Languages in Monaco

Monaco had residents from 141 nationalities in 2023, which makes language skills useful in public communication, education, work, tourism and everyday life. French is the official language and is used for communication with public authorities. English and Italian are generally understood and spoken according to the Government guide, while Monegasque has medium to high cultural and identity relevance. Other languages are available according to personal, professional and institutional needs. Foreign documents may require a French translation. The available research does not establish a general statutory language requirement for private employment. French learning includes general, conversation and professional courses, individual lessons and preparation for language examinations. Alliance Française de Monaco offers courses for adults and for people under 18 with parental consent, both in person and online. Courses cover levels A1 to C2 under the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, known as the CEFR. The provider operates throughout the year for individuals and companies. It requires identity documentation, valid residence or visa status and the learner's own health, accident and liability insurance. Group courses require at least six participants. The annual administration fee is €70, while course and material costs are charged separately. A participation certificate is issued only after at least 80% attendance. The Regency School offers multilingual individual, pair and small-group lessons, adult classes, conversation courses, junior and holiday programmes, online learning, language stays and examination preparation for children, young people, adults, students, companies and institutions. Prices are provided on request. IET focuses on professional English, Italian, Russian, Spanish, French as a foreign language, Portuguese and German, with individual, small-group, intensive and telephone formats; prices are also provided on request. IUM offers French, Italian, Chinese, Russian and Spanish at different levels. Its teaching language is English, and applications require at least B2 English. French as a foreign language is commonly abbreviated as FLE. French examination preparation in Monaco includes DELF and DALF, which are French proficiency diplomas, and TCF, a French language test. Alliance Française refers candidates to the Centre International de Valbonne for DELF and to CUEFLE Nice for DALF; a local Monaco examination centre is not established by the available research. Private providers may also prepare learners for Cambridge, TOEFL and IELTS, but preparation does not itself confirm that the examination takes place in Monaco. La Dante Monaco offers Italian from A1 to C2 through group or individual lessons in person, online or at home. Its 2026/27 programme is scheduled to start in October 2026 and offers 18, 24, 36 or 48 teaching hours, usually in weekly sessions of 1.5 or 2 hours. Non-beginners take a placement test, and individual PLIDA preparation is available, but the local examination venue and fees are not established. Adult Monegasque learning is organised by the Comité National des Traditions Monégasques, with a teacher provided by the Direction de l’Éducation Nationale, de la Jeunesse et des Sports. The Académie des Langues Dialectales provides a room at 18 avenue des Castelans without charge. Beginner and advanced classes are free and normally take place during the school year, with breaks during holidays. The latest available ALD record is from 2025, and 2026 dates are not established. The adult course does not have a documented formal state examination or recognition. Monaco's education law sets mastery of French and knowledge of two additional languages as an educational goal. A foreign-language introduction is compulsory in kindergarten, Monegasque is taught in primary and secondary education, and some schools provide French-learning support for children who do not speak French. These school-based pathways belong mainly to education policy, but they form part of the available language-learning routes. The DENJS administers two relevant language scholarships. A bourse de perfectionnement can support a language stay abroad, excluding France, for primary pupils from CE2, secondary pupils and higher-education students. Depending on the applicant group, the stay can last from one week to two months, or for baccalaureate holders from more than two months to one year when study or work requires it. The course must normally provide at least ten hours per week. Primary and secondary applicants may study only languages taught at their school level. Eligibility includes Monégasque applicants, specified family or public-service categories and foreign students meeting the stated ten-year continuous-residence condition. Short stays are generally limited to one per year for primary and secondary study and two during higher education; a long stay covers one academic year. Applications are due by 14:00 on the last Friday in August. The amount is set annually, either as a flat sum or according to duration and the quotient familial, and proof of participation is required. A bourse de spécialisation supports language training for someone already in paid professional activity in Monaco when specialised work vocabulary is needed. Eligibility includes Monégasque applicants, specified family or public-service categories and foreign residents meeting the stated ten-year residence condition. The application requires an employer certificate and a visa from the Département des Finances et de l’Économie, together with evidence of the provider, stay, duration and weekly hours. Applications are accepted throughout the year but must be submitted before training begins. Changes or cancellation must be reported; false information can lead to withdrawal and repayment. The award depends on actual costs and available resources. Monaco has no documented central state digital platform for language learning. Online alternatives are available through Alliance Française, La Dante Monaco and The Regency School, while IET also offers telephone and flexible formats. Most adult provision is private or associative, so availability, prices, schedules, admission conditions and examination arrangements should be checked directly before enrolment. There is no documented central state adult FLE integration course in the reviewed sources.