David Schlachter

Registering for affordable French classes at the Commission scolaire de Montréal

Are you a Canadian citizen* living in Montreal, interested in taking French classes? The most affordable option is probably the classes offered by the Commission scolaire de Montréal (Montreal School Board). The cost is about $50 for registration and the first semester, and less for subsequent semesters. Since information about the courses offered is only available in French on each centre's website, I've created this page to give a quick overview of what's offered. (If you're looking to learn French you probably would find navigating French websites about classes difficult!)

(Update 2021-06-01: Here's an official page about these programs, in English)

The Commission scolaire de Montréal (Montreal School Board) offers eight levels of 'Francisation' (French program for adults who are literate in another language). Morning, evening, and sometimes weekend classes are available. Typical schedules include the following (though this varies by centre):

There are also conversation groups and exam preparation classes available (example: courses available at Centre Pauline-Julien). Sometimes other classes are offered, at other hours (e.g. Francisation for the first level three nights a week, online courses focusing on writing, etc).

Courses are offered at one of several centres; here's the complete list of CSM centres offering Francisation, with phone numbers. For full details, it's best to give them a phone call (receptionists speak English) as sometimes the information on their websites is out of date. For convenience, here are some links to the hours for Francisation at a few centres:

Sessions start every eight weeks, e.g. Sept 4, Oct 30, Jan 8, Mar 5, etc for 2018. Registration opens a couple weeks before classes start. To register, just call the centre you want to attend (details for all of them) to find either the date for the next registration night, or to make an appointment for registration (depends on the centre). Again, they're typically able to provide service in English over the phone. When you go in to register, you'll need to bring proof of Canadian citizenship (typically a passport), and proof of a Montreal address (phone or hydro bill, lease, etc). They'll do a quick placement test through an interview and register you for the appropriate level.

* If you have a different immigration status, you may also be eligible but I'm less familiar with the details.