Study Abroad Programs in Cannes, France

Choosing to spend a semester abroad was one of the best decisions of my life! It can seem daunting and scary sometimes, but it's so worth it! AIFS is unique in that it incorporates travel opportunities and excursions during the semester, which truly immerses you in the culture and helps you to feel more comfortable with traveling abroad. I really enjoyed my French language course, and my French skills increased exponentially. I felt like I was able to easily balance my classes and exploring, and my roommates and I traveled almost every weekend. Cannes is a fantastic location because of its stunning views and proximity to the airport. Our program director was incredibly helpful, knowledgable about the area, and always prioritized us having a positive abroad experience. I made lifelong friends and met so many people from across the globe. I learned so much about myself and different cultures, and my outlook on life changed for the better. If you have the opportunity to study abroad, 100% do it!

I chose to go abroad with AIFS Abroad because they had a specific program that I really wanted to do. This was the Cannes Extended Spring Semester Study Abroad & Internship program. While abroad, I had great support from AIFS Abroad staff, in particular my program director, Aude Romens, who made herself available to help myself and other students with whatever we needed help with. She worked hands-on with us to guide us through program excursions to local cities (and countries) such as Nice, Monaco, and Grasse, as well as taking us on longer trips to Paris and Florence, Italy. For housing, I had my own room and had the best view ever, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. I had the opportunity to have cool experiences in my classes, such as creating a short film for my film class and putting on a play, all in French! I made some of the greatest friends abroad, who I still talk to today. My program consisted of about 25 people, so the group became a very tight-knit group of people, which was great as we did all the activities and excursions together. This experience allowed me to grow my French language skills and also allowed me to participate in an internship during the Cannes Film Festival. I’d recommend AIFS Abroad to students who really want to make the most out of their experience abroad. They provide you with all the resources you need to not only survive but thrive abroad.

The time I spent on this adventure is something I will never forget. I won't forget the amazing people and places we visited. no matter what I know I will hold this experience I won't forget, and there won't be another like it. The Classes were great as well as the sail handling as well. Thank you for the amazing time I and my freinds had

I would 100% recommend this trip to anyone who is interested in adventure, trying new things, and being a part of a team. When I came across Seamester online, it just felt right from the beginning, and I knew it was something I wanted to do. Actually, going on the trip was even better and like coming home. A value of mine is living life to the fullest, enjoying the small things, and I want to live a life where at the end, I know I did everything and felt everything. I have never felt as alive and so at home as I did on Argo. It is hard to describe all the emotions I've felt over the past 90 days. I have never felt so close to people and myself as I did on Argo. I have learned to love people in a deeper way and gained a new appreciation for everything. I am extremely grateful for all the lifelong friendships made. I am proud of myself for taking the jump and who I've become through the experience. If you share any of the same interests and are considering doing a Seamester, I urge you to do it because it will change you in ways you can't even imagine.

Seamester was an amazing experience. It challenged me in so many ways including physically and mentally, and I grew so much as a person in several different ways. I loved seeing the world on a sailboat and it truely was a once in a lifetime opportunity.

studying abroad with AIFS Abroad helped me grow personally and professionally—I developed confidence, adaptability, and skills that will carry into my career. I’d recommend AIFS Abroad to anyone looking for not just an academic program, but a complete experience that combines education, culture, and personal growth.

The experience of studying and interning in Cannes, France was life changing. The city of Cannes is beautiful, and Campus International de Cannes is less than a five-minute walk from the beach. On campus, there is also a terrace where students like to sit and chat, play games, and relax while looking at the view of the Mediterranean Sea. Apart from the views, the school's professors helped me improve all across the board. My grammatical and oral skills majorly improved. I now feel a lot more confident speaking to native speakers and having conversations about all sorts of topics. The immersion with the people in the city also helped with my progression. I would use concepts we learned in class with the everyday people I interacted with in the city, which was very helpful. Moreover, on campus we had our program coordinator who was a great support for anything we needed or for general advice about living in France. We went on excursions with her, which took us to every region of France, and allowed us to see parts of the country which are less explored by tourists. Just a couple of the places we visited include Avignon, The Verdon Gorge, and Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, all of which were amazing experiences. Additionally, I was able to intern at the Cannes Film Festival Immersive Competition. Here, I was able to work with French natives in guiding the festival attendees through VR experiences and network with a wide variety of film professionals. Cannes lights up during the festival; it is extremely cool to see the range of people it attracts to promote and appreciate the art of film. If you are looking to be immersed in the French culture and take part in the experience that is the Cannes Film Festival, this program would be great for you!

Seamester was the adventure of a lifetime. I went into it not knowing how to sail but wanting to learn, and came out of it not only with that knowledge, but also with memories and friendships that will last a lifetime. It pushed me out of my comfort zone and taught me so many new things about myself. The staff members were amazing with their teaching and support, especially when times got rough. Their diligence ensured we all made it safely across the pacific. I also loved the places we visited, with my favorites being the Galapagos, Mo'orea, and the Panama Canal. The class schedule could be challenging at times, and waking up for watch in the middle of the night was definitely not my strong suit, but overall I had an amazing semester. I couldn't recommend Seamester enough and I'm so grateful for this wonderful experience.

My semester abroad met its expectations. The location was stunning, the program director professors were friendly, and there was plenty of flexibility allowing me to travel to other countries, a major “plus” for someone who had never been to Europe before! Cannes is a quaint little town that absolutely transforms into a hustling city come the annual film festival. It was interesting to get to know Cannes so well during its “off season” before the film festival kicked off. Overall, it was amazing.

