First Year Abroad in Paris
Unique Experiences
Follow the Seine’s Waterways
and bridges to visit breathtaking sights that include the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre
Explore the City of Lights
where you’ll see the contemporary, diverse, and trendy sides of Paris
Experience the Traditions
and daily rituals of French life by visiting a cheesemonger
Your Destination
Paris is France’s capital and cultural heart, brimming with art, history, and timeless elegance. Spend 12 weeks strolling through the gardens of Luxembourg, browsing masterpieces in the Louvre, and savoring fresh pastries in bustling neighborhood cafés. Whether you’re studying business, science, engineering, technology, communications, psychology, health sciences, liberal arts, language, or fine arts, Paris is the perfect place to study abroad.
Program Highlights
Tutoring + Academic Support: Receive personalized one-on-one tutoring to help you excel in your courses and stay on track with your studies.
First Year Workshops: Participate in a life skills workshop led by experienced on-site staff to develop your communication, self-management, and personal skills. (Required; non-credit bearing; 1.5 hours/week, including dinner.)
Academic Courses: Choose from CIEE courses and online courses delivered by CIEE’s global partner, ASU, that align with your academic interests.
Immersive Experiences: Participate in activities, excursions, study tours, and more that showcase your host city's culture, values, and local art, film, music, cuisine, and sports scenes.
Excursions & Activities
CIEE’s excursions and cultural activities in Paris will open doors for you to explore France’s rich diversity, language, culture, history, and timeless beauty in ways that will enhance your time abroad. Each semester typically includes two day trips and one overnight trip.
Samples of excursions and activities:
- Visit another region like Normandy, Champagne, or Loire Valley
- Explore the hidden corners of Parisian culture, art, and society through weekly extracurricular activities
- Participate in a cheese, croissant, and macaron tasting to find your favorite French food
Please note: Activities are based on past programs and subject to change at CIEE's discretion to adapt to local circumstances and participant feedback. Our goal when arranging activities is always to enhance your experience.
Housing & Meals
Housing
CIEE Paris offers diverse housing options to ensure you are comfortable in your home away from home. All housing options are located in neighborhoods around Paris or in close suburbs called ‘la petite couronne,’ with convenient access to public transportation. From apartments to residence halls, you will find your housing is conveniently situated near grocery stores, city supermarkets, cafés, eateries, pharmacies, and everything else you could possibly need.
Standard Housing: Includes a single room in a homestay or a twin room at a shared apartment/residence hall/hotel/aparthotel all located under 50 minutes from CIEE Paris by public transport.
- Homestays: Homestays feature a kitchen, living room, and bathroom shared with a host family. Please note: It is helpful, but not required, to have a basic knowledge of French for living with a homestay. French hosts are not required to be fluent in English.
- Shared Apartments: Shared apartments boast a kitchen, bathroom, and laundry facilities. Shared apartments with twin rooms also boast a living room.
- Residence Hall/Hotel/Aparthotel: If you stay in a residence hall/hotel/studio in an aparthotel, you will be housed in twin rooms, which feature a bathroom, a kitchenette, and weekly cleaning. Laundry facilities are available at cost in the facility.
Select Housing: Includes a twin room in a shared apartment located under 30 minutes from CIEE Paris by public transport or a single room in a shared apartment located under 50 minutes from CIEE Paris by public transport. All students living in the apartment will share a bathroom and a kitchen. Laundry facilities are available within the apartment. Select housing requires an additional fee.
Select Plus Housing: Includes a single bedroom in a shared apartment located under 30 minutes from CIEE Paris by public transport. All students living in the apartment share a bathroom and a kitchen. Laundry facilities are available within the apartment. Select Plus housing requires an additional fee.
A note: The default criterion to assign housing is first-come, first-served; however, other factors may also be considered. If we cannot accommodate your first housing choice, we'll let you know before you arrive. Non-standard housing options require an additional fee that can be found in the program Dates and Fees.
Meals
Residence Hall/Hotel/Aparthotel and Shared Apartments: Meals are not included.
Homestays: Host families provide breakfast daily, plus five additional meals per week.
Academics
CIEE Paris: Study in Paris' 12th arrondissement at the foot of subway line #1 near grocery stores, organic supermarkets, cafés, bakeries, and famous landmarks. CIEE Paris features a main classroom, a student lounge, a study space, and an academic advising office.
Arizona State University (ASU): Brought to you by CIEE in partnership with ASU, enhance your international coursework with online classes that align with your degree requirements. ASU offers thousands of online courses in asynchronous 7.5-week sessions that fit within the CIEE academic calendar.
