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French Language Course

Vive la France! Improve your French with our French language course. From beginner to proficiency level. We offer a fitting course for everyone.

Summer courses

From the very first group lesson an experienced teacher will help you to build your vocabulary and understand how the language works. You’ll use traditional learning methods as well as online learning tools. This course not only focuses on speaking and listening skills, additional work on grammar, as well as reading and writing skills, will support you in the language learning process. Your teacher is a native speaker, and the group lessons will be conducted in French. Instructions will only be given in Dutch or English if it's absolutely necessary.

 Registration form
 Intake and registration
 Certificate and ECTS credits
 Courses

  • From beginner to proficiency level
  • English CEFR level B1 is a requirement
  • Starts in February and September
  • Online and on site
  • Groups of about 12-14 students
  • 14 sessions of 2 hours
  • 4 hours of independent study preparation per lesson
  • Certificate upon completion of course requirements

This was my second class at the Language Centre, and once again, it was a great experience. My tutor, Valérie, placed a strong emphasis on free speaking, which really helped me brush up on my rusty French. The atmosphere was also excellent. Overall, I highly recommend taking a language course at the Language Centre!

Jan Elbers | Student European Studies

Improve your French

For available course dates and times, please refer to the registration form. The registration form lists all currently available groups.

Costs

  • UM students: € 475 per module
  • UM staff and alumni: € 475 per module
  • All other participants: € 605 per module


Costs are exclusive course materials.

Sign up now!
Registration form

Intake and registration

UM students, staff and external participants are welcome to join the course.

If you have no prior knowledge of French, you can simply register for French A1 by using our registration form. After registering, you will receive a confirmation.

If you would like to take any of the other levels, you must first successfully complete the previous level, or demonstrate a comparable level of French. 

If you already have some knowledge of the language and would like to join a non-beginners group then please schedule an online intake by using our scheduling system to make an appointment, free of charge. 

Book an intake well before the course is scheduled to begin. This process will make it easier to make the appointment, and more likely that there will still be an available spot in the module that’s right for you.

CES students at the Grote Looiersstraat in Maastricht

I was so inspired by my experience at The Language Center that I decided to continue studying French and chose Montreal, a bilingual city with both English and French speakers, as my exchange destination for my second year.

Camilla Famulari | Student International Law

Certificate and ECTS credits

After successfully completing a course, you will receive a certificate. To be eligible for a certificate, you must attend at least 12 of the 14 lessons, be present at the final exam and have satisfactory results. One course is worth 3 ECTS credits. Whether these credits are acknowledged depends on your faculty. Please consult with your faculty or university if these credits will be accepted as part of your programme.

Reference levels according to the CEFR:

  • Beginner: French A1
  • Elementary: French A2
  • Intermediate: French B1
  • Upper intermediate: FR-B2
  • Upper intermediate: FR-B2 Plus
  • Advanced: French C1 
CES students at the city park in Maastricht in spring
Summer course French A1

French A1

French A1 is for people with little to no prior knowledge of French. An intake is not necessary. 

The focus is on speaking and listening skills, as well as basic grammar. You will build a vocabulary that will give you a solid basis for communicating in common, everyday situations.

Once you've completed French A1 you will be able to:

  • greet people as well as introduce yourself and others;
  • ask for and provide personal details;
  • get around in shops and restaurants;
  • describe where you live and the people you know;
  • talk about daily activities (studies/work, hobbies);
  • ask and answer simple questions about familiar or immediate needs topics;
  • conduct simple discussions with a slow-speaking partner in present and going to-future;
  • fill in a form with personal details, answer to a short email (invitation, short description).


Course material for French A1

  • En contact, niveaux A1/A2, version numérique élève, Éditions CLE International, 2023. (ISBN : 978-2-09-036017-2). Buy here.


Certificate
Upon completion of the course requirements, you will receive a participation certificate by mail.

French A2

French A2 is for people have passed the previous level or had an intake with one of our staff members.

Once you've completed French A2, you will be able to:

  • describe you background and routine tasks (family, shopping, close environment, studies, work);
  • keep the conversation going about your daily activities and about people you know, in present, past and future tenses;
  • locate the general information of an informative document;
  • talk about experiences, events and memories;
  • evoke the future in simple terms;
  • write simple formal and informal emails.


Course material for French A2

  • En contact, niveaux A1/A2, version numérique élève, Éditions CLE International, 2023. (ISBN : 978-2-09-036017-2). Buy here.


Certificate
Upon completion of the course requirements, you will receive a participation certificate by mail.

French B1

Registering for French B1 is only possible when you have passed the previous level or had an intake with one of our staff members.

The course is designed to extend your vocabulary and reinforce your grammar. The emphasis in French B1 is on speaking and listening skills in common, everyday situations. 

Once you've completed French B1, you will be able to:

  • take part in a conversation without any preparation on familiar topics using past, present and future tenses:
  • locate the general information of an informative audio or written document and some targeted details;
  • relate experiences, events, a story, your dreams, your hopes, your goals;
  • make comparisons, talk about advantages and disadvantages and briefly justify your opinion;
  • write simple connected text on familiar topics;
  • write emails (formal/informal);
  • present a short topic in a clear and prepared manner and launch a short discussion.


