ISA Study Abroad in Paris, France

Honestly, I had no idea what to expect. I chose this program to learn French while exploring France. The program exceeded my expectations in what we could fit into four weeks. We had a weekend excursion to Saint-Malo, which I had never even heard of. It was so much fun seeing this new town and going to the beach and seeing a castle in the ocean! We even hiked to a landmark that is normally surrounded by water. This was a great way to bond with others in the program. Back in Paris, we went to class everyday, and the group of students were very diverse and all different age groups. Most of our learning was audibly speaking French. For my afternoon class, we did an interactive art class that took us to different museums and landmarks in Paris. We were basically running around the whole city seeing everything we could with our incredible guide! At night, we had free time to shop, eat, see shows, meet up with the other students and relax. On the weekends, we were able to do what we wanted and could even go on weekend trips (I went to the south of France and Disneyland Paris). I never felt unsafe, as the program encouraged walking/ doing things in groups and reporting to them if we were leaving Paris. The accommodations were the choice of a home stay or a student apartment; I chose the student apartment. It was ok, not the nicest, and it got loud at night, but I had my own room and a great view. There was also a gym on premise which was nice to use. We were centrally located to a convenient store and restaurants so we didn’t have to go far. All in all, I met cool people I’ll always remember and saw Paris firsthand all while learning the language collaboratively. It was a four weeks I’ll always remember. I highly recommend for those looking for a more experiential study abroad with a great mix of people. Thanks, ISA!

I studied abroad in the spring of 2023 in Paris, France. I loved the location, food, everything about it was amazing. I travelled every weekend to go see the world and ISA was very supportive and helpful. We had meetings with the Paris staff to discuss our housing, school, safety, and pretty much anything you can think of. My apartment was nothing special, but it was in a decent location with access to the Metro Line 1. Overall, I had an awesome time and although some aspects were not as great the program in general was fantastic.

I had never been overseas before studying abroad, so I was really nervous and overwhelmed at first, but the ISA staff were very helpful in laying out all of the steps I need to take in order to have a successful experience. Once I landed in Paris, people from the ISA Paris team met me at the airport and took me to the office, so I could get settled, then they paid for an Uber to take me to my host's house. I really liked being able to live with a French family who provided meals for me because I felt like I got to see how locals lived and ate. My university was also great. It was in a beautiful building with a cafeteria. I liked most of my professors, even though there was a pretty strong language barrier at first. The best part of the experience was being so centrally located and being able to visit a plethora of museums and monuments, and also being able to travel to other countries on the weekend. I did face some culture shock, which is to be expected, but all in all I LOVED my experience.

Going abroad with ISA was one of the best decisions of my life, even though it tragically got cut short by COVID. I went abroad in Spring of 2020 and I had the most amazing 6 weeks of my life. I loved the university, Le Catho, where I studied French language and culture. My French skills grew exponentially in that short period of time. I chose to live in a homestay which was really special because I developed a beautiful relationship with my host mother. I also loved the excursions they took us on, such as Normandy and Mont Michel! The on-site staff were also amazing people, allowing for a seamless transition from arrival to daily life. Getting sent home from COVID was very jarring, and hard for both myself and ISA. They were able to do the best they could in the circumstances and I was appreciative of their support during those hard times.

If you are trying to decide which studying abroad program to use definitely use ISA. They plan many cultural and transitional excursions and activities while you are in Paris, which I found beneficial! If you are trying to decide which city to study in go to Paris, I think you will be surprised with this city. Paris is not a big “busy” city like New York. Everybody is much more relaxed and moves at a slower place which makes it much less intimidating. All of the little neighborhoods within the city are very charming and quaint. Additionally, it’s a very good city to leave from to travel to other places because Charles de Gaulle Airport is so big. Overall I would definitely recommend using ISA Paris! You will be amazed with how welcoming they are and how amazing France is!

Going to Paris is something I can now cross off on my bucket list and because of it, there have been so many other countries that I have added and crossed off as well. Studying abroad has made me the adventurer I am today that I did not think I was yesterday. My experience is something I would not change for the world, I'd actually love to replay it.

With regards to the program: I am definitely a planner and having ISA plan out everything perfectly, allowed me to just do the things I wanted to do! My favorite part of ISA (well, besides AnnaMaria and the rest of the staff) were the cultural exchanges and excursions. ISA made these trips a reality that I do not know if I would have done them on my own. The cultural exchanges allowed me to have a true cultural experience and meet some of the best people I know.
I learned a lot from the excursions and some were the most fun I had abroad.
Who can say they toured the most beautiful churches? Took a french pastry class? Who can say they have French best friends who travel the world together..... I can. All thanks to ISA.

I absolutely loved my experience with isa! It was the most life-changing experience I’ve ever had and I wouldn’t trade my experience for the world: the good, the bad, and the ugly. From day 1 of applying to isa, the Austin staff was extremely helpful and supportive of making sure I got all the right paperwork done and my visa was processed correctly! In fact, I actually ended up missing a form the day before my embassy interview and isa overnighted it to me so that I wouldn’t have to miss my appointment. The great thing about studying abroad with a provider like isa is that they take care of the logistics for you. I got on my plane to Paris knowing that someone had set up my housing, someone was going to pick me up at the airport, I was registered for classes, etc. The on-site staff was really helpful and supportive with some health care issues I had too which I really appreciated since my French was not very good!

Paris is a beautiful city and while many say they fall in love in Paris, I would say I fell in love with Paris! There’s nothing like an afternoon stroll along the seine, eating a crepe at Trocadero while gazing at the Eiffel Tower, spending long afternoons at sidewalk cafes, or getting your bread fresh every morning. Paris is also a fantastic city to study abroad in because it is so close to other amazing cities in Europe. During my study abroad experience I visited 6 other countries and countless cities. The relatively cheap and easy travel is one of the huge perks of being in continental Europe.

Studying abroad really teaches you to be independent, learn a new language and culture, adapt to countless circumstances, and discover who you are. It takes a leap of faith to be willing to leave everything behind and step into the unknown, but I promise it is a decision you will never regret! Now what are you waiting for? Go Study Abroad!!!

ISA was incredible. Both their staff and their prearranged excursions made my experience abroad truly unforgettable. Classes were based on placement tests which made them both challenging and rewarding. The professors really encouraged you to speak the language at all times which really made the experience all the more authentic on the streets of Paris. The classes were manageable and left plenty of time for exploring the city and traveling. The ISA staff were diverse and full of knowledge. They were easy to talk to and made the transition that much easier. The weekend trips around France were full of culture and awesome food. An even mix of history and downtime to wander and relax always made me look forward to the next trip!