Fide language courses & fide test
Prepare for your fide test thanks to our dedicated Swiss language and culture courses!
Our fide-accredited language centre
All our language courses meet the fide requirements. You will be able to prepare for your test in a stress-free environment in order to obtain or renew your Swiss residence permit.
Adapting to your needs and goals
Our language courses are tailored to your current language level and to the useful level you require to pass your test.
What does fide mean?
fide, which means “French, Italian and Deutsch” (German), is the official program promoting language integration in Switzerland. It focuses on Swiss culture and everyday life. It is a federal undertaking, which helps people who don’t speak French, Italian or German : Develop the necessary language skills. Ensure sufficient proficiency in one of these languages. Settle in their new country quicker.
Each expat/newcomer must take the fide test, which assesses their languages skills, to obtain their B/C permit or start their naturalisation process. A network of professional experts, instructors, schools, training centres, local authorities and specialised companies help deliver the fide program across Switzerland. Following the fide council’s directives, they train non-EU-EFTA nationals and assess their skills to ensure they can integrate well in the Swiss Confederation.
Our fide services
Private Swiss language courses (1 or 2 people)
We offer private, in-person courses in French, German or Italian, adapted to your language level.
These classes will be tailored to your language goals and fide requirements. For example, if you wish to obtain your C permit, the level of French required will not be the same as if you were applying for your B permit. Your trainer will tailor your language classes so that you acquire the language level required to pass your fide test.
Remote Swiss language courses
If you cannot attend our in-person classes in Nyon, we offer distance learning fide courses. Your tutor will schedule individual, online teaching sessions at a time convenient to you, and provide you with all the content you need digitally.
These classes, just like our in-person ones, are tailored to your language goals, your learning preferences and the fide requirements.
Group classes in Nyon
We offer a 40-hour, in-person programme (over a period of three months) to learn French, which meets the fide requirements. The classes focus on everyday life in Switzerland to help you acquire practical language skills that you can use immediately in your personal and professional life, as well as give you a better understanding of life in Switzerland.
The course includes:
- 20 hours of in-person classes (10 weekly, 2-hour classes) in a small, friendly group.
- 20 hours of individual learning sessions (10 weekly, 2-hour sessions) thanks to our immersive digital learning platform.
- A mock fide test..
At the end of the group course, you will take your fide test in our accredited centre.
Welcome to Switzerland
Have you just arrived in Switzerland? Our personalised Welcome to Switzerland programme includes language courses in French or German as well as cultural courses to understand the Swiss habits and customs.
This programme is adapted to your initial language level to facilitate your integration and to prepare for your fide test with complete peace of mind. The programme also includes taking your fide test in our accredited centre.
Swiss Integration Journey
Our 360° solution to facilitate your integration in Switzerland includes:
- Our fide training programme and taking your fide test.
- Our Swiss cultural programme.
- Individual support to help you settle in Switzerland.
- Support for your partner to help them integrate well in Switzerland.
Take your fide test
You can take your fide test at our accredited language centre in Nyon (VD), whether you have taken our language courses or not. Our tests take place every Thursday, depending on the number of participants.
You must register 2 weeks before the desired date of your test at the latest, as it take 2 weeks to order your test from the fide Council.
Next fide session dates
We are currently unable to accept new registrations for the fide test.
On the day of your test, you must:
- Please arrive 5 minutes before the start time. The test starts at the exact time. Any delay will result in the cancellation of your test (the full price of which will be due).
- Bring a valid ID. Failure to present your ID will result in the cancellation of your test (for which the full price will be due).
- Mobile phones and connected watches are not permitted during the test. They must be switched to "mute" mode and left at the entrance to the examination room.
Your fide test will last :
- Approximately one hour for the oral part (Speaking and Understanding).
- One hour for the Reading and Writing part.
Results
The fide secretariat will send the language passport containing the results by post to your home address within 3 to 5 weeks. Formations&Co cannot give any information on this subject and is not responsible for the response time.
A wealth of information on the test and model test can also be found on the fide website : https://fide-service.ch/fr/attestations/test-fide
fide test rates
Oral test (Speaking and Understanding): CHF 170.-
Written test (Reading and Writing): CHF 120.-
Oral and written test: CHF 250.-
To register, please contact your dedicated fide contact Minielle by email (contact@formationsco.com) or call +41 21 564 21 50 Monday to Friday between 9.00 am and 6.00 pm.
