Is that true that as long u don't have a job and ure foreign , u can get language clases for free?? where should i go so i learn for less and do much more with my time? anyone with good advices or perhaps someone who already took them specially in the french speaking cantons??

It might have happened a few times, but I don't think it is normal.

If you were highly skilled and you needed a job then you might get a course.

I think free language classes are only for non-swiss spouse of swiss citizens.

May be someone can confirm ?

Some threads for you to read up:

Language School in Geneva

French Lessons in Lausanne [free]

I can assure you that the non-Swiss spouses of Swiss I met had to pay for their language courses just like everyone else.

I believe the OP is talking about some courses the RAV sometimes pays to unemployed foreigners with valid resident permits in order to support them to find employment. I am pretty sure that there is not right to get a free course, but you are at the mercy of your advisor.

Use the search function for "RAV" to find out more on what it is, if you are entitled to get anything and so on. Alternatively simply ask at your local RAV.

I looked at this for Basel and as far as I understood it was for the non-working migrants. They seen to do several informal courses. I bet they have the same close by. Good luck finding it.

Hi
Yes there are many free - or for a small charge - language courses for French as a second language.

List of courses in canton Vaud

edit: obviously they are aimed at people who struggle to pay a private language course. so if you could afford otherwise, pls don't take the place away for someone who needs it.

Hello Andrea, you may want to go to the Sozialzentrum near you. There are integration curses and they normally have a lot of flyers regarding german clases, some free, some really cheap.

Hell, yeah!

Yes as one or two have already said these courses are usually offered to unemployed people when you sign up to the RAV. They are not an automatic right, I had to ask to be put on a course and once I did it was no problem. In all I have being put through 2 german courses through the RAV the 2nd was initiated by my advisor.

Like I say it's not an automatic right to get this, I know of some who asked and their advisor said NO. One of my friends asked and his advisor was pretty rude in answering him (let's just say he's probably a member of the SVP party) and wouldn't put him on the course.

Hello Andrea, can you, please, rewrite your post and stop using text speak? It's not very appreciated here, some people do not understand it.

Regarding your question, I never went through the RAV one, but put myself through 4 years of UniPop in Geneva, try to see if there is something like that near you. You pay 100fr a year, and get 4 classes a week.

If you are registered as unemployed and actively looking for work (but not necessarily being paid unemployment benefit) there is an opportunity to take up a language course financed by the state, if they deem it necessary.

You are best to visit your local unemployment office and asking them about it.

In Zurich, there is the Stiftung Chance

http://www.chance.ch/lehrbetriebsverbund.htm

Someone else pays for your course, conditions apply.

very useful links..........thanks a lot......

this is one of the most important matters that everybody should have the information...thank you all for the help!!!!!!!!!!!!

very very useful this information..thanks!

I think it differs from Cantons. As a spouse of a Swiss citizen, I pay nothing for language course.

How did you arrange the lessons (through the community authorities or the unemployment office) and with which school? Did you get a choice?

Would be useful info for the forum if you don't mind sharing.

I was in Lausanne (VD) and the officer at the community authority gave me a list to learn French. In fact, not just French, there are some other language courses as well, like Swedish, Arabic and Chinese etc.

if you really want to "invest" in your language skill, I don't think that free course is good choice. For my case, I've tried Université Populaire du Canton de Genève (very cheap), and after 2 months, my francais stayed the same , then I moved to Ecole Club Migro, totally different. Teachers are more professional. I was told that teachers in free language course for integrity are volunteers, not trained.