Studying French gives individuals the tools to communicate effectively across French-speaking communities and can open career opportunities in fields such as international business, education, translation, diplomacy, and culture. Because French is widely spoken and taught across five continents, many schools around the world offer French and Francophone studies programs. Completing a degree or course at a respected French-language institution can help students build speaking and writing skills while exploring the culture, history, politics, and literature of the French-speaking world. Many French programs are multidisciplinary, helping students prepare for local and international careers.
In this guide, we talk about some of the best French schools in the world.
Top French Schools in the World
1. Alliance Française
- Study Program
- Location: France (Paris; worldwide network) | Degrees Offered: Diplomas, certificates
Alliance Française is a nonprofit organization that promotes the French language and French-speaking cultures worldwide. Founded in Paris in 1883, Alliance Française de Paris is part of a global network of more than 800 establishments in 133 countries, making French classes accessible to learners in many parts of the world.
Alliance Française de Paris is certified Qualiopi and has received the Qualité FLE label with the maximum rating in the evaluated areas. The institution offers French courses and workshops, including in-person and online courses, intensive and semi-intensive courses, oral communication, grammar, phonetics, DELF/DALF preparation, TEF and TCF exams, French language stays in Paris, and professional training for teachers of French.
2. University of Alberta
The University of Alberta is a public research university in Edmonton, Canada. It offers programs across a wide range of disciplines and operates through 18 faculties on five campuses. Its French-language Campus Saint-Jean gives students the opportunity to study in a Francophone environment while remaining part of a large Canadian research university.
Studying French at the University of Alberta can expose students to a bilingual and multicultural community. Campus Saint-Jean supports students who want to study in French in areas such as arts, education, science, commerce, and selected bilingual or French-language pathways.
Campus Saint-Jean’s Bachelor of Arts includes majors in French-Language and French-Literature. The campus also offers education programs, including secondary education pathways for students preparing to teach French or teach in French immersion. In collaboration with the Faculty of Engineering, Campus Saint-Jean also offers students the opportunity to complete the first year of the Bachelor of Science in Engineering in French.
3. Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi
- Study Program
- Location: UAE | Degrees Offered: Bachelor’s, Master’s
Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi was established in 2006 through an agreement between Sorbonne University and the Government of Abu Dhabi. The university follows the French higher education system and offers a multicultural learning environment with a trilingual approach to teaching and learning. Its programs attract students from the UAE, the region, and around the world.
The university offers degrees that follow the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS), and its degrees are accredited by the UAE Commission for Academic Accreditation. Depending on the program, degrees are awarded by Sorbonne Université or another partner university such as Université Paris Cité.
Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi offers a Bachelor’s in Business and Foreign Languages, formerly known as Applied Foreign Languages. The program is taught in French and combines language study with business, management, intercultural communication, and international career preparation. A degree in this field can prepare students for work in local companies, international institutions, and further graduate study.
The institution also offers French-related study through its French Studies and French as a Foreign Language departments. Current options include the Bachelor in Humanities Applied to Public and Cultural Affairs (HAPAC), the Foundation Programme in Intensive French, and postgraduate study such as the Master in Teaching French as a Foreign Language.
4. Columbia University
Columbia University is an Ivy League research university in New York City. Its Department of French has been active since 1890 and offers undergraduate and graduate study in French and Francophone literature, culture, history, and language.
Columbia University’s Department of French offers courses covering language, literature, culture, and history. Its French and Francophone Studies program provides an interdisciplinary framework for the study of France and parts of the world where French is an important medium of culture, including France and its colonies or former colonies.
Undergraduate students may pursue a Major in French and Francophone Studies, a Minor in French and Francophone Studies, or the BA/MA in French. For advanced studies, the Department offers an MA in French, an MA in History and Literature, a Ph.D. in French, and a Ph.D. in French with a Certificate in Comparative Literature.
5. University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame is a private research university inspired by its Catholic character. At Notre Dame, French and Francophone Studies is offered through the Department of Romance Languages and Literatures and allows students to study language, literature, culture, politics, economics, migration, gender, public health, and faith within French-speaking contexts.
Undergraduate students may pursue a major, supplementary major, French International Economics major, or minor in French and Francophone Studies. The full major requires 30 credits, or ten courses, at the 20202 level or above. Students may also apply to the B.A.-M.A. in French and Francophone Studies, which combines a 30-credit undergraduate major with 30 credit hours of graduate coursework taken during the fourth and fifth years of residence.
FAQs about Studying the French Language
Is French an Easy Language to Learn?
For English speakers, French is generally considered one of the more approachable foreign languages. The Foreign Service Institute places French in Category I, a group of languages closely related to English that usually require about 24 to 30 weeks of study, with French listed at 30 weeks. However, reaching strong fluency still takes consistent study, practice, and exposure to real conversations.
Formal classes can be especially helpful because they provide structure, feedback, cultural context, and speaking practice. Language apps and self-study tools can still be useful supplements, but many learners benefit from studying French through a school, university, or language institute.
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!
