Teach English in France

Yes, you can teach English in France, but the route depends on your passport. EU citizens can work at language schools straight away. For UK and US citizens, the main legal route is the government language assistant programme, which pays about €810 net a month for 12 hours a week from October to April. Private language school pay is typically €15 to €25 an hour.

Teaching English in France at a glance

Who can legally teach English in France?

France is a popular destination and a demanding one for non EU teachers, so settle the legal question first.

EU and EEA citizens, including Irish passport holders. You can live and work in France without a permit, apply to language schools directly and register as self employed if a school wants to pay you that way.

US citizens. The realistic route is TAPIF, the Teaching Assistant Program in France, which is the American branch of the government’s language assistant scheme. According to the official programme page run by Villa Albertine, part of the French Embassy in the United States, applicants must be US citizens or permanent residents aged 20 to 35, with at least three years of higher education, native English and intermediate B1 French. Assistants work up to 12 hours a week in up to three schools, for seven months from October to April. Applications for the 2027 to 2028 cohort open on 15 October 2026. Our full guide, TAPIF explained, covers the stipend, application and visa step by step.

UK citizens. Since Brexit, UK teachers are treated as non EU nationals. The UK equivalent of TAPIF is the British Council’s English Language Assistants programme, which places UK assistants in French schools on similar terms. Outside the assistant scheme, an employer sponsored work permit is possible but uncommon for language school roles.

Canadian, Australian and New Zealand citizens. France runs working holiday arrangements with these countries, which can allow a year of work for younger applicants. Check current age limits and quotas with the French embassy in your country.

Students. International students on a French student visa can work part time alongside their studies, which is how some teachers combine a master’s degree in France with tutoring and language school hours.

Our guide to teaching English in Europe as a non EU citizen compares France with other options, and the Visa Desk tracks current entry rules.

What do English teachers earn in France?

Pay in France is modest for a Western European country, and most teachers combine several sources of income. Figures below are approximate typical ranges unless stated.

Two features of the French market shape real income. First, many language schools pay teachers as freelancers registered as micro-entrepreneurs rather than as employees, which means you invoice for your hours and pay your own social contributions. Second, the assistant stipend covers living costs in most regional cities but is tight in Paris, which is why many assistants add private lessons in their free hours.

Where are the English teaching jobs in France?

State schools, through the assistant programme. Assistants support English teachers in primary and secondary schools across the country, often outside the big cities. You can state a preference, but placements are decided by the programme.

Private language schools. Concentrated in Paris, Lyon, Toulouse, Bordeaux, Lille, Nantes and Strasbourg, teaching adults, teenagers and children, mostly evenings and Saturdays.

Business English. One of the strongest parts of the French market. French employers fund staff training, and many companies use it for English classes, delivered in the office or online. Professional experience in another field is a genuine advantage here.

Universities. Lecteur and maître de langue posts are fixed term roles for graduates, usually with a master’s degree, often recruited through partnerships with universities abroad.

International and bilingual schools. Best paid and most selective, generally hiring licensed schoolteachers.

For a city by city comparison, see our guide to the best cities to teach English in France, and if you want to train in the capital, our TEFL course in Paris.

What qualifications do you need to teach English in France?

For language schools, the practical minimum is a TEFL certificate of at least 120 hours, a bachelor’s degree and native or near native English. Stronger qualifications help rather than hurt: a well trained teacher with observed teaching practice is more employable, particularly for business English and exam preparation.

Employers increasingly want a qualification they can check. A regulated qualification such as our Ofqual-regulated Level 5 TEFL course can be verified on the Ofqual register. A TEFL certificate is not required for the assistant programme, but it is the best preparation for it, because assistants are often asked to plan and lead activities with little guidance. Some French is useful for daily life and essential for the US assistant programme.

When should you apply?

• October to early the following year. The assistant programme application window. US applicants apply through TAPIF and UK applicants through the British Council, for placements starting the following October. Check the official deadline for your cohort.
• Late August to October. The main hiring period for language schools, as courses start after the summer.
• January. A second round of language school hiring as new groups open and teachers leave.

Language schools hire in person far more than online, so EU citizens often do best by arriving in their chosen city in early September with a French style CV and a demonstration lesson ready.

What does it cost to live in France?

Paris is expensive and almost everywhere else is manageable. A studio flat in Paris commonly costs around €900 to €1,400 a month, while in Lyon, Toulouse, Bordeaux or Nantes a studio is more often €550 to €850. A room in a shared flat, a colocation, is the usual choice for assistants and new teachers. Assistants and other tenants on modest incomes can often claim housing assistance from the CAF, which makes a real difference to the budget. Public transport is good and reasonably priced, and markets and supermarkets keep food costs sensible if you cook. For rent by city, housing aid and worked budgets, see the cost of living in France for English teachers, and compare pay across markets on the TEFL Salary Index.

What is it like teaching in a French classroom?

French schooling has traditionally emphasised written accuracy and grammar, so many learners understand more English than they are willing to speak. Teachers who build confidence through speaking tasks, pair work and real world topics are appreciated. Adults in business English classes are usually motivated and expect well organised lessons. Greet colleagues formally at first, say bonjour on entering a room, and use vous until invited to switch to tu. Lunch matters, holidays are generous and the school year is punctuated by regular breaks.

Where to find English teaching jobs in France now

Last updated: 4 October 2026. 2026 figures checked October 2026: SMIC of €12.31 an hour, €1,867.02 gross a month, from 1 June 2026 (order of 22 May 2026); language assistant pay of €1,010.67 gross a month, from France Éducation international, which runs the programme. Assistant programme dates are from the official TAPIF page. Other pay and living costs are approximate typical ranges, not quotes. Immigration rules change, so confirm current requirements with the relevant French authorities.