I loved going abroad with AIFS! The campus is so close to downtown and a block away from the beach. We had so many planned activities and excursions that were super fun. Our director was so supportive and helpful with anything we needed during our stay.

I took a gap year after high school and chose to spend my Fall onboard S/Y Argo and sail from Palau, through Indonesia, to Bangkok Thailand. I had some scuba diving experience, but had never even been aboard a sailboat before. The Seamester staff was supportive and amazing. I made some of my strongest friendships and had the most amazing experiences, from diving with oceanic manta rays to long night watches sailing through the rough South China Seas. I learned so much about diving, sailing, and marine sciences, as well as so much about myself as a person. I would recommend Seamester to anyone considering it!

This has been the most amazing trip of my life just now finishing up and cannot believe the experience I have gained from traveling. The traveling, sailing, academics all of it as a whole is something I will never forget for the rest of my life. From traveling the streets of Rome to diving the blue waters of Dominica nothing compares to a trip of this caliber. The academics have been great especially seeing the things you learn about in class as we are diving or sailing is amazing. Straight from classroom to using the skills or topics in the real world. 10/10 would do this trip again and wish it would never end.

I had a lovely time here, although it was not without flaws. The amenities were not great especially considering how much we paid to be here. The company guilt tripped and body shamed us. But I made innumerable new friends and had experiences that I will cherish forever.

Very nice experience, learned a lot. People I’ve met here are now friends I will still be in contact with. The internship was where I learned new skills and networked with people within the fashion industry and got inspired by being here abroad

This experience completely altered the course of my life. I have learned so much from my fellow students and staff and therefore can without a doubt say that this was the best decision I have ever made for myself. My new perspectives and outlook on life are indescribable, and I hardly recognize my old self. My favorite memories are the little moments: a private laugh across the cockpit, staying up with another watch team an extra 30 minutes, skipping through clouds on top of a mountain, a giant stride, a smile, a hug, a squeeze. Throw yourself fully into this experience because it is only what you make it. It's crazy what happens when you let go and surrender yourself to everything and everyone around you, and what better place than the ocean!

It was the best thing i’ve ever done in my entire life. This trip is a serious blessing, I miss it more than anything in my entire life, I am extremely lucky. The relationships i were able to create, the things i got to see, the things i learned that I love so much. It was great

Best think I have ever done in my life I have learned so many new things the people the places the school it was all so amazing. From waking up in the morning to 25 other random people from around the world with the biggest smiles on their faces was so awesome. This made me realize what I want to do with my life and it was the best thing I’ve ever done

This was the best thing that I have ever done in my life opened my eyes to a whole new world that I am obsessed with now. I would do anything to go back right now. From the lifestyle of waking up early morning yo a boat filled with smiles to the long passages going crazy together I miss this lifestyle. If you do this trip you will not regret it at all This made me switch up the way I lived it showed me to appreciate everything so much more. From my mindset to my new unrest this trip really changed my life I love everything that we did with the trip. I love every single person I met and we all still talk just about everyday. This creates connections with people from all around the world Best thing in my life so far hopefully I’m coming back to work for you guys :)

Studying abroad in France absolutely changed my life. I had French classes until noon every day, then optional seminar classes that were once a week for around 3 hours at a time. Once I was done with classes for the day, I could spend the rest of the day at the beach, talking with the locals and hanging out with my classmates. The beach was a two minute walk from the campus, so not only was I hearing the waves at night from my dorm room, but I was also able to walk down to the beach at any time to enjoy the beautiful sunshine and crystal Mediterranean waters. When I wasn't studying for my classes, I was practicing my French with my classmates who also lived in the dorms, as well as members of the staff. They were from all kinds of different countries, so sometimes speaking French was a must! Everyone that lived on campus or worked for the campus were part of the best part of this experience. The staff were super welcoming and made me feel like I was at home, especially our program director, Sandrine. She is absolutely amazing! She took us on tons of excursions all around France that really helped made me fall in love with French culture and the language. We tried so many foods, saw so many museums, and went to so many cities that I really felt like I got to see France while I was studying. It was really nice to have such a lovely guide while we were there, as well. She was always there if we needed anything and answered every question I could ever have. The most amazing thing about this experience was that I got to learn a new language, take classes, travel around Europe, see France, and so much more, all while earning school credits! It didn't at all feel like school because most of my studies were learning about the country I was living in, so I was really excited to do the work--even though there wasn't much of it! My teachers knew that we wanted to spend lots of time exploring, so I didn't have a lot of homework either. It was such an incredible experience. A huge thank you to AIFS for making this process super easy, affordable, and letting me focus on having the time of my life!

I had the privilege of attending Sea|mester in Spring 2019 for the Antigua Yacht Regatta voyage on S/Y Ocean Star. I am now a graduating senior and recently was accepted into graduate school to study great white sharks-a dream of mine for many years. During the time I was at sea exploring the Caribbean, learning to sail, and becoming a Divemaster, I wrote a collection of personal essays, interweaving the area’s biology and ecology with personal introspection about how these ideas related to my growth, and I watercolored scientific illustrations of fish and invertebrates which resulted in winning my college’s Outstanding Honors Thesis Award. My time on Ocean Star was instrumental to my achievements. Onboard, I gained confidence in myself and my passions, and came away knowing that the ocean was what I wanted to devote my life to and that I had the ability to make a difference. So thank you, Sea|mester. Thank you for giving me, along with every other student who gets to be involved in this program, opportunities that can change lives.