French as a Second Language Courses

Explore Program

Explore students: see the Frequently asked questions.

Bursaries are granted annually to Canadian students to enable them to participate in five-week immersion courses during the summer, in French or in English, given by certified institutions. The Language School of the Université de Montréal has been certified for many years as an institution participating in the French component of the Explore program of federal-provincial bursaries.

You must meet the following conditions at the time you submit your application:

be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident;
be at the post-secondary level or have completed at least 11th grade (Secondary V in Québec) before the Explore course begins; and
have been a full-time student for at least one term during the school year that is ending.

The provincial and territorial coordinators grant bursaries according to quotas set for the province or territory.

When the students fill out a bursary application, they can choose three institutions (in order of preference) where they would like to study. However, there is no guarantee that they will receive the bursary for the institution that is their first choice. Sometimes, students may even receive a bursary for an institution other than the three chosen. To find out how to submit an application for a bursary, consult the Website of the Explore program of the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada.

The five-week immersion course offered by the Language School of the Université de Montréal will be given from July 1^st to August 2, 2013. To be eligible, you must be 18 years of age or older when the program begins.

The bursary covers tuition fees, accommodation, meals, language workshops and many cultural outings.

The training program provides activities Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to noon, four afternoons a week, as well as in the evenings and on weekends. The student is encouraged to experience the whole of the program in French in order to foster learning of the language and integration into the French-speaking environment.

More specifically, through the program, the student can, besides learning the language:

speak with Francophones;
take part in Montréal's urban life: its main French-speaking centres and its neighbourhoods;
become acquainted with Francophone media resources (radio, television, newspapers, magazines, etc.);
discover Québec's arts scene (theatre, literature, cinema, visual arts, shows, and so on);
open up to the French-speaking world.

Course description

The course offered as part of the Explore Program is entitled Oral and Written Communication (90 hours–6 credits). The focus is more on the acquisition of skills in oral communication, without, however, neglecting the written language.

There are seven levels: three for beginners (levels 0, 1 and 2), two intermediate levels (levels 3 and 4) and two advanced levels (levels 5 and 6). The student's level is determined by a classification test given at the beginning of the session. Students acquire language concepts essential to their classification level, while developing the skill required to communicate in the target language.

Language workshops and cultural outings

Mandatory language workshops, as well as cultural outings, particularly visits to tourism sites or museums and outings to the cinema, provide for student immersion in the language and Québec culture. In addition, a trip to Québec is part of the outings planned, and sports activities are on the program.

The Université de Montréal is located only 10 minutes by bus or Métro from downtown, where a number of outdoor festivals and concerts are offered free of charge throughout the summer. All the activities proposed in the Explore-Université de Montréal Program are free or cost less than $5 for students.

More details on the language workshops and the cultural outings

Accommodation

Students stay in single rooms in the co-ed residence of the university. The furnished rooms each have a telephone, refrigerator and sink. Various services are provided in common areas.

Meals

For breakfast and lunch, Mondays through Fridays, food coupons are issued for meals in the cafeteria. For all other meals, money will be deposited in student account at the end of the first week. Near the campus is a good choice of restaurants in all price ranges. A list of restaurants is provided at the start of the session.

Medical Insurance

Normally, students are covered by their province’s health insurance. Should a medical consultation be necessary during their stay, there may be fees to pay. It is important to verify before leaving home as to how the home province provides reimbursements and compensation. It is suggested that students bring some extra money. Please note that it is also very important that students bring their health insurance cards with them.

Non-bursary students

For the summer of 2013, the cost is $1,300 for the five-week course, including the sociocultural activities. Meals and accommodation costs are not included.

For more information: paule.cossette@umontreal.ca