Join the APA family and spend a semester or year abroad in one of the world's most iconic cities, Paris! Rewarding and memorable, this immersive program will challenge you academically and truly engage you in French culture.

The program includes:

• Tuition & direct enrollment at APA's University of Paris and other selected institution partners for a full course load
• Customized Language Support: Individual weekly language sessions
• Ongoing academic support
• 2-week orientation (one week outside of Paris, one week in the city) focusing on academic advising and teambuilding activities
• Culture package: weekly cultural events, 2 weekend excursions, and unlimited access to Paris' most noteworthy museums like the Louvre.
• Housing: Stay with a hand-selected host family or choose to live in a French student residence or independent apartment.

Optional: Summer internship (available for year-long and spring semester applicants only).

Students also receive:

• Airport pick-up upon arrival
• Transportation pass for Paris and the surrounding suburbs
• Extracurricular opportunities including: sports, dance, choir, volunteering, assisting in a local elementary or middle school English class
• Civil liability insurance
• Pre-departure support including French student visa assistance
• Dedicated 24/7 on-site team for support in and outside of the classroom

Please visit apaparis.com for program fees. APA awards two scholarships starting at $500 each semester to participating students. Visit the Scholarship page for more information.

Location

Grab a chair in the Luxembourg Gardens and study for a class or meander through the tiny streets of the Latin Quarter with a crêpe in hand. Paris, the capital city of France, is the country's hub for government and business and is known worldwide for its history and landmarks, universities, arts, architecture, culture, food, and fashion.

The APA Paris student center is located on the charming Villa d'Alésia in the 14th arrondisement on the Left Bank. Here is where you will meet for orientation and in-house courses. Meet up with friends, print out a paper, chat with us about how everything is going, or stay and study with plenty of room to spread out. The student center is a welcoming place for you to take advantage of!

About APA

APA is a boutique program provider in Paris, France with a passion to provide a first-rate study abroad experience that unites academic excellence with the beauty and richness of French and Francophone culture. For over 30 years, students from more than 80 US colleges and universities have received a personalized, immersive education abroad in Paris, France; Dakar, Senegal; Rabat, Morocco; and Fort-de-France, Martinique.

Based on the results of a pre-departure language evaluation, students will register for courses at the B1 French language level or B2 French language level and up. A combination of four courses are chosen from the following:

B1 French language level

• Intensive French Language (mandatory)
• University of Paris and selected institution partners, taught in French and/or English
• APA in-house courses
  • France Today
  • 19th Century French Painting & Sculpture (fall semester): includes weekly class in a museum
  • 20th Century French Painting & Sculpture (spring semester): includes weekly class in a museum

B2 French language level and up

• University of Paris and selected institution partners, taught in French
• APA in-house courses
  • Laïcité and Diversity in Contemporary France
  • From Neoclassicism to Symbolism (1800-1900) (fall semester): includes weekly class in a museum and study tour to London
  • From Fauvism to the Contemporary Period (1900-1970) (spring semester): includes weekly class in a museum and study tour to Barcelona
• Replace one class with an independent study or research, conducted in French. Requires pre-approval by your home institution.

APA handles direct university enrollment and course registration on our students' behalf so it is possible and common to take class at multiple universities. Each course receives four credit hours.

A note about courses taught in English: Students are allowed to take one or two classes in English. Be aware though that a limited selection of courses offered at the universities are taught in English, generally in the American/UK civilization and literature departments and some business and economics at Université Paris Dauphine. APA asks students to reflect on their academic goals for studying abroad in France before registering for these classes. Refer to your home institution’s policy on taking courses taught in English in France. Classes taught in English may not be eligible for transfer credit.

Majors & Courses

APA's immersive design allows students to take French university classes rather than in an international student setting. Listed below are the most common majors and subjects our students have taken courses in. If you do not see your major listed below, contact usa@apaparis.com and a team member will send you a list of courses available.

Since French universities typically publish their course catalogs a month before classes, APA cannot guarantee courses will be available for the upcoming semester. However, a list of recent course catalogs are published on apaparis.com. During orientation, students will register for classes for the semester.

Paris Institutions

APA partners with the following universities and institutions of higher learning in Paris to offer courses.

