In which region of France will I be placed?

We have partner schools in many areas of France varying from urban, suburban, and rural.  We will work diligently to find the best fit for you and our partner schools.  Check out our Where in the world? page to see more.

What will my daily schedule be like? 

Some of that depends on your placement.  You will intern approximately 20-30 hours per week.  Interns work in high schools, middle schools, and/or elementary classes as well.  Much of your time will be assisting the English department in preparing lessons, leading conversation groups, and after-school tutoring sessions both individually and in small groups.  Interns generally work from Monday mid-morning until Friday mid-morning.

Several schools ask that you stay in the 'internat' (a residence hall) during the week and live in a local host family on the weekend and during school vacations.  During your time in the 'dorms', you will have the opportunity to eat meals with students to practice their English and may have other administrative duties.

Will I be teaching or simply assisting?

The answer is...Yes.  You will work closely with the language department to determine what needs they have and with what you feel most comfortable.  You may start by simply observing and participating in small group conversation and graduate to leading those conversations before planning lessons and splitting the class with the supervising teacher.  Throughout your experience, know that you will be a part of a team and it will be important to communicate your interests and level of comfort.

I also speak another language, can I be a language assistant in that language?

YES!!!  We have many of our partner schools begging us to send them trilingual (English, French, & another (Spanish, German, Russian, etc. -speaking) interns.

Can I earn credit for my time abroad?

Absolutely!  We are proud to partner with Portland State University & Pacific University to offer 4-12 upper-division credits to our interns.  Credits can be easily transferred to another university or be used towards a degree at Portland State.  Students applying to Pacific University (OR) also receive incentives for participating in our program.  More information can be found here.

You might also contact your university to see what internship credit opportunities they offer for programs like ours, we are happy to assist you in communicating with your school.

Can I take classes while abroad?

You can, in all likelihood, take classes within your host school where you're interning.  There may also be opportunities to take classes at local universities, schedule permitting and depending on the requirements of your university's deferment policy.

My teacher is a member of AATF, does that matter?

We are proud partners (and members) of the AATF!  Whether you intend to go into education or not, we hope to grow and spread appreciation for other languages, cultures, and peoples just like your teacher!  We offer a $250 automatic program fee reduction for the students of any teacher who is a current member of the AATF.  We will ask you to indicate this on your initial application and will check the membership status of your teacher with the AATF.

I'm a member of La Société Honoraire de Français at my school, are there any incentives for that?

Andégo has enthusiastically partnered with SHF to offer up to 4 $1,000 scholarships and 2 $2,500 scholarships to officers and members of their SHF chapter.  Please email gapyear@andego.org to learn more.

What can I expect during school vacations? 

You have school vacations to yourself!  Stay with your host family and stay local, explore France, or take a European adventure!  Some schools may offer you the opportunity to participate as a chaperone (all expenses paid) in school trips to other parts of France and nearby countries.

What are my expenses while abroad?

Your room and board are covered by your school as well as a monthly stipend (average $450/month).  If you live with a host family, your meals are provided.  If you live in the dorms, your meals are provided during the week and you may have the option of staying with local volunteer host families on the weekend. Personal expenses include a cell phone plan, social outings, personal travel, souvenirs, clothing, etc.  Much of this can be covered by your stipend.  Laundry is generally available at the school and/or with your host family.  So most of our interns save money from their stipend for weekend and holiday travel around France and Europe!

What are the schools like?

Most of our partner schools are private schools and many have religious affiliations.  This does not mean that you have to be practicing and many of the students enrolled are not religious.  The schools do require that you respect their building rules around conduct and professionalism.  Your race, religion, sexual identification or orientation, or any other identity in no way preclude you from participating in this program.

What are my pre-trip responsibilities? 

You will need to:

-Submit your Andégo application and payments on time.

-Be granted deferment from your college or university (we can help you request this) or take a course through Portland State University during your internship.

-Prepare your travel documents.

-Appear at your visa appointment with VFS Global.

-Prepare for the experience using the orientation materials we share with you.

-Attend a mandatory pre-departure orientation meeting in the summer.

What travel documents will I need? 

You will be granted a "Student Intern/Trainee Long-Stay Visa" from the French Government that is stamped inside your passport.  Your passport needs to be valid for three months after your scheduled. It is your responsibility to obtain all necessary travel documents for your stay in France. If you do not yet have a passport, now is a good time to apply for one!  US citizens, click here to get passport application information.

Do I need to pay the fee all at once? 

