Language requirements

Courses are taught in French at the Université de Sherbrooke.

According to point 6.1 of the Academic Regulations, "all students must have a functional knowledge of written and spoken French that allows them to participate effectively in educational activities and to write related assignments at all levels of instruction."

Anyone admitted to an undergraduate degree program must meet the French-language requirement at the time of admission or during the first half of the program (see section 6.2 of the Academic Regulations).

Non-French-Speaking Individuals

The Université de Sherbrooke's language policy states that:

“ A candidate for admission who has studied in a language other than French may be required to take a French-language proficiency test. Depending on the result obtained, the student might be required to take one or more educational activities to achieve a functional knowledge of French.”

Levels of French Proficiency Required

Programs at the Université de Sherbrooke use several frameworks to determine language proficiency when assessing applications, including the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). It classifies language proficiency in six levels: A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, and C2 (where A1 is the lowest level and C2 the most advanced).

The majority of bachelor's and course based masters require a functional knowledge of the French language (B2 or equivalent) before the course starts, while others require a university level (C1 or equivalent).

Graduate research programs sometimes allow candidates to meet the program's language requirement during their training (especially possible at the doctoral level, with the approval of the thesis supervisor and the faculty).

Specific requirements of study programs

Please read the description of your program of study carefully to learn about its specific language requirements (level of French required, deadline for meeting the requirement, and accepted certifications). If the information available in the form does not answer your questions, please contact us at Bienvenue@USherbrooke.ca.