Study Abroad Programs in Nice, France

I had a wonderful time on this trip! The opportunity to experience so many new cultures through art was great! Being in foreign countries with new people also created the perfect opportunity to create new friendships, especially since you're all in the same boat! Travel is a great way to build bonds. We also had plenty of time to explore on our own and enjoy the cities we were in!

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.

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!

This trip truly changed my perspective on the world around me. I now am well informed on circular economy and the importance of keeping a sustainable lifestyle. I also have made many friends and connections that I will keep for the rest of my life.

My daughter made wonderful friends and laughed a lot. Thank you to Arthur, it was an amazing experience that she will absolutely treasure! Great program with excellent communication between Arthur and the parents!

Our expectations were exceeded by Abbey Road. This is a very well run program, and our daughter had an experience she will cherish forever. In her own words... "Going on exchange with Abbey Road was one of the best decisions I've ever made and ended up being the highlight of my summer. I formed many lifelong friendships, significantly improved my French-speaking skills through engaging conversations and immersive classes, and gained a deeper understanding of the culture through the fun excursions."

My daughters participated in this program and had an incredible time. The program offered the right balance of supervision and independence. The experience was incredible, from the food to the field trips. Most of all they appreciated the opportunity to get to know the beautiful city of Nice. The staff took great care to make sure everyone had a wonderful time and remained safe.

This was an amazing program and I am infinitely grateful that I picked this program. Since I chose to participate in a May term program, I knew I would not have much time to plan my own trips within my study abroad experience, so a traveling program was perfect for me. I got to see all of the cities I have been dreaming about seeing for years. I made amazing friendships so quickly, and was exposed to many different cultures. Even though we were only in each city for a few days, I felt like I learned a good amount about each city. I got to see the most famous artwork in each city and it was fun learning how to use the public transportation in each city. We also had good guides for the tours in each city who knew a lot about the history of their cities. The program tour guide was awesome about helping us figure out public transportation, and I got a hang of how to do it myself by the time we left each city. My class's professor was amazing. She got us to really think and the class was very interactive. She was very educated on art history and the three hour class sessions went by quickly. The classes made me appreciate the museums and sites that we visited much more than I would have without the knowledge I gained. The places I wanted to see in each city were built into the program, and tickets were taken care of. I still had time during most days to work in my own activities and sightseeing, but all of the main places that I wanted to see were built in and we visited them as a full group. If I could change one thing, it would be to meet more locals or interact with business owners in the countries we visited through the program. The majority of the hotels were pretty nice; a couple of them were super nice. The only complaint I had was the location in a few of the cities, but it was very doable to get around. Breakfast was always covered which was great because we had to wake up fairly early most of the days. My group got a few surprises that were so awesome as well!

My daughter loved her experience in Nice. From a parent perspective the staff and activities offered were above and beyond our expectations. Thanks for providing care and give attention to all kids needs and interests.

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 can’t begin to describe the tremendous experience I had during my four weeks with Abbey Road in Nice, France. The program is run by extremely remarkable people who love working with kids and try their hardest to accommodate every need for every student. My favorite part of the program is that they really focus on learning through immersion. Instead of sitting in a desk with a textbook and worksheet to fill out, every morning, they take you out to a cafe or a park and have you learn by playing fun games in French. I had fears that I’d come to France only to be given long lectures by teachers who only wanted to make a quick buck over the summer, and I’m very glad to say I was completely wrong. Every lesson, every class day, every teacher has a fun lesson prepared which teaches the students just as much if not more than what we would’ve learned if we were stuck in a classroom. By providing interactive lessons and genuinely fun lessons, I was motivated to learn and looked foreword to class every day Tied for my favorite thing about Abbey Road, are the fun activities they provide for the students in the afternoon and evening. I did more fun things in four weeks than I think I did in the past four years. Bowling, Parasaling, Karaoke, tubing, many many fascinating museums, tons and tons of beach visits and uncountable other fun things. Im not even beginning to talk about the weekend day trips which really deserve their own little section. Every day when I went to bed I’d reflect on all the things I had done just that same day and never cease to be amazed with all I had done. It’s very nice knowing than almost all activities are optional and if you’re too tired to go out you can always chose to take a breather. The freedom to do what you want is with you. That said, I highly recommend you take advantage of what Abbey Road provides. Lastly, I must note, the entire time I was with Abbey Road, I had to appreciate that I was actually living on the French Riviera, Abbey Road gave me the chance to live the best life I’ve ever lived. I had so much fun meeting new people, exploring interesting places, and do fun things with my new friends. If you are a parent and are looking for an abroad program for your kid, or if you’re a student looking for yourself, I highly highly recommend Abbey Road. You won’t regret it. P.S. (Arthur is great)

Had such a great time!! Unfortunately I decided to come during the highest temperatures recorded in Europe but I had a great time regardless and made lots of friends. The amount of freedom is awesome and it’s such a cool experience I’ll remember forever. Do not hesitate to apply!!

