My Student Exchange Experience in Paris, France by Isabella

Why did you choose Paris?

I chose Paris in order to improve my French and work towards my double major in French and German.

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How long were you there for? How much (if any) financial aid did you receive?

I was in Paris from September 2015 until April 2016.

I received 1, 500 euros ($1, 670 USD) from the exchange and Bafög in total, so I would say it was about 600 euros ($678 USD) each month.

What's student life like in Paris?

Since I took my classes in French, at first it wasn't easy to get into the swing of things because my classmates already knew each other for two years.

But little by little, after two months, everything got better. The French weren't as closed off and they started to hang out with me and the two other German students.

Would you recommend Paris and the University of Paris to other students?

Actually, I would only recommend Paris for those who really want to learn and improve their French. Furthermore, I noticed that the other exchange students that took classes in English were able to have a good time in Paris too. So, in my opinion, it depends if you want to do your work in French or English. For example, in French we had to work in groups most of the time.

What's the food like in France?

I find it very diverse, there's lots of options.

Did you have any problems finding a place to live in Paris?

Yeah, it was not easy. I had to move three times.

What's the cost of living like in Paris?

On average I would say I spent:

Rent: 560 EUR ($625 USD)

Transportation: 50 EUR ($55 USD)

Food & Dining: 250 EUR ($278 USD)

Leisure: 50 EUR ($55 USD)

How did you pick up on the language? We're you taking any language courses offered by the school?

Yes, all my classes were taught in French only so I learned a lot of vocabulary.

Where would you recommend for going out in Paris?

Saint-Michel and Saint-Germain-des-Prés

What about food? What are some of your favorite places to grab a bite to eat?

Cité Universitaire, Flam's in Montparnasse, and other typical French restaurants in the Latin Quarter.

And what about cultural sites?

The Louvre, the Arc de Triomphe, Versailles, the Eiffel Tower, the Luxembourg Gardens, and Place des Vosges.

The Louvre

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Arc de Triomphe

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Any last tips to give to future study-abroad/exchange students in Paris?

Make sure you are more ready than ever to study in French or in English because there's a big difference between the two. In the French program for example, you have more outside of class work since the professors prefer that you work in groups and there's presentations each class session, more or less. For those who just want to enjoy life in Paris without studying too hard, I would recommend that choosing the English course program.

Students in Paris

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