Year Abroad

Erasmus

Students of French may opt to spend their Year Abroad at one of our partner universities in France or Belgium as part of the Erasmus programme:

Université d’Aix-Marseille (AMU)

Université d'Angers

Université d'Avignon

Université de Franche Comté (Besançon)

Université de Bretagne Occidentale (Brest)

Université Blaise Pascal, Clermont-Ferrand

Université de La Rochelle¹

Université de Liège (Belgium)

Université de Bretagne Sud (Lorient)

Université catholique de Louvain-la-Neuve (Belgium)

Université de Nice-Sophia Antipolis

Université de Poitiers

Université de Rennes²

Université de Strasbourg³(Institut d’Etudes politiques)

Université du Sud – Toulon – Var

 Université de Toulouse Le Mirail

Université François-Rabelais Tours<sup>4


1</sup>   I.T. Dept. Link           
²   Irish Dept Link
³   History Dept Link
⁴   BA Connect (Theatre & Performance ) Link

Refer to the INTERNATIONAL section of the host university's website (see section dedicated to "Etudiants en échange") for details and procedures for incoming Erasmus students.

Language Assistantships

Students in 2BA and 3/4BA (as well as recent graduates) may apply to spend a year (9 months approx.) as English Language Assistants in France.   

Important Note for 2BA Students:  In the past the "BA Intl" degree was awarded exclusively to students who spent their year abroad studying at one of our partner ERASMUS universities (where during the year they had successfully completed the required examinations and coursework).  Since 2009 students who pass Second Arts and who are successful in obtaining a placement abroad as a language assistant for the subsequent academic year, are also entitled to the "BA Intl" award, subject to College and departmental approval of the placement and successful completion of the year abroad (including satisfactory submission of all reports, assessments, etc. required).  As with students who go abroad on ERASMUS, students are liable for fees (at NUI, Galway) for their third BA year abroad. Students who are normally in receipt of a grant should liaise with the relevant County Council in relation to their grant.

French Ministry of Education

English Language Assistant posts are on offer within the primary/secondary education system in France as part of the Franco-Irish Language Assistant scheme.  The programme is open to Irish nationals aged 20 to 35.  See the CIEP website for further details. 

• Students of other nationalities should check here to see if their home country offers a similar programme.
• The application forms are normally available for downloading here. 
• Please note that the dossier needs to be completed online and returned as a file (by email) to the Embassy in Dublin.  Any supporting documentation such as certificates, photo (jpeg), reference form, etc. have to be uploaded electronically to the dossier by the candidate/referee respectively. 

Programme Administrator

Nathalie-Zoé Fabert, Attachée de coopération pour le français, Ambassade de France en Irlande

66 Fitzwilliam Lane, Dublin 2 Tél : +353 (0)1 277 5055

• The deadline for return of applications to the French Embassy in Dublin is normally end of January.

A considerable amount of paperwork is involved in the application process for these posts.  It is wise to start the completion of the required paperwork as soon as possible.  

Assistants normally do not work more than 12 hours per week. The function of the English Language Assistant is to help the pupils to see the foreign language as a living language of millions of people rather than as a "school language". The basic duties of an Assistant are:

• To assist the regular staff of the school;
• To conduct conversation classes in the foreign language;
• To supplement such classes by exercises in reading, dictation and oral composition;
• To give the pupils an insight into the institutions and way of life in his/her country.

Find out more

The Department of Education and Skill's website has more general details on the Language Assistant Scheme between Ireland and France (and four other EU countries).