Filmmaking Study Abroad Programs in France

My study abroad experience with AIFS was absolutely amazing and the program I chose was extremely fun and interesting. I really enjoyed that AIFS offers Study + Travel programs because before this trip I had never been out of the country before. I think that the museum excursions, walking tours, film viewings, and other excursions were well thought out and extremely relevant to what we were learning in class. I enjoyed having a more hands-on, real world learning experience as opposed to just a formal lecture.

Coming home a new person! The program was awesome from start to finish, I never felt homesick, and the art course was a highlight. Only the Paris hotel let it down. I’d recommend it to anyone and already tell friends to apply.

My study abroad experience with CEA CAPA in Antibes France was truly one of the best decisions I have ever made! I made so many core memories I will never forget and stories that I cherish. I meat people from all over the world and expanded my global perspective. I learned what it means to live and “adult” in a different country. But most importantly I got to live a life full of adventure and freedom that I would have never experienced if it was not for CEA CAPA!

I absolutely loved my time in Aix-en-Provence with CEA Capa. Their staff were super helpful in teaching me about the local culture and all the best places in the city. The excursions were incredible and highlights of my trip! The standard housing was also really nice, with a lofted bedroom, single bathroom, and kitchen. The only thing I didn't love about the housing was the lack of oven, but we made it work. Lastly, learning mostly in French was such a rewarding experience for me. It was difficult for sure, but it was super rewarding. Overall, I felt my skills in French got so much better due to my experience here.

Study abroad in general is a life-changing experience, but CIEE has a built-in community that you can always run back to. The teachers are extremely passionate and kind, and they feel a little more like friends than teachers. Being forced to be in class with the same few people creates relationships fast, and the classes feel more like friendly hangouts than classes. I love the CIEE activities as they gave me experiences I wouldn't have had on my own. CIEE also has scholarships available that make it possible to have the study abroad experience, and I am extremely grateful for receiving those scholarships.

My time in Aix-en-Provence was the best decision I have ever made. I got hands-on experience with the french language and massively improved my skills. The semester abroad was also a great chance for me to be independent and practice the skills needed to live alone.

CIEE is a well-thought-out passage for students to experience diverse cultures and people who approach life differently than what they're accustomed to. CIEE makes a noticeable effort to ensure that the students studying abroad are engaged and immersed in the new environment that they're now immersed in. Ensuring that the students are fully aware and engaged with the changed and new environment around them is essential to creating the most fulfilling and transformative experience. With all the changes to the student's physical and social environment, there warrants an opportunity to expand on the grace granted to the student's physical well-being while embarking on such a transformative experience. When entering a new environment our bodies go through a variety of changes that if not nurtured properly can lead to greater physical and emotional issues down the road. CIEE's' attendance policy for a class is warranted to ensure they're engaged but is unforgiving if the student experiences any health complications

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

I absolutely loved studying abroad with AIFs. Our tour manager Edu was the greatest- he was so personable and ensured that we always felt comfortable talking to him or reaching out if something was wrong. He was always with us and made our experience more personal. As for the program, I was so grateful to travel to three countries AND for our locations to always be in amazing spots of the city! Everywhere we stayed was beautiful. I loved all of our excursions as well! Overall a really really great trip.

I had an extremely immersive experience, with just the right amount of structure and guidance. it was my first time in France and i could not imagine arriving without having CIEE to help me feel comfortable.

Studying abroad in Southern France this past summer was by far the best experience of my life! Though I was there for 6 weeks, I knew that time would go by quickly and I would need to take in every second of it. I visited museums, historical sites, and signed up for anything that I could that would help me to experience the local culture. Studying abroad with CEA in particular was great because they made transitioning so effortless. When you get there, they discuss rules, places you should visit, how to get around, what to expect while you are abroad, and much more. Our on cite-specialists truly did become our parents for the 6 weeks we were there and the people I studied abroad with were my new family. Overall, I can confidently say that studying abroad has helped to grow my cultural footprint, and has made me a more open and healthy well-rounded individual. In those 6 weeks, I was able to interact and work with people from other countries, understand the layers and intricacy of global issues, and have greater intercultural learning. I believe that those are things that are learned through practice and experience. Because of how meaningful my experience abroad was, I am currently working towards moving and starting a career in France.

CEA responded to this reviewJanuary 07, 2020

Thank you for your review, Rohanna! We are so glad to hear you had a wonderful semester with CEA in Aix. “Studying abroad has helped to grow my cultural footprint” is music to our ears. We hope you’ll stop by and say “bonjour” the next time you find yourself in France (perhaps on your career path there!), and we wish you all the best in your future endeavors! 

I thoroughly enjoyed my semester abroad. While the classes that I took unfortunately were not the best (my professor was very kind but he rambled on and on, so I listened a lot but did not get a change to improve my speaking that way), what truly helped my language level improve was by immersing myself in the community. I found a facebook page for babysitters and nounous in aix en Provence and I got a few babysitting jobs, all in French. Those few hours a week speaking to the kids and families were more worthwhile than my time spent in the classroom. Also my conversations with my host mom were invaluable in the long run and I saw my progress improve over the course of the semester.

CEA responded to this reviewJune 06, 2019

Thank you for your review, Jasmine. We are glad you had a positive experience abroad and took advantage of language and cultural immersion opportunities. We always look to improve our programs, so if there are any further suggestions you would like to add to provide the best Aix-perience possible, please reach out to us. We wish you the best!

My experience in Aix with CEA was unforgettable and absolutely life-changing. Not only did I meet great friends whom I'm sure will be friends for life, but I was able to immerse myself in the culture, all while feeling completely protected by CEA. CEA did an amazing job off helping me get to France, and also offering awesome cultural excursions for us. Aix is an absolutely beautiful town, and is a great location for those looking to travel. The school was also very nice and the teachers and faculty really cared about your education. While I, personally, did not love the specific academic program I was in, it was still an amazing experience that taught me many things. I would do it all again in a heartbeat!

