FRENCH INTENSIVE SUMMER COURSE (FOR BEGINNERS & A1 and A2 Levels)
Description
- French Intensive Summer Course at the Geneva Graduate Institute: August 18th to September 10th 2025. The course takes place three weeks before the start of the first semester (Autumn semester).
- Special Offer: Free in 2025-2026 for MAS Students
- Levels proposed: beginners, A1 and A2 (only). For information, B1 is offered during the French Semester Course (see below).
- 3 weeks, 20 hours per week, morning OR afternoon.
- Deadline to register: One week before the beginning of the course
- The course is for students with minimal (lower than B1) or no prior knowledge of French.
- The course is OPTIONAL for the MAS students in Sustainable Finance and Development.
- The course will NOT appear on the student's transcript (no ECTS) since attendance is on a voluntary basis for the MAS students in Sustainable Finance and Development.
- However, please note that if registered, attendance is mandatory.
- This intensive course will be followed by a weekly Semester Course (see below) for which students will have to register additionally to the Intensive Summer Course.
Cost
- Course materials need to be purchased (CHF 30) on the first day of class.
- Cost for MAS Students in Sustainable Finance and Development: SPECIAL OFFER: FREE in 2025-2026
- Cost for LL.M Students, Exchange Students and Visiting Fellows: CHF 700.
Registration
- Deadline to register: One week before the beginning of the course
- Registrations open in JUNE 2025.
- Please send an email to francais@graduateinstitute.ch (cc-ing sustainable.finance@graduateinstitute.ch), give your name and complete postal address, specify whether you are beginner (or not) in French, and ask for the fees to be paid by the MAS in Sustainable Finance and Development (MASF) Office.
- If you are non-beginners, we will send you a placement test to place you in the right level. According to your test results, you will be registered for the intensive summer and/or the Semester French course(s) (see below).
- The enrolment is confirmed as soon as francais@graduateinstitute.ch receives the payment from the MASF Office.
FRENCH SEMESTER COURSE (FOR BEGINNERS & A1, A2 and B1 Levels)
In 2024-2025, the course took place as follows:
French Semester Course at the Geneva Graduate Institute:
1st Semester: Monday 30 September to Friday 6 December 2024
2nd Semester: Thursday 20 February 2025 to Friday 9 May 2025
- Special Offer: Free in 2024-2025 for MAS Students
- Level proposed: beginners, A1, A2 and B1
- Two hours per week during the autumn and spring semesters (10 weeks per semester).
- Deadline to register: One week before the beginning of the course
- Group levels vary from beginner to intermediate (including beginners who attended the Intensive Summer course (see above)).
- Please note that no course is offered for students with an advanced level of French.
- The course is OPTIONAL for the MAS in Sustainable Finance and Development students.
- The course will NOT appear on the student's transcript (no ECTS) since attendance is on a voluntary basis for the MAS students.
- However, please note that if registered, attendance is mandatory.
Cost
- Course materials need to be purchased (CHF 30) on the first day of class.
- Cost for the MAS Students in Sustainable Finance and Development: SPECIAL OFFER: FREE in 2024-2025
- Cost for LL.M Students, Exchange Students and Visiting Fellows: CHF 300.
Registration
- Deadline to register: One week before the beginning of the course
- Send an email to francais@graduateinstitute.ch (cc-ing sustainable.finance@graduateinstitute.ch) and give your name and complete postal address, specify whether you are beginner or not in French, and ask for the fees to be paid by the MAS in Sustainable Finance and Development (MASF) Office.
- If you are non-beginners, we will send you a placement test to place you in the right level. We will then propose you a schedule according to the test results.
- The enrolment is confirmed as soon as francais@graduateinstitute.ch receives the payment from the MASF Office.
What is your level in French
You are a beginner if you have never taken a French course.
At A1 French level, you can handle simple and routine tasks without any problems and deal with everyday situations. You have a competence to express your simple needs; You can use French to understand dates/times/numbers, meet people, ask for places/directions, place orders.
At A2 level, you can easily make simple sentences and simple daily conversations.
At B1 level, you can initiate, maintain and end most communicative tasks required for your personal and business needs. You can understand the instructions and give direct instructions. You can easily communicate in French in social and professional situations – including participating in discussions and meetings, interrupting someone to explain a project or express your opinion. Please note that the B1 level course is only offered during the Semester (not during Summer - see above).
Additional Resources
L'Amicale des Étudiant-e-s Francophones de l'IHEID
Amiacle aims to promote the French-speaking identity in all its diversity, through academic and cultural events, within IHEID and beyond in the service of the international community.
Maison des Langues at Université de Genève
Enroll in a general course for French as a foreign language. Maison des Langues offers French courses for all levels (pre-A1 to C2) at a price of 260 CHF / semester as of 2024.
Preply
Online platform offering personalized language learning experiences with private tutors for tailored one-on-one sessions, focusing on conversational skills and suitable for all levels.
Duolingo
Free, gamified language learning app offering comprehensive courses in French and many other languages through interactive lessons.
Association On Va Parler Ensemble
Geneva-based nonprofit organization promoting French
language learning through weekly, free-to-attend
conversational practice groups, fostering community
engagement and cultural exchange.
Podcasts
Duolingo Podcast
Coffee Break French
FrenchBlaBla
Youtube Channels
Français avec Pierre
Comme Une Française
Easy French
More Apps
Babbel
Memrise
Quizlet
Anki Web
