Study at the Institut Catholique de Paris with API

The API Paris staff is awesome. Anne Marie was a caring and involved program director. The cultural activities they had planned for us in Paris were educational, interesting, and exciting, and the weekend trips were fantastic. My favorite trip was to Collioure, a small beach town on the southern coast of France. What an amazing place!

I lived with a host family outside of the city. I didn't really like living outside of the city because of the transportation time, but the town was safe and quiet, which was a nice escape from Paris suburbs. I would definitely recommend living with a host family if you are looking for the cultural experience rather than a party experience. It seemed like the students in the dorms got to know each other really well, but I got to know people from all over the world while they only met other students from their own country. My language skills improved so much because I spent a lot of time outside of class practicing with my host family. I also got to try a lot of different kinds of foods.

I did the intensive language program, so I was in class for three to six hours a day during the week. I learned more from the program in four weeks than I did in probably a year of college class. We did speaking, listening, writing, and reading exercises, as well as discussed some elements of French and Parisian culture. The campus is small and located in a cool area of Paris. It's not far from a metro and bus stop, so it's easily accessible.

As far as the city goes, it's Paris. Every American loves Paris. It's dirty, the waiters are rude, but there's so much history on every street corner. There were times when I would have done anything to go somewhere else, but now that I'm back in the US I dream about Paris every night. Every street is picturesque and the lifestyle is slow and calm (except in the metro or at a boulangerie at lunchtime). I spent five weeks in Paris and I never had the same day twice. However, the pickpockets are REAL! They are easy to avoid, though, if you stay alert in crowded areas.

If you are considering this program, you should stop thinking about it and do it!

I participated in the API Summmer 2 French Language Program in Paris from July to August 2010. I was incredibly skeptical at first, because my French skills were severely lacking and I'd never lived or studied abroad before, but I decided to go for it and I'm so glad I did, because it ended up being the best experience of my entire 4 (& change) years in college.

The staff support that API provides is above and beyond, giving you directions, tips, maps, reviews/opinions on things to do and see in the city, weekend travel opportunities that are included in your program fees, and an awesome office that is conveniently situated in the center of Paris (which also serves as a great reference point and place to study)!

The chose to live in the FEU (Fondation des Etats Unis) with most of the other students on the program, although some chose homestays and one or two chose to live in their own apartments. I fully recommend staying at the FEU because it's more cost efficient than apartment living, yet allows you more freedom to do as you please and come & go during later hours than a homestay would. Most of the students on the program chose the FEU, which also made it convenient to get together to go out to museums, clubs, and catch the Metro to class together in the mornings. My closest relationships and bonds were made with others who were staying at the FEU.

The food is phenomenal in Paris, I definitely recommend saving and bringing MORE than you'd expect to spend. I ran out pretty quickly and wasn't too happy about having to live off of banana Nutella crepes for a week (although those are delicious).

Museums are FREE to students of the EU system, which you will be considered as during your study abroad experience, so GET OUT and see them! The Louvre is amazing, you could spend a full week there - for free! It's really an incredible opportunity.

Some of my favorite moments were: view of the Eiffel Tower lighting up at night from Trocadero Park, Oscar Wilde's grave at Pere Lachaise, gelato at the gardens of Versailles on an insanely hot day mid-July.

The staff in the U.S. are absolutely amazing. They help prepare you and are there to assist you with absolutely anything. Seriously, 10+ calls and I was sure that I had driven them crazy. They are knowledgeable, most employees having studied abroad with the program.

Staff onsite provide assistance for specific course requirements (credits that transfer directly to your home university), as well as very informative and helpful orientations to the culture and university. Excursions were AMAZING! I also appreciated the fact that a meal card and metro pass were included in the program price (a HUGE reason why I chose the program).

Classes were offered to all languages levels, with electives taught in English. Perfect for a Political Science/International Affairs major to complete courses while taking French language abroad.