CEA responded to this reviewMay 28, 2019

Mackenzie, we are so glad to hear your experience was unforgettable and life-changing! It’s music to our ears to hear our CEA staff were helpful throughout your experience. Thank you for sharing your review, and if there is anything you would like to share about your academic experience, please feel free to email us at [email protected]. Be sure to stop by and say “bonjour” the next time you find yourself in Aix!

Travelling alone to a foreign place is stressful and tedious to plan! CEA began helping me prepare even before I signed up. That is how dedicated they are to ensuring you have a great experience abroad. They always answered my questions within 48 hours (no matter how small they were) and sent many personal reminder emails as the deadlines for forms got closer. When arriving in Aix, there were a few excursions included and the onsite staff was very helpful when I had no idea what I was doing the first few weeks. Don't worry about looking dumb because there are so many others who feel the same way. In addition to study abroad, I participated in the Mobile Journalist (MOJO) program with CEA as well. With this, I took photos, videos, and made blog posts throughout the semester. Choosing to be a mobile journalist was such a great idea for me because it allowed me to share my photography with a wider community. I would recommend CEA because of their willingness to go above and beyond to help you, the included excursions, and the housing restriction that says the student must be placed in housing within walking distance of the university. To anyone hesitant about going abroad, there are so many people there to help you get to your host city and adjust to life in a foreign country.

CEA responded to this reviewMay 28, 2019

Thank you for your thoughtful and thorough review, Ashleigh! We’re so happy to hear you had a positive experience in Aix with CEA, and your notes will help guide future students when researching their own study abroad destinations. We are so appreciative of your contributions as a CEA MOJO, too! We wish you all the best in your future endeavors, Ashleigh!

Spending a semester in France made me more than a little nervous - I was going to be there for four months, speaking my second language, and meeting entirely new people. CEA was amazing in facilitating my experience though. From my arrival until my departure, I knew the awesome CEA staff had my back and were there for me if I needed them. My classes were fantastic and unique - unlike the normal classes I would have taken at my home university - and the cultural excursions were indescribable. While I enjoyed all my traveling, the CEA excursions were my favorite. They were well-organized so you could visit the place you were going to but also have free time to relax a bit, and the food was always fantastic. If CEA offers any kind of food, you have to take it. I really loved going abroad with CEA, and I would recommend it to anyone considering a study abroad program.

CEA responded to this reviewApril 12, 2019

Thank you for your thoughtful review of your time in Aix-en-Provence with CEA! “Fantastic and unique” is such a wonderful way to describe your courses and experiences abroad. Your suggestions will help guide future CEA students considering the Aix study abroad program!

I loved studying abroad in Aix. It's such a beautiful city with a strong history and breathtaking architecture. The center is very walkable and accessible. The Cours Mirabeau is the most iconic promenade street where a market takes place in the morning to mid-afternoon. In every corner, you can find amazing, ornate fountains of all shapes and sizes. A fun way to get acquainted with the city is to walk around and find as many fountains as you can! These fountains can then serve as rendezvous places or points of reference so you don't get lost during the first few weeks. What I loved the most about living in Aix was able to experience life in Provence. Through CEA excursions, I was able to discover many beautiful, small villages nearby that show the calm, rural life in various areas in Provence. One of my favorite experiences was visiting the village of Trets during their garlic festival. We were able to dance and interact with the locals, which really helped with language acquisition. These small villages are hidden wonders. Aix's wonderful program advisers have very detailed handouts explaining transportation to several of these villages, their history, and things to do and see. If they do no have a handout for a specific location, they will go out of their way to help you research. I really enjoyed my language course because I was in such a diverse class, which gave me such a distinct experience. There were students from at least four different countries, from youth to middle-aged students who were all there to learn French for different reasons, not just to study abroad. It made me open my eyes and feel even more grateful for the amazing opportunity and choice to study abroad. I felt at home with host family. By the end of the program, it was very hard to say goodbye.

CEA responded to this reviewDecember 28, 2018

Andrea, we are so happy to hear you had such a wonderful experience in Aix with CEA. Your thoughtful and detailed review will help future students when deciding upon a study abroad program! Your contributions as a CEA MOJO have been so appreciated and will serve to inspire and inform our future students as well. We wish you the best in 2019 and beyond, and be sure to stop by and say “bonjour” should you find yourself back in Aix!

Forum-Nexus is a great program. The staff, and professors are amazing. As you travel form city to city they are with you, and available to answer any questions you may have. It was great taking courses and increasing my education through the classes, but also by being able to get to know each city we were in. I had never been to Europe prior to the program, and it was amazing to be able to experience it for the first time with Forum-Nexus.

Living in Aix en Provence for four months allowed me to grow and learn far more than I could have hoped for. Southern France has an inviting culture full of relaxation and enjoyment of each passing moment. The days were often full of sunshine allowing for endless exploration of the charming provencal town. I was so happy experimenting with new foods, visiting parks and cafes, meeting the locals and going to class. My experience was about being in the present moment, being here now, and not always being so caught up with the past or future. This program was beyond amazing and let me live my best life, I highly recommend it.

CEA responded to this reviewJune 27, 2018

Julia, we’re so glad you explored Aix-en-Provence to the fullest. Thanks for sharing your experience and best of luck for your future! - CEA

Everyone needs to go abroad. It is awesome experiencing so many cultures. Professors while abroad are very helpful and care about their students. I really enjoyed getting to know my professors and learning not only class content but also from their real life experiences. Traveling on the weekends was obviously my favorite part of this experience. I was able to visit a bunch of different countries. Wish I could stay longer.