CEA CAPA Education Abroad in Paris, France

CEA CAPA Education Abroad in Paris, France

Location
  • France
    • Paris
Term
Fall, Spring, Summer
Subject Areas
Art History Business Chemistry Communications Cultural Studies Economics Engineering European Studies Fashion Design Film Finance Gender Studies Global Studies History International Business International Relations Liberal Arts Linguistics Literature Marketing Mathematics Political Science Social Sciences Sociology +14
Need-based funding, Merit-based funding, General grants/scholarships, Payment plans, Work study, LGBTQIA+ funding, BIPOC funding
Health & Safety

Program Details

Program Type
Provider
Degree Level
High School Diploma Associates Bachelors
Housing
Apartment Dormitory Host Family
Language
English

Pricing

Price Details
Included: Personalized Pre-departure Advising; Tuition & Registration; Travel Medical Insurance; On-site Orientation; Housing; Volunteer Opportunities; On-site Staff Support; Excursions and Cultural Engagement; Host Institution Services & Amenities and more. Scholarships available.
What's Included
Some Accommodation Activities Airport Transfers Classes Travel Insurance
Sep 29, 2025
Feb 23, 2026
119 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

Imagine spending a semester in Paris, the embodiment of fine art, cuisine, fashion, and more. Home to one of the world’s most beautiful skylines, the Louvre, the Arc de Triomphe, Notre-Dame, and the enchanting Seine River, Paris has an incredible history. Experience the beauty of Paris easily by taking the Metro or with the city’s famed public bike system.

Choose from a wide range of courses offered in both English and French at the CEA CAPA Center or take courses with The Catholic University of Paris.

Interested? Click the “Visit Site” button to learn what’s possible!

COMMUNITY REVIEWS SUMMARY

Students appreciate the program’s strong cultural immersion, engaging classes with city-based learning, and supportive staff who assist with housing and safety.

Video and Photos

Diversity & Inclusion 💙

CEA CAPA provides, in conjunction with Diversity Abroad, Destination Guides which provide resources and tips for Black/African-American students, Latinx students, Asian American students, and all other students of color.
Through our personalized advising, CEA CAPA takes steps to understand the needs of a diversity of student identities like the LGBTQIA+ community. In addition to diversity and identity training, CEA CAPA leadership engage in continuous department level project work to identify and revise policies and practices using the appropriate Justice, Equity, Diversity or Inclusion lens as a frame to reduce bias and barriers that impact students, faculty, and staff. CEA CAPA is intentional in elevating diverse student voices and providing a platform for a broad array of identities to share their experiences abroad. The CEA CAPA World Blog promotes stories and personal experiences from the perspectives of diverse student bloggers and vloggers.
CEA CAPA is willing and able to assist students with learning disabilities and physical disabilities. Students are requested to disclose disabilities through the application health forms as part of their application and in discussion with their application advisor or program manager. The earlier CEA CAPA is made aware of learning or physical disabilities the better we can work with the student, institution, and overseas team to tailor an Individualized Education Program if necessary to support the student.

Impact 🌎

CEA CAPA makes a conscious effort to create study abroad experiences that leave a positive impact on host communities. Each location implements a variety of strategies to support the local community and promote sustainability. Examples include:

Use of recycling bins in Study Center locations and in CEA CAPA housing

Signage in CEA CAPA housing urging students to limit water and electricity usage

Students are often given reusable bags and water bottles upon arrival to limit single plastic use

Students are provided with instructions for acquiring transportation passes to promote use of public transportation rather than taxis

Program Highlights

  • Hands-on learning experiences that transform the world abroad into a classroom
  • Personalized Pre-Departure Advising, including visa and immigration support
  • Courses offered in English that fulfill major and general graduation requirements
  • Comprehensive on-site support, including 24/7 emergency phone
  • Career workshops, Internships Abroad, and Alumni Ambassador positions

Program Reviews

4.80 Rating
based on 82 reviews
  • 5 rating 82.93%
  • 4 rating 15.85%
  • 3 rating 0%
  • 2 rating 1.22%
  • 1 rating 0%
  • Academics 4.05
  • Support 4.75
  • Fun 4.6
  • Housing 4.35
  • Safety 4.7
Showing 49 - 56 of 82 reviews
Emily Deanne
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

J'aime CEA Paris

My abroad travels were certainly worthwhile. I feel as though after living abroad I have a new found confidence as well as a changed global outlook on the world. I found internship opportunities through CEA which complemented my experience as well as my resume. One of my favorite aspects of CEA was their cultural engagement program, where the staff lead excursions to connect students with the Parisien community.

