Summer Exchange Programs - France

Age Range:

Birth Date Range:

Travel Dates:

Application Deadline: March 15, 2012

France Summer Language Study Program

What better way to learn French than by attending a language school in the south of France with other international students? Your month includes French lessons in classes based on your skill level (beginners welcome), trips to nearby towns, room and board in a residence hall, study materials (except a dictionary), and various school activities. AFS Volunteer Chaperones will be present for the entire program.

Program Details

You and your fellow AFSers will fly together between New York and Nice, where you will be met by AFS staff and volunteers who will escort you on your trip south to the language school. The program will be held at the Centre Méditerranéen d’Etudes Françaises in the city of Cap D’Ail, located on the Côte d’Azur (a.k.a. the French Riviera, on the Mediterranean coast of France) and neighboring the Principality of Monaco.

Unlike most AFS programs, you will not be placed with a host family. You will be staying in the school’s residence hall along with other students on the program and international students from around the world. You will be staying in suites with 2-4 roommates of the same gender. Laundry facilities are available. A program leader, assigned by AFS USA, will be present throughout your stay for guidance and support. Residence hall monitors and staff will also be on-site 24 hours per day. All monitors are licensed and experienced working with youth.

French Language Lessons

Approx. 60 hours of French language lessons (3 hours per day, 5 days per week) will be offered by the language school. Beginner French speakers are welcome. Your French-speaking ability will be evaluated at the beginning of the program and you will be assigned to the appropriate class level. A Certificate of Completion will be issued to each participant at the end of the course. All language study materials (textbooks, handouts, etc) will be provided though we recommend that you bring your own English-French dictionary.

Afternoon and Evening Activities

Choose from a variety of afternoon activities. Play sports (soccer, tennis, volleyball, etc.), hang out on the beach, take trips to nearby cities on the Riviera including Monaco, Nice, Menton, Villefranche, Eze, and Roquebrune, or use that time to get additional help from the language tutors.

Evening entertainment is organized as a large group activity or a small workshop. Many activities will be offered (sporting tournaments, concerts, cooking, arts and crafts, bilingual clubs, etc…) and you can take part in the activities you choose. Weekend day-trips will also be arranged and may include visits to Cannes, Saint-Tropez, or Grasse.

Meals and Diet

Breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be served in the school’s dining hall.

Eligibility

To participate in this program, you must:

• Be within the age range at the start of the program (age range located above)
• Have a passing GPA (on a 4.0 scale)
• Be in good mental, physical, and emotional health in accordance with the AFS Medical Evaluation Policies
• Have an open mind, willingness to be flexible, and the ability to adapt to new a culture, school, and environment
• Be in possession or have applied for a U.S. passport at the time of application.