The exchange is an opportunity for all students to interact in English and French on a variety of topics linked to culture and experience.

These are not language lessons but an opportunity to experience an informal intercultural exchange with a foreign student in French and English.

How the virtual exchange works

The programme lasts a minimum of five weeks, during which time you will be paired with a native French speaker.

Each week you will meet online via videoconference for 40 minutes minimum (20 minutes in English and 20 minutes in French) and discuss a topic that you have prepared beforehand by exchanging links or documents (articles, images, links to websites, music, video etc.).

You choose the day / time of your meeting with your partner and after each exchange you make a small entry in a learning journal, which helps you to reflect on the process and inform the coordinator of your progress.

Next steps

To register your interest in taking part in a French Virtual Language Exchange, please email Anne-Catherine Mechler, French Teaching Fellow in the Skills Centre.

In the email, include a few lines in French about why you want to take part in the programme and what your current level of French is. Please also attach a profile written in English (approximately half a page) with a picture of yourself.

These profiles are used by the project coordinators to find you an exchange partner with shared interests and are only seen by the coordinators and your partner. We ask you to include a photo to facilitate a welcoming and friendly start to your exchange. You will receive the same information about your partner in French.

"I would without doubt recommend taking part in a virtual exchange. There’s no replacement for having proper conversations with a native speaker when it comes to improving your language skills." (MChem student Hannah Glover)

Read Hannah's blog on taking part in the French virtual exchange