Listening, Speaking, Pronunciation, Reading, Writing, Vocabulary, Grammar and Activities

Class schedule

Course duration
2-52 weeks
Start dates
Every Monday
Classes per week
26 lessons per week (each lesson lasts 45 min)
Class days
Monday - Friday

Class times

Morning session
09:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Afternoon session
02:00 PM - 05:00 PM
Activity
12:15 PM - 01:45 PM

Class schedule may change depending on availability and season.

Class level

Intermediate
High intermediate
Advanced
You will take a placement test on your first day to determine your class level. You may also take this test before your arrival in Montpellier.

Class size

Average 8 students
Maximum 12 students

Student age

Age range 16 years old and older
Average 25 years old
(23 in the summer)

Certificate

A certificate of completion will be issued at the end of the course.
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school
photos

Photos

  • Students of Alliance Française de Montpellier 1/17
  • Students of Alliance Française de Montpellier 2/17
  • Activities offered at Alliance Française de Montpellier 3/17
  • City of Montpellier 4/17
  • City of Montpellier 5/17
  • City of Montpellier 6/17
  • City of Montpellier 7/17
  • City of Montpellier 8/17
  • Homestay housing offered by Alliance Française de Montpellier 9/17
  • Homestay housing offered by Alliance Française de Montpellier 10/17
  • Homestay housing offered by Alliance Française de Montpellier 11/17
  • Homestay housing offered by Alliance Française de Montpellier 12/17
  • Homestay housing offered by Alliance Française de Montpellier 13/17
  • Homestay housing offered by Alliance Française de Montpellier 14/17
  • Hotels offered by Alliance Française de Montpellier 15/17
  • Hotels offered by Alliance Française de Montpellier 16/17
  • Hotels offered by Alliance Française de Montpellier 17/17
reviews

Reviews

83% recommend

based on 6 reviews
5 stars
2
4 stars
3
3 stars
1
2 stars
0
1 star
0
Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Housing

"It was great"

Ester Holla, student from Slovakia

Teachers were very kind and I really enjoyed going to school. Location was nice and the family where I lived was great.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Housing
Duration of study
2 weeks
Date of study
31 Jul 2023 - 18 Aug 2023
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"It was a good trip"

Ray Poushan, student from USA

The city of Montpellier is a beautiful city with a lot to offer to first time visitors. The classes were conducted in a nice old and charming building. Sometimes the classes were too crowded with about 13 students. I was not informed that I need a laptop computer so I used my phone and it didn’t work well. I had problems with their app. The teachers and the director were very knowledgeable and welcoming. The start of the classes was little bit disorganized I did not know till the morning of the first day what time the classes start so I went in the morning to find out the classes were conducted in the afternoons. Overall it was a very good experience. Thanks to all of you for making it possible

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
School location
Duration of study
3 weeks
Date of study
30 Jan 2023 - 24 Feb 2023
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"Perfect experience from every point of view"

Teo Potenza, student from Italy

Everything was great for me in Montpellier, the city is beautiful, is full of youngers and students, great summer atmosphere and possibilities to reach the beach every day, plus there are so many nice towns to visit in the weekends. My experience at school was just perfect, I've improved my language a lot, every day, the professor was kind, empathic and very well prepared, and I made a lot of friends because of the classes and the activities that the school offered.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Duration of study
3 weeks
Date of study
5 Jul 2021 - 30 Jul 2021
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"The course met all my expectations"

Natalia Silva, student from Colombia

It was a fantastic experience for me. The topics we reviewed in class were highly interesting, teachers were very professional, didactic and they made classes enjoyable. The center has a good location, close to the tram, restaurants and la place de la comedie, which was a great advantage. I loved that they had different activities everyday so that we could get to now the place, travel, and mostly share with all the other students from all over the world and practice french with them. In my case my housing and host were amazing. I stayed with a very kind woman, who I could practice french with, and her apartment was really nice, clean and organized.
They only thing I didn't like was that the center didn't have any library or a place designed to stay studying, apart from the classrooms, that would be great.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Housing
Duration of study
1 week
Date of study
5 Aug 2019 - 16 Aug 2019
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"Only one complaint"

Sarah Yeomans, student from Australia

To be honest, I much preferred last year in Aix-en-Provence at IS. The school in Aix was more physically comfortable (a lift, a student area).

At AF in Arles, it was a bit cramped (I know it's a much smaller enterprise). My complaint however is that in Week 3, we had a replacement teacher who had no clue how to teach the communicative method, although she was kind.

The class was much younger than I am and I found it difficult to connect with other students, until this luckily changed with an intake of some older students.

I was delighted with the cultural program (thanks Flavio) - two walking tours of the city, busses to Saint-Guilhem-le-desert, Avignon and Arles, an afternoon lecture on bandes dessinées etc. All the staff were extra friendly and helpful.

The best expérience was my homestay. Fabienne and Philippe are exceptionnel!! After a long day at work, they still talked with me for hours over super delicious meals (prepared by Fabienne) with friendly patience and support. They took me to Palavas, to Sète, to see a comédienne, and to a show called Lili B, and they came with me to two movies and the climate march. On my last day, they farewelled me with a spread of exquisite cakes and saw me to my train. I hope they will visit me in Melbourne one day, and will remain friends. My room was gréât - quiet, with a big desk, lots of light, and a balcony; it was an élégant house altogether. It was a quick door-to-door tram in the mornings, and a 25 minute walk home. Everywhere was within easy walking distance, including the pool, station, shops, cafés. Highly recommended!!