CEA staff made every effort to assist students in connecting with local culture. They did this through arranging housing among other french persons, arranging guest speakers, and arranging a variety of day trips and walking excursions within the city throughout the semester.

I felt as though the intensity and rigor of the courses I took did not align with that of the program descriptions I had initially looked at when applying for this program. I actually found the courses to me more intense than anticipated accompanied with more homework, research papers, and presentations than I though. However, the resources provided were beneficial to my courses and the cultural engagement requirement for each class (where students are required to participate in an excursion that pertains to the course material) I found to heighten my comprehension of course content as well as my interest in the Parisian culture. Additionally CEA Paris has an impressive range of professors with real world experience within their disciplines.

The administration here at CEA made every effort to acclimate their students. They did this through formal orientation programs and out of the classroom activities.

Living abroad can be a tricky situation however my living arrangements were very comfortable. In the event of a leaky pipe or power outage, the staff at CEA always responded immediately and helped my roommates and I to fix the situation.

Meal plan was not an option for this program. Paris however has an amazing range of things to eat so I never went hungry. Additionally, upon arrival, CEA staff coached us on where to shop for food, how to read labels, and inexpensive dining options that aligned with our student budgets.

I never personally had to see a doctor or go to urgent care while abroad. However my roommates did, and CEA staff were accommodating, discreet, and took the time to follow up multiple times with the students.

I never felt unsafe once while studying in Paris. My housing was in a quite neighborhood, people on the metro were civil, and because I was aware of my surroundings and tried my best to not stick out I was perfectly fine.

Though Paris is an expensive city to live in (like any major city) I found it manageable finance wise to eat, shop, and travel.

Every professor and staff member encouraged me to use and practice my french while abroad. I definitely think my language skills have improved since going abroad.

If i had to do it over again I 100% would. I learned so many practical life lessons that I would have never learned in a traditional classroom. The only thing I would do differently would be to sign up for an entire year abroad!

The only thing I wish I knew before this program would be the level of difficulty of some classes. For me, I knew only a small amount of french before going abroad and the level of french that I took abroad was probably too hard for me (but I managed :) ).

What would you improve about this program?
One way this program could be improved would be through the student body. I found that there was very little variety of students that attended the program. With the exception of two Russian students the program was made up of mostly white Americans girls, and only a few males. Additionally, I wish there was a gym associated with the center! It would have been nice to have a place to workout or some sort of fitness classes provided as a bonding experience between the students.
145 people found this review helpful.
Response from CEA CAPA Education Abroad

Thank you for the thoughtful review and recommendations Emily! Best of luck and please stop in to say hello should you find yourself back in Paris.

Mattie
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Intensive French Language program in Paris through CEA

I decided to study abroad for one academic year in Paris through CEA during the '16-'17 year, and absolutely loved it. It was by far my favorite year out of all four years of my college experience and I cannot wait to return to Europe in the near future. All of my advisors through CEA were amazing, and helped me with everything I had ever needed when I was abroad. The education I received was great, though there was some confusion with what classes were available and which were not prior to my enrollment for the second semester. I was placed with wonderful host parents, though they were not always at home and were a bit more conventional, but I learned a lot from them in the end. I hope to continue keeping in touch with CEA one way or another and would highly recommend studying abroad with them!

What would you improve about this program?
Perhaps a more updated list of classes for the program? I'm still unsure of how things got turned around with my second semester classes but other than that, there is nothing I can think of to improve.
133 people found this review helpful.
Response from CEA CAPA Education Abroad

Mattie, we are thrilled you “loved” studying abroad with us for a full academic year. Thank you for taking time to provide suggestions. We are always looking to improve.

Kayla
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

My Semester Abroad

I had an amazing time studying with CEA in Paris. The onsite staff was so supportive, the classes were interesting, and I made AMAZING friends. We went on really fun excursions, and I loved being able to travel. I was nervous about how I would fit in with other students, but I made friends quickly. I was also nervous about how classes would go, but everything turned out great. Again, the classes were really interesting, and I loved my professors. They were all so kind and helpful. I would definitely go abroad with CEA again.

