Overview
INALCO, the Institut national des langues et civilisations orientales, is a public higher education and research institution in Paris devoted to the study of languages and the societies that speak them.
Its teaching runs from the licence to the doctorat and is backed by research, and it welcomes school-leavers, current students, working adults returning to study and people in continuing education. The curriculum covers around one hundred languages, grouped by region: Africa and the Indian Ocean, South-East Asia and the Pacific, Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Hebrew and Jewish, Indian, South Asian and Tibetan, Japanese, Russian, Eurasia, Europe, and the Americas, with languages such as Wolof, Vietnamese, Persian, Turkish, Polish and Quechua taught alongside the major ones.
Teaching takes place on two Parisian sites, including the Pôle des langues et civilisations in the 13th arrondissement and the Maison de la Recherche in the 7th. The institute also runs open online courses, a cultural programme of exhibitions and debate cycles, and the DÉCRIPT research programme on civilisational narratives, which is funded under France 2030 and runs from 2025 to 2032.
Location & Contact
Where to find INALCO, plus its phone, email, website, and social media links.
Academic Details
Below are the institutional metrics for INALCO: scale, staffing, and accreditation.
Degrees
Degrees in Teaching French as a Foreign Language
Master's 7 programs
- Cultural Studies
- Foreign Languages Education
- International Studies
- Linguistics
- Modern Languages
- Teacher Training
- Translation and Interpretation
Other 2 programs
- Foreign Languages Education
- Modern Languages
Faculties & Divisions
INALCO's academic divisions and the subject areas each houses are listed below.
African and Indian Ocean Studies (Department/Division) 12 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- African Languages
- African Studies
- Anthropology
- Art History
- Development Studies
- Economics
- Geography
- History
- Literature
- Political Sciences
- Religion
- Swahili
Arab Studies (Department/Division) 13 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Anthropology
- Arabic
- Art History
- Arts and Humanities
- Cultural Studies
- Development Studies
- Economics
- Geography
- History
- Literature
- Mediterranean Studies
- Political Sciences
- Religion
Chinese Studies (Department/Division) 12 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Anthropology
- Art History
- Chinese
- Development Studies
- Economics
- Geography
- History
- International Relations and Diplomacy
- Literature
- Political Sciences
- Religion
- Translation and Interpretation
Eurasia (Department/Division) 5 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Armenian
- Kurdish
- Mongolian
- Persian
- Turkish
Europe (Department/Division) 23 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Albanian
- Anthropology
- Art History
- Baltic Languages
- Central European Studies
- Czech
- Development Studies
- Eastern European Studies
- Economics
- European Studies
- Finnish
- Geography
- Greek
- History
- Hungarian
- Literature
- Polish
- Political Sciences
- Religion
- Romance Languages
- Romanian
- Serbocroatian
- Slavic Languages
French as Foreign Languages (Department/Division) 1 subject offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- French
Hebrew and Jewish Studies (Department/Division) 10 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Anthropology
- Art History
- Development Studies
- Economics
- Geography
- Hebrew
- History
- Jewish Studies
- Political Sciences
- Religion
Intercultural Communication Studies (Department/Division) 1 subject offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Cultural Studies
International Business (Department/Division) 2 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- International Business
- International Economics
International Studies (Department/Division) 2 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- International Relations and Diplomacy
- International Studies
Japanese Studies (Department/Division) 10 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Anthropology
- Art History
- Development Studies
- Economics
- Geography
- History
- International Relations and Diplomacy
- Literature
- Political Sciences
- Religion
Korean Studies (Department/Division) 1 subject offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Korean
Language Didactics (Department/Division) 2 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Foreign Languages Education
- French
Languages and Cultures of the Americas (Department/Division) 11 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- American Studies
- Amerindian Languages
- Anthropology
- Art History
- Development Studies
- Economics
- Geography
- History
- Indigenous Studies
- Political Sciences
- Religion
Russian Studies (Department/Division) 14 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Anthropology
- Armenian
- Art History
- Development Studies
- Economics
- Geography
- History
- Literature
- Mongolian
- Oriental Languages
- Political Sciences
- Religion
- Russian
- Slavic Languages
South Asian and Himalayan Studies (Department/Division) 14 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Anthropology
- Art History
- Development Studies
- Economics
- Geography
- Hindi
- History
- Indic Languages
- Literature
- Political Sciences
- Religion
- South and Southeast Asian Languages
- South Asian Studies
- Urdu
South East Asian and Pacific Studies (Department/Division) 15 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Anthropology
- Art History
- Austronesian and Oceanic Languages
- Development Studies
- Economics
- Filipino
- Geography
- History
- Literature
- Malay
- Political Sciences
- Religion
- South and Southeast Asian Languages
- Tibetan
- Vietnamese
Texts, Computer Science, Multilingualism (Department/Division) 2 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Computer Science
- Modern Languages
Programs Offered
The full set of programmes INALCO offers is searchable and grouped by level below.
66 programmes on record. Each level below shows a sample. Compare these on the programs page All programs in France
Bachelor's Degree 58 programmes
Showing 10 of 58.
Master's Degree 2 programmes
Doctorate 6 programmes
Scholarships in France
Financial-aid options for studying in France, applicable across institutions including INALCO.
How to apply to INALCO
A five-step guide to applying to INALCO.
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1
Identify the right programme
Start by exploring the programmes section on this page. INALCO runs 66 active programmes across multiple degree levels. Narrow by qualification tier and read each programme description before shortlisting.
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2
Check entry requirements
Before applying to INALCO, confirm you meet the academic, language, and document requirements for your chosen programme. International applicants should also check visa eligibility for France.
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3
Prepare your application documents
Standard documents: official transcripts, identity proof, language test results, personal statement, and references. Confirm exact requirements with INALCO's admissions office before assembling, as expectations vary by programme.
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4
Submit via the institution
Lodge your application through the official website (www.inalco.fr). Online forms are the standard route. Save your draft frequently and submit before the programme deadline.
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5
Get in touch with admissions
Verify your application has been received by the admissions team. Monitor the portal for status updates, interview invitations, or document requests, and respond within the stated deadlines.
Frequently Asked Questions about INALCO
Common questions about INALCO — answers from its published profile.
Where is INALCO located?
INALCO is located in Paris, France.
Is INALCO public or private?
It is a public higher-education institution.
What degrees does INALCO offer?
Programmes at INALCO cover master's and doctoral programmes.
Is INALCO officially recognised?
INALCO is accredited by Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation.
Where can I learn more about INALCO?
INALCO's official website is www.inalco.fr.
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