Location
  • France
    • Paris
Term
Academic Year, Fall, J-Term, Spring, Summer, Winter
Subject Areas
Art History Arts Business Communications Cultural Studies Economics European Studies Film Finance History Humanities International Business International Relations Mathematics Political Science Religious Studies +6
Need-based funding, Merit-based funding, General grants/scholarships, Payment plans, LGBTQIA+ funding, BIPOC funding
Health & Safety

Program Details

Program Type
Provider
Housing
Apartment Host Family
Language
English
Oct 06, 2023
Feb 28, 2024
40 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

Paris, France needs little introduction. The City of Light attracts people from all over the world for so many reasons. The culture, food, music, people...everything has appeal. ISA offers the chance to study in this renowned destination at the Institut Catholique de Paris, The American Business School Paris, or the Cours de Civilisation Française de la Sorbonne. During the summer, students can also opt to study fine arts with ISA-Paris using the city as the classroom.

ISA takes care to ensure that every student can have the most unforgettable experience as possible. With possible excursions to Belgium, Aix-en-Provence/Cassis, the Loire Valley, and more, there is plenty of excitement during this trip abroad. Check out the ISA website today and see what it's all about!

Video and Photos

Diversity & Inclusion

BIPOC Support

Our team at ISA is committed to providing exceptional support through identity-focused advising and resources for students, university partners, and ISA staff. We have developed our ISA Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee to help serve all students and stakeholders, particularly the needs of underrepresented student populations. Our country-specific diversity pages offer information about the societies and cultural history of ISA destinations. This information can be used to start your reflection about how your intersecting identities relate to the host community context.

LGBTQIA+ Support

Our team at ISA is committed to providing exceptional support through identity-focused advising and resources for students, university partners, and ISA staff. We have developed our ISA Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee to help serve all students and stakeholders. Our country-specific diversity pages offer information about the societies and cultural history of ISA destinations. This information can be used to start your reflection about how your intersecting identities relate to the host community context.

Neurodivergent Support

ISA is committed to facilitating quality programming to students with varying levels of neurodivergence. Our Health & Safety team is available to answer questions about insurance and medication, as well as provide students with materials on overseas access to support.

Accessibility Support

ISA is committed to facilitating quality programming to students with varying levels of accessibility. With our wide portfolio of program types and locations we’re confident there is a suitable and accessible program for each student. Accommodations abroad can be complex and take time, so those with accessibility needs should inform ISA of any accommodations requests as early as possible in the advising process. Please contact accessibilityteam@studiesabroad.com with questions or for more information.

Impact

Sustainability

We have partnered with Fill it Forward to engage team members and program participants in waste reduction practices. The goal is to encourage the elimination of single-use waste. Every QR code scan shows the impact of reusable bottles and unlocks a donation to environmental impact groups.

Ethical Impact

WorldStrides, a global organization, is committed to educate and serve communities worldwide. Our commitment is fueled by the passion of our team members and partners to make experiential learning accessible, while also being socially, environmentally, and ethically responsible. Together, we accomplish this by investing in initiatives to promote inclusion, diversity, and sustainability.

Popular Programs

Paris, France

The American Business School Paris (ABSP) is located in the 10th arrondissement of Paris, near the Canal Saint Martin, an eclectic and vibrant waterway lined with student-filled cafes. The ABSP offers a number of courses taught in English, including core business courses (such as marketing, finance, management, and accounting), luxury retail management, humanities, and electives!

Paris, France

Located in the 6th arrondissement, near the famous Latin Quarter and the Jardin du Luxembourg, the Institut Catholique de Paris is an ideal setting for students. ISA students will take courses through the university's Institut de Langue et de Culture Française (ICLF), which offers courses in French language, culture, and civilization. While the host university lies in the heart of the bustling city, it consists of multiple buildings enclosed by a relaxed courtyard and gardens.

Scholarships

ISA Scholarships

ISA by WorldStrides Diversity Scholarship

This scholarship is offered for summer and semester programs and is intended for students with identities historically underserved in education abroad. This can include, but is not limited to, individuals who identify as African American/Black, Hispanic/Latino, Asian American, Alaskan Native, American Indian, Native Hawaiian, LGBTQIA+, First-Generation College Students, U.S. Military Veterans, students with disabilities, and/or students at Minority-Serving Institutions.

