Film Study Abroad Programs in Paris, France

Spending five months in Paris was one of the most influential experiences I've had---Paris being the first time I have ever lived in a big city really set the bar high. I lived with a host family in the 13th arrondissement where I felt incredibly at home (with the whole city accessible through just a few metro lines) and had the opportunity to fully immerse myself in different cultures. Being able to take courses at a French institution really opened my eyes to a different country's education system, and allowed me to learn a lot while also making local friendships. Middlebury's program itself is really amazing. Having to live, study, and form relationships in a foreign language is not necessarily easy, but Midd provided tools and support needed to ensure our success. The connections that I've built, both to people and to Paris, are immeasurable.

I had an amazing time studying abroad with Middlebury in Paris. I decided to live with a host family, and my host mother was sweet, accomodating, and helped me improve my French a lot. I lived in Paris's 13th arrondisement, in Chinatown, and the experience of living in a part of the city I might have not thought to visit if I wasn't living there was super interesting. I loved finding hidden gems around my neighborhood and the city as a whole.Taking classes at Middlebury with the other American students was a helpful anchor to my experience as I navigated a lot of new experiences -- taking classes in my second language at a local university, traveling solo for the first time, and more.

Living in Paris was an expansive experience. It challenged me in a lot of ways, and helped me grow because of it. Paris is such a beautiful city, with spectacles and beautiful architecture and people and a moving, dynamic current. There's always something to do, someone to see. It’s city to get lost in and find yourself again. It’s a city designed for people, for connection, for community. If I could, I'd do it all over again. The Middlebury Program is a great way to immerse yourself. With a host family, and a balance of local and program-led classes, and a lot of independence, you are sure to find yourself getting to know a great city. I found the language support really helpful, and I was able to meet a bunch of people, either local or through the program or through different study abroad schools. I’m really grateful for the opportunity it gave me.

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!

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.

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.

It’s helped me meet some of my best-friends. CIEE is a remarkable program. However there course evaluation emails are to much. One email is fine but I get spammed with emails about course evaluation to many.

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.

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 !

I loved my time in France and SAI made it so much easier and comfortable for me to study abroad! I had a lovely host family who were very kind and helped me improve my French. SAI and AUP also worked together to make my class a successful and meaningful experience. The professor I had at AUP was fantastic and very knowledgeable about her subject. I would highly recommend studying abroad with SAI to anyone because they made the process so smooth!

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.

I had an incredible semester in Bordeaux with the Middlebury Schools Abroad. I think the highlight of my 4 months there was living with my host family, they were so supportive and helpful with any questions I had about life in Bordeaux. I loved having the freedom to explore this new city on my own and with friends from the program and other international students. The French university system is very different from the United States so it definitely took some getting used to, but other than that it was so interested to learn in a new environment.

I really loved Bordeaux throughout my experience there! The size of the city was perfect for me, not too big and overwhelming, but still offered new and different activities to do each weekend. The bordelaise people were always kind and understanding, and especially respected the fact that I wanted to practice my French - even though they could tell I was American. Living with my host family was part of what made my experience so special; they were always pushing me to try typical French foods, learn local slang, explore new corners of the city, and they would check up on me every night at dinner. I felt a lot of freedom and independence in Bordeaux which allowed me to be myself at all times, and especially allowed me to delve into the culture enthusiastically. I would recommend Bordeaux to anyone learning French!

I had a wonderful experience at Middlebury's Paris program. It offered the perfect mix of independence and support. By living in a foyer, I was able to make French friends, one of whom even visited me back at Middlebury this fall. As the only American in my residence hall, I was completely immersed in French language and culture. The direct-enrollment classes at a local university and my internship also permitted me to get a sense of what daily life is like for a real French student. At the same time, however, I was incredibly well supported by Middlebury staff. I took a great class on French politics at the Middlebury center that was accompanied by outings in the city to see a play and a film related to course material. I also enjoyed Middlebury's cultural offerings, including trips to the opera, a wine and cheese night, and an overnight trip to Normandie. Overall, Midd's Paris program presents the ideal combination of freedom to explore French life and the structural supported needed as a new international student in a big city.