French

How to learn French at the Language Centre including pathways, timetables and fees.

Enrolment on Parts 2 and 3

If you have studied the language before, you are welcome to enrol on Part 2 or 3 of the course, without having taken Part 1. Please take a Language Level Evaluation test before you enrol, so that our tutors can advise you of the most appropriate Stage for you to join.
 
Only complete beginners must start with Stage 1 Part 1.
 

Course Timetable: Trinity Term 2023

For Learners without an Oxford University SSO, or who are not members of the University, enrolment information can be found here. 

  Course Pathway Mode of Delivery Stage Part* Duration Day and time of classes Date of first class Date of final class
ENROLMENT CLOSED Academic In person 1 3 6 weeks (TT23 Weeks 2-7) Thursday 11:00 to 12:00 4 May 2023 8 June 2023
CANCELLED General In person 1 1 6 weeks (TT23 Weeks 2-7) Wednesday 11:00 to 12:00 3 May 2023 7 June 2023
ENROLMENT CLOSED General In person 1 1 6 weeks (TT23 Weeks 2-7) Thursday 12:00 to 13:00 4 May 2023 8 June 2023
ENROLMENT CLOSED General Online 1 1 6 weeks (TT23 Weeks 2-7) Thursday 13:00 to 14:00 4 May 2023 8 June 2023
ENROLMENT CLOSED General In person 1 2 6 weeks (TT23 Weeks 2-7) Thursday 13:00 to 14:00 4 May 2023 8 June 2023
ENROLMENT CLOSED General Online 1 2 6 weeks (TT23 Weeks 2-7) Wednesday 16:00 to 17:00 3 May 2023 7 June 2023
ENROLMENT CLOSED General In person 1 3 6 weeks (TT23 Weeks 2-7) Wednesday 12:00 to 13:00 3 May 2023 7 June 2023
ENROLMENT CLOSED General Online 1 3 6 weeks (TT23 Weeks 2-7) Thursday 18:00 to 19:00 4 May 2023 8 June 2023
ENROLMENT CLOSED General In person 2 3 6 weeks (TT23 Weeks 2-7) Thursday 11:00 to 12:00 4 May 2023 8 June 2023
ENROLMENT CLOSED General Online 2 3 6 weeks (TT23 Weeks 2-7) Wednesday 15:00 to 16:00 3 May 2023 7 June 2023
ENROLMENT CLOSED General In person 3 3 6 weeks (TT23 Weeks 2-7) Thursday 14:00 to 15:00 4 May 2023 8 June 2023
CANCELLED General Online 3 3 6 weeks (TT23 Weeks 2-7) Thursday 12:00 to 13:00 4 May 2023 8 June 2023
ENROLMENT CLOSED General In person 4 3 6 weeks (TT23 Weeks 2-7) Tuesday 14:00 to 15:00 2 May 2023 6 June 2023
ENROLMENT CLOSED General In person 4 3 6 weeks (TT23 Weeks 2-7) Wednesday 15:00 to 16:00 3 May 2023 7 June 2023
ENROLMENT CLOSED General Online 4 3 6 weeks (TT23 Weeks 2-7) Monday 15:00 to 16:00 1 May 2023 5 June 2023
ENROLMENT CLOSED General In person 5 3 6 weeks (TT23 Weeks 2-7) Tuesday 17:00 to 18:00 2 May 2023 6 June 2023
ENROLMENT CLOSED General Online 5 3 6 weeks (TT23 Weeks 2-7) Monday 13:00 to 14:00 1 May 2023 5 June 2023
ENROLMENT CLOSED General In person 6 3 6 weeks (TT23 Weeks 2-7) Tuesday 16:00 to 17:00 2 May 2023 6 June 2023
ENROLMENT CLOSED General In person 6 3 6 weeks (TT23 Weeks 2-7) Wednesday 16:00 to 17:00 3 May 2023 7 June 2023
ENROLMENT CLOSED General Online 6 3 6 weeks (TT23 Weeks 2-7) Monday 12:00 to 13:00 1 May 2023 5 June 2023

 

  • Enrolment will close at 12 noon on Wednesday of Week 1 of term (26 April 2023).

