Launching 25 January 2027
This course will be available to join anytime from 25 January 2027.
Register your interest and we’ll email you when applications open.
Register your interestStart our SCQF 6 French course online, anytime.
Study flexibly online and earn a Higher-equivalent level French qualification at your own pace.
Join us online, anytime, to build your confidence and qualifications in French to Higher level.
You can use this Access French qualification to:
- meet entry requirements for study at the University of Aberdeen
- ready yourself for advanced languages learning at university
- prepare for postgraduate study or careers that require French language skills
- open up study abroad opportunities, or
- enhance your employability for global industries.
Start anytime
Start as soon as you’ve paid and registered. You’ll then have 12 months to complete the course at your own pace.
24/7 learning
Set your own hours and study when it suits you.
No in-person exams
Our Access courses are assessed online.
Progress to university
Improve your grades to qualify for undergraduate degree entry at the University of Aberdeen.
What you’ll study
Develop your knowledge of French language and culture
In this online French course, you’ll enhance your linguistic fluency and develop your reading, listening, writing, and speaking skills.
You’ll also explore French and Francophone culture and develop your knowledge of French and Francophone society, media, film, literature, and more.
Topics you’ll study
Across four course units, you’ll cover the following topics equivalent to the French Higher curriculum:
- Society – family and friends, people and lifestyle, media, global languages, citizenship
- Learning – school systems, school subjects, higher education, lifelong learning
- Employability – job opportunities, work experience, and CVs
- Culture – planning a trip, discovering other countries, celebrating a special event, French and Francophone literature, French and Francophone film and television, popular culture
Skills you’ll develop
Through your course activities and assessments, you’ll focus on developing your skills in:
- conversation
- discursive writing
- reading
- translation
- directed writing, and
- listening.
Grammar you’ll cover
You’ll cover the following grammar points from the French Higher curriculum.
- Negation and questions
- Describing and comparing objects
- Pronouns
- Tenses
- Reflexive, impersonal, and irregular verbs
- Joining words, and prepositions
Content advice
The content of this course is equivalent to the approved French Higher topics, and deals with a variety of sensitively handled social topics, including instances of racism, colonial legacies, and decolonial topics.
We are an inclusive university that takes the pastoral care of our students seriously. The classroom will be made a space to engage sensitively with this content. Confidential and impartial support is also available from the Student Advice and Support Office.
By the end of this online French course, you’ll be able to...
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Apply reading, listening, talking, and writing skills in French through activities including conversation, discursive writing, reading, directed writing, and listening.
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Demonstrate translation skills in French, translating detailed and complex language within the four contexts of the course, in topics such as family and friends, lifestyles, learning in context, jobs, and other cultures.
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Demonstrate cultural understanding and fluency in French, through increased knowledge of French and Francophone culture, literature, and current affairs.
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Demonstrate literacy skills in your work, based on your ability to understand and discuss a range of French works and to combine material from multiple sources.
How you’ll study
Online learning
This Access French SCQF 6 course and its assessments are delivered online.
The course is primarily self-guided, with added support via online tutor sessions.
This is an immersive course that uses multimedia and digital environments to support your studies and engagement.
You’ll work through four course units at your own pace. Each unit guides you through structured exercises to help you develop and consolidate your learning.
Online tutor sessions
You’ll also have support from a tutor via live drop-in sessions.
These live sessions will include language-based interactive activities and games, as well as time to chat to a tutor online and get answers to your questions.
Live sessions will take place at least monthly. Attendance is optional, and dates and times will be announced in the online learning platform.
Course duration
Once you’ve enrolled, you have 12 months to complete the course and assessments at your own pace.
Online learning platform
Teaching and assessments are delivered through MyAberdeen, our online Virtual Learning Environment (VLE).
It holds all the materials, tools and support you’ll need in your studies. Take a look around MyAberdeen.
You can access your learning materials on computer, smartphone and laptop, 24 hours a day. You’ll find a range of resources available, including:
- videos
- audio clips and podcasts
- slide shows
- quizzes
- online tutor sessions
- reading materials
- discussion boards with your classmates
- online access to our award-winning Sir Duncan Rice Library.
Your tutors
You’ll learn from an experienced team of academics from our School of Language, Literature, Music and Visual Culture.
In this self-guided course, you set your own study hours.
The learning resources are there for you 24/7, all year round, so you can log in and study anytime.
You have one year from the date of purchase to complete the course and assessments.
How many hours per week?
- Learning and assessment for this course totals approximately 150 hours.
- As a guide, that’s around 10 – 15 hours per week over 12 weeks.
This is an indicative guide to the time required for a typical student at this level to achieve the learning outcomes.
This includes time for independent study as well as teaching and assessments.
This course is assessed 100% online.
There are no in-person or formal exams.
All assessments take place online within MyAberdeen.
Assessment structure
The course features four units. You’ll complete an assessment at the end of each unit, which then opens up the next unit.
You will also have a final assessment at the end of the course.
Each of your five assessments is worth 20% of your final course grade.