I had so much fun seeing France for the first time and being able to not only explore Nice but other beautiful islands and cities as well. The beaches and small streets were so cool and I had a great time!

My experience abroad has been so meaningful that I have decided to pursue graduate school in France! The trajectory of my life really has changed, and I am so excited to return to France. I studied abroad with IES Nice in the fall of 2021 after the spring program was canceled because of COVID, and I am really glad that I went during the fall. The sunny weather and laidback Nicoise attitude make the experience feel like a 4-month vacation, especially in early fall when there are still summer tourists. The weather was in the upper 70s until mid-October, and I found myself taking short trips to nearby beach towns on days I didn't have class. The classes were moderately difficult, especially if you take a few at SKEMA Business School, but none were too hard. The IES classes are located in the city center, and SKEMA is about a 45 min bus ride away in Sophia Antipolis—a bit of a trek and sometimes there are transportation strikes (this is normal for French cities). Still, it's hard to complain when you get to ride along the Mediterranean Sea during your commute. The location of this program is really ideal if you're planning to study in Europe. Nice is a train away from Italy (you can go for dinner and be back by 11 pm), so the cuisine and architecture are beautifully Italian-influenced. Traveling to other European countries is easy since the tram leads directly to Nice's own airport, so no need for an expensive Uber ride. As for housing, IES found me a gorgeous top-floor apartment with a terrace, a 25 min walk from the beach. I also lived across the street from a bakery and got more lemon meringue tarts and pain au chocolat than I have ever eaten in my entire life. I have no regrets. The staff is very helpful as well! When I got sick and let the program director know, she quickly dropped off a COVID test at my apartment and the student affairs coordinator helped me schedule a doctor's visit with an English-speaking doctor. The student affairs coordinator also plans the excursions such as visiting local historical villages with a tour guide, meeting with French students our age, and attending a cooking class to learn how to make Nicoise dishes. Regarding the cost of living, my spending was on the higher end because I wanted to try a lot of new foods, experiences, and travel to other countries/cities. However, it really is up to you how much you spend per week because I think you can get a lot out of Nice without spending much. Groceries were about the same as in the U.S., museums are free for students, the walk to the beach is free, and the train rides to nearby towns are only 2-5 euros. Prices do get higher when it comes to restaurants, bars, and clubs because Nice does attract a lot of tourists, especially in the late summer if you are studying there in the fall. For daily life tips, try to buy groceries and limit eating out to the weekends. You can also pack your lunch instead of buying! My advice if you're planning to study with IES Abroad Nice: go on as many excursions as possible and practice your French with locals! :) It's easy to stick with the Americans in your group, but Nice is a very international city so don't be afraid to meet new people.

I went to Nice, France with Abbey Road for a month-long program and had the time of my life. I was fully immersed into the French language with fun language classes in the mornings and cultural immersion in the afternoons, visiting museums and cafes. I met the most amazing people on this trip and saw the most amazing places all along the Cote d'Azur. This was the best experience of my life so far and I cannot recommend it enough.

I have to say this was a fantastic experience for my son. He loved every minute. In fact, he was only supposed to stay three weeks, but instead, he wanted to stay another week (a bargain) because he met fabulous friends, was able to see historic locations, and learn from terrific professors and teachers. He learned more French in four weeks than he had learned in the past several years of classroom instruction. Truly, we were impressed. Well done! I have nothing negative to say about the program at all.

I have always wanted to study abroad in France, and when the opportunity presented itself to study on the French Riviera, there was no way I could pass that up! This was going to be the longest time that I spent away from all of my family and friends, so obviously I was a bit nervous before leaving. The IES Abroad staff truly made it feel like home, and my roommates (and I even went random!) were so amazing to have as a support system throughout the two months. From pre-planned trips with the program to option events like cooking lessons to travelling around Europe with some of my now best friends, I could truly not imagine a better experience (other than not leaving two months early due to COVID.) Living in Nice was a crazy amazing experience considering it was much warmer than where I go to college (Indiana University) and I lived a 10 minute walk away from the beach! My favorite activities while I was there were going running by the water, finding a new meal to cook with my roomies, and just walking around to explore all of the nooks and crannies of beautiful Nice. If you have to chance to study abroad here - take the opportunity and quick!