Most lectures at UCL are given in French, which is why a good knowledge of French is essential for the majority of disciplines.
- A knowledge of French is essential for admission to a Bachelor’s degree programme. Non-francophone student applicants must have attained Language Level B1 (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, CEFR). A French examination will be arranged for those students who did not complete their secondary school education in French.
- French language requirements may vary for admission to a Master’s or Advanced Master’s degree programme. Check the admission conditions for the Master’s degree you’d like to study in the UCL study programme. Level B1 is also required, unless otherwise specified.
- French language requirements for admission to a doctorate programme are at the discretion of the ad hoc admissions committees. Please, check out our PhD webpages to find out more.
In brief:
| Bachelor's degree |
French essential |
Level B1 |
| Master's |
French essential, with the exception of some programmes offered in English (see below) |
Level B1 or higher (see the study programme)
|
| PhD |
French or English |
Check level required with your supervisor and the subject-specific doctoral committee |
Note: students wishing to enrol for a Master’s in Teacher Training or a teacher training certificate (upper secondary education) must sit a special French exam.
However, UCL does offer a number of courses taught in English , especially in the following subject areas: economics, business management, European studies, history, languages, geography, computer science and statistics. Some programmes may also be studied entirely in English . With a few exceptions, teaching in Spanish, Italian, German and Dutch is restricted to the languages faculties.
So you’d like to improve your French, or another language, in an intensive or progressive way? UCL’s Language Institute (ILV), the Louvain-la-Neuve Language Centre (CLL) and other partners can offer you a range of options. See our Learning Languages Webpage.
