The Language Centre offers different types of courses (for more information):
- Integrated skills modules – beginner to advanced
- Specific skills modules
- Exam option modules
- Guided independent learning with a tutor
- Free independent learning
Take a look at the different courses and choose the one which best matches your needs.
Integrated skills modules
You will be placed in a class according to the information you gave in your pre-registration (for more information).
Levels: Complete beginner to C2 (Description)
Duration of module: 13 weeks per semester
Course structure (compulsory periods):
- Beginner to A2: 2 periods in a group and 2 periods in the Multimedia Centre for Personalised Learning (1 of which in ‘free access’) per week
- A2/B1 to B2: 2 periods in a group and 1 period in the Multimedia Centre for Personalised Learning per week
- B2/C1 to C2: 2 periods in a group per week
Timetable: Established according to participants’ availability
Registration: Direct access to online registration
Specific skills modules
| French for academic studies |
These modules are intended for any member of the EPFL community and have a specifically academic focus.
Ecrire pour des besoins académiques
Learning outcomes
- To produce clear, well-structured texts relevant to an academic context, with generally accurate grammar and spelling
- To produce suitably-structured summaries, accounts, narratives and argumentative texts
- To produce persuasive written texts in a style appropriate to their situation in both French-speaking Switzerland and the EPFL
- To write down dictated texts
- To use independent learning strategies both overall and, in particular, to increase lexical and grammatical competence in French
- To become familiar with certain socio-cultural aspects of the French-speaking world
Level required: from B1 (Description)
Duration of module: 13 weeks per semester
Course structure (compulsory periods): 2 periods in a group per week
Timetable: Established according to participants’ availability
Registration: Direct access to online registration
Coaching pour communiquer en français en milieu académique
Do you need to submit a proposal, write an article or write your thesis in French? Give a course or present at a conference? Participate in a round-table discussion?
If you wish to improve your communication skills in French by means of professional personalised guidance and by working independently on your personal objectives, then this way of learning is for you.
Target public: doctoral students, researchers and members of the teaching staff
Practical information
Course structure
- 4 one-hour meetings per semester with your tutor (by appointment)
- use of the Multimedia Centre (free-access) according to individual needs
Objectives of the sessions
- The first will allow your needs to be analysed, your objectives to be defined and areas of study to be established.
- During the three remaining sessions, based on an analysis of your specific situation, your tutor will provide you with precise feedback on your oral and written work. He/She will suggest ways on how to improve and comment on his/her corrections.
NB: Your tutor’s role is to guide you in planning and managing your learning according to the structure described above.
Level required: from B1 (Description)
Duration of module: 13 weeks per semester
Structure: 4 personal 1-hour sessions (by appointment) with a tutor
Registration: Direct access to online registration
| French for specific communication purposes |
These modules are intended for any member of the EPFL community and cover general interest.
Communiquer en français au travail
Learning outcomes
- To write an effective professional profile (a CV or presentation for social networks etc.)
- To describe one’s academic education and experience in a job interview (face to face or online)
- To write professional correspondence in a clear and appropriate manner (emails and short reports)
- To compare different points of view and politely express one’s agreement and disagreement
- To defend one’s arguments and assess different ideas or solutions to a problem during a meeting
- To act appropriately in an international, multilingual and multicultural place of work
- To give a well-structured presentation on a work-related theme
- To use listening strategies to understand the main areas of language commonly used in professional contexts
Level required: from B2 (Description)
Duration of module: 13 weeks per semester
Course structure (compulsory periods): 2 periods in a group per week
Timetable: Established according to participants’ availability
Registration: Direct access to online registration
Projet de développement en Afrique : S’informer et communiquer
Learning outcomes
- To obtain information and exploit resources in order to devise a concrete collaborative project
- To analyse, report and compare different points of view concerning recent events or social phenomena in connection with the problem in question
- To argue, debate and orally take a stand about problems linked to the project and, in addition, generate scientific hypotheses
- To undertake written and oral correspondence with the authorities in charge of the project
- To present the facts and decisions in the form of reports, syntheses or files demonstrating a certain degree of accuracy and an appropriate style
Level required: from B2 (Description)
Duration of module: 13 weeks per semester
Course structure (compulsory periods): 2 periods in a group per week
Timetable: Established according to participants’ availability
Registration: Direct access to online registration
| Oral communication |
The series “Oral Communication” is comprised of 4 different course levels. If you have one of the corresponding levels, you will be placed in this course. If not, you will be placed in another module.
