Our directory of 244 French immersion schools covers in-person programs across 34 US states — but plenty of families live outside their catchment, want to keep a child's French alive over the summer, or are starting from scratch as adults. This page gathers the online options we'd actually recommend, grouped by who they suit best: structured programs for young children, live tutoring for teens and adults, and self-study apps for daily practice. We've used or vetted each one, and we tell you plainly what each is best for.
Do the schools in this directory offer online classes?
The 244 schools we list are in-person French immersion and dual-language programs — that's what our directory tracks, so none are online-only. If there's no program within reach of your family, the providers below are dedicated to teaching French online and are a genuine alternative or supplement.
Official & Nonprofit
Trusted, mission-driven institutions rather than commercial platforms — a good first stop for many families.
Alliance Française
NonprofitThe official French cultural network — 100+ US chapters, many running live online classes over Zoom for adults and children, taught by native speakers and CEFR-aligned. Find your local chapter's online offering through the national federation.
CNED
French govThe French Ministry of Education's official distance-learning service. Full French national curriculum by correspondence — the route many expat families use to school entirely in French. Note: the CNED website is only available in French.
TV5Monde
Free · Public mediaThe free learning platform from the global French-language broadcaster — thousands of exercises built around real TV clips, sorted by level (A1–B2), plus a section for young learners. Completely free, no account required.
For Children
Live classes and structured programs built for young learners — the closest fit to an immersion-school experience at home.
Kokoro Lingua
KidsVideo lessons led by native French-speaking children, built on Montessori principles and the CEFR framework. Playful, immersive and self-paced.
LingoCircle
KidsLive, small-group online French classes grouped by age and level, with native teachers and a set weekly schedule. Bilingual-school feel, from home.
Outschool
KidsA large marketplace of live online French classes — from casual conversation to full curriculum courses. Pick by level, schedule and teacher.
Dinolingo
KidsA self-paced app with songs, games and videos. Not a substitute for live teaching, but a low-pressure way to build early vocabulary and keep French alive at home.
Live Tutoring — Teens & Adults
One-on-one and small-group lessons with a real teacher. Ideal for high-schoolers, parents learning alongside their kids, or targeted exam prep.
Preply
Live tutoringBook private lessons with vetted French tutors by the hour. Filter by price, specialty and availability, and switch tutors freely until you find the right fit.
italki
Live tutoringA huge community of professional teachers and conversational tutors. Often the most affordable route to regular speaking practice with a native speaker.
Apps & Self-Study
Best as a daily supplement — convenient and low-cost, but no substitute for speaking with a teacher.
Babbel
AppShort, practical lessons focused on real conversation, designed by linguists. One of the most polished paid apps for steady daily progress.
Rosetta Stone
AppThe long-established immersion-style app — French taught in French, with strong pronunciation feedback. A familiar, structured self-study option.
Some links on this page are affiliate links: if you sign up through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only list providers we'd genuinely recommend, and this never affects our independent school directory.