  • To ensure that we have time to set you up with access to our Virtual Learning Environment (Canvas), please make sure you have enrolled and paid no later than five working days before your course starts. 

  • MT = Michaelmas Term (October - December); HT = Hilary Term (January - March); TT = Trinity Term (April-June)

  • *For General and Academic courses, a Stage is made up of three Parts, usually Part 1 is Michaelmas term, Part 2 is Hilary term and Part 3 is Trinity term. However, in some instances we will run another Part 1 or 2 in Hilary or Trinity term due to popularity, please check the timetable carefully. Please note, complete beginners (Stage 1) cannot join Parts 2 or 3 if they have not completed Part 1.

Waiting lists, funding, enrolment and mode of delivery

If the course on which you would like to enrol is fully booked, please check the timetable to see if the same course is being offered at a different time (many of our courses have several iterations, each with a different day/time for the ‘class'). In addition, we operate a first-come, first-served waiting list, simply click on the Join the Waiting List button alongside the course of your choice and we will email you if a space becomes available. 

 

If you need to learn a language to support your studies, you can ask your college, department or faculty to sponsor you via our Priority Funding scheme. You'll need to seek permission from your tutor/supervisor, obtain the email address of the financial signatory in your college/department/faculty, and fill in the Priority Funding Application Form via the link below.

Priority Funding is not available for Fast Track courses. See our course handbook for more information.

PRIORITY FUNDING WEBPAGE

 

Colleges will consider refunding students up to half the Fast Track course fees on completion of the course at the end of Trinity term. Please contact your college to find out more about their arrangements before you start your course. A form to record the agreement between a student and their college of their eligibility for the reimbursement scheme is available for students to download below: it should not be returned to the Language Centre. 

Fast track college reimbursement form

For Learners with an Oxford University SSO (Single Sign-On) simply click on the enrol button next to the class that you wish to join. 

For Learners without an Oxford University SSO, or who are not members of the University, once enrolment opens on 17 April, please email admin@lang.ox.ac.uk with the following details:

  • Full name
  • Email address and phone number
  • The name of the course you wish to study (including Stage and Part)
  • The start date and time of the course
  • Your connection to Oxford University, if any (to determine course fee)

We will then provisionally enrol you onto the course and send you a link to the Oxford University Online Store for payment. Once payment is received we will confirm your place on the course. Please note that we will be unable to assist you until enrolment has opened, so please do not send us your enrolment details before 17 April.

What happens after I enrol?

After enrolment you will receive an automated booking email to confirm your payment. From Week 1 you will be added to the course on Canvas (Oxford University's Virtual Learning Environment). You will receive an invitation to join Canvas, please accept it and follow the instructions for your course and make sure to go through your learning pathway before your first live session with your tutor. Course materials will be available a week before each live session. Please make sure that you read the course handbook for the course you wish to take with us as this contains more detailed information. 

For Learners without an Oxford University SSO, please find useful information about Canvas in the dedicated page for external learners. 

We teach our courses through a flexible and inclusive mode of delivery. In 2021/22 we are offering courses which are either entirely online (these courses all have ‘online’ in their title) or which have the live classes held in person at the Language Centre. 

Our courses include a combination of online learning pathways, activities and feedback using the University’s Virtual Learning Environment, Canvas, and small group conversation classes every week (either online or in person).  
 
This mode of delivery enables you to: 
 
•    Work flexibly at your own pace  
•    Have access to a complete set of learning materials before each class and beyond the life of the course to master and review 
•    Get high quality generic and individual feedback 
•    Interact in small groups, which gives you an excellent opportunity to put your weekly learning into practice.  

