France Ready TEFL Certification, Ofqual Regulated Level 5

It depends on the route. TAPIF, the assistant program run by the Embassy of France, asks for higher education and B1 French but does not list a TEFL certificate in its published criteria. Private schools and language centers set their own hiring criteria, and a recognized TEFL certificate is a clear way to show you can plan lessons and run a class. A regulated Level 5 Diploma can also be checked on the UK government register.

US citizens and permanent residents aged 20 to 35 who are native English speakers with B1 French on the CEFR scale. You must have completed at least three years of higher education by the time you leave, and your passport must be valid through the end of your contract. The Embassy of France runs TAPIF with France Éducation international, and applications for the 2027 to 2028 cohort are open until February 15, 2027.

The official TAPIF stipend is 1,010.67 euros gross a month, approximately 810 euros net, with the net figure varying slightly by region. Contracts run seven months, from October 1 to April 30, for 12 hours a week in one, two or three schools. Assistants are covered by the French national health system, the Sécurité sociale, which pays 70 percent of medical costs, so extra travel health insurance is recommended.

EU citizens generally do not. The European Union's Your Europe portal states that EU nationals generally do not need a work permit to work anywhere in the EU. Non EU citizens do. Language assistants in French public schools receive a long stay visa marked temporary worker, applied for with the Rectorate appointment order. For other jobs over three months, your employer must obtain a work permit before you apply for your visa.

The 180 hour Government Regulated Level 5 TEFL Diploma, Ofqual reference 610/1572/6, suits most people heading to France. It is a recognized Level 5 qualification that schools can verify on the UK government register. The 120 hour Accredited Online TEFL Course is the starting option, and the 60 hour Level 5 Business English course adds a focused option if you plan to teach adults and working professionals.