Frequently Asked Questions

Yes! You can join an online class from anywhere via Zoom! All you have to watch out for is the time zone.

For Level 0 through 5 group classes, you’ll have access to an archived recording of the missed lesson in your Student Portal to get caught up.

For Level 6 and 7 (conversation) group classes, you can request to attend a different class to make up for the session you missed, provided the class isn’t full.

Requests can be made by filling out our make-up request form.

Please note that make-up classes must be scheduled within 2 weeks of your absence.
Students are allowed a maximum of 2 make-ups per session.

In the event of low enrollment for a group class (4 people or less in a 10-person class), we might reschedule the class to a later start date, combine two groups, or shorten the duration of the class as we see fit. In this case, students will have the option to transfer their credit to a different class, or to get a refund if the new dates do not fit their schedule.

No. You can be added to a waitlist and you’ll be notified if a spot becomes available, but we strongly encourage you to find another option that works for you.

Class transfer or cancellation/refund requests must be made at least 7 days prior to your class start date. After this date, refunds cannot be given under any circumstances and we can’t allow you to transfer your tuition to a different class.

Yes, it’s definitely possible to join a class that has already started! As soon as we receive your registration, we’ll send you all the necessary infos as well as a recording of the lesson(s) you missed so you can get caught up.

At Coucou, we allow prospective students to sample a group class for $40 to see if they enjoy our teaching style and to assess if the level they have chosen is right for them. Typically, you would observe an ongoing in-person or online group class and then sign up for an upcoming class if you enjoyed it. 

You’ll also receive a $40 coupon code to be used towards a full class so if you decide to continue with us, the trial class is free. The coupon code is valid for 90 days after your trial class purchase.

To determine what level is best for you, make sure to take our placement test before applying for a trial class.

To accurately determine what your level is before signing up for class, take our online placement test.

Classes are offered 7 days a week throughout the day.

Our most typical group class format meets once a week for 1.5 hours over 10 weeks.
We also offer classes that meet twice a week.

All class options can be found on our find a class page.

Group classes prices can be found on the “Find a group class” page. Private lessons prices are available here.

Under no circumstances can a group class credit be used towards private lessons. If you would like to sign up for private lessons in addition to group classes, you must pay the additional fee.

Yes. We use our own custom course books for levels 0 through 5. They contain the entire class curriculum including homework. 

All students (online and in-person) are required to purchase the course book corresponding to the level they signed up for. The course book will be available as an add-on to your class purchase at registration.

Levels 6 and 7 use different materials every week as basis for conversation which will be given to you by your teacher. You can purchase any lower level course book on the Coucou online store.

Yes. We offer level-based exercise books as well as flash cards, both designed for self-study. We highly recommend students to purchase the exercise book corresponding to the level they are enrolled in as well as those of previous levels for review. Learning material is available on the Coucou online store.

In the event of a last minute registration for an online class, you will receive a PDF copy of the course book along with the Zoom link.

Course and exercise books can be purchased on the Coucou online store with the options of getting it shipped to you or picking it up from our NYC or LA schools. All course materials are also available for purchase at either of our physical locations.

First, identify whether you would like to schedule Standard or Premium lessons.

For Standard lessons for one person, follow steps here. 

For Premium lessons, contact privatelessons@coucoufrenchclasses.com.

Standard private lessons are sessions that take place online or at one of our locations and cover materials within the Coucou curriculum or conversation practice.

Premium private lessons include: sessions for 2 students, sessions that cover material outside of our curriculum (ie: exam prep, translation, book club, French for business), or sessions that take place at your home or office.

Once you have purchased your first private lesson, you can fill out the form in the Private Lessons tab of your Student Portal and our support team will assist you in finding an instructor. 

Please be advised, any private lessons purchased before 8/30/23 will not appear in your Student Portal and will be scheduled through our Student Support team. To schedule or make changes to any sessions that were purchased and confirmed before this date please contact us at privatelessons@coucoufrenchclasses.com and we can assist you through the transition.

Email privatelessons@coucoufrenchclasses.com and our Student Support team can assist in matching you with an alternate instructor.

Private lessons can only be scheduled in one-hour increments. If you wish to schedule two-hour sessions simply book two one-hour sessions back to back with the same instructor. 

Standard lessons: you have access to your teacher’s availability up to 30 days ahead through your Student Portal.

Premium Lessons: you can schedule the first session of your package up to 30 days in advance with our Student Support team at privatelessons@coucoufrenchclasses.com.

For Standard lessons, you can purchase credits through your Student Portal.

For Premium lessons, email privatelessons@coucoufrenchclasses.com to find availability.

Private lessons packages are valid for 6 months from the date of purchase. After that, unused hours can no longer be scheduled and a new package must be purchased.

Any private lesson scheduled through your Student Portal will have a unique Zoom link for each session. The link can be found in your Student Portal.

For standard private lessons, you can cancel and reschedule your lesson directly using the Private Lessons tab of your Student Portal. For other private lessons, the Coucou admin staff must be notified at privatelessons@coucoufrenchclasses.com.
In both cases, lessons will be lost if you cancel or reschedule within 48 hours of the original time. If you wish to make up for that missed class, you can pay a $50 rescheduling fee here.

They absolutely can; the rate applied for two people will be 1.5 times the regular rate. Please contact us at privatelessons@coucoufrenchclasses.com.

Under no circumstances can a group class credit be used towards private lessons. If you would like to sign up for private lessons in addition to group classes, you must pay the additional fee.

Workshop registrations can be refunded up to 7 days before the event; after that, workshop registrations are non refundable and cannot be transferred to a later event, but you’re welcome to let another person use your spot.

Our headquarters are located in Manhattan, New York at 253 Centre Street at the corner of Broome Street. Our LA school is located in Silver Lake at 2400 Hyperion Avenue, with an additional West Side location at 3736 Motor Ave.

Coucou is always closed on Easter Sunday, Memorial Day weekend, July 4th, Labor Day weekend and Thanksgiving weekend, as well as two weeks around Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day. Classes are maintained during other holidays.

Students must be no younger than 21 years old to register for our group classes. We do not offer classes for children. We can accommodate teens of 15 years old and above on a case by case basis for private lessons. For inquiries, reach out to privatelessons@coucoufrenchclasses.com.

Yes! Any purchase of $50 or more can be payed in installments. At checkout, choose “Affirm Pay Over Time” as a payment method.

Rates are from 0% APR or 10-36% APR. Payment options through Affirm are subject to an eligibility check, may not be available in all states, and are provided by these lending partners: affirm.com/lenders. Options depend on your purchase amount, and a down payment may be required. CA residents: Loans by Affirm Loan Services, LLC are made or arranged pursuant to a California Finance Lenders Law license.”

E.g an $800 purchase could be split into 12 monthly payments of $72.21 at 15% APR, or 4 interest-free payments of $200 every 2 weeks.

We offer the use of a secure server. All supplied sensitive/credit information is transmitted via Secure Socket Layer (SSL) technology and then encrypted into our Payment gateway providers database only to be accessible by those authorized with special access rights to such systems, and are required to keep the information confidential.

After a transaction, your contact and payment details will not be stored on our servers.