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About Our School

Learning environment
We offer a friendly, engaging, judgement-free environment (with on-site, online, and hybrid options) to help you gain confidence in your French skills. All classes are conducted in French with an emphasis on active participation and communication.
Class levels
Our classes are separated into seven distinct levels based the CEFR scale, allowing us to identify students’ individual strengths and needs. View our Level Guide & Placement page to learn where you fit in at the Alliance Française de Chicago.
Commitment to quality
All of our teachers are native or bilingual French speakers and are certified to teach French as a second language. We follow the Alliance Française French-American Educational Standards to provide our students with a superior French education.

Class Sessions

Our French classes are offered year-round across all levels, and take place during an eight–week session. We also offer four-week classes, which allow students to learn the same amount of material in a more condensed time frame.

  • Fall Session: September 18 – November 11
  • Late-Fall Session: November 13 – January 29
  • Winter Session: February 5 – March 30
  • Spring Session: April 13 – June 10
  • Summer Session: June 20 – August 17

Our Services

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Private Lessons

If you’d like a custom-made class to focus on a specific topic — like business or travel — or just want to learn French at your own pace, our private French lessons are for you!
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Corporate Classes

Boost your professional profile and create new business opportunities with French! Our corporate classes will help you develop the language and cultural skills needed to ensure your success.
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Exams

All certifications are designed and awarded by the CIEP (Centre International d’Études Pédagogiques), a department of the French Ministry of Education, that offers internationally recognized French tests.
Exam Center

SCHOOL POLICIES

Before the first class:

Class tuition will be refunded, minus a 20% cancellation fee ($50 max) or credited in full for the following session only.

After the first class:

Tuition will be credited for the following sessions only, minus a 20% administrative fee ($50 max).

After the second class:

No credit will be awarded.

No refunds or credit will be given for unattended classes. There will be no reimbursement for absences, books, late fees, materials fees, membership fees or private lesson tuition.

Private Lessons:

No-shows, which include cancellations made less than 24 hours ahead of time, will result in a nonnegotiable $25 fee. In case of non-payment, a full hour will be deducted from the student’s package. Private lesson tuition is non-refundable.

Discounts:

Only one discount at a time is applicable during the same session.

Textbooks:

Once purchased, books and CDs cannot be returned.

We reserve the right to change instructors or the time of the class from what is listed in the brochure.
Students are welcome and encouraged to attend a make-up when they miss a class. Students may attend one make-up per class missed, and it must be taken during the same session. Before attending a make-up, students must inform the front desk to obtain a pass.
Students may transfer classes before the second lesson of the session. All class transfers are free unless there is a tuition difference, in which case the student must pay the remaining balance at the time of transfer. No changes will be accepted after the second class. Class transfer requests must be communicated to the front desk.
We reserve the right to cancel a class if the enrollment is insufficient. For general courses, a minimum of 5 students is required; for specialized courses, a minimum of 7 students is required. In case of cancellation, students are entitled to a full tuition refund or full credit for a future class (valid for one year). Students are also welcome to switch to a different class that is running during the same session.

At any time during a session, students can register for drop-in classes at the following rates:

  • $55 per 2-hour class
  • $41.25 per 1.5-hour class
  • $27.50 per 1-hour class
We reserve the right to move classes from on-site to online due to spikes in local Covid cases or any other emergency.
Students, members, and attendees at events/cultural programs should be aware that their picture might be taken and used for marketing purposes.