No, we will create a payment schedule for you which you can view on your program calendar. You will also find a copy of your payment schedule in your contract. 

Can I request an alternative payment schedule? 

Yes, we can work with you to set up an alternative payment schedule. Be prepared to complete all payments at least one month before your travel date. 

Are there scholarships available?

We work with several partner organizations to provide needs-based scholarships.  Amounts range from $500-full program waiver.  Please contact us for more information on applying.

Will I be on my own?

We always attempt to place at least two Andégo interns in the same region to provide you additional support and camaraderie. Most all of our partner schools have had language assistants before and have a team in place to help.  Many schools have multiple language assistants, perhaps from Andégo, perhaps from other countries.  You will have an administrator at the school to whom you can speak, the language department, our French partner organization, your host family, and of course, Andégo is there to support you throughout the experience.

Can I come early to travel or stay after? 

Coming early may be possible depending on the receipt of your visa.  You are also able to stay up to 90-days after the expiration of your visa into the summer if you would like.

Can my parents or friends visit me?

During school holidays, absolutely!  They would likely need to make their own lodging arrangements.  During school, remember that you are participating in a professional experience and are being compensated for your time.  As long as you are able to fully complete the requirements of your position, there is no reason that you could not also have visitors.  We equally encourage you to make the most of this experience! Visits from family or friends may disrupt this unique experience. 

What are the prerequisites for this program? 

This program is open to anyone 18+ with native-like language abilities in languages taught at our partner schools (English, Spanish, German, Italian, Russian, & Chinese being the most common) If the program fills, waitlist order will be determined by overall application strength and order of initial application received. 

Do I have to know French to participate? 

We previously had a French language requirement in order to participate.  However, we have found that having the right mindset and personality is much more important than having a set number of years learning French.  Yes, knowing some French will have a positive impact on your ability to more easily communicate and connect with your host community, but if you're open, flexible, and motivated to dive into learning a new language and discovering a new culture, we hope that you'll consider our program!

Who should not apply for this program? 

Although we strive to increase access for all.  Those who are currently experiencing excessive behavior problems, drug or alcohol dependence or abuse, eating disorders, anxiety disorders, or other psychological disorders that interfere significantly with daily life and may interfere with the program, or students who have intensely experienced any of these issues within the past year should not apply. Likewise, applicants with life-threatening allergies should fully consider their ability to communicate their needs while in another country before applying. 

What is your cancellation policy? 

Andégo will refund your deposit less a cancellation fee of $250 if you cancel before the due date of your detailed application.

 If you cancel after that, we will refund all payments made less the deposit and any non-refundable costs incurred.  

If you cancel after your offer of placement with a school abroad (generally in mid-May) you will be responsible for paying a cancellation fee equal to 25% of the total program fee.

If you cancel after July 1st, you will be responsible to pay a cancellation fee equal to 50% of the full program fee; after August 15th, you will be responsible to pay a cancellation fee equal to 75% of the full program fee; after departure to France, the entire program fee is due and is non-refundable.

 In the event that Andégo cannot accept you into the program or cancels the trip for any reason, you will receive a full refund.

See our full payment & refund policy here.

How does school placement work?

In most circumstances, you will receive placement information in mid-May.  Schools are presented with the dossiers of applicants and then select the intern(s) who best match the school's program and environment.  We work very diligently to match our interns with schools where we feel that everyone will mesh and benefit from the experience.

What is the host family screening process like? 

Local coordinators and our partner schools network to find families who are interested in participating as hosts. They check references and visit the families. Some families have hosted more than once; for others, this will be their first hosting experience.  Generally, host families are parents of children at the school in which you are interning, but this varies in every situation.

If I don't like my placement, can I request a different one? 

This program requires a leap of faith for both students and our partner schools.  Our program works because our schools value the knowledge and experiences that you bring and our interns understand the unique opportunity to be immersed while having the professional experiences the program provides.  We ask that you keep an open mind and find a way to connect, as they will be doing with you. If an issue arises during the stay, you will have a contact at your school that you can & should be open with. Most issues that students experience are related to cultural adjustment challenges, misunderstandings, and communication barriers. We can help! 

How are host families prepared? 

Andégo & our partner schools provide families with meetings and resources to help prepare them for the experience of hosting. Topics might include: how to prepare for a student’s visit, how to help a student feel at home, warning signs of culture shock, what to do in case of emergency, etc.

More questions?  Something not covered above?

Contact us at gapyear@andego.org!