The Maison des Langues summer courses are intensive French courses held every morning from Monday through Friday during the summer (two three-week sessions). These courses have been offered at the University of Geneva since 1891 and have enabled generations of students to make rapid progress in French while enjoying the city of Geneva in the summer.
Level descriptions (english version to come)
Mandatory courses (9h00-12h30)
All classes are held in person at the University of Geneva.
Before finalizing your registration, you will need to take an online language placement test. This test is mandatory; it allows the teaching staff to place you in the most appropriate level and class. For complete beginners, no test is required.
Classes have an average of 12 to 20 participants.
French classes are held every day from Monday to Friday, from 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM (including a 20-minute break), for a total of 20 hours per week (1 academic hour = 45 minutes).
The classes cover all five language skills (speaking, writing, listening, reading, and interaction).
Course materials are provided on the first day of class.
Optional activities (13h30 - 15h00)
During each session, you have the opportunity to participate in language activities every afternoon from 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. These activities are optional and are offered free of charge by the Maison des Langues. They are strongly recommended but not mandatory.
Each activity is organized by level and skill. The schedules and locations for each activity will be announced on the first day of class.
Examples of past activities: Themed walks | Swiss culture and society | Everyday writing | Writing for work | Professional writing | French for academic purposes | Everyday French | Grammar | Pronunciation and speaking.
Certificate of attendance
You can receive a certificate of attendance at the end of the course. To do so, you must attend at least 80% of the classes and meet your instructor’s requirements.
French certificate
Students who have regularly attended at least one session of French classes (during the current academic year), as well as members of the university community (UNIGE, HES-SO Geneva, IHEID, HUG), may register for an exam to obtain a language certificate:
Level A2–B1
Level B2–C1
Upon passing the exam, a language certificate will be issued within four weeks, certifying their level of French: A2, B1, B2, or C1.
Passing the B2 or C1 Certificate in French as a Foreign Language exempts students from the French admission exam at the University of Geneva (the Faculty of Arts requires an additional test).
Our story
Discover here the history of UNIGE’s summer courses, which have been offered since 1891!
