IES Abroad Paris

I chose my program because I am an International Business major and I wanted something that would give me major related classes. I also chose my program because it seemed that they were really helpful in immersing you in French culture.

I lived in a home stay with another student and with a retired couple in the seventeenth arrondissement. I had my own bedroom, bathroom, and balcony. And everything in the house was extremely nice, and my host parents were super helpful with the French language and with ways to get around the city. It took me only thirty to forty minutes to get home on the metro and everything in the city was extremely accessible through public transportation.

The IES BIA program really created an environment where I could have little French experiences all the time. We went on tons of trips, sponsored many many mini field trips. I got to see a Parisian Mosque, bake in a Parisian bakery, drink champagne in Champagne, visit the beaches of Normandy, see a Parisian ballet, watch a Parisian rugby game, and see a French comedian. I got to do so many amazing things through this program and they were all included in my tuition.

Choosing this program was the best choice I've ever made in my whole life!!

Don't worry overly much if your French is not perfect or that you won't understand what people are saying, you will be fine. Relax and enjoy the experience. However, make sure you attend classes regularly as too many absences will affect your overall grade in every course. Be sure to attend the class given by the staff on how to travel cheaply and safely. Great information!

This is a great program for American students looking to study abroad in Paris. They are very good at getting students acclimated to the city and helping them meet each other, and the classes are interesting and taught by awesome professors. There is no class on Friday so there is lots of time to travel. I do speak French, but the majority of people in my class did not, and they did fine in Paris despite language barriers.

IES was a great program. Although the classes varied slightly from those listed on the website, they were still interesting and taught in French by French professors. Students have the chance to volunteer or intern as one of their courses, which I highly recommend. The program offers Friday excursions to local museums and other points of interest, as well as a few excursions around France.

I studied abroad in Paris through the IES BIA rogram in spring 2013. It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. The program is excellent; the professors are knowledgable and the staff members are extremely helpful.

Paris is an incredible city, not only for the arts, food, and monuments (which are quite honestly unparalleled), but for cultural immersion. I couldn't have chosen a better city or program for my study abroad experience.

As a first-timer for everything "Paris" and Europe in general, my initial thought process to "study" in Paris was rather commonplace: to live in the romance of "Paris" and with anything "Parisian" for a full semester. Believe it or not, I did get that glimpse of Paris in a nutshell but so much more.

As cliché as this may sound, this entire abroad experience really was “what you made of it.” And Paris BIA, I would say, was the perfect program to create that required balance to fully enjoy your experience. This program supports and caters to your own academic and social regimen; various activities include local-French homestay housing, internships, language partner programs, and optional field trips. The Paris BIA program also offers engaging and niche-oriented courses, allowing you seek out your academic interest. For example, due to Mr. Robert Olorenshaw’s Luxury Brand Management course, I had found my passion in luxury brand marketing, and was able to secure a summer internship at a high-end luxury brand in Paris.

I was fortunate enough to have a wonderful French family during my program as well, and they now have become incredibly partial to my life as I have frequently made visits back in Paris and in New York City to meet up since the program ended a year ago. While taking courses within the BIA program, I also benefited from taking business courses at the French Business School, Negocia, and made life-long relationships with both local and international students.

I believe Paris BIA is not one of those ordinary programs that act as a backbone of your frequent travels every weekend. Yes, you do have the leisure to experience and step outside of Paris, but know that this program is definitely worth your time and attention for that once-in-a-lifetime experience.

When I was first looking at study abroad programs, I thought that I wanted to be in rural France, in a smaller town, because I did not think I would enjoy living in a city. IES Paris completely changed my mind about that. The staff and professors are welcoming and go above and beyond to help you adjust to life in Paris. There are so many great events scheduled to enable you to learn as much about the culture as possible, both mandatory and voluntary. I fell right into learning and participating in French in my classes because of the excellent week of preparation they gave us before class started.

The only stressful thing I experienced the entire semester was that my housemate and I made the decision to move out of our first host parent's house. This was not the fault of the program--the woman who we lived with had just hosted a student last semester and everything had worked out fine. It was just not a good fit for the two of us. Throughout the entire process of deciding to move out and finding a new host family, the staff at IES was so reassuring and supportive. It made everything so much easier, and my housemate and I ended up with an amazing family who we got very close with. Ultimately, it was the right decision, and IES Paris empowered us to make it. The program truly helped me find my independence and grow as a person, in this way in many others.

I would totally recommend this program. I learned a great deal about the language and culture, more importantly. Being immersed in the Parisian landscape really redefined my outlook on life and made me fall in love with a people and a lifestyle. This was a priceless experience.