Value
$2,500 - $5,000

Program Reviews

4.57 Rating
based on 21 reviews
  • 5 rating 61.9%
  • 4 rating 33.33%
  • 3 rating 4.76%
  • 2 rating 0%
  • 1 rating 0%
  • Academics 4
  • Support 4.35
  • Fun 4.55
  • Housing 4.4
  • Safety 4.4
Showing 1 - 8 of 21 reviews
Default avatar
Camila
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Best Way to Spend Winter Break!

I never thought I would have the opportunity to study abroad, but ISA made the experience accessible and were very supportive of my needs throughout the entire process. I knew I wanted to experience the "City of Lights" at least once, and visiting taught me so much about French culture and language. I was not only in awe of the Eiffel Tower, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much art and beauty there is throughout the city, even when you're not looking for it. There was never a dull moment. I really appreciate the ISA Paris on-site staff for helping me adjust to Parisian lifestyle, and giving me the opportunity to see Paris through the eyes of locals. It was an unforgettable experience, and I hope to visit again soon!

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
To future travelers, I would suggest to try to make a list of the top three places you want to visit and try to spend the day there. The longer I stayed in an arrondissement in Paris, the more I was able to take everything in and explore places I might have missed otherwise. There's so much to see.
Pros
  • Easy to travel around the city
  • Many different restaurants and bakeries
  • A lot of museums and art exhibits
Cons
  • Some places can be crowded
2 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Issy
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

The City of Love, Light, and Fashion!

Bonjour! Paris, France was everything I dreamt it would be and more! I studied French language and culture at the Institut Catholique de Paris and learned so much about my second home. Every day, I went to class and strolled through streets admiring the art and architecture around me. ISA was extremely helpful in getting acclimated to a new city and country, and supported me throughout the entire process! I stayed in a studio apartment and took the metro to classes, explored museums and neighborhoods, went to flea markets every week, and of course, I picnicked and watched the Eiffel Tower sparkle every chance I had. Traveling on the weekends was easy, and ISA has multiple excursions that were an incredible time! If you're on the fence about where to go or which program to choose, I absolutely recommend going to Paris with ISA! It's an experience that I carry with me every day, and I can't wait to go back someday!

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Learn a little French before you go and research the cultural differences! Knowing just a few phrases in French will help you more than you can imagine, and culture shock is real, so try your best to prepare for it!
Pros
  • Traveling
  • Learning French
  • Endless opportunities
Cons
  • culture shock
  • language barrier
6 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Maisha
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

My Time Studying Abroad in Paris, France

Program: ISA : Study Abroad in Paris, France

February 8th, 2024
I miss France, and I wish to live there with everything that I experienced during my time abroad. Paris was beautiful in so many ways. I got my first apartment there. I got my first boyfriend there. I lost so much weight from walking and running so much. I ate some of the best foods I have ever tried in my life, and I went on an excursion trip to Morocco to adventure in the Sahara Desert and to understand a world that is different from my own. Man did I LEARN SOME THINGS ABOUT AFRICA! I consumed a lot when I stayed in Morocco when it came to eating, jewelry, events, trips, and spending on clothes, medicine, and spices. I went to this shop at this Leather Crafts store in Marrakech, Morocco, and I lived in the Sahara Desert for a week! We didn’t have our phones, so the sun was our alarm clock, and nightfall was when we went to sleep. Our diet consisted of cous cous, boiled vegetables, yogurt, and bread with salt every day. And our drinks were either water or coke with sugar because you NEED the calories and sugar from all the walking and the hot sun beating down on you.

I went into the country not knowing what I would buy, bring back, or experience. I rode a camel, I slept on the sand dunes, I tried so many spices and bought many oils for my hair and skin. I had no prior knowledge of Morocco or Algeria but it was a beautiful country and many stores I went to was decorated of beautiful colors and prints. Especially the carpets that covered the walls of the airport and pretty much every restaurant and hotel we went to. I was blown away at all of the hand-stitched carpets and the beauty of the country. AND there were cats roaming around the streets. I loved petting them all.

