FAQ: Assistants de langue en France 2024-2025 - INDE

What is the last date to apply for the programme 2024-2025?

The last date to apply for the programme has been extented to 29 January 2024.

Please note that our office will process the applications as soon as they get validated on ADELE platform. This will allow us to contact you if we need additional information. 

Do not wait till the last moment to validate your application. 

1. Is complete vaccination required?

The rules and guidelines related to vaccination and RT-PCR tests are subject to modifications by the Governments of India and France at the time of departure. For more details, please check the websites of the French Embassy in India and the Indian Embassy in France. 

1. Proof of student status

You need to submit a bonafide certificate issued by the institution where you are enrolled. The bonafide certificate should be on the institution letterhead and mention: 

• name of the student, 

• name of the course, 

• duration of the course (start and end dates).

2. The university is not issuing a bona-fide certificate to part-time students, can I attach my admission slip ? 

In this case the admission slip should mention: 

• name of the student, 

• name of the course, 

• duration of the course (start and end dates)

3. Can my enrollment for a "conversation class" be considered as student status ?

A course which leads to certification such as a course in an Alliance Française leading to DELF B1 is acceptable as a proof of your student status. 

A practice class or a conversation class is not acceptable as a proof of student status.

1.  Can I submit my DELF mark sheet in case I have not yet received the DELF certificate? 

Yes, you may submit the DELF scorecard in case you haven’t yet received the DELF certificate.

2. I will receive the DELF/IELTS exam result after the last date of application. How does it affect my application? 

All required documents must be uploaded on ADELE platform before the end of the registration campaign.

3. Will I get selected on the basis of my B.A / M.A. degree ? Or do I still need to have the DELF? 

You may apply for the programme if you have a B.A/ M.A in French degree. However, it is highly recommended to have a DELF certification along with your degree as it provides an evaluation of all four linguistic competencies. 

4. I am currently in DELF B2 but I do not have a DELF B1 certificate. I did not give the exam for DELF B1. Will an attestation from the Alliance Française suffice?

No other document is acceptable in lieu of the DELF certificate/mark sheet.

5. How many marks do we need in DELF B1 to apply for assistant programme ?  

There is no specific requirement related to marks in the DELF exam. You should have passed the B1 exam of DELF. 

1.  My current IELTS expires before the last date of application.

The IELTS result should be valid at the time of applying for the programme.

2. Computer based IELTS exam or paper based is acceptable ?

You may take IELTS Academic exam through online or offline mode.

3. Do I need to register at IDP for IELTS Academic exam? 

You may take the IELTS Academic exam through IDP. 

4. Is IELTS "General" acceptable?

Only IELTS "Academic" is accepted.

5. Should the overall score of IELTS Academic exam be 7.5 bands ?

Yes, your overall score in IELTS Academic exam must be 7.5 bands or above

6.  Is the One Skill Retake (OSR) for the IELTS exam accepted?

Yes, the candidate may take one skill Retake exam to obtain an overall score of 7.5 bands in the IELTS Academic exam.

1. Can I provide an alternative document instead of birth certificate? Can I, instead of the birth certificate, submit an affidavit or my class 10 certificate?

Birth certificates should be issued in English by Indian Government authority. No other alternative document is accepted.

2. My birth certificate does not have my name on it?

The names of the candidate and both parents should be mentioned on the birth certificate. You may request the issuing municipality to issue a new birth certificate with your name and that of your parents. This document is important to enroll in Social Security Health Insurance in France. 

3. My birth certificate is in my regional language? Do I need a translation?

The birth certificate MUST be in English Language. The issuing municipality can issue a new birth certificate in English at your request.

4. My name on the birth certificate is different from the name on the passport?

The name of the candidate must match on both documents.

1. When can I receive the offer letter required for PCC?

Some academies may ask the assistants to provide a "casier judiciaire". In India, the equivalent document is the Police Clearance Certificate (PCC). The PCC procedure needs to be done 3 months before the departure. To obtain the PCC, candidates must provide an Offer Letter from the IFI. All selected participants will be contacted in June and will receive the Offer Letter from our office.

