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France Assistantship

Introduction

The French government's Assistants in France program brings young native speakers of English, German, Spanish, Italian, Russian and a few other languages to France in order to serve as teaching assistants in their native languages.

The program is a convenient opportunity for students who are interested in applying their French studies to a short-term, scholastic-year program in France. Some French languge skills are required, but there is no need for previous teaching experience or training. If you have further questions that are not answered on this page, please visit the official site or talk to a peer advisor at the U-M International Center, Overseas Opportunities Office.

Basic Information

Duration: 7-9 months (October to April/June) for primary, 7 months (October to April) for other levels. You can renew the position once (but you cannot change regions if renewing).

Location: Throughout France and its overseas departments (DOM). In the application process, you can specify up to three preferred regions. Early applicants will be more likely to be assigned to one of their requested regions.

* The state of Michigan has an agreement with the Pas-de-Calais region (académies de Lille, Amiens), so that applicants to that region from Michigan universities will be considered first over those from other states. (You can apply for other regions, though - this just gives an advantage to those Michigan students who are interested in the Pas-de-Calais region.)

Placement: You should be prepared to be placed in anything from a large city to a small village. Your assignment could, in some cases, also be spread over more than one nearby town.

Age limits: Generally 20 to 34. Contact the program to see if they are willing to make an exception.

Language requirements: You must have “a proficiency” in French. This does not mean you need to be fluent or to have majored in French in college. You should have enough to get by on your own in case you need to find your own housing. the program recommends a level of about three semesters. Language proficiency may be attested to by a recommending professor or, if you have not recently been enrolled in a French class, you may request an interview with a French instructor through the French Department at your university or a local university. French language skills are most important for primary school assistants, who may be the first English teachers their students have worked with andwill therefore use more French in the classroom.

Educational requirements: You must have or be studying towards a bachelor's degree.

Citizenship requirements: You must be a U.S. citizen or have a green card to apply through the U.S. program. If this is not the case, your native country may have its own agreement with France. Try consulting the website of the French embassy of your country for more information.

Levels: Primary, middle school, high school, or IUFM (teachers' college). The application allows you to name your preferred teaching level. As a primary school assistant, you will often be the first exposure that the students have to English and you will have more responsibility for teaching rather than assisting.

Work: You will work for up to 12 hours a week as an English language assistant. Duties vary from school to school and level to level, but usually consist of creating activities, games and lessons to help students to learn, retain and use English. You are not responsible for teaching grammar or for assigning homework, but for encouraging conversation and use of the language. You are there to offer an example of English as spoken by a native. Your duties may also include representing the United States and teaching your students about your country and your culture.

Salary: Around 750¤ per month, after taxes (as of 2004-05). You must pay for your own airfare to and from France. This is usually enough to live on, and in the Paris region, assistants are also provided with an additional transportation stipend. The salary can also be supplemented with unofficial work, such as tutoring or babysitting, and/or with government aid, such as the CAF (see “Useful Web Sites,” below). Your work permit does not allow additional official paid positions.

Housing: May be provided by the school, recommended by the school, or you may have to find your own. Get in touch with your school as soon as possible to find out what your situation is and what they can do to help you.

Schedule: The year schedule will vary slightly from region to region, but there are 3-4 vacations during the year: Toussaint in November, Noël in December/January, Hiver in February and Printemps in April (which may coincide with the end of the assistantship in some regions).

The Application

The description on the official web site is a bit confusing, as they say one thing in one place and another thing later. It appears that your application should include two copies (collated) of the following:

  • Application form (either printed and filled out in pen or downloaded as a Word document and filled out electronically)
  • Medical form (form is part of downloadable application packet)
  • Two letters of recommendation (form is part of downloadable application packet) - at least one must be from a French teacher/professor
  • Official university transcript (only one is required)
  • Passport-style photographs
  • Optional documents: Proof of housing, proof of study abroad (These documents are relevant if you already have housing arranged or if you are planning on combining university study with the assistantship. They are proof that you are tied to a specific location and the program will make an effort to place you near your place of residence/study.)

Attach the photographs to your application form. You should send the entire application inside a manila folder with the front page of an application form attached to the front of the folder. These documents should all be sent together.

Application Process

Preceding Fall: Prepare your application.

November-February: Send your application (see The Application, above) to the French Embassy. There are three deadlines (for the 2005-06 teaching year, these are December 1, January 1 and February 1); apply by the first deadline for best results and for the best chance of being assigned to a requested region. Applications received after the last deadline will typically be put on a waitlist. Students have been known to have been accepted as late as the summer before the assignment, although this is not recommended.

Spring: Around early May, applicants will begin to be notified about acceptance and about the region they have been assigned to. You may wish to apply for a passport or a renewal at this time, if you need it.

Summer: Applicants should receive notification of their assignment (school name and the city where you will be working) in late June, July or August. As soon as you have received this notification, you should apply for your long-stay visa at your local French consulate (for Michigan, this is in Chicago). You should also contact the school you have been assigned to (via snail-mail, e-mail or telephone) in order to introduce yourself, ask them any questions you have and see if they will provide you with accomodations or with leads on housing opportunities in your town. They may be on vacation at this time, but should reply by August.

September: You should leave for France in mid- to late September, depending on whether you will have to find your own housing. You cannot leave for France until you have your long-term visa.

October: At the beginning of October (or in some regions, the end of September), you will have an informational orientation meeting with the other language assistants of your region. Following this, you will begin the assistantship!

Useful Web Sites

  • http://www.frenchculture.org/a_assistantship-program_195.cfm/ - the official web site of the Assistantship program. Includes more detailed information on the program application process and the visa application process as well as helpful links on other subjects.
  • www.assistantsinfrance.com - an unofficial site run by assistants, for assistants. The forum is a valuable resource for your questions about the assistantship or the application process. It is also useful for learning from the experiences of past assistants, sharing lesson plans and classroom activity ideas and to coordinate travel and other activities between assistants.
  • www.caf.fr - the Caisse d'Allocations Familiales provides financial support to low-income families and individuals. The salary of the language assistant is low enough to qualify for this resource. You cannot apply until you have received your first pay stub, but you should consult the site before you leave to be sure you bring all of the necessary paperwork.

Written by Sarah McNitt, Peer Advisor 2003-04, English Assistant 2002-03

Last reviewed: 5/07