Course material for French B1: Édito B1 –  édition 2022-2024

PLEASE CHOOSE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING VERSIONS

  • Digital version only Édito B1 – EDITIONS DIDIER - édition 2022-2024. Livre numérique élève, Elodie Heu-Boulhat, Marie Gatin, Emmanuel Nicolas, Marion Perrard, Violette Petitmengin, Caroline Sperandio (ISBN: 9782278108800) OR
  • Paper version only Édito B1 – EDITIONS DIDIER - édition 2022-2024 - Livre + didier fle.app, Elodie Heu-Boulhat, Marie Gatin, Emmanuel Nicolas, Marion Perrard, Violette Petitmengin, Caroline Sperandio (ISBN: 9782278108541) OR
  • Paper version and access to the digital version Édito B1 – EDITIONS DIDIER -édition 2022-2024 – Livre + numérique inclus, Elodie Heu-Boulhat, Marie Gatin, Emmanuel Nicolas, Marion Perrard, Violette Petitmengin, Caroline Sperandio (ISBN/9782278108619)


Certificate
Upon completion of the course requirements, you will receive a participation certificate by mail.

NB Boost your employability and apply for a free Advanced French language course now. Go to UM Language Centre – Scholarships for more information.

French B2

Registering for French B2 is only possible when you have passed the previous level or had an intake with one of our staff members.

This course is designed to extend your vocabulary and reinforce your grammar. French B2 builds on the material taught in French B1, working on language skills that are useful for work, study or travel.

At the end of B2 course, you will be able to :

  • express opinions and emotions;
  • use all French tenses;
  • give advice;
  • express acceptance, rejection and avoidance;
  • hold debates and give presentations about familiar topics;
  • make summaries;
  • hypothesize and speculate;
  • write letters and e-mails (formal and informal);
  • understand better French speaking countries cultures.


Course material for French B2: Edito B2 – édition 2022-2024

PLEASE CHOOSE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING VERSIONS

  • Digital version only Edito B2 – édition 2022-2024 - Livre numérique élève, Myriam Abou-Samra, Elodie Heu-Boulhat, Marion Perrard, Amandine Caraco (ISBN: 9782278104321). OR
  • Paper version only Édito B2 – édition 2022-2024 – Livre + didierfle.app, Myriam Abou-Samra, Elodie Heu, Marion Perrard, Amadine Caraco, Didier, 2022, (ISBN: 9782278103669). OR
  • Paper version and access to the digital version Édito B2 – édition 2022-2024 – Livre + numérique inclus, Myriam Abou-Samra, Elodie Heu, Marion Perrard, Amadine Caraco, Didier, 2022, (ISBN : 9782278104307).


Certificate
Upon completion of the course requirements, you will receive a participation certificate by mail.

NB Boost your employability and apply for a free Advanced French language course now. Go to UM Language Centre – Scholarships for more information.

French B2 Plus

Registering for this course is only possible when you have passed the previous course or had an intake with one of our staff members.

French B2 Plus is for you if you wish to broaden and reinforce your knowledge of French, which at this point, allows you to work in a French-speaking environment. The focus is again on general speaking and listening skills, but also on discussion techniques, such as expressing opinions and providing arguments, on the basis of texts about socio-economics, culture and politics.

At the end of B2 Plus course, you will be able to :

  • express opinions and emotions;
  • use all French tenses;
  • give advice;
  • express acceptance, rejection and avoidance;
  • hold debates and give presentations about familiar topics;
  • make summaries;
  • hypothesise and speculate;
  • write letters and e-mails (formal and informal);
  • deal with French speaking countries cultures.


Course material for French B2 Plus

  • Pratique révision B2, J. BEntifraouine, E. Busson, C. Josse, S. Quinchamp,  CLE International, ISBN : 978-2-09-035317-4

Certificate: Upon completion of the course requirements, you will receive a participation certificate by mail.

NB Boost your employability and apply for a free Advanced French language course now. Go to UM Language Centre – Scholarships for more information.

French C1

Registering for this course is only possible when you have passed the previous course or had an intake with one of our staff members.

French C1 further improves speaking and listening skills, with special attention to professional purposes.

A lot of emphasis is put on themes and vocabulary that relate to study or work. You will also work on skills that are useful for your career, such as presenting, discussing and participating in meetings. 

At the end of this course, you will be able to:

  • discuss typical subjects concerning your country or a country you are familiar with and compare it to the French speaking countries realities.
  • clearly express and explain your ideas and opinions;
  • give a clear and well structured presentation, as well as spontaneously answer questions;
  • use grammar correctly;
  • make summaries;
  • argue, presenting and debating;
  • write letters and e-mails (formal and informal).


Course material for French C1

  • Expression française écrite et orale, Editions PUG, (ISBN: 9782706123108)​

  • Recommended literature: Vocabulaire progressif du français avancé: Avec 390 exercices Broché – Grand livre, Claire MIQUEL,  2018,  CLE International; 2e édition (4 septembre 2018), 

    ISBN-13: ‎ 978-2090381993


Certificate: Upon completion of the course requirements, you will receive a participation certificate by mail.