I am a young adult, and after my experience abroad, I have really grown to learn so much about the world outside of America. This was my first time traveling alone. I was able to have a space of my own in Paris, and I am so grateful for having that space, especially after sharing a room with two siblings all my life and a roommate in college after COVID. At times, I was not ready to understand that I am not a child anymore; I am an adult, although young, who can make big purchases, do big things, and dream big. It was always a dream of mine to go to Paris, and the fact that I got to travel too was an added bonus, and it made me think that this is the life I want for myself. I want to travel.

I went to a leather store in Morocco, and most of the leather I felt was made of a layer of cow stomach, camel stomach, or camel skin. This was very shocking to me because in America, people tend to dislike leather that is made of animal skin because it is cruel, but outside America, it’s different cultures and beliefs. The biggest shock I had when traveling to all these different countries was how much power men held EVERYWHERE we went. Every restaurant I went to was made-to-order, but they made an exception for us because we were travelers. The staff at these restaurants and hotels were just men. No women at sight.

In Morocco, women were not allowed to sit outside, go to cafes, or eat at restaurants, and they were required to wear head coverings and cover themselves when outside, so no one knew their identity. This changed my perspective a lot when I was living on the Sahara. We had to cover our skin and our heads so we would not get burned from the hot sun and we also kept many layers on because at night it got VERY VERY VERY COLDDD! We slept on the ground and used wool blankets to keep warm. This was a culture I was not expecting, but in no way could I judge because this wasn’t my life. I met many nomads while staying on the Sahara, and we got a chance to see ex-slaves. YES, EX SLAVES who played music for us at an event while in Morocco and served us coffee! I was shocked and speechless. No words could describe what I felt in that moment.

When I got my phone stolen and my wallet stolen, I went to two different police departments in Paris. The first one did not care about me at all. They told me it was my fault; it got stolen, and they kicked me out of the station. They were so rude to me, and the second police station just told me to write a report and that they would get back to me in three days. I never got a message from them at all. I accepted my fate and had to move on. I was grateful for the Dear Neighbor Fund because many women in my program got things stolen from them once October hit. I told some friends in my program what you all did for me, and they were shocked because their school did not help them when they got their stuff stolen. I was grateful for Regis in that moment because you cared when I felt like no one else did and I was alone.

This all happened when the Israel and Palestine war started and many people in Paris were stealing cars, stabbing people, and stealing bikes and scooters too. Five women in my program got their phones stolen, including me, and I even got followed home by a random man in a cab one night, asking me to be his friend. One girl in my program got her laptop stolen. One girl got her backpack stolen, and this was all on the metro! Sometimes I felt like these Parisians knew we were Americans and we were heavily targeted, and I was really scared. One friend of mine got her keys stolen, so she could not get into her apartment, so I had to let her in, and she slept with me in my room for a day before she could get new keys the next day. Hard times came, but I knew it was part of the experience when you move to a foreign country, and as a woman, I was getting disrespected by men left and right for how I looked and how I dressed. At times I missed the USA because I was never discriminated against this much for being black, being a woman, and dressing the way I wanted to as much as I did in Europe.

I did have very fond memories while traveling to Spain and Morocco. Spain was beautiful and warm, and the food was so fresh and so good. The beaches were so clean and everyone seemed to be enjoying their life there. I went to a pottery shop, and some workers asked people who wanted to volunteer to spin pottery. I offered myself to do it and I got a chance to spin my own pottery plate, and it was that real workers experience in the art of pottery and how I could do it myself too. As a Black woman in a new country, I have never known or thought I would be going to a continent like Africa this early in my life and experiencing the world of Africa. I never imagined that I would be going to Spain either or living in France. One thing I know for sure is that if there is a will there is a way.

Traveling plays an important role in building bridges and friendship with different types of people and ethnicities between different cultures that isn’t my own Carribean Black. I did unfortunately face discrimination because of my dark skin. I was kicked out of areas because I was black. This is unfortunate because in America, discrimination yes exists but it’s not so straightforward like it is in Paris. I made this realization after of course crying about it but that too was part of the experience. I researched and only went to places I knew were for women like me and that made me happy because the country was so diverse and Paris was my college campus. I tasted many foods I have never tried before and even went to a Michelin-starred Asian restaurant.

