🇫🇷 French Summer School 2026: A successful immersion experience for 45 international students

For several weeks, IMT Mines Albi hosted 45 students from 11 countries as part of the 2026 French Summer School. Through intensive French language instruction, exposure to French culture, company visits, and immersion in local life, this year’s program enabled participants to prepare for their future student life in France under the best possible conditions.

International

02/09/2026

90 hours of French to prepare international students for their studies in France

Learning a language also means learning to understand the customs and norms of the country where you’re about to live. That’s the whole purpose of the French Summer School, organized each year by IMT Mines Albi.

For the 2026 edition, 45 students representing 11 nationalities—including 5 refugee students—participated in the program. Some of them will soon continue their studies at the schools of the Institut Mines-Télécom: 17 future students from IMT Mines Albi, 11 from the École des Mines de Saint-Étienne, and 3 from IMT Mines Alès, in particular, took part in this year’s program.

In total, the participants completed 90 hours of intensive French language instruction. In addition to the language classes, there were numerous workshops designed to prepare them in very practical ways for their new life: learning student slang, raising awareness of cultural differences, an introduction to the apprenticeship system in France, assistance with administrative procedures, and guidance on opening a bank account. Cooking workshops also rounded out this immersive experience, offering a chance to discover French culture… right on the plate!

Explore Albi and Occitanie during the French Summer School

The French Summer School is also an experience that extends beyond the classroom. Throughout the program, students explored Albi and the many treasures of the Occitanie region through numerous field trips. A treasure hunt through the streets of Albi, exploring Mazamet and its footbridge, day trips to Puycelsi and Lautrec, and a visit to the Cité de l’espace: these are all experiences that allow students to get to know their new surroundings better while practicing French in everyday situations.

Company visits to explore the French professional world

The immersion experience also extended into the business world. Four visits were organized to Fintech, Dedienne Aerospace, Sirea and Phodé—local companies with diverse activities and areas of expertise. These visits allowed the students to explore French professional environments, interact with the companies’ teams, and gain a better understanding of the local economic and industrial landscape.

The French Summer School: A program to help international students integration

Beyond language learning, the French Summer School serves as a true transition to student life in France. Over the course of several weeks, participants learn to become more independent, understand their new environment, and form their first connections even before the academic year begins.

This 2026 edition thus reaffirms the mission of the French Summer School: to make arriving in France not just a change of country, but the start of a fully prepared academic, cultural, and personal experience. After several weeks filled with learning, discoveries, and new encounters, a new adventure now begins for the participants: the start of their academic year in France!