Studying French gives individuals the tool to communicate effectively in the French-speaking world that opens up more job opportunities, especially in multinational companies with French as the official language. Since French is the second most-spoken language across the five continents, many schools in every country offer French and Francophone study programs. Getting a degree or finishing a course in one of the world’s top-ranked French schools will give students the proficient skills to speak and write in French and explore the different aspects of the French-speaking world, including culture, history, policy, and literature. Every school offers unique French programs, mostly are multidisciplinary, to ensure that students can enter different local and international industries.

In this guide, we talk about some of the best French schools in the world.

Is French an easy language to learn?

French is generally considered to be among the easiest languages to be learnt, especially for the English-speaking. Reaching complete French fluency would require total dedication of the learner as learning the language does not usually take a lot of time. It is usually best for individuals study their French in institutions rather than carrying out their studies through any other applications in order to have the first-hand experience while learning. We have highlighted some of the best schools whereby you can carry out your studies on French but you can also check out our list of all available courses on our website for more information on what you can also study.

Top French Schools in the World

1. Alliance Française

Alliance Française is a non-profit organization that promotes the French language and culture to individuals worldwide. Established in 1883 in the charming city of Paris, France, the organization has rapidly grown throughout the years providing Fench language education to students and professionals from over 160 countries worldwide. As a leader of Francophone studies, the organization has a widespread network of over 800 institutions worldwide in 133 countries, so international students can easily access French classes in their home countries.

As one of the world’s best French schools, Alliance Française has been awarded FLE Quality Label for its top ranking and high quality of teaching and courses. Alliance Française Paris Ile-de-France (campus in Paris) provides French learning and gives learners new experiences with the French-speaking world through cultural activities and visits around Paris and nearby regions. The institution offers general and custom French courses, oral and written workshops, DELF/DALF exam preparation or test certifications (DELF/ DALF/TCF/TEF), diploma or certificate-based professional training courses, and French language study during the holidays.

2. University of Alberta

The University of Alberta (UAlberta) is a world-class, public research-led university in Edmonton, Canada. It offers top-ranking degree programs in various disciplines, mainly known for humanities, sciences, creative arts, business, engineering, and health sciences. The institution receives Canada’s highest award for undergraduate teaching excellence for nurturing world-class talents and the brightest minds for over 100 years.

As a top-leading university, it is known for its outstanding academic and research performance and its dedication to bringing students, faculty, and staff together to form a welcoming, supportive, multicultural environment. Studying French at UAlberta will expose students to a bilingual community to improve their English skills while learning French. At the same time, students may gain work experiences before they even graduate through internships from partner communities of UAlberta or in other Canadian industries as Francophone talent is in-demand in the country.

UAlberta is a leading schools for French and offers degree programs in Bachelor of Arts in French-language, Bachelor of Arts in French Literature, and Bachelor of Education in Secondary Education Major in French. Saint-Jean Campus of UAlberta also offers first-year students of Bachelor of Science in Engineering (BSc Eng) to study the program in the French language.

3. Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi

Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi was established in 2006 as an agreement between the Government of Abu Dhabi and the French Sorbonne University to bring the highest standard of internationalization to the higher education curriculum of the country. The university is one of the most recognized international academic institutions in the UAE, attracting individuals from the region and from across the globe. It is a bilingual university where students will be exposed to English and French-speaking communities. Thus, it is the perfect place to improve and master their skills in both languages.

The university is also committed to providing the best educational experiences with the highest international standards to ensure that learners obtain their degrees identical to that in the French Sorbonne University.

Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi offers Bachelor in Applied Foreign Languages wherein students will undergo in-depth study between two languages of their option (Arabic, English, German, Italian, Spanish, and French). The program will help students gain a fundamental understanding of international marketing, financial management, information technology, international business law, and the dynamics of multicultural environments. A degree in this field will give students diverse job opportunities in local companies and international institutions and provide them the ticket to study for their Master’s degree at the university or in a leading institution overseas.

The institution also offers Bachelor’s Degree in French Literature, a Master’s in Teaching French as a Foreign Language, and a Foundation Year in Intensive French program for students to acquire French proficiency and develop academic skills preparing them to enter a degree or professional program.

4. Columbia University

Columbia University is one of the most prestigious universities worldwide and a proud member of the private “Ivy League” research-led university in the United States. It is widely known as one of the most selective universities in the country, admitting individuals with the brightest minds and potential world-class talents from across the globe.

The university is a major contributor to the scientific community with its breakthroughs in brain-computer interface, nuclear magnetic resonance, the first evidence for plate tectonics and continental drift, and many more. It offers various academic and research programs with a huge international outlook, including Francophone studies.

Considered as one of the best French schools in the world, Columbia University’s Department of French offers courses covering French history, literature, and culture and its colonies or former colonies, where French is an essential medium of culture. Current students of the Department may also apply for their BA/MA in French. For advanced studies, the Department offers MA in French, MA in History and Literature, Ph.D. in French, and Ph.D. in French and Comparative Literature.

5. University of Notre Dame

The University of Notre Dame is a private Catholic research university and one of the top universities in the United States. It offers preeminent degree programs guided by Catholic teachings across multiple discipline areas. At Notre Dame, French and Francophone Studies is a multidisciplinary program that allows students to choose the subject as their specialization area or integrate it towards their other courses or programs.

Students may also choose to advance in their French studies through the B.A.-M.A. in French and Francophone Studies after completing a 30-credit undergraduate major.

 

We hope that you found this article on the best French schools in the world informative and helpful. To know more information about studying abroad, check out the Available Programs for International Students!

About the Author: Hyun Lee

Hyun is the founder at Global Scholarships. He has received a full-tuition scholarship at Birmingham-Southern College as well as $1,000 Burger King Scholarship for his undergraduate degree and has been offered a fully funded scholarship consisting of tuition, living stipend, and health insurance for computer science Ph.D. program at North Carolina State University. Read more about his scholarship journey here.

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