Intensive course

Characteristics of the Intensive course

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Dates of the Summer 2023 courses

  • July 24th to August 11th
  • August 14th to September 1st 

 

 

Description

The intensive course lasts all day long and lasts 3 weeks in winter and 3 or 6 weeks in summer. It is intended for people who want to learn french as a foreign language by enhancing their experience in an immersion situation and obtain ECTS credits and a grade. The content of the courses is from level A2 to C1, according to the scale of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). The intensive course aims at learning French through practical language activities and intends to take advantage of the experience of strangeness that every student who learns a language in an immersion situation has to go through, in order to progress in his learning of French and his environment. In these particular conditions, the participants share their experience of the French-speaking world and thus discover certain aspects of it through the eyes of the other.

POSSIBLE OPTION

It is possible to take the Intensive course 3 weeks with the "Introduction to Academic Texts" option  (level A2 must be reached). 
You can find a description of the course on Le Fil.

DURATION

The Intensive Course can be chosen over 3 or 6 weeks. The 6-week version is only available in the summer and cannot be chosen with the "Introduction to Academic Texts" option.

LOCATION

Courses take place in the Anthropole bulding in Quartier Chamberonne of the UNIL campus.

 

Admission requirements

Level of French required

To have reach A1 level before the beginning of the course

If you choose the "Introduction to academic texts" option, you must have acquired level A2.

Minimum age

You must be at least 17 years old on the first day of class. No exceptions are possible. 

Prices

3-week Intensive course

  • without the Certificate of qualification in French (CQF) : CHF: 950.-
  • with the Certificate of qualification in French (CQF) : CHF 1250.-

6-week Intensive course

  • without the Certificate of qualification in French (CQF) : CHF 1900.-
  • with the Certificate of qualification in French (CQF) : CHF 2200.-

30% discount for UNIL Students. More information here

Course organization

You will have language classes in the morning and in the afternoon as well as independent work most of the afternoons and weekends as follows (subject to change) :

3-week course:

  • morning class (8:45 am to 12:00 pm) : Practical language course of 55 periods of classes in the morning + ca. 25 periods of independent study hours
  • afternoon class (from 1pm to 2:45 pm or 3 pm to 4:45 pm*): Mutual Teaching in Context (MTC) program of 21 periods of classes in the morning + ca. 40 periods of independent study hours

6-week course (in summer only): 

  • morning class (8:45 am to 12 pm) : Practical language course of 110 periods of classes in the morning + ca. 50 periods of independent study hours
  • afternoon class (from 1 pm to 2:45 pm or 3 pm to 4:45 pm*) : Mutual Teaching in Context (MTC) program of 39 periods of classes in the morning + ca. 72 periods of independent study hours
If your language level on our placement test is A2-B1 or higher, you will have the option of choosing a specific grammar, writing or pronunciation workshop that you will take during the second half of the morning (note that there is no workshop with the "Introduction to Academic texts" option).
 
You will find a sample schedule below.
 
* Depending on your level and the group you will be assigned, the afternoon class will take place either at schedule A (1:00-2:45 p.m.) or at schedule B (3:00-4:45 p.m.). No change of schedule will be made. You must be available at both times. 
Credits and certification

ECTS Credits

This course awards 5 ECTS credits (or 10 ECTS for the 6 weeks course, only available in summer) and a grade. 

ATTESTATION OF ACHIEVEMENT

The Intensive course awards you an Attestation of achievement on which appear the level of the course attended, the number of class hours, the ECTS credits and a grade which is an average of the grades received for each task.

CERTIFICATION

The Intensive course will help you compile the portfolio which is a prerequisit of the admission to the CQF exams (Certificate of qualification in French) but the enrolment in this course doesn't lead to the CQF.

If you wish to attend this course and get a certification of your level you have to enrol in the course and in the CQF exams on our enrolment portal.

Enrolment

Summer session 2023

Registration opening : March 15th 2023

Enrolment Deadline : June 15th 2023

As the number of places is limited, registrations may be closed before this deadline. 

Cancellation and refund

Please see our cancellation conditions.

IMPORTANT

The Cours de vacances reserves the right to cancel your registration: 

  • according to the directives of the FOPH or the UNIL Rectorate in relation to the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic; 
  • if we have an insufficient number of registrations.

In both cases, the full registration fee will be refunded. 

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