Fall Fashion Design & Merchandising Study Abroad Programs in Paris

I chose AIFS Abroad because of the variety of programs that they offer. I went to Paris, France for a January term to take an Accounting class at the American Business College. The AIFS staff was super helpful with me. Even before departure, they were there for me helping me with my housing options and to coordinate my flights, during my program they invited us to different excursions and to the AIFS office in Paris to know the staff and after the program they were very interested in our feedback and reviews. During my program I stayed with a host family and it was such an amazing thing because i got to experience French culture first-hand while also sharing a little bit about my own culture. The American Business College is a place where students from different cultures and backgrounds share one same perspective on global business with an American point of view, which made everything easier for me. This program had a great impact in my life because it made me get out of my comfort zone and get to know so many people while earning credit towards my degree. I'd recommend AIFS Abroad to anyone looking to study abroad or intern while getting credits towards their degree. AIFS is very helpful, has so many programs available and a staff who is always willing to make the best for you.

It is difficult to find the words to describe what an incredible time I had in Paris with CEA Study Abroad. My life is forever changed because of my time in Paris. Meeting new people, experiencing new cultures, having to converse in a language I had never studied grew me more than I could have imagined. The CEA staff was extremly organized and welcoming, beginning to end and calmed the nerves I had landing in Paris. I will never forget my experience and will forever be grateful to the CEA team

Studying abroad is one of the best decisions I could have made. I found it to be a great learning experience and a taste of independent life. I enjoyed the freedom of getting to visit any place in the city, as well as neighboring cities and countries. I traveled to 3 other countries and went on both CEA-sponsored trips. I had a blast in the academic center and made a lot of great friends. I liked the instructors that I had for my Thermodynamics and Architecture classes. They were not trying to trick us or fail us, and they did a lot to incorporate the city of Paris into the class content. I took the train and metro everywhere! I didn't realize how convenient it was to get around. I was used to NYC subways, but Paris metros were so much better. The transportation system everywhere (even in Switzerland and Germany) was very easy to figure out. Pros: the great food ease of transport not really a language barrier Cons: cost of souvenirs transportation doesn't run after 1 am

Got to learn from industry professionals and be pushed out of my comfort zone when it comes to fashion design. They helped me secure internships during Paris Fashion Week and got us collaborations with clothing design companies.

I loved every minute of travelling and exploring the city of Paris, the program was really fun and I learned quite a bit. My professor was great and the locations we went to were awesome. Go abroad! It's worth it.

I have truly had an amazing experience throughout my time abroad in this program. I have met the coolest people, and I have also taken amazing classes. There is also so much time to be independent and travel the world with no restraints while also learning!

My j-term abroad was a life changing event. From the start, AIFS made things very clear, which was helpful for me as a planner. Getting to Paris, and then to the place I was staying, was incredibly easy and worry-free with AIFS booking the flights and the rides. Without having to worry about those thing, I got to spend more time studying up on the language and culture of Paris for my stay. Once I got there, I knew I would remember it forever. My professor was an absolute pleasure to learn from, knowing the ins and outs of the city and teaching us things beyond the course material, allowing us to grow as people as well as scholars. The free time available to us made it possible for everyone to explore what they they wished to. The gatherings hosted by the AIFS staff were very fun, and a nice way to connect with people who knew exactly what a study abroad trip entailed. I met my best friend on this trip, and we still talk every day a year and a half later! Between the course, the city, the guidance from AIFS, and the truly kind people in Paris, I had the best time. I 100% suggest everyone study abroad while they have the chance. It is a lot easier and realistic than you would think!

I would be likely to recommend CIEE study abroad because it makes the whole experience easier and less stressful. I appreciate the support they offer before and during the program, and I like that they focus on real cultural experiences, not just classes.

When I decided I wanted to go abroad, I was nervous about a lot of things. First off, I was scared that when I went abroad I would have to settle for a location I did not want to be in because I needed my credits to transfer over. Luckily AIFS had a program in a wonderful city with a bunch of classes that would transfer back to my home university super well. When I chose this program, I was overjoyed but nervous about living in a homestay. When I got there I was happily surprised to find that my host family was amazing and provided me with an experience I would not have been able to have if I had been in a dorm/apt. The people that I met in the program were some of the coolest people I have ever known and am happy to call them my friends to this day. If you are looking for a great program in Paris where you have the freedom to meet new people, travel, and find yourself in a new place, I would 100% recommend this to you!

Studying abroad, such as in Paris, France, has changed my perspective on the world and ways to learn. I didn’t know much about some countries and classes being based on a world view was really nice and kept things interesting.

I highly recommend CIEE Study Abroad for its incredible cultural immersion, strong academic support, and unforgettable travel experiences. Through CIEE, I gained global perspectives, improved my language skills, and built lifelong friendships. It's a life-changing program that truly prepares you to thrive in a diverse, interconnected world.

