This week French in Normandy is travelling to Taiwan, Japan and Korea to meet our trusted partners and give them the latest update and feedback from their students.
After a busy two days of meetings in Taipei it is clear that there is a common thread running through the applications from Taiwan.
Many students come during either the summer holidays or the winter holidays although Chinese New Year celebrations make this a less popular choice than the summer break.
Students come typically for 4-6 weeks although there are also some longer 8-12 week stays as Taiwanese students can come without a visa to study at French in Normandy for up to three months.
If you are a beginner and are coming for three months then you should be able to reach an A2 level in that time, if you want to get to a B2 level, the minimum required for further study such as University or Vocational Culinary courses in France, then you will need to budget for a 6-9 month stay. At the end of your course you can take at least 8 weeks of our very popular and successful Delf Dalf course. For University entrance you will need to show that you have the B2 or C1 level by January so that when you complete your University application your Delf or Dalf results will be a necessary part of your dossier.
Taiwanese students learn French as part of their career plan in order to gain entrance to university as French education is world renowned but they also learn French for fun or to be able to access a professional training course at Fashion or Culinary colleges.
In Rouen, French in Normandy partners the INBP ( French National Institution for Bread, Cake and Chocolate) who offer the CAP course essential for any student hoping to make a career in France as a chef or a boulanger/pâtissier .
The CAP qualification is the ONLY qualification that allows you to get a job as a baker or a chocolate chef for example in hotels, shops and restaurants. If you pass the exam and get your Diploma you can choose to stay on and gain some work experience in a local restaurant, hotel or shop. The INBP will help you find the right placement for you. Work experience is typically either 10 or 20 weeks so if you are going to do this course with a language element first you will need to apply for a student visa fro; the start.
For entrance to the INBP you must be at least 18 and will need a B2 Delf or a C1 Dalf Diploma and you will also need to take the INBP entrance language test. At French in Normandy we help you prepare for your future course at the INBP and arrange visits beforehand so that you know the staff and the school before your first day. The course is 5 months long and is very practical. There are two start dates -one in January and one at the end of August so you can plan your language course and B2 objective around one of them.
We have trained many successful candidates and you will find film of some of their experiences below.
So after a short three day stay it is time to leave Taiwan and head to Tokyo.
