How to Get Free French Tuition in France Using Mon Compte Formation(CPF)

The Mon Compte Formation scheme (otherwise known as CPF, which stands for Compte Personnel de Formation) is a government aid available to both private-sector and self-employed workers under the micro-entrepreneur scheme that was introduced in 2015 and provides financial aid for professional training, courses, and qualifications. All salaried workers and micro-entrepreneurs in France have access to these funds, which equate to about €800 per year for unskilled full-time workers and €500 for skilled full-time workers – varying rates apply for self-employed or part-time workers. Your balance can be carried over if you don’t use it, up to a total of €5,000.

The funds are held in your personal CPF account (more about setting that up below) and can only be used to pay for accredited courses applied for via the government site – you can’t access your allowance in cash or use it for training courses that aren’t registered.

You can read more about the scheme here.

Who qualifies for “Mon Compte Formation (CPF)” and what can it be used?

The funding is available to workers over the age of 16 years (or 15 years old with an apprenticeship contract) up until retirement. In the case of being made redundant (for salaried workers) or a career change (for self-employed workers), you may also be able to use the funds you’ve accumulated to finance retraining or career development.

All workers are automatically given the right to this training budget, but you do have to set up an account with Mon Compte Formation in order to benefit – you can do that online here: https://www.moncompteformation.gouv.fr. This can take some time, so it’s recommended to set up your account in advance – you won’t be able to sign up for any courses without it.

You will first need to set up a FranceConnect+ and Identité Numerique to access your account, for which you can follow our previous guide:

FranceConnect+ and L’Identité Numerique: Setting Up Your Digital ID

If this isn’t available, you can sign up using your social security number and details available on your payslips or chiffre d’affaire, but extra verification steps will be required.

Avoiding scams

An additional word of warning: CPF and Identité Numerique accounts have unfortunately been the target of several scams since their inception, so take care that you only enter your details on the official government website listed above. Avoid following any links sent to you by email or text (even if they look official), and be wary of websites or links that vary from the official ones (sometimes just one letter has been changed, or the gouv.fr suffix is missing).

• You should create both of these accounts yourself via the official websites – no professional is authorized to do this for you, and anyone offering to “help” should be treated with suspicion.
• Be wary of phone calls from individuals claiming to be from “Mon Compte Formation” offering to help you choose your courses – a common tactic from scammers. Often, they will tell you that you must register now to secure your place or that your funding is about to run out, which is unlikely to be true. Don’t ever sign up for anything over the phone. If you need help, contact CPF directly via the official website.
• Never share your social security number, email, login, or date and place of birth – no vocational training professional or call centre is authorized to ask you for these.

Once you have created your account, you can check the training funds that you have available to you – click “mes droits” – and then search for training programs in your chosen field – click “rechercher une formation”.

There are a huge number of training courses and qualifications available, both in person and online, covering just about any work-related subject you might think of. You can choose a course that is covered entirely by your funds or opt to partially fund the training and pay the remainder yourself.

Note that for employees, there is a mandatory €102.23 that must be paid by the individual per training course; this amount is often reimbursed by your employer or OPCO. For self-employed workers (micro-entrepreneurs), this doesn’t apply, and you will often find that the entire amount is covered.

Once you’ve selected the course, you can create your “dossier d’inscription” online to register for the course. This process varies depending on the type of course and the training centre/organization involved, but you will typically need to enter basic information online and validate your dossier, after which you may be contacted by the training provider by phone or email to confirm further details or dates. Your dossier needs to be confirmed by both sides before it will be approved, but it’s typically a simple process and the course organizer will be able to advise you of any additional steps required.

How to use Mon Compte Formation for language lessons and TCF exams

One of the most popular uses of this training budget for expats in France is to take French language classes, and it’s also possible to cover the test de connaissance du français (TCF) exam that is required for residency cards and French citizenship applications. You can search for the exam directly via Mon Compte Formation or contact TCF exam centres in your local area and to speak directly with them – be sure to ask them straight away whether they are eligible for CPF or not. In many situations, it’s possible to cover the entire cost of the exam itself and a package of in-person or online training sessions.

Read more about the test itself in our guide:

Apply for French Nationality/Citizenship STEP-BY-STEP: Passing the TCF French Test