• CITIZENSHIP: Candidates must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States. Foreign nationals with a U.S. Green Card may only apply if they are citizens of one of these countries.
• AGE: Candidates must be between 20 and 35 years old on the start date of the program.
The grant's age limit is strict and we cannot make exceptions. We do not offer any similar programs for people not meeting the TAPIF eligibility requirements.
• EDUCATION: Candidates must have completed at least 3 years of higher (post-secondary) education by the start date of the program. Years of community college studies can count towards this requirement. Candidates must have also completed the majority of their primary and secondary school studies in the U. S.
• ENGLISH LANGUAGE / BACKGROUND: Candidates must be native speakers of English and must have completed the majority of their elementary, secondary, and university studies in the United States.
• FRENCH LANGUAGE SKILLS: Proficiency in French is required (minimum B1 level on Common European Framework of Reference for Languages). French majors and minors are encouraged to apply. Candidates without a French major or minor may apply if they have developed at least a basic proficiency in French (equivalent to 3 semesters of college French) and/or lived abroad in a Francophone country.
Language skills are essential to facilitating work in the classroom and integrating into a new community. A personal statement in French and letters of recommendation attesting to the applicant’s French skills, attitude, and work ethic are required.
If the applicant does not have proof of French courses or does not have access to a French professor for the application's language evaluation, he or she can submit scores from a standardized French language test (TCF, TEF, DELF, DALF) available through the Alliance Française. Applicants must have their test results before the application deadline, so it is important to research testing dates well in advance. For more information, please contact your local branch of the Alliance Française.
• OTHER: The selection process favors applicants who have prior experience teaching or working with children, adolescents, and/or adults. This is not required, but all applicants should demonstrate at least an interest in education.
Candidates must possess the skills to promote cultural understanding between France and the United States. Prior experience living, working, and/or traveling abroad is helpful in demonstrating this ability and an appreciation of other cultures.
• FORMER ASSISTANTS / PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM A SECOND TIME:
Americans may participate a maximum of 2 times in the TAPIF program. ATTENTION: If you are applying for an assistantship for a second consecutive year, you will need to apply to renew your contract through France Éducation international. Renewal is contingent upon a positive review from the host institution, whether or not the assistant wishes to remain at his or her host institution or be transferred to another school or académie, amongst other factors. Assistants renewing contracts must return to the U.S. in between contract periods to apply for a visa at a French Consulate in the U.S.
If you are applying for a second assistantship in non-consecutive years (ex. You were an assistant in 2017-2018 and now you are applying again for 2022-2023) you must apply through the general TAPIF application at tapif.org.
If you have submitted an application within the last six years (2016-2017 or later) we can use your past application for the 2023-2024 school year. We want to simplify the application process for previous applicants. Please read more about how to use a past application HERE.
Former assistants wishing to do the program a second time must meet all normal program eligibility requirements. Their applications will be reviewed based on the same selection criteria as for first-time applicants. If found highly qualified and still eligible to participate, TAPIF will also verify with their first académie of assignment that they received a positive performance evaluation the first time that they participated in the program.
If all criteria are met, former assistants will be systematically placed on the program waiting list when decisions are sent out in April (new candidates receive priority; former assistants will be considered for positions that open up during the spring and summer due to new candidate withdrawals).