Good to know:
- Upon confirmation of your registration and up to 16 working days before the test, the amount of CHF 150.- will be charged to you in the event of postponement or withdrawal.
- For cancellations or postponements received after the 15th working day before the test, the total price of the test will be due.
fide level A1
Elementary use of language A1
- You can communicate in a simple way, in your personal living context (e.g. at home, at work or at your children’s school), as long as your fide instructor speaks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help you when necessary.
- You can introduce yourself or introduce someone else using simple words.
- You can give short and simple answers to easy, personal questions (e.g. where do you live ? Where do you work ? Where do your children go to school ?)
- You can express your needs or concerns (e.g. at home or in a shop), by using prepared and practiced sentences.
fide level A2
Elementary use of language A2
- You can understand simple questions and sentences relating to important areas of your life. For example, questions on your children’s school, your education/training, your work, your health or your living situation.
- You can communicate in routine situations in a government office or any other public institution, which only require a direct exchange of information on familiar topics.
- You can describe where you come from, talk about your education, your work or your personal experiences, using simple words.
fide level B1
Independent use of language B1
- You can understand important information from a teacher, your employer, your landlord or public authorities, as long as they use clear, standard sentences and they talk about familiar topics.
- You can manage in most day-to-day situations at home, at work or in a public space.
- You can express yourself easily and clearly on familiar topics, personal interests and experiences.
- You can express your opinions, your goals, your hopes and your wishes, as well as explain or justify them briefly.
fide language levels
Linguistic skills, permits and naturalisation
B Permit (Residence Permit)
To join your partner who holds a B Permit (Art. 73a OASA), also known as family reunification.
To renew workers’ B Permits.
Fide language requirements: Oral level A1. You must provide your fide language certificate to prove you meet the requirements.
*Art. 73a OASA
Early C Permit (Early Settlement Permit)
To apply for an early settlement permit (Early C Permit) after living in Switzerland for 5 continuous years.
Fide language requirements: Oral level B1 and Written Level A1. You must provide your fide language certificate to prove you meet the requirements.
C Permit (Settlement Permit)
To apply for a settlement permit (C Permit) after living in Switzerland for 10 continuous years.
Fide language requirements: Oral level A2 and Written Level A1. You must provide your fide language certificate to prove you meet the requirements.
Naturalisation
To become a Swiss citizen and apply for ordinary naturalisation (after living in Switzerland for 10 continuous years) or simplified naturalisation for spouses of Swiss citizens (after living in Switzerland for 5 continuous years).
Fide language requirements: Oral level B1 and Written Level A1. You must provide your fide language certificate to prove you meet the requirements.
(Settlement Permit)
Enjoy an immersive linguistic experience with our digital learning platform
Alongside your language and culture classes, you will enjoy unlimited access to our Digital Learning platform. Discover an immersive learning experience thanks to:
- Interactive French or German video classes and engaging podcasts, customised to your personal interests. For example, if you love baking, you will be able to access hundreds of French video classes and podcasts about baking.
- Hot-of-the-presses news videos. You will be able to learn the most up-to-date vocabulary thanks to the news content added weekly to your platform.
- Personalised vocabulary and grammar content library. You will build your understanding of French or German thanks to our wealth of resources.
Dedicated fide resources to help you prepare for your test whenever and wherever you want.
Good to know: By watching videos, listening to podcasts, and accessing your personalised content library, you will reach different milestones on the platform, clearly indicating how quickly you are learning and improving!
Formations&Co: your fide partner
A bespoke programme:
We adapt our private courses to your schedule, and to your linguistic level.
Flexibility:
We schedule our private classes when convenient for you.
Fide-accredited language instructors:
Our language instructors all hold a diploma, are under EduQua certification and are fide-accredited.
Proven client satisfaction:
We are proud of our 98.7% satisfaction rate (average from our customer satisfaction surveys between 2019 and 2021).
Group courses
Do you want to meet fellow foreign nationals or expats? We offer weekly group classes at our language centre in Nyon.