CUEFUniversity Center for French Studies

The Diplôme Universitaire passerelle étudiants en exil is part of the solidarity scheme for refugee students initiated by the Grenoble university community's commitment in September 2015: "Faithful to its commitments, the university wishes to fully assume its social role based on its missions of training, research, integration and cultural dissemination. Learning the French language helps to prevent refugee and asylum-seeking students from dropping out of the social and academic mainstream.

This intensive course in language, culture and university methodology is a gateway to French universities, giving students who have been forced to interrupt their previous course of study all the language, cultural and methodological prerequisites they need to re-enter a course of higher education in France.
 

The objectives

- Validating a language level and providing academic skills: this diploma validates a B2 language level as well as academic methodological skills.
- Supporting students in their studies: this DU has been nationally recognized since September 2019 and enables CROUS rights to be opened up for refugee students and those under subsidiary protection.
The CUEF teaching and administrative team is committed to helping DU PASSERELLE students succeed in the DU and define their study project.

Target skills

By the end of the course, students will have mastered the 4 skills of level B2 (acquired), which will be validated by the final evaluation of the DUEF B2 language tests. In addition to language skills, the course aims to provide students with the cultural and academic skills they need to succeed at university.
At the end of this course, and thanks to the teaching offered, students should be able to :
- Understand university codes and know how to deal with traditional French university evaluation methods
- Meeting personal work requirements: methodological organization, documentary research
- Taking notes and writing in French
- Speaking in French in a short presentation
- Integrate into a French working group
- How to apply to university (finding information, writing cover letters and CVs)

A university training program

Between 444 and 470 hours over 2 academic semesters.
The CUEF assists students with all aspects of enrolling at university (preparing applications, administrative procedures, writing cover letters, etc.).

Selection criteria

Students are recruited for the DU PASSERELLE program on the basis of an application and a selection interview. Selection criteria are as follows:
- Have refugee, subsidiary protection or asylum status
- Minimum current level of French B1 (attested by level test)
- At least a bachelor's degree or equivalent
- Have a university training project
- Be housed in Grenoble or its metropolitan area (particularly for asylum seekers who are not eligible for CROUS assistance)
Each year, between 15 and 20 students enter the program.