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Office of International Programs

France: IAU College Aix-en-Provence

I absolutely adored my time abroad in Aix-en-Provence. I look back on this experience with a light heart, and will forever be grateful for my time there. - Rollins Study Abroad Alum 

Live in a picturesque city in Southern France, with a rich history and connection to the arts. Great fit for French, English, Business, Fine Arts, and Humanities students, and many more!

Experience Provence!

Live in a picturesque city in Southern France, with a rich history and connection to the arts. Great fit for French, English, Business, Fine Arts, and Humanities students, and many more!


  • Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors
  • Clean record with the Office of Community Standards and good academic and College standing
  • Professional application: materials are edited and submitted on-time and are thorough and thoughtful.
  • Minimum 2.5 GPA
  • No previous French required unless applying to the Honors Program and/or internship track
  • Required advising session (30 minutes). Please visit our home page to schedule an appointment.

Additional Requirements for the Internship

  • Strong resume, cover letter, and successful internship interview
  • Priority given to students in the French Honors Program and Business School tracks
  • Minimum of 4 semesters of college-level French
  • Some majors have specific course pre-requisites for the internship; contact your faculty advisor or International Programs for more information.

Fall 2024

  • Aug 31: Arrival 
  • Sept 1: Orientation 
  • Sept 3: Classes begin 
  • Oct 14: Midterm 
  • Oct 26: Fall Break 
  • Dec 6: Last day of class 
  • Dec 9: Exam Period 
  • Dec 12: Closing Ceremony 
  • Dec 13: Departure  

Spring 2024

  • Jan 13: Optional Early Start Program Arrival
  • Jan 20: Required Arrival Date
  • Jan 21-22: Orientation
  • Jan 23: First Day of Classes
  • Mar 4-15: Mid-Term Exams
  • Mar 16-24: Spring Break
  • April 26: Last Day of Classes
  • April 29-May 3: Final Exams
  • May 5: Departure

 

 

Flight & Orientation

  • Students arrange their own flight. Marseille is the closest airport to Aix-en-Provence and IAU provides a check-in at the airport if students arrive on within a specified time window on the arrival date.
  • For information on ground transportation options visit IAU's pre-departure website.
  • The orientation program introduces students to the program, Aix-en-Provence, the other students on the program, and the program staff, including the Housing and Academic directors.

Visa

  •  U.S. citizens must obtain a visa from a French consulate in the US prior to departure.
  • The French visa process is complex and lengthy and involves an online component as well as an in-person visit to the consulate.

For general information about the visa process and visas for non-US citizens, see our Passports and Visas Page

IAU College is comprised of The School of Humanities and Social Sciences & The Marchutz School of Fine Arts.  Aix-en-Provence is located in southern France close to Marseilles and the French Riviera.

Students can opt to participate, at no additional cost, in the Early Start Program , a week long 1-credit program before the start of the semester which includes cultural activities and language practice.

Courses

All IAU College semester students are required to enroll in one French language or culture course taught in French.  In addition, students have the option of choosing from different program tracks as follows.

Full French Immersion (for French minors)

  • Designed for students with demonstrated advanced-level French
  • Students take four courses in French including language courses, one content course, chosen by the student, and an additional seminar-style class that integrates course themes with current sociocultural-political events in France.
  • Required: Four semesters of college-level French and GPA of at least 3.0.
  • Additional advanced courses in French in a variety of subject areas are available at local French universities.

Business Administration Track

  • Students take two mandatory core courses in Business Administration and two other content courses taught in English.

Fine Arts Track

  • Students take two mandatory core courses in Fine Arts and two other content courses taught in English in areas such as art history, fine arts, and fashion.
  • IAU offers a wide variety of fine arts courses including (but not limited to) painting, drawing, photography, creative writing, and art history.

