French courses organised by the Institute
- Intensive summer course: 26 August to 13 September 2024 (20 hours per week, morning or afternoon)
- Annual course: two hours per week during the first year’s autumn and spring semesters
- No course fee
- Student Services determine registration; if registered, attendance is mandatory.
- Course materials need to be purchased (CHF 30) on the first day of class.
Registration conditions
Students with minimal (lower than B1) or no prior knowledge of French must take an intensive French course, which takes place three weeks before the start of the first semester. They must register for this course when confirming their enrolment at the Institute. This intensive course will be followed by a weekly course during the first year.
All other students, who are neither native French speakers, nor holders of a B1 or higher French proficiency certificate, must register for a French test when confirming their enrolment. This test takes place during the first week of the academic year. The results (B1 level: listening and writing components) determine whether the participating students need to take a weekly French course during their first year of study.
Students who demonstrate French language proficiency must submit a proof of proficiency in order to be exempt from any course or test, at the time of enrolment confirmation.
This exemption applies to students who are either native French speakers, who have a secondary or post-secondary diploma taught entirely in French, who have spent a minimum of one academic year studying at university level, full-time, entirely in French, or who can produce a French language certificate equivalent to a DELF B1 level.
Please check your French registration status here.
REQUIREMENTS
1- Successful completion of the French course
2- Regular attendance: missing more than two class sessions, without written justification, leads to automatic withdrawal from the semester course.
Written justification includes a medical certificate or other reasonable cause, sent by email to francais@graduateinstitute.ch
The French course will be indicated on the transcript, with a pass/fail assessment.
Application guidelines for students registered for the French course
Master in International and Development Studies: The French course will count as a 3 ECTS skills workshop
Disciplinary Master programmes: The French course will count as a 3 ECTS complementary course taken outside the discipline
PhD programmes: The French course (3 ECTS) will appear on the transcript and be counted in addition to the required credits