Transcripts: Tulane University is CIEE’s School of Record for First Year Abroad. Tulane ensures that our academic programs meet the highest standards of quality and, upon completing your program, they will issue you an official U.S. transcript for any First Year Abroad courses you've successfully completed abroad (with the exception of CIEE x ASU online courses;). Students taking ASU courses online will receive an Arizona State University transcript.
Course Information
Course Notes
Block Numbers
During the Fall semester, the courses below will be listed as available in Blocks II & III, rather than Blocks I & II. This is because the First Year Abroad program runs during the final two blocks of the Fall semester which is otherwise split into three blocks on CIEE’s Academic Calendar.
Language Classes
During course selection, students interested in a non-introductory language course will be instructed to take an online language assessment to determine their proficiency level. Enrollment will be finalized on site and is based on assessment outcomes.
You have the flexibility to choose from a selection of in-person courses taught by CIEE instructors and from over 3,000 asynchronous undergraduate ASU Online courses.
In the table below, you can explore some of the exciting courses we offer. On the left are examples of the in-person First Year Abroad classes you can take with CIEE. On the right are just a few examples of the thousands of ASU Online courses available to you while you're abroad.
| Sample CIEE Courses (in-person) | Sample ASU Courses (online) |
|
|
CIEE proudly partners with ASU to deliver asynchronous, online coursework at no additional charge.
Check the CIEE program dates and ASU start dates below to maximize course options within your program.
Search ASU Online Courses BROWSE FAQs for more INFO
Note: This course listing is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a contract between CIEE and any applicant, student, institution, or other party. The courses, as described, may be subject to change as a result of ongoing curricular revisions, assignment of lecturers and teaching staff, and program development. Courses may be canceled due to insufficient enrollment.
"(GI)" denotes courses that originated at CIEE's Global Institutes and that are offered at multiple CIEE sites.
Dates & Fees
You get more for every dollar when you study abroad with CIEE, because our high-quality programs include everything from excursions to insurance. There are no hidden charges, and no disappointing surprises when you arrive.
Interested in an academic year program? CIEE offers exciting customizable First Year Abroad programs in select locations. Talk to your Enrollment Coordinator if you're interested in any of these combinations, and please note that visa and departure requirements may vary depending on your chosen program combination.
Program |
Application Due |
Start Date |
End Date |
Fees & Housing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Program Fall 2026 12 weeks | Start Date | End Date | ||
| Program Spring 2027 12 weeks | Start Date * | End Date * |
*Dates for this program are provided as tentative dates. Please consult with your study abroad advisor to confirm dates before purchasing your flights.
To help you budget, keep in mind that students are responsible for the cost of international airfare, local transportation, books and supplies, visas, and personal expenses. In addition, your college may require you to receive a transcript via CIEE's School of Record, which carries an additional fee of $500.
Program Fees
CIEE offers the most student support of any provider in its program fee, including an airport greeting, full-time leadership and support, orientation, cultural activities, local excursions, pre-departure advising, and CIEE iNext travel protection with benefits.
Estimated Costs
Students are responsible and manage costs related to travel, meals, books, and personal expenses. Below are estimates for consideration.
Program Fees
CIEE offers the most student support of any provider in its program fee, including an airport greeting, full-time leadership and support, orientation, cultural activities, local excursions, pre-departure advising, and CIEE iNext travel protection with benefits.
Estimated Costs
Students are responsible and manage costs related to travel, meals, books, and personal expenses. Below are estimates for consideration.
What's Included
Tuition
Housing
Pre-departure Advising
Advising before you depart to set goals and answer questions
Optional on-site airport meet-and-greet
Orientation
Introduction to your program plus practical information about living in your host city
On-site Staff
Full-time program leadership and support in your city
Cultural and/or Co-curricular Activities
Excursions and/or Study Tours
Travel Protection
CIEE iNext travel protection
24/7 emergency on-site support
Our Staff
Delphine Mauny
Center Director
A born-and-bred Parisian, Delphine has extensive experience in international education, having worked with American high school students, college students, and adults traveling to France.
Franck Le Gac
Academic Director
Franck oversees the coordination, quality, and planning of all courses and educational programing in Paris. He is responsible for faculty staffing, finalization of syllabi, the course evaluation process, and program...
Linda Ponte
Student Life Manager
With a background in intercultural communication, Linda is a key contact for students and helps participants discover and understand the French culture.