Program Reviews

The beautiful thing about IAU's location in France is how it is situated perfectly in the center of Aix-en-Provence. The size of the town is about the same as a medium/large sized college in the United States, so overwhelming size isn't something you need to think about on top of everything that comes along with being in a different country. The best part is that you really have a chance to get to know the locals, especially students who attend the French college just around the corner. Having the ability to immerse myself by getting to know actual people like me who are local made all the difference.

I really enjoyed my experience at IAU! Despite the fact it is a study center for just US students, they give you plenty of opportunities to practice your French and interact with locals. I took all my courses in French, and the university put me in contact with a French business for an internship, and local French students whom I could practice my French with. My host family was great, and the on-site staff was always super friendly and helpful! I would definitely recommend this program to other people.

IAU College was simply an amazing experience. The professors are all so fantastic and the school is incredible. They teach through experiential learning, small group discussions, readings, essay responses and sometimes through exams as well. The way they teach is a way to teach you how to enjoy learning the material. It was such a refreshing environment coming from a huge Univ such as Colorado State. I loved the 150 person semester class of students from all over the US and UK! The school truly cares about the students and this you can truly feel as a student there. I highly recommend this program. I also highly recommend Aix-en-Provence as a study abroad city. It is a notorious college town for students of all backgrounds. It is also very safe and not too big but large enough where there is plenty to see and do.

I wanted to study abroad for a variety of reasons: to experience a different culture, improve my French language skills, and travel. IAU college allowed me to do all these things. While I certainly wanted a rich academic experience, which I got with the courses I took this semester, I really appreciate the cultural experiences that I've had through IAU. My home stay has been fantastic as I've learned so much about French culture and really been able to hone my skills in French conversation. My French class is creative and not so grammar heavy that the conversational and everyday usage of the language is lost. The small class sizes allow for great discussion and the field trips really add a tangible, real-world aspect to class. For example, the material we learned in class came to life during our visit to vineyards in my wine studies class. If you want to meet other French students or locals, there are a ton of opportunities to do so and the IAU administration will help you find these opportunities. Aix is lovely and in a great location for travels to other countries from the Aix-TGV station or the Marseille airport. I highly recommend this program!

My semester in Aix was the most wonderful and memorable experience of my life so far. Studying abroad, more specifically studying in a city as beautiful as Aix, was an unreal experience. I was able to learn about and immerse myself into so much of the culture and way of life through my time with my host family, and living right by the city center. It is a social place, as much of the city is filled with students, both French and International. I felt that it was a great balance between the historical culture of Aix and a present day social culture as well. I met the most amazing people in, and outside, of the IAU program, and living with my host mom was definitely the most rewarding. I learned more than I ever thought possible about the culture, and about myself. Between the support from IAU's staff, the in and outside classroom learning opportunities, and doing a bit of my own exploring -- I would not change the last 4 months for anything. I am happy to have found a home away from home in this wonderful city and cannot wait to return.

This is an amazingly well organized program with fantastic staff and faculty. My family has been attending IAU for three generations!

Yamina is amazing and she is always available to talk to, ask questions, handle any issues that come up, etc. The university is super quaint, and upon my visit last year they have added an entire new building! The faculty are all amazing and really focus on integrating the local culture into the classroom by taking visits to the local market, visiting local candy shops, etc. In one of my classes we went to Chateau D'If in Marseille!

This program also offers really great excursions. After the second week in the program you take an overnight trip to Nice and along the Cote d'azur visiting Cannes, Monte Carlo, Fragonard (perfumerie), and the beautiful beaches. The program also offered weekend activities and excursions to Le Beaux, Arles, and other Provencal towns.

This is a great place to study abroad if you really want to practice the language and immerse yourself in the culture. Aix is a very walkable city so it's very easy to get around. I also really enjoyed my host family experience and recommend this to anyone studying abroad anywhere!

To give perspective of the learning experiences IAU offered to me, there was such a richness to each of my courses that I found myself always looking forward to what the next class would bring. Class size was small, so I always felt that the teacher cared about each individual student's progress.
As far as cultural immersion, I would say that you got what you put into it. It is always the student's choice to go out and meet new French people, and speak French whenever possible with the locals. And for me...I seized any opportunity I could get and learned a lot in return. I will never forget my time in Aix and everything my experiences abroad gave me.

As any student with inhibitions about their personal level of French, I came into the program not knowing what to expect. However, all of my fears were settled once I walked into the classroom on the first day. There were only eleven other students, and the room was set up to be a comfortable and open environment for learning. Over the course of the rest of the semester, I came to learn and grow with no filter to speaking French. It was all thanks to an amazing professor who took us out to explore every nook and cranny of the city and the group of students with which I developed such a close bond. This program changed my life for the better in more ways than one.

I thoroughly enjoyed my abroad experience with IAU. Aix is a great city for students - lively yet safe, and the people are very excited to share their culture. I felt supported by the university but not coddled. There are many opportunities to travel and learn through the university, but you still have the time and freedom to explore independently. Classes provide a wealth of information but are still very manageable. Professors understand that a large part of your education is first-hand experience of the culture around you. I highly recommend living with a host family. My only caution is to remember that an overwhelming majority of the students in the program (with whom you will spend the majority of your time) are native English speakers. So, if you are looking to be fully immersed in the language, you may want to take this into consideration. However, I felt that my language skills improved, and I learned A LOT culturally because I was able to exchange deeper concepts in my native language.

I came to this program because I wanted to go to France without being in Paris. Aix is such a great student city and attracts ex-pats of all nationalities that you feel totally immersed in the French culture with the ability to escape any time you need.

The French Honours Program (FHP) is relatively new at IAU so they are still developing it. It is more of an advanced French lit class than anything. However, I had the chance to read pieces and write about them in a way that I've never gotten to before. My professor was so kind and funny and she really helped me improve! She definitely helped "make" my experience at IAU. The rest of the classes were okay. Definitely take an art class if you get the chance!!

My host mom was a great cook. Even though she came across rather stern, she totally gave me space to be independent and helped me out with a few snags that me and my housemate ran into (i.e. mean train ticket sales people, unexpectedly cold weather). I was really lucky, but I think your homestay experience depends on who you get, so be sure to be honest in your questionnaire.

Walking to and from school was not far for me. I never used the bus system in Aix. The problem with homestays is that you can't really have friends over to hang out, so we all hung out at school, which became a social hub. At night, when the school closed, we moved to bars, which are all within walking distance of course.

A typical day was going to class, meeting friends for lunch, finishing class, doing some work in le cave at school, making plans for that evening, and then going out at night. On the weekends, a lot of people travel around Europe, but if you stay nearby or in Aix, there is plenty to do. Must sees: Cassis, Mt Sainte-Victoire, Parc Vendome, Lyon, Grenoble.