My trip to Northern Africa was a once-in-a lifetime opportunity, and those are memories that will last a lifetime. I bought a headscarf and many scarfs that were beautiful and decorated with many patterns that I will keep forever and give to family. Part of my identity being a Black woman experiencing a foreign country for the first time was a complex and evolving journey of me being comfortable and uncomfortable somewhere where racism exists very much and traditional roles for women were still in effect as part of the country's values. While there were many challenges faced for women outside of America, regardless, I accepted the culture as my own and I used strength, resilience, and my unique open world and open-minded perspective to purchase goods and even engage in the culture to contribute to a more diverse, inclusive, and interconnected world. Even with the negative aspects of it.

Again, I am so fortunate to have been able to see the rugs and how they are hand-stitched. As I left Morocco with my carefully chosen Moroccan gifts for my mom and for friends, I couldn't help but feel that I'd taken home not just a piece of exquisite craftsmanship but a piece of Morocco itself. This experience was more than shopping and riding jeeps into the sunset; it was a sensory and cultural immersion that I will treasure for a lifetime, just like I treasure the immersion mission trip to California. It's a reminder that the most exceptional experiences and purchases in life are not just possessions but a part of the story of our lives and how we felt in that moment.

During my stay, I fed the homeless with my program on a Friday and spoke to many homeless men and women. I helped by giving out toothbrushes, toothpaste, and soaps and lotions. Unfortunately, we ran out of supplies quick, but the homeless people there were rude even when we helped. Beggars could not be choosers but our team did the best we could and couldn’t judge their life or attitude towards us because we didn’t know what they were facing daily. ISA was very helpful with the negatives that I faced. I was stuck in the elevator at one point not being aware it was broken because my apartment only placed a broken sheet of paper on the first floor and not the others. I had called for someone to help and help came, thankfully, in time. When I was facing racism at school with my professors and going out for social events, they helped me switch my classes and helped me find events that were inclusive.

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
I traveled to Spain and Morocco and lived in the Sahara Desert for about a week. I didn't think I would leave France, but I did, and it was so easy and cheap. It makes me want to go back and travel to more countries in the future.
I created short videos along the way of all of my experiences. I posted them on my YouTube channel: @MaishaMeansLife
I became an influencer while studying abroad and posted many pictures and reels of my experience! My Instagram is @hurricanemaisha.
Pros
  • Metro was easy to navigate and cheap to purchase every month.(89 euros)
  • Easy to get a new number (I used Free mobile for Europe in general and paid $24 every month for my number) WiFi access is fast everywhere I traveled. I saved up enough money to not work for four months.
  • Food was cheap and access to grocery stores were every block. I met a lot of nice people and made new friends from all over. City of love. Beautiful museums, history, and architect.
Cons
  • Everyone smokes cigarettes and vapes so the air is not very clean. A lot of homeless people sleep everywhere and every morning and night I would walk back home I would see women, men, and children go through my dirty trash with bare hands.
  • Along the block of my apartment place, there was a line of cars that families were sleeping in and they would leave trash on the sidewalk (moments of being unsafe when I walked towards the direction like spitting on my feet for looking at the people.
  • Pit pocketing is SERIOUSSSSSS!!!! As safe and aware as I was, I still got my phone, money, and wallet stolen. The metro is not your friend at times, it gets packed, scary homeless people get on, and if you speak English, you will get negative stares.
5 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Maisha
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

My Time Studying Abroad in Paris, France

Program: ISA : Study Abroad in Paris, France

February 6th, 2024
I miss France, and I wish to live there with everything that I experienced during my time abroad. Paris was beautiful in so many ways. I got my first apartment there. I got my first boyfriend there. I lost so much weight from walking and running so much. I ate some of the best foods I have ever tried in my life and I went on an excursion trip to Morocco to adventure in the Sahara Desert and to understand a world that is different from my own. Man did I LEARN SOME THINGS ABOUT AFRICA! I consumed a lot when I stayed in Morocco when it came to eating, jewelry, events, trips, and spending on clothes, medicine, and spices. I went to this shop at this Leather Crafts store in Marrakech, Morocco, and I lived on the Sahara Desert for a week! We didn’t have our phones so the sun was our alarm clock and nightfall was when we went to sleep. Our diet consisted of cous cous, boiled vegetables, yogurt, and bread with salt everyday. And our drinks were either water or coke with the sugar because you NEED the calories and sugar from all the walking and the hot sun beating down on you.