1. Université Paris Nanterre
2. Sorbonne Université Art History, History, Musicology majors and minors only
3. Ranked #1 in the Sciences in France: Sorbonne Université Pierre et Marie Curie Campus
4. Université Paris 8 Saint-Denis-Vincennes
5. Ranked #1 in Economics and Finance in France: Université Paris Dauphine
6. Université Paris Diderot
7. L'Institut Catholique de Paris
8. INALCO (Institut National des Langues et Civilisations Orientales)
9. L'École du Louvre Limited to year-long Art History majors. Must have prerequisites completed.
10. Conservatoires Municipaux de la Ville de Paris Musical repertoire requested.
11. Studio Art Ateliers

Customized Language Support

• Weekly 30-minute meetings with a French professor
• Weekly one-hour sessions with a teaching assistant
• Oral and written expression and comprehension exercises
• Academic French writing practice
• Proofreading review prior to handing in a university paper

Academic Support

• One-week course shopping period to choose your classes at the beginning of the semester
• Course-specific tutoring
• Methodology workshops
• Complementary courses or cours complémentaires: If three or more APA students register for the same class, APA arranges a complementary course as an extension of the class. This is a great way to expand on the material presented in class, build a rapport with the professor, and bridge some of the differences between the US and French style of teaching. These classes meet every other week for 90 minutes.
• One-on-one mid-semester meetings to ensure that you are doing well in classes.

Orientation

Spend the first week of orientation outside of Paris. Days are filled with important academic advising sessions and teambuilding activities. Past orientation locations have included the Mediterranean seaside town of Hyères and Château de Craon.

Cultural Events

Past semester calendars have included weekly events such as chamber music at La Sainte-Chapelle, a French cooking workshop, ballet at Théâtre National de Chaillot, cheese tasting, and a France vs. Turkey football match-- APA introduces you to a wide variety of events!

Museums

Use your art history pass and "Louvre Jeunes" card for unlimited access into national museums including the Louvre. A complete list of museums is provided to you during orientation.

Outings

• Fall: Versailles, Outing in Paris
• Spring: Versailles, Giverny

Weekend Excursions

• Fall: Burgundy, Normandy
• Spring: Mont St. Michel & St. Malo, Loire Valley

Homestay

Our most popular option, APA carefully matches each student to a host family through a detailed housing questionnaire. Only one student is matched per host family and is provided with a private bedroom with linens, access to common areas including the kitchen, daily breakfast, and WiFi. Students may choose how many dinners per week (three or five) they would like to include in their board.

A key factor in vetting a host family is their willingness to welcome and integrate a foreign student into their daily life. Many of our families have been hosting APA students for over 10 years!

Student Residence

A student residence or foyer is a dorm-style building for university students and young professionals under the age of 26. They provide furnished, single or double bedrooms with access to a common area and communal kitchen. Some include private bathrooms. Rooms are limited and subject to availability.

Independent Living

Students may choose to secure completely independent apartment housing. Home institution approval is required for this housing option.

Extend your semester or year-long stay into the summer with a two-month, full-time professional internship. International work experience provides a powerful resume builder and develops unique skill sets that cannot be acquired through a traditional internship at home. This optional experience allows for placement in any industry.

Qualifications: Since internships will be conducted in a French language work environment, students must be able to demonstrate at least a B2 language level at the conclusion of the academic term.

Contact your home institution to see about pre-approved academic credit. To be noted, it is common for internships in France to be unpaid.

Eligibility

The program is open to students with sophomore, junior, senior, or graduate level class standing and a minimum 3.0 GPA. At least a B1 French language level (approximately 3-4+ semesters of college-level French or equivalent) will be necessary to follow courses taught in French.

Deadlines

October 15: Spring semester applicants

March 15: Fall semester and academic year applicants

Application Process

Just as you are excited about studying abroad, we are as eager to welcome you to Paris! Our application process is designed so that we can learn the most about you as a person: your academics, future plans, interests and hobbies, and even your picture so we can put a face to your name.

The online application consists of submitting the following parts:

• Background information and personal statement
• Official transcript
• University approval form
• 2 recommendation letters: one from a French professor, one from a professor in your major or academic advisor
• $35 application fee (waived for students on full financial aid or from APA institutional partners)

Your application will only be reviewed once these pieces are received. After, a member of the APA team will contact you to schedule a short, friendly Zoom conversation in English and French so that we may learn more about you and why you would like to study in Paris.

Apply online at the APA website.

Please note: Your home institution may have its own study abroad application requirements and deadlines. It is your responsibility to make sure they are all completed in the proper, timely manner.

If you have any questions, we welcome you to contact the APA US office by scheduling a Zoom call, sending an email at usa@apaparis.com or by phone at 203-883-8200. A team member will respond to you as soon as possible.