Assessment methods
Assessments will cover grammar, translation skills, and the four core skills – reading, writing, speaking, and listening.
Assessment methods used include:
- multiple-choice questions
- right-and-wrong-answer questions
- written questions, and
- oral expression, where you’ll provide a voice or video recording of your answers.
Resitting assessments
You will be allowed up to three attempts of each end-of-unit assessment.
If you fail the final assessment, you are allowed one resubmission attempt for the next available exit point. There is a £30 fee to resit this final assessment.
Once you’ve completed all the individual assessments, your overall performance will be assessed and you’ll be given a final grade.
How final grading works
Final grades are not issued automatically.
We determine final grades at five fixed points each year, called grading points (formerly called exit points).
- We position grading points throughout the year to line up with university and college admission dates.
- We have fixed grading points so that your assessments can be reviewed by both internal and external examiners to provide you with a final grade.
- You’ll be given a grade according to our Common Grading Scale.
When you’ll receive your final grade
Once you complete all the assessments, your final grade will be determined at the next upcoming grading point.
You’ll receive your final grade two weeks after this grading point closes.
Grading points for academic year 2026/2027:
See our timeline below for when grading points close and when results will be available.
Grading point 1 - September
- Grading point closes 10am, 4 September 2026
- Assessments submitted to us before this grading point closure are graded
- Final grades for assessments submitted in this grading point are available 18 September 2026
Grading point 2 - October
- Grading point closes 10am, 30 October 2026
- Assessments submitted between the closure of grading point 1 and the closure of grading point 2 are graded
- Final grades for assessments submitted in this grading point are available 13 November 2026
Grading point 3 - January
- Grading point closes 10am, 15 January 2027
- Assessments submitted between the closure of grading point 2 and the closure of grading point 3 are graded
- Final grades for assessments submitted in this grading point are available 29 January 2027
Grading point 4 - May
- Grading point closes 10am, 7 May 2027
- Assessments submitted between the closure of grading point 3 and the closure of grading point 4 are graded
- Final grades for assessments submitted in this grading point are available 21 May 2027
Grading point 5 - July
- Grading point closes 10am, 2 July 2027
- Assessments submitted between the closure of grading point 4 and the closure of grading point 5 are graded
- Final grades for assessments submitted in this grading point are available 16 July 2027
Grading points for academic year 2027/2028:
Grading point 1 - September
- Grading point closes 10am, 3 September 2027
- Assessments submitted to us before this grading point closure are graded
- Final grades for assessments submitted in this grading point are available 17 September 2027
Grading point 2 - October
- Grading point closes 10am, 29 October 2027
- Assessments submitted between the closure of grading point 1 and the closure of grading point 2 are graded
- Final grades for assessments submitted in this grading point are available 12 November 2027
Grading point 3 - January
- Grading point closes 10am, 14 January 2028
- Assessments submitted between the closure of grading point 2 and the closure of grading point 3 are graded
- Final grades for assessments submitted in this grading point are available 28 January 2028
Grading point 4 - May
- Grading point closes 10am, 5 May 2028
- Assessments submitted between the closure of grading point 3 and the closure of grading point 4 are graded
- Final grades for assessments submitted in this grading point are available 19 May 2028
Grading point 5 - June
- Grading point closes 10am, 30 June 2028
- Assessments submitted between the closure of grading point 4 and the closure of grading point 5 are graded
- Final grades for assessments submitted in this grading point are available 14 July 2028
Receiving your final grade and transcript
- You’ll receive your final grade online within the MyAberdeen course area after 10am on the date results are released.
- You’ll then receive your transcript (proof of your grades) in an email sent to your University email address.
- Please note that it can take up to four weeks after your grades are released for your transcript to arrive.
Getting your results in time for entry to university or college
You’ll need your Access transcript as evidence for admissions departments.
For August or September entry, aim for grading point 4
If your programme begins in August or September, you should aim to submit your assessments by the close of grading point 4.
This allows time for you to get your grade and transcript in time for the start of term.
It also gives you time to complete a resit in grading point 5, should you need to, so that you can get your resit grade and transcript before your programme begins.
Our first-class support structure will ensure that you aren’t alone in your studies.
You’ll have contact with your coordinator via email, MyAberdeen and Microsoft Teams.
You can use social media and discussion boards to chat with your fellow students too.
We provide a wide range of services to support you in your studies:
- Careers and Employability Service
- Disability support
- IT support
- Library support
- Student Support Service – help with finances, wellbeing and non-academic issues
- Student Learning Service – support with academic skills, writing and maths, with advice sessions and workshops available
- Aberdeen University Students’ Association (AUSA) – run by students for students
- Toolkit – a guide to apps and free training that can make your study life easier
Wherever you are in the world, you’ll feel part of our very special Aberdeen learning community.
See a more in-depth guide to all of our online support services.
Your course coordinators
Dr Fransiska Louwagie
Fransiska is a Senior Lecturer in French and Francophone Studies. She holds a PhD in French post-Holocaust literature.