I went into the country not knowing what I would buy, bring back, and what I would experience. I rode a camel, I slept on the sand dunes, I tried so many spices and bought many oils for my hair and skin. I had no prior knowledge of Morocco or Algeria but it was a beautiful country and many stores I went to was decorated of beautiful colors and prints. Especially the carpets that covered the walls of the airport and pretty much every restaurant and hotel we went to. I was blown away at all of the hand-stitched carpets and the beauty of the country. AND there were cats roaming around the streets. I loved petting them all.

I am a young adult and after my experience abroad I have really grown to learning so much about the world outside of America. This was my first time traveling alone. I was able to have a space of my own in Paris and I am so grateful for having that space especially after sharing a room with two siblings all my life and a roommate in college after Covid. At times I was not ready to understand that I am not a child anymore, I am an adult, although young, who can make big purchases and do big things and dream big. It was always a dream of mine to go to Paris and the fact that I got to travel too was an added bonus and it made me think that this is the life I want for myself. I want to travel.

I went to a leather store in Morocco and most of the leather I felt was made of a layer of cow stomach or camel stomach or camel skin. This was very shocking to me because in America, people tend to dislike leather that is made of animal skin because it is cruelty, but outside America it’s different cultures and beliefs. The biggest shock I had when traveling to all these different countries was how much power men held EVERYWHERE we went. Every restaurant I went to was make only but they had made an exception for us because we were travelers. The staff at these restaurants and hotels were just men. No women at sight.

In Morocco, women were not allowed to sit outside, go to cafes, eat at restaurants, and they were required to wear head covering and to cover themselves when outside so no one knew their identity. This changed my perspective a lot when I was living on the Sahara. We had to cover our skin and our head so we would not get burned from the hot sun and also keep many layers on because at night it got VERY VERY VERY COLDDD! We slept on the ground and used wool blankets to keep warm. This was a culture I was not expecting but in no way could I judge because this wasn’t my life. I met many nomads while staying on the Sahara and we got a chance to see ex slaves. YES, EX SLAVES who played music for us at an event while in Morocco and serves us coffee! I was shocked and speechless. No words could describe what I felt in that moment.

When I got my phone stolen and my wallet stolen, I went to two different police departments in Paris. The first one did not care about me at all. They told me it was my fault it got stolen and they kicked me out of the station. They were so rude to me and the second police station just told me to write a report and that they would get back to me in three days. I never got a message from them at all. I accepted my fate and had to move on. I was grateful for the Dear Neighbor Fund because many women in my program got things stolen from them once October hit. I told some friends in my program what you all did for me and they were shocked because their school did not help them when they got their stuff stolen. I was grateful for Regis in that moment because you cared when I felt like no one else did and I was alone.

This all happened when the Israel and Palestine war started and many people in Paris were stealing cars, stabbing people, stealing bikes and scooters too. Five women in my program got their phone stolen including me and I even got followed home by a random man in a cab one night asking me to be his friend. One girl in my program got her laptop stolen. One girl got her backpack stolen and this was all on the metro! Sometimes I felt like these Parisians knew we were Americans and we were heavily targeted and I was really scared. One girl got her keys stolen so she could not get into her apartment so I had to let her in and she slept with me in my room for a day before she could get new keys the next day. Hard times came but I knew it was part of the experience when you move to a foreign country and as a women I was getting disrespected by men left and right for how I looked and how I dressed. At times I missed the USA because I was never discriminated this much for being black, being a women, and dressing the way I wanted to as much as I did in Europe.

I did have very fond memories while traveling to Spain and Morocco. Spain was beautiful and warm and the food was so fresh and so good. The beaches were so clean and everyone seemed to be enjoying their life there. I went to a pottery shop and some workers asked people who wanted to volunteer to spin pottery. I offered myself to do it and I got a chance to spin my own pottery plate and it was that real workers experience in the art of pottery and how I could do it myself too. As a Black woman in a new country, I have never known or thought I would be going to a continent like Africa this early in my life and experiencing the world of Africa. I never imagined that I would be going to Spain either or living in France. One thing I know for sure is that if there is a will there is a way.

