Location
  • France
    • Paris
    • Toulouse
    • Rennes
Length
2 - 52 weeks

Program Details

Program Type
Provider
Timeframe
Academic Year Fall Spring Summer
Housing
Dormitory Host Family

Pricing

Price Details
Get more for every dollar when you study abroad with CIEE! High School Summer, Semester and Gap programs include Classes, Housing, 3 Meals/Day, Cultural Activities and Excursions, Comprehensive Medical and Travel Protection and 24/7 On-site Support.

There are no hidden charges or surprises when you arrive!

Scholarship opportunities are available for high school summer programs.
What's Included
Accommodation Activities Meals Travel Insurance Wifi
Jun 17, 2024
Oct 30, 2024
22 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

The elegance of Paris, the pink buildings in Toulouse or the green gardens of Rennes... Each CIEE High School Summer Abroad program location in France offers a unique experience to improve your French, whether you're a beginner or a more advanced French learner, or to gain real-world insight into Fashion Design and Engineering.

Scholarship opportunities are available for summer abroad in France!

CIEE offers you a chance to experience France for longer too through the High School Semester Abroad program and Gap year abroad program.

Video and Photos

Program Highlights

  • Native teachers, expert instructors and reputable, well-established public or private high schools
  • Credentials for your college applications and résumé
  • 24/7 support from CIEE program leader and in-country CIEE staff members

Popular Programs

Eiffel tower students viewing

Whether you’re drawn to the bright lights of magical Paris, the rural charm of Rennes, or the student-populated Pink City of Toulouse, CIEE study abroad in France offers you academic and cultural options that provide an unparalleled experience abroad.

France city

Wherever you’re placed to live and study, you’ll be immersed in the language, culture, and typical teen routine at a public or private lycée or collège. From the Eiffel Tower to the beaches of Nice, there’s no shortage of top attractions to explore.

Big student group photo in France

Everyone dreams of a trip to Paris, but how many get to actually live there like a local? Here’s your chance to enjoy an unparalleled gap year experience in one of the world’s most beautiful and culturally important cities.

Program Reviews

4.70 Rating
based on 10 reviews
  • 5 rating 70%
  • 4 rating 30%
  • 3 rating 0%
  • 2 rating 0%
  • 1 rating 0%
  • Growth 4.8
  • Support 4.5
  • Fun 4.4
  • Housing 4.7
  • Safety 4.7
Showing 1 - 8 of 10 reviews
Default avatar
Lucy
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

CIEE High School Summer Abroad in Paris, France - Language & Culture

I had an incredible time with CIEE in Paris! I applied on a whim and I didn't think that I would be able to go based on my financial status. However, I was accepted and received a very generous scholarship (open to anyone)!
Coming from a very small town, I was very nervous about being in a city. However, CIEE was there every step of the way. We completed an online course about safety and what to bring before leaving and CIEE was very informative every time I called. While on the program in France, we had periodic one-on-one check-ins with our program leader about how we were doing and they were always available (in person or through text) if we had questions.
The flight process was also made easy. I opted to do a chaperoned flight. A few days ahead of time, the program leader we were flying with created a group chat for all of us and gave us some information. The day of, she kept us updated about what gate we were going to and helped us navigate.
As part of the program, we explored many Parisian places, but we were also given some free time to visit parts of Paris that we were interested in. One free Saturday, a friend and I visited the Ménagerie du Jardin des Plantes. We spent the whole day looking at Tasmanian devils, flamingos, panthers, tapirs, and so much more. On a different day, I went to a market and bought French antique postcards! There were so many things, these are just a few examples.
Most importantly, I experienced SO MUCH personal growth. I became more independent, confident, and adventurous (even my family noticed when I returned). I made friends, received 4 college credits from Tulane University, improved my French by leagues, and grew as an individual. I cannot recommend this program enough.

What was the most nerve-racking moment and how did you overcome it?
The most nerve-racking moment was when I got lost in a metro station, the Gare de Lyon. I was traveling from my homestay to the CIEE center for class with my roommate. We got off at the correct metro station, but there were 4 different staircases that all led to the same general area. We took one that we hadn't used yet and got confused. We found to a spot out of the way of the people and collected ourselves. Then we tried each staircase until we found one that had our street exit. Once we got back on track, I called our program leader to tell her we would be late. The metros in Paris are really simple and easy to navigate, but I hadn't been paying attention and let myself get worked up. Once we took a second to look at out surroundings we found our way.
Pros
  • We were given independence and free time (almost every lunch, hours after class, weekends, and couple of mornings).
  • We learned SO MUCH French from native speakers.
  • Plenty of time for sight-seeing and socializing while still being an academic experience.
Cons
  • I didn't get along with the other student in my homestay (we did have separate rooms though).
  • We couldn't leave Paris (we wanted to visit Normandy or even England).
12 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
jesse
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

SLAYYYYYY!