General or Open Track  (Listed as Humanities and Social Sciences on IAU's website)

  • Students select courses from the wide range of offerings at IAU including options in the social sciences, the humanities, business and/or the arts.
  • All courses have an emphasis on Provence, France, and Europe.
  • Full List of IAU Courses

J-Term Course Option (Spring Only): Spend the first 3-weeks of the semester participating in an intensive academic traveling seminar offered prior to the start of the traditional 15-week spring semester. Contact IP for more information as scholarship opportunities for this experience are available. 

Transfer of Credit

  • Students participating in this program are required to take at least 15 credit hours.
  • All courses on this program appear on the Rollins transcript as transfer credits and the grades are factored into the Rollins GPA.
  • It can take up to three months for grades to be processed and receive an official transcript from Truman State University.
  • Students can take major and minor courses abroad (with approval from the academic department) and can also take competencies and rFLA200-level seminars abroad (with approval from the Registrar).

Housing

Students have three housing options on the program: homestay, semi-independent homestay, or student resident apartments.

Homestay (BEST FOR LANGUAGE AND CULTURAL LEARNING):

  • Each student has their own room, own key, and is treated as an independent adult.
  • Most of the hosts have been with the program for many years and IAU places students only with hosts who have been highly rated by past participants. 
  • Students can express their preferences for a more engaged family or a more independent experience.
  • Breakfasts and 6 dinners are included in the homestay at no additional cost.

Semi-independent Homestay:

  • Similar to a homestay EXCEPT Students are responsible for buying groceries and preparing their own meals in the homestay kitchen.

Student Residence Apartments:

  • Bedrooms are typically double or triple occupancy. 
  • No meals are included: students are responsible for groceries and preparing meals in the fully equipped and shared kitchen.

Meals

When living in a French homestay, students will be on a demi-pension “plan" for no additional cost. This includes daily breakfast and six dinners per week. Students eat lunches and one dinner out at the many wonderful cafes and restaurants in Aix. For the other housing options, there are no meals provided.

 

Activities

  • IAU College offers cultural activities including a lecture series, social events, events connecting students with French students from the University of Aix, wine tasting, cooking workshops and more! 
  • Students can take advantage of the beautiful location of Provence and go biking, hiking, take dancing classes, and engage in other outdoor activities.
  • The students will also have a French partenaires linguistiques that will show students around the city and answer any questions they might have.

Excursions

  • The program usually includes a field trip to Nice/Monaco/Antibes. In both fall and spring, the program includes day trips to Provence, Loire Valley, and Normandy.
  • Some courses include specific field trips to locations related to the course. Past trips have included the Alps, Morocco, Barcelona & Amsterdam.

Things to Consider

Students with mobility disabilities may find accessibility and accommodations different from the United States. Check the US Department of State Travelers with Disabilities and specific to the country, Mobility International USA, and the IP Your Identity Abroad page for resources.

Program Fee

Most Rollins financial aid and scholarships will apply to the semester abroad.

  • Tuition: $30,290
  • Housing: $5,115

Also Includes

Orientation, all course-related field trips, on-site transportation, program administration, and emergency insurance.

Estimated Additional Costs

  • Transportation: Round-trip airfare from FL $1,300
  • Transportation from Marseille airport or Aix-en-Provence TGV station to the Aix gare routière: $70
  • Meals/food not included: $1,030
  • US Passport: $165
  • Visa fee: $280 plus cost of travel to nearest VFS Global Center
  • Books, course materials, supplies: $50
  • Personal expenses: $940
  • Federal student loan fees if applicable: $40
  • Professional licensure, certification or credentials costs: $0

Scholarships

Scholarships based on financial need are available to off-set costs associated with international airfare and other costs associated with study abroad. Students can apply for scholarships through the Rollins program application. Additional scholarships including work study are also available through the IAU website. IAU's Pell Grant Plus Program provides $3,000 toward a semester program for Pell grant recipients.

Living and Working

Having a credit card while abroad is very helpful. France has a comparable cost of living to the United States. Students are able to work part-time on a student visa while in France.

Click here to compare our two France programs!