Both my sons - twins - traveled to Paris in 2019. I followed and stayed at a different hotel in Bercy Village. Having never been to Paris, I, too, wanted to see some of what my sons were experiencing! Several other parents had made the trip and invited me to visit them at their homes in France. Four years later I asked one of my sons what he recalled from his summer at Parsons in Paris. His face aglow, he stated that he remembered the friends he made, the fun they had, and what he learned. He stated that then API team had taken great care of them making sure they were safe, but still allowing them to explore, take the Metro, and learn about Paris on the many excursions they took. One experience we both recalled was as I was on a tour bus driving around Paris, I looked down and saw my sons and their new friends walking down the street. Their faces displayed the joy they felt about being on this fabulous trip and surprise at seeing me gazing down on them from the tour bus. I recalled visiting the Parsons school with its beautiful circular stairway and many well-equipped studios where students created their fashion projects. As a parent, I appreciated the excellent coordination and support with paperwork that API gave me when planning the trip. My sons' summer at Parsons in Paris via API helped them when they were in college and with future jobs as well. The three of us would highly recommend students taking advantage of the wonderful programs and counselors that API has to offer. Merci beaucoup!

I completed an intensive French language program with API having only one semester of college French. Quickly my language skills improved, thanks to this program, my peers, and the faculty. I learned so much in such a short amount of time. It gave me foundational French skills that truly allowed me to excel in the language over the last few years. The classes at Institut Catholique de Paris were hard, but I was so grateful for the challenge. In addition I enjoyed the fact that the classes were mixed with other study abroad programs, namely because it allowed me to meet one of my best friends to this day and several other close friends. In terms of the living accommodations, I really enjoyed living at Cite Universitaire, it was so accessible by train and API provided me with the necessary transit card! There was a communal kitchen there that I used often, helping me save lots of money on food - plus API provided some money for groceries which I was so grateful for. If anything, I wish I had stayed longer - one month flew by! API made sure to take us to nearby cultural locations outside of Paris on weekends and I enjoyed those a lot. Also since I had a European student ID, I was able to visit nearly all museums for free. Truly once in a lifetime experience.

I loved the classes and how the program was run a lot. I only took a point off because before the program started and I was back in the states everything was very unclear on what the program would look like.

This summer I studied abroad with AIFS in Paris and could not have asked for a better experience. First, the AIFS Abroad team in Paris is absolutely incredible with setting up activities, tours, and so much more. They even helped me get a home doctor visit when I had food poisoning for a week and were so incredibly helpful with both scheduling and reimbursements in regards to the visit. Second, my french language class was so beneficial and helped me grow my french skills significantly. I was in a class with students from all over the world and got to understand a little bit more about life in other countries, which I would not have otherwise experienced. Finally, studying abroad with AIFS made me so passionate about the global experience and taught me things I could never have imagined. I cultivated lifelong skills and learned how to better communicate with people from different backgrounds. I can not recommend AIFS more and encourage anyone interested to start the conversation and study abroad if possible!

I felt so immersed and so comfortable in my scope of exploration, travel and academics so quickly and fondly with the CEA Team at the CEA Paris Center ! With weekly tastings of local cultural foods, beverages and humanities, workshops, community events, there was never a dull moment !

My time in Paris with API Abroad was incredible. It was by no means the most consistently amazing or positive semester of my life – in fact, I found that some moments were particularly tough – but the experience of learning and developing confidence through profoundly moving and varied ups and downs was enlightening enough to more than make up for the lack (and in my eyes, surpass) a semester of only ups. Better yet, the network I had cultivated – the staff at API, the host family I stayed with, and the friends made both and out of the program – were there to support me, always there and always ready to chat.

Engineering in Paris is an incredible opportunity for undergraduate students around the world to complete several of their engineering requirements while being able to experience an amazingly rich and diverse culture. Academically CEA CAPA provided great teachers who were passionate about their subjects and understanding of the unique circumstances that students were placed in. They taught the course material well, formed connections with us, and encouraged us to explore and travel while we had this opportunity. The CEA CAPA staff were very helpful as we started to gain our bearings in Paris and organized many activities and excursions to immerse us into the culture. Paris itself is an absolutely beautiful city that has a plethora of options for nightlife, food, drink, shopping, museums, historical sites, and natural beauty. The public transportation system in Paris is very accessible and serves as an easy way to travel around the city, however, I encourage walking as much as possible because it is the only way to truly embrace all of the natural beauty and sites of the city. Furthermore, Paris is a very centrally located city in Europe and allows easy and relatively inexpensive travel opportunities to most other countries in Europe.

I studied with CEA CAPA over the 22-23 school year and had a great time! I love the flexibility of their programs- I was able to get a lot of experience with the French language, and didn't feel that I had any huge advantages or disadvantages compared to those who chose to study in English. They offered great cultural activities and excursions for all interests as well.

I studied abroad with CEA CAPA in the Summer of 2023 in Paris, France. In my 6 weeks spent abroad, I was very pleased with what CEA CAPA had to offer. In terms of housing, the apartment was about what you would expect to receive at any university, and the kitchen was very small, though that was okay because I was able to spend most of my meals out, really getting the full French cuisine experience. The engineering class that I took was difficult, as is any, but the small class size made it easy to collaborate with others and to really delve into the knowledge. The sports & culture class that I took was fun and engaging, and really offered exploration of parts of the city I never would've ventured to on my own. CEA CAPA offered many opportunities to see parts of the city, starting with the initial boat ride along the River Seine, where I had my first glimpse of the Eiffel Tower, and ending with a ticket to a football match at the Stade du France, where we got to see a very exciting win! These are some things I never would have thought to do, but CEA CAPA made it all possible.