French classes in Lyon Universities

Learning French in higher education facilities

The first category in our list of French language courses in Lyon for anglophones is universities. These courses can be for a general group of people but in certain cases, they are looking for students from their own universities or who are trying to obtain a general diploma.
Sometimes more affordable than independent schools, perhaps more developed at a higher level than social centers but less personalized than private French lessons, these sources could be for you depending on what your situation is here in Lyon.

Universities with French language courses in Lyon

 

Lyon Catholic University’s ILCF (Institut de Langue et de Culture Française)

This “UNESCO club” has its “Quality French as a Foreign Language” certification as well as being a center for the DELF/DALF/TCF/CCIP exams and offering accommodation services.
Students of over 80 nationalities roam the halls and classes are based on the 4 Common European Framework of Reference for Languages skills.
The semi-intensive courses happen bi-annually and annually, just like the intensive program, which also happens every summer and monthly.

Prices range from 337€ for specific French courses to 3 912€/year for the semester intensive ones.

  • Website: ilcf.net
  • Address: UCLy – ILCF Lyon – 23, place Carnot – 69002 Lyon Cedex
  • Phone: 00 33 – (0)4 72 32 50 53
  • Email: ilcf@univ-catholyon.fr

 

Lyon 2’s CIEF (Centre International d’Études Françaises)

The CIEF is for all those who have obtained their high school diploma and/or higher certification.
They’ve got semester courses at all levels which can be semi-intensive (1125 €/semester) or intensive (1870€/semester) with a number of common classes (writing and speaking, civilization and phonetics) with added-on modules starting at the B1 level (social sciences, culture, etc.).

They also offer a good number of internships, between 200 and 500€, including short ones for all types of public who want to perfect the language.

  • Website: cief.univ-lyon2.fr
  • Address: 16, quai Claude Bernard – 69365 Lyon cedex 07
  • Phone: 33 (0)4 78 69 71 35 or 33 (0)4 78 69 71 36
  • Email: cief@univ-lyon2.fr

 

 

Lyon 3’s DEUF (Diplôme d’Etudes Universitaires Françaises)

This is purely for students who are trying to obtain a bachelor or master’s degree and it takes place over the course of a semester or a year for people who at least have a B1 level (or C1 for those in the Information-Communication program).
This certification offers FFL (French as a Foreign Language) classes and initiation to French culture on top of your regular course schedule at the university, according to your choice (philosophy, languages, law, political sciences, etc.).

There are no registration fees for exchange students. Otherwise it is 3 000€/semester.

  • Website:  www.univ-lyon3.fr/deuf-diplome-d-etudes-universitaires-francaises–327509.kjsp
  • Address: 1 avenue des Frères Lumières, Lyon 8e
  • Phone: +33 4 78 78 73 93
  • Email: ri@univ-lyon3.fr

 

The FFL department connected to INSA’s Humanities Center

This quality-labeled establishment is only for INSA’s international students and welcomes 745 people a year.
In order to prepare them and get their French at the level it needs to be for their studies, they offer their exchange students intensive or extensive programs including language classes and projects.
These courses therefore depend on your education level (first or second cycle, master’s or doctorate’s), the field in which you’re studying and, of course, your language level.
There are also programs during the summer.

  • Website: fle.insa-lyon.fr
  • Address: Centre des humanités, 69621 Villeurbanne cedex
  • Phone: + 33 (0)4 72 43 83 66
  • Email: servfran@insa-lyon.fr

 

French language certifications : what are DILF, DELF and DALF and who are they for?