Paris: Exchange Program

Visitors stand on the escalator inside of the Louvre Pyramid.

Program Term:

Autumn Academic Year

Language Requirement:

Required

Manager:

 Kylie Poulin Zahora

Application Deadline:

Final:

Through Chicago’s Exchange program in Paris, students in the College live and study for the autumn or academic year in one of the world’s great centers for learning and culture.

    In addition to an advanced French language course taken by all participants at the University’s Center in Paris, students enroll in regular courses at one or more of the universities with which Chicago has an agreement:

    The Université Paris Cité and Université Paris Nanterre are relatively comprehensive universities with rich offerings in the humanities and social sciences. The Exchange program also partners with the science and mathematics faculties of the Sorbonne Université, which overtook the former Pierre et Marie Curie branch of the federated University of Paris. The Institut d’Études Politiques de Paris, popularly known as “Sciences Po,” is one of the Grandes Ecoles of France with strengths in political science, public administration, and the social sciences. The Menton campus of Sciences Po in Southern France focuses on political, economic, and social issues in Mediterranean countries, the Middle East, and the Gulf. Courses in Menton are offered in French, Arabic, and English.

    For each university course taken by Paris program students, Chicago establishes a tutorial in which the material of the course is discussed and the student’s work is monitored and assessed. The selection of a student’s courses in Paris is based partly upon the requirements of their individual degree program, and partly upon the availability of courses in Parisian institutions. Normally a Paris Exchange student takes courses in their major subject as well as electives. All instruction, including the tutorial sessions, is conducted in French.

    Headquarters for the College’s study abroad programs in Paris is the University of Chicago Center in Paris, the University’s research and teaching arm in Europe. Situated in the thirteenth arrondissement, the Center in Paris is part of an ambitious intellectual project along the river Seine, including the Bibliothèque Nationale and a new home for Université Paris Cité. The Center in Paris features classrooms, offices for faculty and graduate students, computer facilities, a small library, and an apartment for the faculty director. For participants in Chicago’s programs, the Center in Paris provides a focus for academic activities, a central meeting place, and a continuing Chicago “presence” within one of the major capitals of Europe.

    Students in the Paris Exchange program are housed in a residence hall within the Cité Internationale Universitaire (Cité). The Cité, a park-like residential complex in the fourteenth arrondissement, is the international student campus in Paris, though French students also live there. Students reside in single rooms with a private bath and have access to Cité facilities, including a library, theater, laundry, and athletic facilities. Students will have access to common kitchens in the residence halls and can purchase inexpensive meals at the Cité’s restaurant universitaire.

    It is important to recognize the cultural context of student housing in France and understand that the amenities of dormitory facilities may vary. Although some of these differences may take some getting used to, remember that cultural differences extend to all aspects of your experience abroad. Having realistic expectations for your term in Paris will help you approach the study abroad experience with a positive attitude.

    Alternatively, students may choose to arrange their own housing in advance of the program’s start. In this case, the student would pay for housing costs independently and the program fee would be adjusted accordingly.

    Study abroad students remain registered as full-time students in the College. Course titles, units of credit, and grades are placed on the College transcript. Since the use of these credits in a specific degree program is variable, students should consult with their academic adviser and program chair to determine the exact distribution of credits.

    Participants in the Paris Exchange program pay regular College tuition, a program fee, and a nonrefundable study abroad administrative fee. The tuition and program fee are paid in conformity with the home campus payment schedule, and the nonrefundable study abroad administrative fee is submitted when accepting a place in a program. Precise figures for the Paris Exchange program for the 2024–2025 year are listed below:

    Autumn or Academic Year tuition: as set by the Bursar’s Office

    Study abroad administrative fee: $675

    Paris Exchange program fee: $3,013 per quarter if residing in the Cité; $482 per quarter if not residing in the Cité

    Program fee* includes:

    *Note the program fee is divided into three quarterly payments.

    Out-of-pocket expenses include:

    • round-trip airfare to and from the program site
    • transportation on site
    • meals
    • course materials
    • personal entertainment and travel
    • communications (most students bring or buy a cell phone)
    • health insurance and upfront payments for care
    • other miscellaneous expenses
       

    Study abroad students retain their financial aid eligibility. For more information about financial aid resources, please see our Tuition, Fees, and Funding section.

    The Paris Exchange program is open to University of Chicago undergraduate students only. Applications from outside the University are not accepted.

    This program is designed for undergraduates in good academic and disciplinary standing who are beyond their second year in the College. Participants must have taken, with excellent grades, at least two years of French in the College or demonstrate, by examination, a comparable competence. Beyond this minimum prerequisite, students are strongly encouraged to take French language and literature courses beyond the second-year level. Though the program stipulates no minimum grade-point average, an applicant’s transcript should demonstrate that they are a serious student who will make the most of this opportunity.

    Students wishing to apply to this program must meet with Kylie Poulin Zahora as a requirement of the application process.

    To discuss the Paris: Exchange program and the possibility of participating, please contact Kylie Poulin Zahora.