Felicitations! You have decided to apply to the Teaching American Program in France. As someone who is currently working as an assistant with TAPIF, I found the application process to be both exciting and downright scary at the same time. I am by no means an expert when it comes to TAPIF, but I can give you my suggestions for the application (after all I did get into the program, wink wink) so that you have one thing to worry about. Let's get started!


WHO CAN APPLY?

• US Citizen
• Between the ages of 20-35
• Native English Speaker
• Minimum speaking level B1 (three semesters)
• Preference to applicants with teaching experience

MAIN APPLICATION FORM
   The main application is pretty easy to fill. Remember Americans that 'nom' is your last name while 'prenom' is your first name. If you are currently in college make sure to write a mail address that will be valid after graduation. Many college email accounts will close after a certain period of time after graduation so I strongly advise you put in another email account. Emails are the main form of communication throughout the application process and after acceptance, so accessibility to both your email and PO box is crucial. If you are crossing your fingers to be placed in the academy of Versailles/ Cretil/ Paris, having a contact that can house you is recommended to add on the application form in order to increase your chances of being placed in your desired academy.

This is also the section that you select what academy you would prefer to teach at. As someone who has studied abroad, I strongly suggest not selecting the same academy that you went to school in. Branch out and explore a new region of France! My top three choices were Montpellier, Bordeaux, and Dijon because of the locations and that they were populated with college students.

PERSONAL STATEMENT
This is the part to show off your French skills as well as your experience in teaching in an ESL environment. The essay is 500 words maximum so choose your words wisely and make sure to elaborate on certain points that you believe pertain to the job. I have found that this program prefers that the assistants have more experience in teaching rather than knowledge on French language and culture. If you haven't made a CV (a resume in French) this is your time to impress the French. This will come in handy if you ever want to find a job in a Francophone region. In addition if you have studied abroad or have done travels outside of the states mention that you are an avid traveler and are accustomed to different cultures.
   * Make sure you have your formalities correct with this letter (for example how to address the reader at the beginning and the end of your personal essay). Triple check grammatical errors and spelling .

MEDICAL REPORT
Select the number of illnesses you have and emergency contact information. Plain and simple.

DEPENDENT WAIVER
This is pretty much you signing off saying that you understand that as an assistant you only receive a net salary of 780 euros a month and that the program does not provide housing. Shenanigans are also discouraged while in France.

DOSSIER
This pretty much involves you scanning a lot of documents and will be good practice as an American assistant in France. You will need to upload your most recent transcripts, a copy of your two first pages of your passport (photo and signature included), a passport styled picture (which you will also need a lot of when you're in France, so stock up now folks), and a copy of your green card if you aren't an American citizen.

VERIFICATION DE LANGUE/ RECOMMENDATION
You have two options to choose from in order to show that you are adequate in French. The first option is to send in a evaluation letter from a French professor from your university or from Alliance Francaise. Your teacher should already know how to do the format for this letter (make sure they have a letter head though) because you probably aren't the first, or the last, person to apply for TAPIF. A scanned copy is required of your results from the TCF, TEF, DELF, or DALF for this option (you can find a testing center and more info on this test at your local Alliance Francaise).

The second option is a letter of reference from a either a academic professor or a professional stating that you have the capacity to speak and write in French. Either option won't increase your odds of getting into the program.

PAYMENT
There is a $60 fee to process the application. This will not be refunded and does not automatically mean that your application has been submitted.

Good luck! Remember to submit your application for TAPIF before the deadline of January 15th, 2017. If you have any questions about TAPIF let me know in the comment section below!

Until next time,