Welcome to CILEC

The CILEC the school dedicated to teaching French as a Foreign Language

Founded in 1977, the CILEC, or International Language and Civilization Center, is the school of the Jean Monnet University (UJM) dedicated to teaching French as a Foreign Language (FLE). It is part of the UJM’s International Relations Division.

Every year the CILEC welcomes 500 students from more than 30 different countries. To cater for all audiences, both international and local, we offer trainings for all level. Everyone has the opportunity to develop their skills in French language & civilisation.

Students, individuals, employees, you will find a training adapted to your needs. A CILEC team will be on hand for you, to streamline your integration and accompany you in deepening your grasp of France’s language and civilization).

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The CILEC building is located on the Tréfilerie campus, Denis Papin site

Benefit of the services and advantages of the Jean Monnet University (UJM)

The CILEC is a part of Saint-Etienne University. Spread over 5 campuses, the university welcomes and trains more than 20,000 students each year, including 3,000 foreign students, in a wide range of professions in the fields of Science, Technology, Health, Human and social sciences, Law, Economics, Management, Arts, Literature and languages. Thanks to its cutting-edge research and its growing number of international labels, UJM is a university that innovates and transforms itself.

Jean Monnet University is a key player in its region and beyond, in the greater Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, while resolutely opening up to national and international partnerships.

CILEC students benefit all the advantages offered to students of the University and beyond, of the territory.

More information for the welcomes students on the website Bienvenue à l’UJM

Learning french in Saint-Etienne, the choice of a city on a human scale

The CILEC is located on the Tréfilerie campus in the heart of Saint-Étienne, a city of 170,000 inhabitants. A metropolis on a human scale, Saint-Etienne, a place renowned for its culture of hospitality, is also the least expensive city in France. Because it is so close to Lyon (45 min. by train), Saint-Etienne is an ideal access point for visiting the Alps, the French Riviera or Paris.

It will also allow you to easily create links in the student community, all institutions included, and to create your professional network. Thanks to its size and its public transport network, Saint-Étienne also makes it easy to "live in the city" and to access all its advantages, including the cultural life with the Sainté Pass