Information for term High School Abroad in France
Application deadline, and cost information.
Overview
Click to OpenImprove your language skills as you soak in the richness and diversity of French culture.
Placed in a local homestay in Southwestern France, you’ll be immersed in the language, culture, and typical teen routine at a public or private lycée in towns and suburbs like Villefranche-de-Lauragais, Montgiscard or Baziège.
Although studies are rigorous (the school day ends at 5–6 p.m.), you’ll still have plenty of time to hang out at cafés, visit museums, play sports, watch French TV, and share traditional home-cooked meals with your homestay.
Follow our Travels:
The Take-Aways
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Language Proficiency
Our program provides students with 150 language contact hours in just a few weeks.
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Global Citizenship
After immersing yourself in unfamiliar practices and customs, you’ll become better equipped to interact with people from other cultures — in school, on the job, or in your personal life.
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College Readiness
Studying abroad gives you the kinds of life skills that can’t be learned in a classroom — and shows college admissions reps that you’re already one step ahead in terms of initiative, maturity, and independence.
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said their experience made them more aware of global issues.
93% -
said their experience with CIEE helped shape their college applications.
79% -
said they regularly use the knowledge and skills they acquired while abroad with CIEE.
96%
Location & Culture
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The Destination
Beaches, skiing, world-class museums — there’s something for everyone in Europe’s largest and most diverse country.
With CIEE High School Abroad in France, you’ll experience what daily life is really like for your peers in the largest — and most diverse — country in Europe.
All our homestays are located in the greater Midi-Pyrenees region, famous for its amazing food, fair climate and cultural scene. Get ready to settle in a peaceful little countryside town like Villefranche-de-Lauragais, Montgiscard or Baziège. Conveniently located within a couple of hours drive of the Atlantic ocean, the Pyrenees mountains and the Mediterranean coast, you'll have the opportunity to appreciate many of France's amazing natural landscapes and cultural destinations.
Discover the country’s rich culture and history, both in class and through your own personal explorations. You’ll advance your French language skills through intensive study and casual conversation, and build practical, real-world skills that will serve you in college and beyond.
Lose your voice cheering for the local rugby team during a close match. Try eating escargot at dinner out with your homestay (and surprise yourself to find it’s not as strange as you had imagined). Get a feel for regional slang, and build your vocabulary by chatting with local shop owners, neighbors, and friends of your homestay.
CIEE wants all our students to feel welcomed, supported, and empowered to succeed while studying abroad. Local CIEE staff have provided details about conditions and cultural attitudes that students with specific identities might encounter in France.
Orientation
Upon arriving in France with your fellow participants, you will be met by CIEE staff in Toulouse for a multi-day orientation. During orientation, you will participate in a series of workshops focusing on a variety of themes — culture, language, academics, social norms, and current events — all designed to best prepare you for your experience in France. You will also take three hours of language classes to help prepare you for your language immersion experience. In addition, you’ll see some of the best that Toulouse has to offer!
Participate in an exciting scavenger hunt, where you’ll explore the city and put your French into practice. Visit some of Toulouse’s most impressive structures: the Basilica of Saint-Sernin, the Capitole de Toulouse, and the Pont Neuf.
Daily Life
Click to OpenDaily Life
"Today I ate at my favorite restaurant, an organic burger place called 'L’appetit bio'..."
Learn more about daily life on a high school study abroad program.
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Carefully screened homestay in the Greater Toulouse area
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Local Coordinator in country and CIEE support staff available 24/7
Program Blogs
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Activities
Click to OpenSample Activities
France is well-known for its rich history, as well as world-famous art, architecture, food, and culture. With cosmopolitan cities, alpine ski villages, quiet countryside, and a bustling coastline, France has something for everyone. From the Eiffel Tower to the beaches of Nice, there’s no shortage of top attractions to explore. Wherever you’re placed to live and study, you are only a train ride away from a range of amazing destinations. You’ll have a whole year or semester to discover the country — on your own, with new CIEE friends, and with your homestay.
Tuition for this program includes the cost of one day trip and one overnight trip per semester. Trips will take place earlier in the semester to allow trimester students the opportunity to participate. These trips vary every semester and may also be adjusted to mitigate COVID-19 risks, but some examples of past excursions have included:
Fall Semester
Carcassonne (Day Trip)
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Carcassonne is listed by CNN Travel as being the second-best walled city in the world. Spend a Saturday with CIEE staff and your fellow participants exploring this incredible destination.
