Education Policies

No. Students are not required to be members in order to take a class. However, membership entitles you to the following benefits:

• Full access to our Library and Culturethèque
• Exclusive, members-only events
• Preferred rates for all our cultural events
• Preferred rates for all our group classes

No. You do not have to be a member to take private lessons.

Are you a new student? STOP! All new students with prior knowledge of French are REQUIRED to submit a placement test. You can find the test at this link: https://frenchlibrary.org/placement-tests. If you register for a class without first taking a placement test, you risk losing your registration fee!
Refunds are only issued in the case of class cancellation by the Education Department. This may be due to an unforeseen emergency or due to low enrollment (minimum enrollment is four students per class for a core language class and four students per class for a specialized or conversation class). For more details on our class cancellation policies, please see below:

WITHDRAWAL, REFUNDS & CREDITS

• • For all Group Classes: All cancellations must be received in writing in the form of an email to adultprograms@frenchlibrary.org or youthprograms@frenchlibrary.org. Withdrawals or refunds cannot be made by telephone. Please note that the absence from class does not constitute notice of withdrawal.
  • Refunds or credits will be processed according to the following policies:

- Withdrawals from a group class received at least 7 days prior to the start date of the course: Students will be refunded full tuition, minus a $25 processing fee.
- Withdrawals received less than 7 days before the start date and up to the end of the first week of the session: Students will receive a refund or a credit of 50% of the tuition paid, minus a $25 processing fee.
- Withdrawals received more than 7 days after the start date of the regular courses: No refund or credit will be issued.
- Withdrawals from intensive one-day or one-week programs must be submitted at least one week before the class starts in order to be refunded full tuition, minus a $25 processing fee.
- Withdrawals from Intensive days/weeks received less than 7 days but more than 72h prior to the first day of class will receive a credit for 50% of the tuition paid, minus a $25 processing fee.
- Withdrawals from Intensive days/weeks received less than 72h prior to the first day of class: no refund or credit will be issued.
- No credits, discounts, make-up or refunds for missed classes.
- Books are non-refundable once they have been picked up / ordered by the student.

For private lessons, students must notify the Department as well as the teacher at least 24 hours in advance to cancel a lesson. Students will be charged the full fee for lessons cancelled less than 24 hours in advance.

Textbooks may be purchased via MEP for online classes or at the French Library Reception for in-person classes. Books are non-refundable once they've been sent/purchased. Digital textbooks are non-refundable. Purchased lessons and credits are valid for seven years. Please note that regular 10 week-classes use the Edito collection. All Short-track classes use the Atelier + collection. You can refer to our class materials webpage for details.

Books and materials for themed courses and classes for children and teens, contact the Education Department at 617.912.0415 or check out our class materials webpage.