1. What is the age limit to apply for the programme? 

The candidate should be 20-35 years of age as on 1st October 2024.

2. Can I take a dependant family member along?

It is possible to travel with a dependent family member to France but the financial responsibility is to be taken care of by the assistant. Neither IFI or FEI will provide guidance or assistance. Please note the paid stipend to the assistants will not cover the expenses for a dependant family member. 

1.  What documents do I need to upload under the category "autres documents" ? 

It refers to your other certified qualification or skills.

2.  What should I mention in the category "études secondaires et études supérieures" ?

• secondaire refers to secondary and higher education at school level (class 10th and 12th result)

• supérieure refers to University level qualification 

If you are currently in the final year of graduation, please mention the details of 1st year(L1), second year (L2) and third year(L3) in the section études supérieures

3. I am unable to access the section "3. My destination" on ADELE. It says recruitment for France not open. Please try again later. What should I do ? 

You must complete the section "2. Education Backgroud" to acess the following section "3. My Destination". Some applicants are not able to access the section 3 as they didn't complete the section 2. Please complete the section 2 as mentioned above in the point 2 of FAQ (Education Background) - see the previous question. 

4. What should I mention in the section "Mother tongue" ? 

Indian applicants are considered as English native speakers. Therefore, they are supposed to mention English as on the platform for "mother tongue". Indian Languages do not need to be mentioned. 

5.  What is "expérience de l'encadrement et de l'animation" ?

It refers to any prior experience like volunteering, teaching, internship, etc.

6. Can I submit my provisional certificate as I have not received my graduation degree ?

Yes, you may submit your provisional certificate from the university in this case.

7. Can I submit my final consolidated marksheet as I have not received my graduation degree ?

Yes, you may submit your final marksheet consisting the details of all the semesters in this case.

1. Can my French Language skills be evaluated by my French Language teacher from a past course? 

Language skills must be evaluated by your current French Language teacher.

2. Can my private tutor evaluate my French language skills on ADELE?

Language skills must be evaluated by your current French Language teacher teaching in a government-recognised institution.

1. Do I have to pay the visa fee? 

IFI bears the cost of the visa fee.  However, you have to pay the VFS visa processing fee.

2. When does the visa process start?

In August.

3. Do I have to apply directly for the visa?

No, IFI will guide you on how and when to start with the visa process. You have to follow IFI's guidelines for visa application.

1. Is the stipend of the assistant sufficient to live during the stay in France?

Most assistants live comfortably during their stay in France in this programme. Some are even able to travel a bit if they bring extra savings with them to France. Urban areas can be extremely expensive and other regions in France have a significantly lower cost of living. Budget questions really depend on region of the assignment, plus personal spending habits, savings and circumstances. 

2. How much money is required for initial expenses in France?

Assistants are responsible for purchasing their flight tickets to and from France. 

Most assistants leave for France with at least 1,000 euros in savings to help cover the initial startup costs. You would not receive your first stipend until the end of October at the earliest or sometimes until the end of November. 

3. Can I work part-time or have a second job at the same time in France?

Non-EU citizens are not allowed to have second official jobs within the bounds of their visa.

4. Is housing provided for assistants?

Assistants are responsible for finding their own housing in France. That said, the school districts in France provide information on where and how to find lodging in France. After that, a lot depends on your specific school(s) in France.

Certain schools are able to arrange housing for their assistants, and some can offer assistants very cheap or even free housing at their school’s dormitory (some high schools in France have boarding students who live at the school during the academic year, and the school can sometimes house their assistant in exchange for performing duties similar to those of an R.A.). Some schools and contact persons arrange housing for their assistants ahead of time (for instance, a school might have a standing agreement with a landlord in the town who rents his/her apartment each year to assistants), while others are not able to provide very much help to their assistants.

Indian assistants may participate a maximum of 2 times in the program. If you are applying for an assistantship for a second consecutive year, you will need to apply to renew your contract through France Éducation international. The renewal campaign begins in January of each year. 

Renewal is contingent upon a positive review from the host institution in France and whether or not the assistant wishes to remain at his or her host institution or be transferred to another school or académie, among other factors.

Click for more details on renewal procedure