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Housing
Duration of study
2 weeks
Date of study
4 Mar 2019 - 22 Mar 2019
Would you recommend this school?
No
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"Very useful and interesting."

CARMEN HERMINIA MARIN CORTEZ DE ROBLES, student from Peru

The secretary and the teachers were friendly. I had a bad experience with a teacher who changed my group in the second week of school to a lower class that I already had knowledge in, because he thought I did not understand, though this was not the case. That made me feel like I took so long to study what everyone else had learning in the Lima trip.

Other than that, I loved the friendliness of all students, the morning coffee, the locals, and the proximity of the school to my accommodation.

Thank you.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Housing
Duration of study
1 week
Date of study
13 Apr 2015 - 24 Apr 2015
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.
housing

Housing

Alliance Française de Montpellier offers the following housing types:
homestay

Homestay - Single-person room - Breakfast and dinner

$223
weekly
Age range: 16 years old and older
Housing type: Homestay
Room type: Single-person room
Board type: Breakfast and lunch (7 meals per week)
Facilities: Private bathroom, kitchen, laundry, telephone, computers, wireless internet, free internet, air conditioning, heating, garden, sports facilities, and other
Availability: January - December
Check-in: Sunday, after 12:00 PM
Check-out: Saturday, before 12:00 PM
$223
Family Homestay

Seeing your hosts daily during your stay will help you to experience different aspects of the French way of life and culture.
Spend the daytime learning French at l’Alliance Française de Montpellier, your international French school, and practice what you’ve learned with your host family in the evenings and at weekends.
Our host families are friendly, approachable and keen to share their culture. The accommodation on offer meets the standards of the Alliance Française Quality Charter (for comfort, cleanliness and location).
To match you with a host that suits you and ensure that your expectations are met as far as possible, we’ll ask you to fill in a questionnaire before arrival.

2 Options:

Bed & Breakfast: private room with breakfast
Half-board: private room with breakfast and dinner
Advantages:
Make rapid progress and experience different aspects of French culture.
Your hosts will be there to talk to and practise your language skills with during your stay.
You will be met at the station or at the airport.
apartment

Flatshare

$178
weekly
Age range: 16 years old and older
Address: varies, Montpellier, Montpellier 34000, France
Location: In the city center of Montpellier
Housing type: Shared apartment
Room type: 3-person shared room
Board type: No meals
Facilities: Kitchen, laundry, wireless internet, tV room, air conditioning, heating, garden, sports facilities, and other
Distance to school: 5 - 10 minutes by walk
Availability: January - December
Check-in: Sunday, after 12:00 PM
Check-out: Saturday, before 10:00 AM
$178
Description:

Furnished flats to accommodate one up to three people
Bed, desk and storage for personal belongings
Towels and sheets provided
Kitchen equipped with refrigerator and hob
Separate bathroom (shower, sink and toilet)
Prices vary depending on location and surface area.

Location:
Close to the city centre and the school

Arrival on Sunday late afternoon. Departure Saturday morning.
hotel

Hotel-type Serviced Apartment

$389
weekly
Age range: 16 years old and older
Location: In the city center of Montpellier
Housing type: 3-star hotel
Room type: Single-person room
Board type: No meals
Facilities: Private bathroom, kitchen, laundry, telephone, computers, wireless internet, free internet, air conditioning, heating, garden, sports facilities, and other
Distance to school: 5 - 20 minutes
Availability: January - December
Check-in: Sunday, after 04:00 PM
Check-out: Saturday, before 10:00 AM
$389
Hotel-type Serviced Apartment

If you prefer to be independent, enjoy the comfort of an apartment while also benefiting from hotel-style services.
Ideal for those seeking quality accommodation very near the city centre.
Our selection of hotel-type serviced apartments have been classified 2-Star or 3-Star by Montpellier’s Tourist Office and offer small studios and furnished apartments, fully equipped with all mod cons.

Advantages: Arrival can be on any day of the week; there is a lounge area and restaurant; breakfast service is available (additional charge).

Practical Information:
Description:

Furnished and equipped studios of approx. 25 m2
2-person studios and 2-room apartments (for up to 4 people), prices available on request
Kitchenette, private bathroom (shower, sink and toilet), telephone and WiFi, air conditioning
15 mins by car from the beach (Carnon or Palavas)

Additional advantages of 3-Star residences: private car park, restaurant, swimming pool in season, sauna (5 - 7 minutes by tram from the city centre)

Location:
in, or very close to, the city centre (5 - 20 minutes by tram from the Place de la Comédie in the heart of Montpellier, depending on the residence selected).

You will be received on site, no transfer is provided from the station or the airport.
visa

Visa support

We cannot apply for visas on behalf of students. However, the school can supply you with all the documentation you need to support your visa application.

Your letter of acceptance will be sent to your home address by regular mail at no charge to you.

Flights and airport transfer

Please note that we do not book flights for our students. If you are researching airfare costs, we recommend using Kayak.com, a search engine that lets you compare flight options from your home country to Montpellier based on your budget, schedule and preferences.

Travel insurance

Study abroad worry-free with Language International's health and personal effects insurance coverage. When you book a course with us, you can opt to purchase an international insurance plan that covers not only your health care cost but also loss of your personal belongings. You must book your insurance in advance when you register.

Learn more about our insurance plan »

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questions

Questions and answers

Have questions? Get answers from Alliance Française de Montpellier staff, Language International student advisors, and past students.

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