Counsellor's Corner
Why Study in France?
With over 300,000 étudiants internationaux, France has been ranked the 4th most popular destination for international students. Mrs. Blackmer, one of GWA’s University & Career Counselors, recently visited the American University of Paris to learn why.
Rich cultural history
As the country of Proust, Varda, Monet, and David Guetta, France has plenty to offer in terms of history and culture. There are a vast number of museums, galleries, theatres, and historic sites for you to explore - did you know that the Palace of Versailles (which housed French kings and queens until the French Revolution in 1789) has over 1,400 water fountains within its grounds? The American University of Paris (AUP) was chartered as a liberal arts college in 1962 and taught its first courses in rented classrooms of the American Church of Paris, which dates to 1814. Today AUP is an urban, independent, international university located in the beautiful 7th arrondissement of Paris, just a short walk from the Eiffel Tower.
La vie française
France is famous for its excellent cuisine, beautiful towns, and rich history - which are likely all reasons why Paris was ranked the top student city four years in a row by QS Best Student Cities. Unlike many traditional universities, there are no dormitories at AUP; instead, AUP students select their housing from a variety of university-managed apartments and live among locals in the charming neighborhoods of Paris. Students can cook meals at home or enjoy the numerous cafes and restaurants throughout the city. There is a cafe on campus for students, as well.
Low tuition fees
Compared to the rest of Europe, France’s tuition fees are very low. The average public university in France charges 170 EUR per year for a bachelor’s degree, if you are from the EU/EEA. At the vast majority of French institutions, international students also enjoy the added bonus of being charged the same fees as domestic students. It is important to remember that fees can be much higher for a Grande Ecole, post-graduate course or engineering/medical school.
As AUP is a private university, tuition fees are relatively high; however, these can be offset by one of many scholarships available to international students. In fact, IB students admitted to AUP who score 32 or higher in their World Exams are guaranteed scholarships ranging from 7000 EUR per year to 100% full tuition scholarships!
Language skills
Most French degree courses are taught in French but some universities, such as the Université Grenoble Alpes and the University of Burgundy, have recently started offering English-taught degree options for both bachelor and master’s students. All classes and subjects at AUP are taught in English, with the exception of language classes, of course.
Even if your course is taught in English, living in France can improve your language skills massively. French is ranked the 3rd most useful language for business and is the official language of many international organisations, including the United Nations and World Trade Organisation.
High-quality teaching
According to the Times Higher Education’s World University Rankings 2022, 40 French institutions are counted among the top universities in the world. Many French universities specialise in a single subject area (such as the Paris Institute of Political Studies, otherwise known as Sciences Po). This means that the focus at university is often on specialised research and teaching.
French universities are also known for their greater number of contact hours. Having more face-to-face teaching can be hugely beneficial for students; for example, lots of contact hours means you will have more chances to ask your teachers questions, or clarify anything in your personal study that you don’t understand. This is certainly the case at AUP, where students cite the low student-professor ratio as one of the best things about the university, along with easy access to professors outside of class time and the significant effort by faculty and staff to make AUP feel like home.
Adapted from the Unifrog Student Know-How Library and www.aup.edu