What CEFR level does the Certificate in French Language take me to?

Most students reach a confident A2, with stronger learners arriving at the lower band of B1 by the end. A formal CEFR placement test at course end maps your exact level on your transcript.

Is the Certificate in French Language taught entirely in French?

Lessons begin bilingually — English used for grammar explanation and clarification at A1, French as the dominant language by A2. By the end of the course you can expect French to be the primary language of instruction.

How is the Certificate in French Language different from a Diploma in French?

The Certificate covers A1 to A2/B1 in three to six months. The Diploma takes you to a working B1/B2 level over nine to twelve months and adds more substantial reading, writing and cultural modules. Most students take the Certificate as a foundation before continuing.

Can I take the Certificate in French Language fully online?

Yes. The online route includes live tutored classes (typically twice a week), recorded review material, written feedback on your written work, and the same optional CEFR placement test at the end.

Is there any French exam at the end of the Certificate in French Language?

The course ends with an internal LSJHML assessment that maps to CEFR levels. We also offer guidance for students preparing to take an external French exam such as DELF A2 or DELF B1 after the Certificate.

Certificate in French Language in London | LSJHML | Harold International College of London

Course Overview

The Certificate in French Language at the London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages (LSJHML) is a short, practical UK qualification taking learners from beginner to elementary intermediate (CEFR A1 to A2/B1) in three to six months. Teaching is delivered by qualified French tutors and structured around the Common European Framework of Reference, so your progress is meaningful, measurable and recognisable to employers and universities anywhere French is taught.

This Certificate is designed for adults who learn best when there is a reason to. You will read short articles from Le Monde, follow a TV news bulletin from France 24, hold a working conversation about your day, and write a short structured email in French — all within the cycle of the course.

Key Features

CEFR-aligned curriculum covering A1, A2 and the lower band of B1.
Small live-class sizes on the on-campus route — typically 8 to 12 learners per group — for genuine speaking time.
Native or near-native French tutors, qualified to teach French as a foreign language.
Three study modes — on-campus in central London, fully online with live tutored classes, or distance learning with structured weekly recordings.
Cultural enrichment strand — short readings from French press, cinema clips, music and history feeding into class discussion.
Optional CEFR placement test at the end of the course to map your level for further study or employment.

What You Will Learn

The Certificate in French Language is built around what an A1 to A2/B1 learner needs to do in the real world — order, ask, describe, agree, disagree, narrate, write a short structured message. You finish able to hold a basic conversation, write a short letter or email, and read short authentic texts with the help of context.

Greetings, introductions and everyday courtesy in French.
Present, perfect (passé composé) and near-future (futur proche) tenses.
Numbers, dates, time-telling, currency and basic transactions.
Describing people, places, daily routines and past experiences.
Reading short authentic texts — café menus, train timetables, short news articles.
Listening to short news and conversation clips with structured comprehension exercises.
Writing short structured messages — emails, notes, brief narrative paragraphs.
An introduction to French and Francophone culture across France, Belgium, Quebec, West Africa and the Caribbean.

Who This Course Is For

Adult beginners with no prior French (or a long-distant memory of school lessons) who want a real foundation.
Professionals planning a move into Francophone markets — sales, hospitality, NGOs, EU institutions.
Students preparing for a year abroad in France, Belgium, Switzerland or a Francophone country.
Heritage learners — adults with French-speaking family who want to formalise the language they already partly know.

Career Pathways

The Certificate in French Language is a foundation credential — it strengthens an application rather than guaranteeing a French-language job. Graduates typically use it as a stepping stone to higher CEFR levels (B1 and above), as supporting evidence in international applications, or as a working asset in jobs where French is a useful second language. Typical applications include:

Bilingual Customer Service Roles (hospitality, retail, international logistics)
International Sales Coordinator (UK companies trading with Francophone markets)
Communications Assistant (NGOs operating in Francophone West Africa)
Travel Industry Roles (booking agents, tour operations to France)
Cultural and Heritage Roles (museums, galleries with French-language collections)
Preparation for further study at Diploma, BA or MA level in French Language

The Certificate articulates directly into LSJHML's Diploma in French Language for students continuing their study.

Entry Requirements

Minimum age 16.
Secondary school qualification (GCSE/O-Level or international equivalent).
IELTS 5.5 (or equivalent) for non-native English speakers — needed because the course is taught with English-language scaffolding.
No prior French required.

Why Study at LSJHML

The London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages is a specialist higher-education provider based in central London. Our programmes are designed in dialogue with working professionals — journalists, translators, civil servants, academics, broadcasters, editors, publishers and policy researchers — so what you learn in seminar on Monday is what your future employer is using on Tuesday. We deliberately keep cohorts small, give every student named tutor support, and treat employability as a structural part of every programme rather than an optional add-on.

London is the work — politics, courts, capital markets, theatre, broadcasting, publishing, public service, the global press. Your studies are taught in the same square mile where the stories you read about happen. Whether you join us on-campus, online or by distance learning, the city is your classroom and our industry network is your launchpad.