France provides an astonishing variety of landscapes, architecture and food. Moreover, there is the opportunity to integrate into the local community in rural areas or to experience life in one of its many captivating cities.
Posts in primary and secondary schools (collèges and lycées) are available to undergraduates and graduates of any discipline . You must have AS-level, Higher Grade or equivalent in French to apply.
Dates of appointment:
1 October – 30 April (primary and secondary schools)
Hours: 12 per week
Pay: around €964.88 per month gross, approx €800 net (17% social security deduction)
Age limit and passport requirements: the French authorities are only able to consider candidates under the age of 35, who hold a UK or EU passport.
Other benefits: You are entitled to national healthcare.
In accordance with French government legislation, religious symbols are not allowed to be worn in state sector schools. In addition, a list of days that may be taken as leave for purposes of religious observance is published by the French government annually. Please contact us should you have any queries about this.
For all posts in France, undergraduates take priority over graduates.
You can be posted anywhere in mainland France as well as Corsica and outre-mer (Guadeloupe, Guyane Française, La Réunion and Martinique).
You should be aware of the following before making your regional choices:
- Posts in the académies (regions) of Aix-Marseille, Bordeaux, Montpellier and Toulouse are often in small towns in rural areas where public transport may be limited.
- It is extremely difficult to find accommodation in Paris and schools are usually unable to assist. We recommend that you do not apply for Paris unless you have contacts who will be able to help you find accommodation.
- The south of France and Paris are the most popular first-choice regions, so competition is particularly tough.
- The cost of living in outre-mer is higher than in metropolitan France but your pay will be approximately 40% higher.
- If outre-mer is your first choice, you must also be prepared to accept a position in metropolitan France and must choose two other académies as well.
- If your reason for choosing an area is that you have contacts and possible accommodation there, you must provide the name of your host and address of the accommodation for us to consider your request.
We recommend you research the different regions of France thoroughly before applying.
You can also find out more about what it is like to be a language assistant in France by reading the case studies from previous language assistants
Candidates for France have the following regions on offer. If you wish to express an area preference, you must choose one from Group A, one from Group B, and a third from any of the groups.
GROUP A Amiens - Créteil - Lille - Nancy-Metz - Reims - Versailles
GROUP B Besançon - Caen - Clermont-Ferrand - Limoges - Nantes - Orléans-Tours - Poitiers - Rennes - Rouen
GROUP C Aix-Marseille - Bordeaux - Corse - Dijon - Grenoble - Lyon - Montpellier - Nice - Outre-mer - Paris - Strasbourg - Toulouse
Please note that the areas listed above refer to regions and not to towns or cities, although the name may be the same. Candidates who are allocated in one of their three area preferences should expect to be allocated anywhere within the given region.
Some candidates, including those who have been educated abroad, may be assessed by telephone interview. These are likely to take place from February to April.
You will be invited to an induction course arranged by the local education authority in France at the end of September or in early October.
You will receive an email from us confirming receipt of your application by early January.
Please also see our lifecycle document for more information.
| 
