TAPIF Program

What is the TAPIF Program?

TAPIF is part of France’s Assistants de langue en Franceinitiative, which aims to improve the country's foreign language education. 

The Program is a collaboration between the French Ministry of Education, France Education International, and the French Embassy in the USA. It’s designed for US citizens who are interested in working as English language teaching assistants in public schools across metropolitan, rural, and overseas departments of France. 

Successful TAPIF applicants will be teaching English to different age groups, typically leading conversations, exchanging cultural understanding, and boosting confidence in English. 

You’ll work in elementary schools (for students aged 8-11) or secondary schools (ages 11-18), and have plenty of chances to sharpen your French language skills and explore the country.

Can you choose where you work in France?

The short answer? No. TAPIF places teachers based on where they’re most needed in the French education system. Although applicants can list three top locations, it’s more about where your skills will be used best, rather than your personal choice.

The program’s mission is to ensure a spread of teaching assistants across rural and metropolitan France, and the French territories. You might not end up teaching English in Paris – so keep an open mind for France’s less-explored regions, like Caen, Brittany, Limoges, and Amiens. 

You could even be sent to a French territory, like French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, or Réunion, where you can get a higher cost-of-living stipend.

TAPIF working hours

You'll work 12 hours per week, sometimes across different schools. At most, you’ll teach in three local schools over a week, helping classes of various ages and proficiency levels.

Contracts run from the 1st of October to the 30th of April, with two-week breaks every 6-7 weeks.

French assistant language teacher responsibilities

Assistant language teachers on the TAPIF Program help plan classes and use different resources to enhance students' English levels. That means using films, podcasts, music, and games from the USA to make lessons more accessible and engaging.

You’ll also be expected to run extracurricular English clubs. English clubs offer conversation practice and informal lessons for students of different ages.

As a teaching assistant, it’s your job to lead conversations. This might mean providing small group tutorials or assisting with conversation groups as part of a larger class, giving teachers a chance to catch up with admin tasks and lesson planning. A big part of these conversations is making English more true to real life for French students - so don’t be afraid to use slang terms, dialects, and memes.

Pay, hours, benefits, and more

Here’s how much you’ll work, what your pay will look like, benefits, and the visa pathway for TAPIF teachers:

Health insurance: what’s covered and how it works

If you’re accepted for the TAPIF program, your medical costs will be covered by Sécurité Sociale. In France, you’ll hear it being referred to as ‘Sécu’.

Through Sécurité Sociale, you’re covered for:

• 60 - 70% of your medical costs
• 35 - 65% of prescription costs
• 80% of hospitalization costs

You’ll be valid for coverage as soon as you receive your Carte Vitale, the French health insurance card given to all residents.

Private health and travel insurance are recommended for the first three months of your contract, as you might not receive your Carte Vitale immediately. It also suggests that teaching assistants top up their medical plans through the French Ministry of National Education or choose a ‘Mutuelle’ plan.

The TAPIF Program: key takeaways

Simply put, TAPIF is the one of the best ways to teaching English in Europe as an American. Every year, the program places around 1,500 US citizens in schools across France and its overseas territories, giving aspiring TEFL teachers a structured, paid way to gain classroom experience and live abroad. 

Here’s what to keep in mind if you’re considering this popular (and competitive) teaching assistant program:

• TAPIF places you in French schools as an English language assistant, supporting lessons and leading conversation practice
• Contracts run for 7 months (October–April), with around 12 teaching hours per week and regular school holidays
• You’ll earn €810 a month (or more in French overseas territories), plus access to a long-stay visa and travel across the Schengen Area
• To apply, you need to be a US citizen aged 20–35, with at least three years of university study and B1-level French
• Your application includes a statement of purpose in French, references, and proof of language ability
• Relevant experience – including teaching, tutoring, or working with young people – can improve your chances of being accepted
• You’ll need savings (around $3,000) to cover upfront costs like travel and accommodation
• Placement location isn’t guaranteed, so flexibility is key!

If you’re serious about getting into TAPIF and chasing your French teaching dreams, start by building your skills and experience with our 120-hour online TEFL course. Bonne chance!