French courses

Learning French

Learning the language of the country in which you intend to settle considerably facilitates daily life. This allows you to get information, find a job, communicate with your neighbours, develop your social life and help your children in their learning.

The Integration Act provides that it is essential for people to familiarise themselves with society and the way of life in Switzerland and to learn a national language. For certain procedures, such as the renewal of a permit, the cantonal administration may ask you for a certificate of your level of French.

Language levels

For children, school is compulsory from the age of 4 to 15 years old in Switzerland. As soon as they start school, students arriving from abroad are entitled to intensive French lessons at school.

FROM 4 TO 15 YEARS OLD: COMPULSORY SCHOOL AND DAY CARE FOR CHILDREN

For young people aged 15 to 20 years old who have just arrived, reception classes allow them to learn French and seek training. The application for admission is made via the Migration Portal.

Finding training upon arrival

For adults, many French courses are offered throughout the Vaud region. There are two types of courses presented in this chapter: those of private schools and those of associations.

Advice

A very good way to learn French is to practise it by meeting other people and taking part in volunteer, leisure or social integration activities.

Leisure and social life

School and training

Private schools offer French courses. These courses have flexible schedules and variable admission requirements, at a higher cost.

You can find an offer by visiting the local.ch website and entering “Language school” in the search engine.

The website of the l’Association vaudoise des écoles privées (AVDEP) contains a directory of all these private schools.

Certifications

For certain procedures (for example for an application for a B permit, a renewal, an anticipated C permit or a naturalisation procedure), the administration will ask you for a certificate of your level of French.

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Interpreting and translations

As part of a medical, social or school interview, the professionals who receive you can call on trained interpreters.There are several interpreting and translation services in the canton of Vaud

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