Communiquer dans la vie quotidienne
Learning outcomes
- To talk about yourself and your activities
- To communicate on a simple level in everyday situations, using reasonably correct pronunciation, stress and rhythm
- To understand terms used in everyday life and participate in a simple conversation, using common expressions
- To understand short messages
- To formulate simple, personal messages, using suitable vocabulary and correct grammatical structures
Level required: from A1/A2 (Description)
Duration of module: 13 weeks per semester
Course structure (compulsory periods): 2 periods in a group and 2 periods in the Multimedia Centre for Personalised Learning (1 of which in ‘free access’) per week
Timetable: Established according to participants’ availability
Registration: Direct access to online registration
S’exprimer au quotidien
Learning outcomes
- To apply strategies for understanding simple oral messages
- To participate in a conversation on everyday topics, using correct intonation to emphasise the important points
- To express one’s point of view simply, report events, ask for information and services, describe simply one’s education, training, profession and day-to-day environment, using suitable vocabulary and grammatical structures
Level required: from A2 (Description)
Duration of module: 13 weeks per semester
Course structure (compulsory periods): 2 periods in a group and 2 periods in the Multimedia Centre for Personalised Learning (1 of which in ‘free access’) per week
Timetable: Established according to participants’ availability
Registration: Direct access to online registration
Echanger, présenter, prendre position
Learning outcomes
- To express yourself with spontaneity and a certain degree of accuracy, using reasonably correct pronunciation, stress and rhythm
- To take part in a conversation or discussion related to various situations in everyday life
- To express your opinion in a familiar context (work or study), to understand both the intentions expressed by your interlocutors and the different levels of language when a clear, standard dialect is used
- To give a brief talk on a subject of your choice
Level required: from B1 (Description)
Duration of module: 13 weeks per semester
Course structure (compulsory periods): 2 periods in a group and 1 periods in the Multimedia Centre for Personalised Learning per week
Timetable: Established according to participants’ availability
Registration: Direct access to online registration
Débattre et argumenter
Learning outcomes
- To express one’s ideas spontaneously and with a certain degree of correctness
- To participate in a conversation on various topics of general interest
- To participate actively in discussions on matters of cultural or personal interest
- To give a short talk in one’s field
- To note one’s errors and correct them
- To make use of independent learning strategies
Level required: from B2 (Description)
Duration of module: 13 weeks per semester
Course structure (compulsory periods): 2 periods in a group and 1 periods in the Multimedia Centre for Personalised Learning per week
Timetable: Established according to participants’ availability
Registration: Direct access to online registration
Integrated skills modules intensive
Dates: from 27 January to 7 February 2025
Duration of module: 2 weeks, 3 periods/day
Registration: from 15 November to 13 December 2024
Registration: Direct access to online registration
Dates: from 18 to 29 August 2025
Duration of module: 2 weeks, 4 periods/day
- either from 8:30 to 12:00
- or from 13:30 to 17:00
Registration: from 26 May to 13 July 2025
Registration: Direct access to online registration
Guided autonomy with tutor
This type of independent study provides the opportunity to:
- learn in a manner adapted to one’s personal needs
- use tools to analyse those needs, plan objectives and assess one’s progress
- become familiar with new learning strategies and find appropriate material
It is designed for students at A1/A2 or above and consists of:
- 3 interviews per semester (1st and 3rd interview: 60 minutes; 2nd interview: 30 minutes)
- 2 periods per week in the Multimedia Centre (1 registered period and 1 free-access period)
- personal work (agreed on with the tutor in accordance with your personal objectives)
Pedagogical support includes:
- the 3 interviews, which serve to set up a study plan in accordance with your personal objectives and to provide both an intermediate and final assessment of your progress
- access to teacher input during the registered session in the Multimedia Centre
- registration to a Moodle platform (for all practical information)
- online back-up via the PlurieL website and/or email contact with your tutor
Although some of the tasks can be completed at home, those requiring access to multimedia material have to be done in the Multimedia Centre. (Room CE 2 347)
Learning through guided autonomy is an individual process. The role of your tutor is to guide you when planning and managing your study within the structure of the module.
Level required: from A1/A2 (Description)
Duration of module: 12 weeks per semester
Periods in the Multimedia Centre: opportunity to choose from a large number of EMA periods
Registration: Direct access to online registration
Coaching pour communiquer en français en milieu académique
Do you need to submit a proposal, write an article or write your thesis in French? Give a course or present at a conference? Participate in a round-table discussion?
If you wish to improve your communication skills in French by means of professional personalised guidance and by working independently on your personal objectives, then this way of learning is for you.
Target public: doctoral students, researchers and members of the teaching staff
Practical information
Course structure
- 4 one-hour meetings per semester with your tutor (by appointment)
- use of the Multimedia Centre (free-access) according to individual needs
Objectives of the sessions
- The first will allow your needs to be analysed, your objectives to be defined and areas of study to be established.
- During the three remaining sessions, based on an analysis of your specific situation, your tutor will provide you with precise feedback on your oral and written work. He/She will suggest ways on how to improve and comment on his/her corrections.
NB: Your tutor’s role is to guide you in planning and managing your learning according to the structure described above.
Level required: from B1 (Description)
Duration of module: 13 weeks per semester
Structure: 4 personal 1-hour sessions (by appointment) with a tutor
Registration: Direct access to online registration
Independent learning – no registration required
To allow you to continue to learn a language and communication skills without joining a module, the Language Centre offers free-access periods in the Multimedia Centre (EMA):
- Remote access: use our PlurieL learning platform to connect online at any time.
The EMA contains resources that have been specially designed for autonomous language learning. It is organized in such a way as to allow you to locate easily activities corresponding to your level and to your needs. The EMA will provide you with information and tools to help you manage your learning.
Tandems are organised and set up within the framework of the Tandem Program of the Arts Faculty/EFLE.
- Tandem is two people of different mother tongues who meet regularly to teach each other their respective languages
- Objective: to progress independently in a language, not only by language training but also by cultural discoveries
- The two partners agree to a specific period of time and choose the pace, meeting place and content of their language learning.
Tandem is a good way of supplementing free access periods in the Multimedia Centre.
French online for Mobility students
Get ready for mobility! Go online and be autonomous – and make your integration into the French-speaking region of Switzerland that much easier. Learn some of the basics of French by entering into real-life situations. (Developed by the Language Centre.)