Please note that our ability to maintain the in-person course option throughout the term or academic year will depend on circumstances; we will follow government and University Covid-19 regulations and guidance and may therefore have to move in-person courses to online as required. Please see our terms and conditions for more information.

 

Pathways

Choose the pathway that works best for you by viewing the key points below or consulting our pathway information pages under 'Useful Links' on the right-hand side of this page.

General pathway
  • Focus on communication and use of all four skills (reading, writing, listening and speaking)
  • Term by term commitment 
  • Entry: first-come, first-served 
  • Fully funded option available with Priority funding scheme 
  • Certificates of attendance and completion available 
  • Taught in weeks 2-7 every term (part 1 in Michaelmas, part 2 in Hilary and part 3 in Trinity)
  • Number of classes per week: 1 
  • Length of class: 1 hour
  • Learning pathway including language instruction and guided learning: 1.5 - 2 hours per week 
  • Recommended self-study and practice time: 2 hours per week 
Academic pathway
  • Focus primarily on reading and on learners' academic needs for the language
  • Term by term commitment 
  • Entry: first-come, first-served 
  • Fully funded option available with Priority funding scheme 
  • Certificates of attendance and completion available 
  • Taught in weeks 2-7 every term (part 1 in Michaelmas, part 2 in Hilary and part 3 in Trinity)
  • Number of classes per week: 1 
  • Length of class: 1 hour
  • Learning pathway including language instruction and guided learning: 1.5 hours per week 
  • Recommended self-study and practice time: 2 hours per week 
Fast Track pathway
  • Focus: Communication and use of all four skills (reading, writing, listening and speaking)
  • Full-year commitment
  • Course duration: October to June (22 weeks in total)
  • When: Weeks 2-8 (Michaelmas term), Weeks 1-8 (Hilary term), Weeks 1-7 (Trinity term)
  • Number of classes per week: 1 (online or in person)
  • Length of class: 2 hours
  • Online learning pathway and private study: Up to 4 hours per week (instruction videos and guided learning activities, communicative tasks and feedback)
  • Entry: first-come, first-served
  • Student funding: Colleges will consider offering a reimbursement of up to 50% of the Fast Track fee upon completion of the course and assessments in Trinity term
  • Fully funded (and contributory) options available from selected faculties/departments (Mathematical Institute, Material Sciences, Physics and Chemistry). See the Fast Track Course Guide for further information.
  • Certificates of attendance and completion available
  • Further information is available in the Fast Track Course Guide

FAST TRACK COURSE GUIDE

Intensive pathway

Whether you have been short of time or found it difficult to keep up with your course, or if you prefer learning in a more intensive and focussed manner, we run a selection of our most popular General and Academic courses during Weeks 8, 9 and 10 at the end of each term. Enrolments for these courses will normally open in Week 6 . 

  • Limited variety of Stages available, mostly beginner and advanced 

  • Term by term commitment 

  • Taught in Weeks 8, 9 and 10 every term (part 1 in Michaelmas, part 2 in Hilary and part 3 in Trinity) 

  • Number of classes per week: 2

  • Length of class:1  hour

  • Expected hours of self-guided study learning outside the classroom (supported by Canvas, the University’s new Virtual Learning Environment): 12

  • Entry: first-come, first-served

  • Fully-funded Priority places available for students sponsored by their college/department (see Priority Funding box on this page for further information)

  • Certificates of course completion and attendance are available, please see the course handbook for conditions 

 

Don't miss out

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Course fees & funding

VIEW THE COURSE FEES

APPLY FOR STUDENT FUNDING

 

Course Guides

Useful links

Course textbooks

Details of textbooks can be found in the Course Guide for each pathway (see above).

Oxford University 2022/23 Term Dates

  • Michaelmas 2022: Sunday 9 October (Week 1) - Saturday 3 December (Week 8)
  • Hilary 2023: Sunday 15 January (Week 1) - Saturday 11 March (Week 8)
  • Trinity 2023: Sunday 23 April (Week 1) - Satuday 17 June (Week 8)

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