When I first learned of TAPIF, the Teaching Assistant Program in France, it was the fall of 2023. I had been on the hunt for a way to work in France for a few months by that time and meeting someone who had done the program felt like an answer to my prayers. At the end of the day, whether or not teaching English was my passion, this was a short-term work contract that required a minimal level of French to give living in my dream country a go, without selling my freedom to a family as an au pair. Now, in the middle of my second year of teaching English in French public schools, you could say I’ve lost some of the starry-eyed perspective I had at first. Nonetheless, I can tell you I would do it again.
TAPIF is the American Embassy’s face of a French government program that solicits young people from all over the world to teach their native tongue in French public schools. The program currently partners with 77 countries and in 2024 welcomed 2,992 language assistants to France from all over the world. Currently, applications for the next academic year are open to young professionals between the ages of 18 and 35. To learn more about TAPIF, its requirements, and this year’s deadlines, visit their official website here.
Thinking back to myself scouring the internet for information on TAPIF around this time just a few years ago, I am going to endeavor to give an honest and clear-eyed review as a second-year assistant. Bursting the bubble where necessary and reinforcing suspicions as able, here are some conclusions (true & false) that I have drawn from my experience. Let’s start with the false.
1. The program provides a livable wage.
False. During my first year, I burned through my savings with incredible speed. Inflation has hit France, and the wage of an assistant has not sufficiently taken this into account. About half of the 830 euros that hit my bank account each month go to pay my rent, and the other half pay for my groceries. Considering what it takes to move and settle into a new place, not mention in a new country, other expenses in the first two months should be expected. With six weeks of paid vacation during the school year, one naturally is going to want to travel, which is also not free. The French Education International boasts that language assistants have the right to demand lodging assistance by means of the CAF. However, even if you have your renter’s contract and all your paperwork submitted by October 1st, the wait for approval could be upwards of 2 months before receiving additional aid.
2. It is a sustainable way to begin a long-term move.
False. The proposal of TAPIF is not truly sustainable. It has a 3-year limit for renewing assistants and they clearly advise $3,000 in savings on top of the plane ticket to get here. Each year, assistants are obliged to return to their native country to renew their temporary work visa, an expense that is assumed by the assistant. Additionally, if French citizenship is the goal, you’ll need a long-term visa with renewable options. TAPIF is not that. Your yearly clock towards citizenship will not start with this program.
3. The paid vacation is generous.
True. Today I am writing on day one of a two-week break in the middle of February, one of the four vacation periods that occur during the language assistant contract from October to April. Instead of favoring an extended summer, the public school system is built on six-week cycles that give students and teachers an opportunity to rest and refocus between periods. Being on paid vacation in Europe is certainly not a bad deal. I’ve taken advantage of these times by visiting many different parts of France, as well as its neighboring countries.
4. You will grow.
True. One’s French can only improve in proportion to one’s courage to use it. In any case, you’re going to strengthen your resilience as you navigate French bureaucracy and the general discomfort that comes with living in a new country. Nothing causes growth like getting out of your comfort zone. I can assure you that living in a foreign country will mean getting out of your comfort zone.
5. It is the experience of a lifetime.
True. I have made friends for life and found a community that has become like family. This is by no means the experience of all who participate in TAPIF, but if you come with an open heart and seek out opportunities to integrate, you may just be shocked at the warm welcome you find. I was quick to join a choir, seek out a community of faith, and find other opportunities to explore my personal interests locally. I don’t know of an easier way to work less than part-time in a country as beautiful as France. Your bank account may not thank you, but your memory bank certainly will.
Have you participated in TAPIF or another teaching program in France? Share your wisdom with our community below.
Photo by Ben Mullins on Unsplash
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