Tarn-et-Garonne (Overnight Trip)
In the nearby département of Tarn-et-Garonne, discover the best of southwestern cuisine in a cooking workshop where you’ll chop, peel, and mix in a professional kitchen before savoring the three-course meal you’ll have helped prepare. Then, stroll around the city of Montauban, the capital of the Tarn-et-Garonne. A protestant city in a Catholic kingdom, Montauban has been labeled a city of art and history since 2015. You’ll be mesmerized by the paintings and sculptures at the Ingres Bourdelle Museum or the arcades at the Place nationale. You’ll also be enchanted in the medieval village of Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val and discover local specialties at its extensive Sunday market. Besides museums, city streets, and cuisine, the Tarn-et-Garonne also holds breathtaking rivers, mountains, and canyons for hiking, and canoeing!
Spring Semester
Albi (Day Trip)
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Albi is located just one hour from Toulouse. Join your CIEE cohort in a day of exploration and good food! Spend time meandering through the city, visiting some of the top sights.
The Lot Valley (Overnight Trip)
You’ll travel deep into the French countryside to the beautiful Lot Valley. The trip will start in Figeac, a city with a fascinating blend of medieval, Gothic, and Romanesque architecture. From there, you’ll continue on to locations such as Saint-Cirq Lapopie and Rocamadour, ranked among the most beautiful villages in France. You might also visit the 20,000-year-old painted cave of Pech Merle and the underground river and limestone galleries of Gouffre de Padirac. There’s so much to see in the Lot Valley!
Dates & Fees
Click to OpenDates & Fees
Eligibility
At the time of departure, students must:
- Be at least 15 years old by the start of the program and they cannot have their 18th birthday while on program
- Must not have met graduation requirements before program begins
- Have 2 years of French or equivalent
- Have a minimum GPA of 2.5
Application Fee
$50
Priority deadline discount: Apply to a fall semester or academic year by February 15 and get a $400 discount. Apply to a spring semester by July 15 and get a $400 discount. Discounts are deducted from final balance.
Program fee includes international airfare and iNext travel insurance. Full inclusions are found online.
Program |
Application Due |
Start Date |
End Date |
Costs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Academic Year 2022 39 weeks | Deadline Passed | Aug 25, 2022* | May 28, 2023* | |
| Fall Trimester 2022 12 weeks | Deadline Passed | Aug 25, 2022* | Nov 20, 2022* |
$13,750 |
| Fall 2022 17 weeks | Deadline Passed | Aug 25, 2022* | Dec 23, 2022* |
$15,000 |
| Academic Year 2023 38 weeks | Deadline Passed | Aug 30, 2023* | May 25, 2024* |
$17,000 |
| Spring Trimester 2023 12 weeks | Deadline Passed | Jan 15, 2023* | Apr 9, 2023* |
$13,750 |
| Spring 2023 19 weeks | Deadline Passed | Jan 15, 2023* | May 28, 2023* |
$15,000 |
| Fall Trimester 2023 12 weeks | Deadline Passed | Aug 30, 2023* | Nov 19, 2023* |
$13,750 |
| Fall 2023 16 weeks | Deadline Passed | Aug 30, 2023* | Dec 23, 2023* |
$15,000 |
| Spring Trimester 2024 11 weeks | Jul 15, 2023 | Jan 17, 2024* | Apr 6, 2024* |
$13,750 |
| Spring 2024 18 weeks | Jul 15, 2023 | Jan 17, 2024* | May 25, 2024* |
$15,000 |
*Start and end dates for this program are provided as tentative dates. Schools in this location confirm their academic calendar in late spring. Once enrolled in this program, our team will communicate the confirmed dates when they are published.
Our Staff
Click to OpenOur Staff
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Julia Coggins
Global High School Coordinator
Hailing from outside Philadelphia, Julia studied French and Spanish at Dickinson College, where she also obtained her teacher certification.
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Isabelle Jaffe
Director
A resident of Toulouse with American and French citizenship, Isabelle received her BA in English and philosophy. Isabelle has been running study abroad programs in France since 1998.
Ready to change your life?
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