I loved making new friends, eating, and jumping into the freezing English Channel! I also went to the zoo and saw a lot of cute animals like puppies and meerkats. i got to learn about the history of rennes and eat traditional breton food. i went to mont san michel up a really high vertical town. which was very steep and had a lot of pirates stores, sexy pirate stores with sexy pirate stuff like sexy pirate clothes and candy. they also had sinky squishy quicksand that i loved drowning in. i loved going on holiday, and seeing the sunset on the seaside town of st malo and i wanna live in this sexy pirate town when i grow up.

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
jumped into the english channel
Pros
  • good food
  • fun stuff everywhere
23 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Jasmine
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Unforgettable summer in Toulouse

I really had such an amazing experience with CIEE!! They offer many amazing cultural activities and weekend excursions that can really show you the culture and life in Toulouse. My French improved drastically with this course, as I stayed with a really kind and sweet homestay. I know many people whose homestays were not so good and CIEE moved them out quickly. I know there were probably some complaints with a few staff members, however I personally really liked my teacher and PL and had no issues. CIEE cares about all the students' safety and I felt very safe and secure at all times. I had a good amount of free time for lunch and occasionally after school. We did have curfews at 8 pm on weekdays and 11 pm on weekends, but with some people having really long commutes to the CIEE center from their homestays, they weren't able to go out much after school in their limited time. I personally joined this program alone, however I think this experience would be elevated had I came with even just one friend. I did spend a lot of money on shopping for this program, and I don't think that's talked about that much. I think that it's imperative to bring a lot of money (A LOT) for the actual program.

Pros
  • Wonderful, loving homestay
  • Wide range of cultural activities
  • Ensured safety and security by CIEE staff
Cons
  • Long commutes to the CIEE center
  • Not a lot of free time
68 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Emmett
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Ciee Paris

Very nice. I think that I spent a lot of time looking around and there was a lot of ability to roam around. There isn’t too much class and class is pretty easy so most of the time you can do whatever you want. There was a lot of outings for the ciee so you could meet people from your area pretty easily in the beginning.
I met a good amount of friends and was able to experience culture for a good amount of time. The hotel was also pretty close to food and supermarkets that were open till very late. Usually restaurants are closed very early but we lived around some that would be open till two in the morning.

Pros
  • Freedom
Cons
  • No oven tho
101 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Juana
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

It was great

This is an interesting experience, it was really fun. We got to see so much and learn a great amount. It couldn’t have been any better. The beaches are extremely nice and their traditions are really interesting. The town is small which makes it easier to move around, you really can’t get lost here. Over all everything was great the education, housing ,support ,and the food! I will definitely miss that!! The host families do definitely make you feel like you are part of theirs. You get to make new friends and meet all kinds of people. You also get to make a second family who will support you and understand you and if you have any problems, they will try to help you. Everything about this is great if you have the option, take it not many can!

If you did this all over again, what's one thing you would change?
I would give more time to certain activities that we enjoyed more.
127 people found this review helpful.
pro-pic
Saron
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Ciee Toulouse summer of 2017

My time abroad in Toulouse was the most life-changing experience. This program allowed me to grow as a person and also helped me better my French language comprehending and communication skills. Besides that, I was able to fully immerse myself in the French culture that I don't get to experience just from a classroom. CIEE does a great job planning activities that help the exchange students immerse themselves in the culture through the "Into the Community", activity is done to help students communicate and ask questions to locals. Although I got a wrong host family placement information until the day before my flight, I am very thankful that I was placed with an amazing family. They were kind and welcoming. They showed me a couple of French medieval cities, which is a great opportunity for me to even learn more about France.

What would you improve about this program?
Making sure CIEE sends the right information such as family placement on time.
121 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Timothy
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

An absolutely amazing experience!

Making the decision to do a year abroad in France has turned out to be one of the best decisions I've ever made. Through this experience, I am not just learning about a culture and its language, I am learning about myself and my abilities to accept and adapt. It has been nothing short of amazing to live these last 5 months in France and I would recommend this program to anyone looking to spend a year abroad.

145 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Grace
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

A Life Changing Experience

My experience in France made a huge impact on my life. I see the world with a new perspective. Studying abroad has enlarged my world view; it exposed me to the infinite amount of culture and language that is in the world. I lived with an amazing host family who I consider my second family. I encountered challenges as well as fun moments, and those experiences helped me learn and made me a stronger person. My year abroad in France is something I will never forget nor regret.

137 people found this review helpful.

Questions & Answers