Share Your Language, Shape the Future
Louisiana is home to a rich, historic Francophone culture, and French immersion programs are growing. Across the state, thousands of students are learning to think, speak, and thrive in French. Whether you are a Louisiana native looking to launch a meaningful new career path or an international educator seeking a life-changing teaching adventure abroad, CODOFIL has a pathway tailored for you.
Explore our two primary recruitment tracks below to find your perfect fit and help us keep the French language thriving in Louisiana. Lâche pas la patate!
Choose Your Pathway to teaching French in Louisiana
Begin or transition your teaching career to teach French in immersion in Louisiana.
Live and teach French in Louisiana
Best For: Louisianians and U.S. residents who hold a non-education bachelor’s degree and want to become certified French immersion teachers.
Originally designed exclusively for Louisianians, Escadrille Louisiane is an elite teacher-training program run in partnership with Centenary College of Louisiana and the University of Louisiana at Lafayette (UL Lafayette). This unique program allows you to earn a Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) or alternative teaching certification while gaining invaluable experience.
The Experience: Spend a year living and working in France as a language assistant (via TAPIF), followed by a teaching residency in a Louisiana public immersion school.
The Incentives: Benefit from specialized tuition support, hands-on mentorship, and eligibility for a multi-year financial teaching stipend upon graduation.
Prerequisites: A non-education bachelor’s degree with a minimum 2.5 GPA and strong French proficiency.
Best For: Certified, practicing educators from France, Belgium, Canada, Africa, and other global Francophone regions looking to teach abroad.
Since 1972, Louisiana has welcomed foreign national educators to serve as cultural ambassadors in our schools. Administered by the Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) in collaboration with CODOFIL, the International Associate Teacher Program places native French speakers in PK-8 immersion classrooms from vibrant cultural hubs like New Orleans to historic communities across Acadiana.
The Experience: Embark on a fully supported cultural and professional exchange, sharing your native regional traditions while discovering American culture.
The Location: Placements span 36+ immersion schools across the state, embedding you directly into the heart of Louisiana’s welcoming communities.
Prerequisites: You must be a currently practicing, certified full-time teacher in your home country with valid credentials and a clean background check.
| Pathway | Escadrille Louisiane | International Associate Teacher (IAT) |
| Target Audience | Louisianians & U.S. Citizens | Citizens of France, Belgium, Canada, and other Francophone countries |
| Primary Goal | Earn a Master’s degree & alternative teaching license | Participate in a professional and cultural exchange |
| Partner Institutions | Centenary College, UL Lafayette, TAPIF | LDOE, France Éducation International, WBI |
| Key Requirement | Non-education Bachelor’s degree + French fluency | Current full-time teaching certification in home country |