Traveling plays an important role in building bridges and friendship with different types of people and ethnicities between different cultures that isn’t my own Carribean Black. I did unfortunately face discrimination because of my dark skin. I was kicked out of areas because I was black. This is unfortunate because in America discrimination yes exists but it’s not so straightforward like it is in Paris. I made this realization after of course crying about it but that too was part of the experience. I researched and only went to places I knew were for women like me and that made me happy because the country was so diverse and Paris was my college campus. I tasted many foods I have never tried before and even went to a Michelin star Asian restaurant.

My trip to Northern Africa was a once in a lifetime opportunity and those are memories that will last a lifetime. I bought a headscarf and many scarfs that were beautiful and decorated with many patterns that I will keep forever and give to family. Part of my identity being a Black woman experiencing a foreign country for the first time was a complex and evolving journey of me being comfortable and uncomfortable somewhere where racism exists very much and traditional roles for women were still in effect as part of the country's values. While there were many challenges faced for women outside of America, regardless, I accepted the culture as my own and I used strength, resilience, and my unique open world and open-minded perspective to purchase goods and even engage in the culture to contribute to a more diverse, inclusive, and interconnected world. Even with the negative aspects of it.

Again, I am so fortunate to have been able to see the rugs and how they are hand stitched. As I left the Morocco with my carefully chosen Moroccan gifts for my mom and for friends, I couldn't help but feel that I'd taken home not just a piece of exquisite craftsmanship but a piece of Morocco itself. This experience was more than shopping and riding jeeps into the sunset; it was a sensory and cultural immersion that I will treasure for a lifetime just like I treasure the immersion mission trip to California. It's a reminder that the most exceptional experiences and purchases in life are not just possessions but a part of the story of our lives and how we felt in that moment.

During my stay, I fed the homeless with my program on a Friday and spoke to many homeless men and women. I helped by giving out toothbrushes, toothpaste, and soaps and lotions. Unfortunately, we ran out of supplies quick, but the homeless people there were rude even when we helped. Beggars could not be choosers but our team did the best we could and couldn’t judge their life or attitude towards us because we didn’t know what they were facing daily. ISA was very helpful with the negatives that I faced. I was stuck in the elevator at one point not being aware it was broken because my apartment only placed a broken sheet of paper on the first floor and not the others. I had called for someone to help and help came, thankfully in time. When I was facing racism at school with my professors and going out for social events, they helped me switch my classes and helped me find events that were inclusive.

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
I traveled to Spain and Morocco and lived on the Sahara Desert for about a week. I didn't think I would leave France, but I did, and it was so easy and cheap. It makes me want to go back and travel to more countries in the future.

I created short videos along the way. I posted them on my YouTube channel, @MaishaMeansLife
Pros
  • Metro was easy to navigate and cheap to purchase every month.(89 euros)
  • Easy to get a new number (I used Free mobile for Europe in general and paid $24 every month for my number) WiFi access is fast everywhere I traveled. I saved up enough money to not work for four months.
  • Food was cheap and access to grocery stores were every block. I met a lot of nice people and made new friends from all over. City of love. Beautiful museums, history, and architect.
Cons
  • Everyone smokes cigarettes and vapes so the air is not very clean. A lot of homeless people sleep everywhere and every morning and night I would walk back home I would see women, men, and children go through my dirty trash with bare hands.
  • Along the block of my apartment place, there was a line of cars that families were sleeping in and they would leave trash on the sidewalk (moments of being unsafe when I walked towards the direction like spitting on my feet for looking at the people.
  • Pit pocketing is SERIOUSSSSSS!!!! As safe and aware as I was, I still got my phone, money, and wallet stolen. The metro is not your friend at times, it gets packed, scary homeless people get on, and if you speak English, you will get negative stares.
3 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Christopher
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Best Time of My Life

The city of Paris was amazing and ISA was the best ! They made sure we had the support and knowledge needed to thrive. They engaged us in so many rich and meaning activities, and we had a couple weekend trips to Normandie and the Loire Valley. It was great to see other parts of France outside the busy rush of Paris. The culture in Paris is amazing from the gastronomy to the art and to the beautiful architecture. I love that Paris is such a walkable city with so many different shops and pâtisseries and bistros. There’s so much to explore.

