Regardless of whether you are sending your child to France or another French-speaking region for a French language study trip, there are a few things you need to consider before booking in order to find the right language school for your son or daughter. First of all, it is important that you decide on the right location. For children under the age of 13, it may be sunnier to enrol them in a language camp that takes place in many places in Switzerland and is not too far from home. When choosing a school, you should always make sure that it has been in existence for several years and has good references.

Also clarify what qualifications the teachers have and what course models are available. Intensive courses are not recommended for children and younger teenagers and can quickly lead to refusal. It's better to start small and look for a French course that doesn't involve more than three or four lessons a day. Think about whether you want your child to live with a host family or on the school campus during the French language course. Both options offer advantages and disadvantages and should be arranged within the family. A child with homesickness is probably better off in a host family, one with a great thirst for adventure in a hall of residence.

Clarify what the childcare situation is like. How many teachers and supervisors are there for how many children? Are the children supervised around the clock? Is the site secure? Can no unauthorized persons get in? Organized leisure activities should also be available, be it painting classes or volleyball games. You can find more information on choosing the right school in our free guide "How to choose the right education provider" (see navigation point "Education help" above).

According to our inquiries, the target group is interested in a French language course for adults for the following reasons:

• 34% want to find out which French study trip suits their learning goals exactly
• 33 % are interested on the basis of a recommendation
• 33% are interested because such a course is required in a job description.

The language courses on offer vary depending on the provider. Language travel providers for youth language trips often only offer a fixed number of language lessons per week, so that all participants, although in different ability groups, complete the same number of lessons per day and week. This is also due to the fact that the supporting programme is usually much more tightly organized than for language trips for young adults or other target groups who also want to explore the surrounding area independently.

For language travel for young adults, adults, seniors or professionals, you will usually find several types of language course at different levels during a French language stay. There are usually standard courses with around 20 lessons per week, intensive courses with up to 30 lessons, special diploma courses for French language diplomas, semi-intensive courses with around 25 lessons per week or combination courses consisting of group courses and individual lessons. The exact number of lessons per week varies depending on the school, as does the choice of courses. Some language schools also allow you to combine a French course with a specific leisure activity, such as cooking, golf or culture.

If you would like to register your children for a French language study trip at a good language school, there are a number of interesting offers available. Depending on the age of your child, language camps held here in Switzerland may be more suitable than language trips to France, which are more suitable for young people aged 13 and over. Such language trips can take place in different parts of France, in larger cities or smaller provinces, depending on what you have in mind for your son or daughter. Some offers also combine language courses with special leisure courses, such as tennis or sailing, while others offer varied leisure programs with excursions and sports afternoons. With all offers, you should always make sure that good supervision is also provided outside of the courses and that your children have someone to talk to at all times.

It depends entirely on the individual language school which costs are included in the price quoted. As a rule, the price includes the cost of the French course, the course materials and the accommodation you have chosen, possibly with half board if booked. In addition to these costs for your French language study trip, you will usually have to add the leisure program, registration fees or agency fees, as well as travel costs and possibly airport transfers. There may also be a surcharge during the high season at some schools, especially for residences, as well as during the Christmas and New Year period with host families. If you have chosen a diploma course, you should note that the costs for the DELF or DALF exams are usually not included in the price, which usually amount to a further 150 francs. If you have opted for accommodation in a hall of residence, you should bear in mind that this usually does not include meals, which you will have to take care of yourself (not for youth trips). Extracurricular activities, additional bookable activities, travel on public transport and entrance fees are also charged separately, as are deposits that are often required for apartments. As there can be quite a lot of additional costs, you should ask for quotes from a number of schools and compare them in detail and check what is included so that you can be sure to find not only the best French course, but also the right school at the best possible price for your French language study trip.

Here you will find extensive information and tipsand a direct link to providers of language courses in France.

A French language study trip can be booked for as little as one week. However, you should bear in mind that such a short stay will not give you a great deal of language knowledge. Even with an intensive course of around 30 lessons, this means that you will only complete these 30 hours before you return home. You can always book a language course on a weekly basis, usually with Sunday as the day of arrival and Saturday as the day of departure. However, this also means that if you book a week-long course, you will actually only spend five full days at the French school, leaving you little time for excursions and leisure activities.

According to our survey, language-learning adults ask schools about a French language study trip because 34% already knew the school. 33% asked schools for a recommendation. The remaining 33% had read an online review of French language courses there before enquiring about a school.