Work-study program
Work-study programs offer a strategic opportunity to gain training while being immersed in the professional world.
A true bridge to employment, it helps students acquire practical skills that can be directly applied in the workplace.
In continuing education, there are two programs that provide access to work-study programs, depending on your status:
- The Professional Training Contract
A private-law employment contract based on the principle of work-study, it enables participants to acquire a professional qualification or to supplement their initial training with an additional qualification in order to qualify for a specific position within the company.
TARGET AUDIENCE
– Young people aged 16 to 25 to complete their initial training
– Job seekers aged 26 and older
– Recipients of the Active Solidarity Income (RSA), the Specific Solidarity Allowance (ASS), or the Allowance for Disabled Adults (AAH)
– Individuals who have benefited from a subsidized contract (Single Integration Contract – CUI)
–“New Chance”: job seekers who have been registered on the list of job seekers for more than one year
Learn more - Work-Study Program PRO A
The Pro-A program allows employees to change careers or advance in their current role through work-study training leading to a degree or professional certification.
ELIGIBILITY
– Employees with permanent employment contracts (CDI)
– Employees with permanent Single Integration Contracts (CUI)
– Professional athletes or coaches with fixed-term employment contracts (CDD)
– Employees on partial unemployment
Learn more
There are two main categories of degrees awarded by institutions of higher education: national degrees and university diplomas (DU). They differ in terms of recognition, purpose, and regulatory framework.
- National Diplomas:
The national degree is a state-recognized degree awarded on behalf of the Ministry of Higher Education. It follows a strict national framework (curriculum standards, course load, assessment methods, etc.).
- University or Institutional Degrees:
A University Diploma (DU) is a degree created and awarded by a university outside the framework of national degree programs. It is often designed to address specific needs (occupations, sectors facing labor shortages, career transitions, specialization, etc.).
For more information, please contact us at: sfc-pro@umontpellier.fr
An apprenticeship contract is part of initial training , whereas a professional training contract is intended for those pursuing continuing education.
Under an apprenticeship contract, the apprentice signs either a fixed-term contract (CDL) or a permanent contract (CDI). If you opt for a professional training contract, you will sign either a fixed-term contract (CDD) or a permanent contract (CDI).
So, how do you choose?
The choice will depend on your age, the length of your work-study program, and the pay rate.
The apprenticeship contract is available to individuals between the ages of 16 and 29 (exceptions apply) for a duration of at least 6 months and up to 3 years. The pay rate depends on your age and level of education but ranges from 27% to 100% of the minimum wage.
For more information, contact the CFA for Higher Education
The professional training contract, on the other hand, is available to students between the ages of 16 and 25 who wish to complete their initial training, to job seekers over the age of 26, and to recipients of RSA, ASS, and AAH benefits, with no age restrictions. Under a professional training contract, you will receive between 55% and 100% of the minimum wage, depending on your age and level of education.
For more information, please contact us
The duration of a professional training contract varies depending on the training program and the participant’s profile, but it is generally between 6 and 12 months.
- Minimum duration: 6 months
- Maximum duration: 12 months (up to 24 months in certain special cases, such as for people with disabilities or for certain specialized training programs).
In practice, the length of the contract often corresponds to the duration of the work-study program. For example, a one-year program will generally be paired with a one-year contract.
There isn't one. Each program sets its own schedule for the work-study component.
When applying for a work-study position, be sure to include your course schedule (which you can obtain from your program coordinator) so that the employer can see the pace of your coursework and determine whether or not it aligns with the company’s operational requirements and peak periods.
The training costs are fully covered by the OPCO (Skills Operator) responsible for the company hiring the work-study student.
- OPCO covers all or part of the training costs, based on an hourly rate or a cap set by the industry.
- The company must submit a request for funding to its OPCO before the contract begins.
- The work-study student therefore does not have to pay any tuition fees.
Please note:
- If coverage is only partial, the company may cover the remaining costs.
- Some training programs (particularly those that do not lead to certification) may not be covered: in such cases, a quote is provided to the company prior to approval.
Our team will assist you with the funding application process through the OPCOs.
Under a professional training contract, the work-study student has full employee status within the company that employs them.
What this means:
Work-study students are subject to the Labor Code and the company’s collective bargaining agreement and enjoy the same rights as other employees:
- Paid leave
- Social security (health, maternity, retirement, etc.)
- Access to company benefits (meal vouchers, health insurance, etc.)
- Enrollment in the general Social Security system
Pay is determined according to a specific scale based on the student-worker’s age and level of education (between 55% and 100% of the minimum wage or the minimum wage set by collective bargaining agreement).
As soon as possible!
If you plan to start your training in September, begin your search as early as March to ensure you find an employer before the summer break, when the job market will be tighter and most positions will already have been filled.
Polish your resume and cover letter, and stay on top of the latest trends!
Yes, we regularly monitor the job market, and when a work-study opportunity aligns with the needs and objectives of one of our programs, we forward it to the Academic Director, who then shares it with the candidates selected for the program.
To help you in your search, feel free to visit theUniversity of Montpellier’s career services website, which lists all employers who have hired graduates from the University of Montpellier.
If you are already a student at the University of Montpellier, you can use ResUM, the university’s professional network. Employers regularly post job and internship openings on this platform.
We recommend the Indeed platform, which is widely used by employers, and don’t overlook the social network LinkedIn, where you can interact more naturally with professionals.
Yes, whether it’s through a professional training contract or an apprenticeship contract, it’s entirely possible to do a work-study program at a nonprofit organization. It’s a private employer.
No, you’re a trainee.
You must be qualified to fill the position you’re applying for, but even if you don’t meet all the professional requirements, the company’s role is also to train you.
Attendance is monitored both at work and in training sessions.
If you are an employee of a company, all your absences must be justified.
Employers must provide us with a list of tasks you will be assigned as part of your contract, and these tasks must be approved by the academic advisors for your program.
This ensures that the company you wish to join assigns you tasks that are relevant to your program.
That's right; especially when it comes to Master's program applications or admission responses on the Mon Master platform arriving late, the company has no choice but to allow for a delay.
To date, no Bachelor’s degree programs are available through work-study programs.
For a program to be offered through a work-study format, its schedule must be adapted to this learning model, and time must be set aside for work placements, which requires significant adjustments on the part of academic administrators.
Work-study programs are currently only available during the final years of the General Bachelor’s degree and for a limited number of programs.
You can certainly pursue a master’s degree through a work-study program, whether under a professional training contract or an apprenticeship contract.
To qualify as a work-study student, you must be enrolled in a program that is affiliated with an educational institution.
If you enroll in one of our programs, you will be enrolled at our university, which is the University of Montpellier.
As a doctoral student, the only ways to pursue a work-study program are through CIFRE theses in industry or a doctoral contract as a university instructor.
In any case, it will not be an apprenticeship contract or a professional training contract.
Learn more
For more information, please contact us at: sfc-pro@umontpellier.fr