Become a French Immersion student

French Immersion Stream at uOttawa

The French Immersion Stream is designed for students who have attended high school in a language of instruction other than French, and who, while in high school, have followed a French-as-a-second-language program. Since the French Immersion Stream is added to a program offered in English, candidates must have an excellent command of the English language as well as advanced skills in French.

Immersion brochure (PDF, 569KB)

What to expect during the first weeks

Illustration of Tabaret Hall. — uOttawa

French Immersion Stream at the University of Ottawa

Eligibility and how to apply

French Immersion Stream eligibility criteria

You have completed advanced courses in French as a second language in grade 11 or 12 (or equivalent.) International students, see below for additional criteria.
Choose a program that offers French immersion (see list of programs). Apply to your program via the Ontario Universities Application Centre. Be sure to select the English program (e.g. Political Science rather than Science politique), then select the French immersion option on the program details screen.
After you have received an offer of admission from uOttawa that includes French immersion, you must provide proof of advanced language proficiency by one of two means.
1. Pass our Immersion Entry Test, an online assessment of your reading, listening, speaking and writing skills. Consult the "Entry Test" tab above.
2. Achieve the required scored in an external test to be exempted from our Immersion Entry Test.

French language test	Required level
DELF	B2
TEF études, 5 épreuves	B2 (over 400)
TCF Tout Public or TCF DAP	B2 (over 400)

Candidates with a B1 level with at least 16/25 in Production écrite (DELF) or at least 365 points in Expression écrite (TCF Tout public, TEF 5 épreuves) will be invited to do our Immersion Entry Test.

Other language tests or assessments are not currently used for admission to the French Immersion Stream. Those candidates will need to complete our Immersion Entry Test.

International students

We welcome applications from international students who have proficiency in both French and English. These candidates must meet the university's language requirements for English-language programs (i.e. a sufficient IELTS or TOEFL score) along with the requirements for proficiency in French listed above. Please note that international students with a DELF B2 and more than 16/25 in Production écrite may be offered admission to the French-language version of a program.

To obtain information about studying at uOttawa, consult these pages. To get information about university fees and significant bursaries for international students enrolled with the French Immersion Stream, consult Differential tuition fee exemption.

Applying from uOttawa

If you are already a student at uOttawa, you may modify your registration to enrol in the French Immersion Stream and complete your program with a French Immersion designation on your diploma. You will have to meet the eligibility criteria listed above. University courses previously done in French may count for the French immersion diploma requirements.

Applying from another university or college

Students applying to transfer from another university are welcomed at uOttawa. University courses previously done in French may count for the French immersion diploma requirements. For more information, see Canadian university transfers.

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Meet with a current FI student

Book a virtual meeting with a FI student to ask about their experience and how to apply.

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Explore

Student video testimonials

Madison studies in psychology. She has chosen to add the French immersion option to become professionally bilingual. Have a look at her path.
Meaghan, Noah and Michelle share their experiences as French immersion students with you.
Segah talks to you about her experience and the advantages of studying in the French Immersion Stream at uOttawa.
Noah and Sadie answer your questions about French Immersion at uOttawa.

Interesting articles

Resources for high school students

Student testimonials

@itshns

Learning French is important to me because as a Canadian I want to be able to know and speak both official languages of my country. In addition, learning French would help me in my career and when I travel to countries such as France, Switzerland, Luxembourg and in Quebec I will be able to communicate with the locals.

@michdolla

Hi! I’m a grad student in ergothérapie – I grew up in Montreal and came to uOttawa to challenge myself (as my mother tongue is English) and I wanted to make sure I can one day treat my clients in their language of choice. Whether I end up working in Montreal or Ottawa, bilingualism is not only important to keep my doors open – but to always make sure I am communicating with my clients in the language they are most comfortable in.

@Tristanlamonica

Studying at uOttawa in French not only gives me a competitive edge in the workplace, but helps further improve my reading and writing skills in both official languages. Additionally - studying in French means that I can continue to build my sense of belonging in the francophone community!

@saif_elh

Learning French, especially for non-French speakers opens up more opportunities career-wise and you can also make a whole set of new friends who speak the language!

What if French immersion isn't right for you?

If you are interested in a program not on this list—or if you like the idea of studying partially in French but the immersion option doesn’t seem right for you—don’t worry: we have many opportunities for students to learn in both official languages.

Any student may take:

French-as-a-second-language courses, to focus on grammar, pronunciation and other aspects of the French language; or
French Studies or Lettres françaises courses, to learn more about French culture.

For guidance in choosing alternatives to French immersion, please contact us.