What was the most unfamiliar thing you ate?
Escargots
Pros
  • Walkable city
  • The food
  • The culture
Cons
  • Paying for restrooms
  • Poor air quality
20 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Madeline
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Parisian dream

I did a semester abroad with ISA after dreaming about living in Paris my entire life. Before arrival in Paris, I was assigned to an apartment with 5 other girls, which initially scared me because I didn’t know any of them and hadn’t chosen the apartment. Not only did they turn out to become best friends who I still talk to regularly, but the apartment was also beautiful & in a safe location!
I also loved the university, classes were interesting and challenging - but not too intense that I couldn’t go out & enjoy Paris + take time to travel.
When my time got cut short because of Covid, I was heartbroken, but there was nothing to be done - and I’m still incredibly grateful for the time I did get!

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Put yourself out of your comfort zone, trust that everything will work out & that you’ll have the adventure of your life
Pros
  • Lots of social opportunities & planned trips / excursions
  • Good housing
  • Nice university
Cons
  • A bit pricey
  • Although housing was good, would’ve been nice to have a say in choosing my apartment
21 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Robert
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Parisian Perfection

This program met all of my expectations for a study abroad and more! As somebody who does not speak french and has barely traveled Europe, I was extremely nervous about studying in Paris. However, ISA did a great job connecting everyone in the program which made it easy to make friends. They also held info sessions that contained all the information you will need for the semester, such as metro information, upcoming events, trendy restaurants and bars, and places to visit. The trips that ISA planned were the perfect balance of structured events and free time. I chose to live in an apartment that ISA arranged for me, and it had everything that I needed and was in a great location in the 11th arrondissement about 10 minutes from ABS. Also do not be too nervous about the language, as long as you put in some effort and show respect, you will be treated very nicely in Paris.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
My advice to travelers on this program is to not ignore the amount of things you can do in Paris, or even in France. It is popular to travel to different countries on the weekends, which you should do if you can afford it! France borders many amazing countries! But don't forget about France! There are amazing cities in France that are a quick train ride away. Not to mention Paris is a massive city that has thousands of different adventures awaiting. I would also advise future travelers to study french while in Paris. I had very little french speaking experience, and mostly practiced on different language apps before arriving. However, the schools will offer french classes and they really help you enrich your experience while living in Paris. My last piece of advice would be to save up! You won't need to spend much money in Paris and there are a ton of fun thrifting stores or cheap food options. However, the nightlife and travel can get expensive quick! Just plan ahead and you will be fine:)
Pros
  • Easy to make friends through the ISA excursions and meetings!
  • Getting to experience the city life!
  • Amazing museums and architecture.
Cons
  • Can get expensive:(
  • Transportation is excellent until there is a strike.
  • Excursion to Morocco was not offered my semester:(
20 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Darby
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

So Amazing

I absolutely loved my program in Paris!!! ISA set us up so well to get to know Paris and get acquainted. They were so nice and fun, and really cared about us and helped us whenever we needed literally anything. They got to know us and had fun and joked around with us it more like they wanted to be our friends instead of just "chaperones". They encouraged us to get outside of our comfort zones and really immerse ourselves in the experience. I always recommend ISA to anyone wanting to go abroad!!!

What was your funniest moment?
My funniest moment was when we were on an overnight trip and the told us that if we were late to the bus we would have to sing on the mic. My friends and I were late so we had to sing and my friend Ariana sang a song from spongebob and it was so funny the staff with us went and watched the movie it was from and we talked about it and laughed about it throughout the whole program and it was just such a funny moment.
Pros
  • THE FOOD
  • getting to see so many new places and things i never would've seen before
  • getting to travel around europe
Cons
  • wishing family and friends were there with me
  • wanting to do so much in such a short time
  • nothing else
17 people found this review helpful.

Questions & Answers