Fransiska’s research combines literary studies with a range of interdisciplinary perspectives. In particular, she has worked on survivor narratives and the representation of the Holocaust in contemporary Francophone fiction and comics.
She also works on other contexts, including Rwanda and South Africa, and has undertaken various research collaborations in the fields of drama and the visual arts.
View Fransiska’s profile
Professor Nadia Kiwan
Nadia is Professor of French and Francophone Studies at the University of Aberdeen.
She has taught and developed French courses for learners at a wide range of levels, helping students build confidence in both their linguistic skills and cultural understanding.
Alongside her teaching, Nadia’s interdisciplinary research interests and publications focus on migration, identity, diversity, citizenship, and cultural policy in contemporary France.
View Nadia’s profileWhere this will take you
Study at the University of Aberdeen
This Access Course in French is designed to lift your knowledge and grades so you can meet the entry requirements for our undergraduate degrees.
How Access French helps you meet our entry requirements
With successful completion of assessments, you’ll receive a Higher-equivalent-level qualification in French from the University of Aberdeen.
This Access qualification is accepted for entry at the University of Aberdeen.
For entry here, your Access qualification will be considered equivalent to a single Higher.
Studying elsewhere
If you’re applying to study anywhere else, please contact the respective university to confirm the acceptability of this course and the grades required.
Your Access qualification
On successful completion of this course and assessments, you’ll receive:
- 15 credits at SCQF Level 6 (Higher-equivalent level), and
- a transcript of your achievement from the University of Aberdeen.
What are Access qualifications?
This Access qualification is not a Higher qualification. It is at equivalent level to a Higher.
Access qualifications are awarded by the University of Aberdeen, not Qualifications Scotland (QS).
They are not QS qualifications, but they are:
- at an equivalent level to QS qualifications
- designed in accordance with and credit rated by the Scottish Credit Qualifications Framework
- accepted for entry to the University of Aberdeen.
Career benefits of your French qualification
Learning French provides a real competitive advantage in the global job market.
French is an official working language for global organisations, highly valued by employers due to its importance across Europe, Africa, Canada, and international business.
Research into hiring trends regularly names French and German as the languages most in-demand by UK employers.
Learning French can unlock opportunities for you in international business, diplomacy, and multinational cooperations, where bilingual candidates have a competitive edge.
Build your learning with more Access courses
Continue building your skills and qualifications with our growing range of online Access courses.
Explore courses in biology, English, maths, law, physics, and psychology.
Access Higher Education courses
- Designed to help you progress to college and university
- 100% online, start anytime
What’s it like to study an online Access course?
Meet Malcolm. He studied one of our online Access maths courses to get the grades he needed for teacher training.
Entry requirements
You will need access to:
A computer (PC, laptop or Mac) with an up-to-date operating system
Most teaching materials are smartphone- and tablet-friendly. But we recommend a proper laptop or desktop for completing assignments comfortably.
Reliable internet access
We recommend:
- a wired connection
- a minimum download speed of 2 Mbps so you can take part fully in live sessions.
Speakers or headphones
- We recommend a headset with built-in microphone and earphones if you’re likely to study in an environment with background noise.
- A webcam is optional, but you may like to use one for some interactive sessions.
Software
We’ll give you access to Office365 applications. This means you can use online versions of Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneDrive and install these programs on up to five personal devices.
If your course requires specialist software, we’ll provide you with access to this and a licence that lasts throughout your studies.
See our detailed IT requirements for more information.
When you study with us, you can expect a first-class support structure that means you are never alone in your studies.
But learning online does mean that you have to motivate yourself and manage your own time.
This course is very much self-guided.
- Have you ever taken a course that involved a high proportion of self-study?
- If yes, did you enjoy self-study as a way of learning?
Self-study isn’t for everyone. If you have any concerns or queries, get in touch with our friendly team. We’re here to help.
Staff discount
University of Aberdeen staff are entitled to a discount on this course. View full details and eligibility criteria.
No other discounts are available.
How to pay
- Your course fee needs to be paid in full before you start your course.
- You enrol and pay for your course online – simply apply below.
- We accept payment via Visa Debit, Visa Credit and Mastercard.
Fees for this course will rise a little at the start of each academic year, on 1 August. This increase is typically 3%.
Resitting assessments
There is a £30 fee to resit your assessments.
Learning resources
Access to all the essential books and resources you need are included in your tuition fee. They’ll be made available to you online and you do not have to buy your own copies.
We also provide optional recommended reading lists. Many of these resources are available electronically through our library, although purchases may be required if you wish to read the full list.
Printing
You may want to set aside a small budget for printing, depending on how you like to work.
This course has no formal entry requirements. You decide if it’s suitable for you.
The course is designed to lift your learning in French to SCQF Level 6 (Higher level). It’s ideally suited to those who have:
- a pass or better in French at SCQF Level 5 (National 5).
National 5 is equivalent to a credit pass at Standard Grade or a good pass at O-Grade. See the guide to SCQF levels.