142 people found this review helpful.
Response from CEA CAPA Education Abroad

Kayla, thank you for studying abroad with us in Paris. Your experience and insights will help future students in selecting where to study abroad.

Erin
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Great First Study Abroad Experience

As someone who has never gone abroad before, CEA made the whole process much easier and less daunting. Luckily, I was able to get a travel voucher that covered my roundtrip flight, making the overall cost more manageable (plus I was able to arrive two months early to do some traveling!). The US staff was wonderful leading up to departure and I absolutely adored everyone at the Paris location--if you are feeling unsure or have literally any question ever (what's the best bakery, how do I use the metro, etc.) they will help you!

I lived with a host family in a large apartment in the 11th arrondissement, which was super cool, but be warned that it may be more difficult to hang with friends when you are with a host family!

My advice is to NOT take a whole bunch of classes. Typically, I take 6 classes a semester at home and manage, but I was only taking 4 while abroad and was overwhelmed, especially during midterms/finals. Don't let school get in the way of learning, as Paris has much to teach.

Overall, the excursions were AWESOME, there is always something to do in Paris, and I met a ton of people that I know will be a big part of my life for years to come. Thank you for everything CEA.

What would you improve about this program?
More interaction with locals and French students would be great. The students at Sorbonne/Diderot have more opportunities to meet locals, but us at CEA have a harder time. Otherwise, don't change a thing.
138 people found this review helpful.
Response from CEA CAPA Education Abroad

Erin, we are thrilled you love Paris as much as we do! Thank you so much for the perceptive evaluation on our study abroad program.

Read my full story
Dana
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

An Immersive Program With Attentive Staff!

CEA made the logistics of studying abroad easy and accessible. Their thorough attention to detail (like helping us through the student visa process, ensuring that our first few days in a new country weren't terrifying, and being there to solve any problem throughout the semester) let me feel safe and free to enjoy my time abroad.

Along with courses tailored to French culture and the city of Paris, CEA also included numerous excursions to city events and trips around the country. These experiences let me understand and enjoy France in a way I'm incredibly grateful for.

The staff at the CEA Paris Center were absolutely lovely! They truly made Paris feel like a home to me, and their interest in our lives/experience made it feel like more than just a school campus.

I so recommend studying abroad with CEA, because you won't be able to craft such an immersive and breathtaking experience anyway else.

What would you improve about this program?
Possibly by housing some CEA students closer together, as we were evenly spread across the city.
131 people found this review helpful.
Response from CEA CAPA Education Abroad

We are grateful for your comprehensive review, Dana. Thank you and we hope to see you back for a visit sometime.

Leah
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

CEA Study Abroad Fall 2017

I knew I wanted to study abroad in Paris and CEA was the right fit for me! I was immediately drawn to the fun courses they offered - my photography and oenology courses were actually as fun as how cool they sounded in the beginning. CEA takes care of all the stuff you don't want to like housing and maintenance, and they also give us tips and advice along the way. I would recommend becoming a MOJO blogger/photographer for a great way to document your time abroad while building your resume. The excursions included in the program, especially Honfleur, was super fun to hang out with the other CEA kids in Paris!

What would you improve about this program?
I would make sure there is more inclusion with French local students - I was able to mingle with other peers since I was in the Global Competence class, but I would expand on this.
146 people found this review helpful.
Mika
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Life Changer

My experience studying abroad shaped the way I want to live my life. The professors were personable and adaptable, the housing was clean and accessible, and the country was inclusive. Because of this experience, I decided to continue my education and am now in a master’s program for Intercultural Communication. I can’t wait to live in France and I know I have support when I return from the friends I have made there and staff I have met.

What would you improve about this program?
This program provided all of the necessities and gave cultural and diversity training, which was amazing to be apart of. It would be beneficial to continue the training to last more than just a day, as I’ve learned a ton from it.
140 people found this review helpful.
Kayla
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Great experience with CEA!

I absolutely loved my semester with CEA. Professors and staff members were fantastic, it was easy to make friends, and I enjoyed everything CEA had to offer (excursions, activities, and information for getting involved outside CEA). My only complaints would be when it comes to course difficulty and absence policy. The courses were a lot more difficult than I was anticipating for study abroad, and I felt as though the absence policy was a lot stricter than necessary. Nevertheless, I had an incredible time with CEA, and I would absolutely recommend CEA Paris to anyone.

125 people found this review helpful.

Questions & Answers