Student Life at a French Fac
Chat with classmates about lectures, exams, grades, housing and parties at a French university.
French students call university « la fac » and split their week between cours magistraux in a lecture hall (l'amphi) and smaller, compulsory TD classes. Exams are called partiels, grades are out of 20 with 10 as a pass, and failed exams can be retaken at the rattrapages. The CROUS runs student housing, grants (bourses) and the cheap university canteens (resto U); students say tu to each other from day one.

- 1
Tu fais quoi comme études ?
What are you studying?
- 2
Je suis en deuxième année de droit.
I'm in my second year of law.
- 3
Tu vas en amphi ?
Are you going to the lecture?
- 4
Les TD sont obligatoires.
Tutorials are compulsory.
Tip: These are the small-group classes.
- 5
Tu peux m'envoyer tes cours ?
Can you send me your notes?
- 6
Elle est où, la BU ?
Where's the university library?
- 7
On mange au resto U ?
Shall we eat at the student canteen?
- 8
Les partiels sont en janvier.
The exams are in January.
- 9
J'ai eu 12 sur 20.
I got 12 out of 20.
- 10
J'ai raté l'examen de stats.
I failed the stats exam.
- 11
Les rattrapages sont en juin.
The resits are in June.
- 12
Je suis en retard dans mes révisions.
I'm behind with my revision.
- 13
Je dois rendre mon dossier vendredi.
I have to hand in my project on Friday.
- 14
On bosse en groupe à la BU ?
Shall we work as a group at the library?
- 15
J'ai demandé un logement au CROUS.
I've applied for student housing.
- 16
T'as une bourse ?
Do you have a grant?
- 17
Je dois finir mon inscription.
I need to finish my enrolment.
- 18
Je fais un stage au prochain semestre.
I'm doing an internship next semester.
- 19
Le prof est super exigeant.
The lecturer is really demanding.
- 20
Tu viens à la soirée étudiante jeudi ?
Are you coming to the student party on Thursday?