Description

L'ecole de Langue Francaise et de Culture Quebecoise (ELF)

Chicoutimi: Chicoutimi is located in the heart of the Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean area which is renowned for its spectacular fjords and its interior sea, the Lake St-Jean. Chicoutimi offers museums, restaurants, boutiques, and art galleries along with varied natural attractions. Chicoutimi, with its 70,000 inhabitants, is recognized as a very beautiful city nationwide, both modern and safe. The Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region is the most francophone region in America where almost 300,000 people speak French and live their daily lives in French, everywhere and at all times!

Academics: All programs at the Ecole de Langue Francais at the Universite du Quebec Chicoutimi provide a complete French immersion experience, where students truly "live French." At the start of the program, an oral and written placement test is given to all program participants to ensure that every student enrolls in the class that best matches their French language skills. To ensure that every student obtains the maximum possible benefit from the immersion program, students are expected to speak French at all times on- and off-campus. Making this experience fun and enjoyable for all students inside and outside of the classroom is the school's priority. All programs are complemented by a wide range of social and cultural workshops, guided outdoor recreation, excursions to Quebec City and the beautiful Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean region.

Student Life: Students have the choice of living with a French-speaking family or in dormitories during the immersion program. Lodging with a host francophone family is part of the UQAC philosophy. Daily life with a host family allows students to reinforce the learning of the French language achieved in the classroom and from extracurricular activities. French and Snow participants are always placed with a family. If living in a homestay situation, morning and evening meals are shared with the family, while lunch is served at the universities cafeteria. There is a wide range of cultural, social, tourist and sporting activities available in and around Chicoutimi, including theater, folk dance, singing groups, and nature explorations.

Semester Programs at ELF

Course Offerings: The semester immersion program offers French language study from introductory to advanced levels. Courses at each level analyze the French language from the perspective of syntax, phonetics, and communicative competence. The program is offered in six-, twelve-week sessions during the year. Students earn 6 credits for the six-week session and 15 credits for the twelve-week session; there are 19 hours of classroom instruction per week.

Summer Programs at ELF

Course Offerings: In the summer programs, students earn 3-6 credits, depending on the length of their program. Students enrolled in the three-week program earn 3 credits while students enrolled in the five-week program earn 6 credits.

Highlights

Alumini Feedback:

"I got to go whale watching in the St Lawrence River and hiked all over the place. I also went snow camping. The region was outstandingly beautiful. If you like clear skies, evergreens water and rocks, this is the place for you to go." - Osualdo Ramirez Villafane

"The program was wonderful. All of the faculty and staff at UQAC were wonderful. They really cared about our success and well-being. They took care of us like family." - Bonnie Lynn Smoude

"It was most definitely the most enriching experience I have ever had other than at church. I would recommend it to anyone who wanted to learn French. It was amazing to watch people who couldn't even say 'bon jour' when they arrived improve tremendously. At the end of the program, they were more than able to carry on interesting conversations with any native French speaker." - Cindy-Ann Squires

"Doing this immersion was a wonderful experience for me. I had a great time, made lots of friends, and progressed immensely in the language." - Amanda Zarnowski

Degree Level

Bachelors Degree (Undergraduate)

Subject Areas

• French
• Languages / Linguistics
• Music

Cost in US$:

Please email us for current costs

Program Fees Include:

Semester program fees include: tuition and fees, pre-departure orientation, on-location orientation, accident and sickness insurance.

Summer program fees include: tuition and fees, housing, airport-pick up, pre-departure orientation, on-lcation orientation, accident and sickness insurance.

Experience Required

yes

The minimum age for participation on these programs is 18 years of age.

This Program is open to

American Participants.

Typical Living Arrangements

• Dormitory
• Home-stays
• Independent living

Participants Travel

Independently

Typically Participants Work

Independently

Application Process Involves

• Essay
• Letters of Reference
• Other
• Transcript
• Written Application

Year Founded

1967