Language Institute in Paris, France
- Spend four weeks living in Paris while taking immersive French language and culture courses at l'Étoile: Centre de Langue et Vie Françaises, located in the heart of the city.
- Experience daily life in France through a homestay, giving you opportunities to practice French and connect with locals beyond the classroom.
- Program opens with a tour of Normandy & Brittany featuring iconic destinations such as Mont-Saint-Michel, the D-Day landing beaches, Saint-Malo, Honfleur, Caen, and Monet's gardens.
- Open to complete beginners through advanced level students of French, all are welcome!
- The Paris Summer Language Institute is one of the oldest continuously offered academic summer programs in the United States, operating since 1958.
The Summer Language Institute in Paris provides an excellent opportunity for intermediate or advanced students of French to live and study in Paris, the vibrant capital of France. Students will visit important historical and cultural monuments of the “city of light” and study the language and culture of France.
The program begins with a four-day tour of Brittany and Normandy where students will visit the beautiful seaside town of Honfleur, the port city of Caen and the Abbey of St. Etienne, Saint-Malo, the D-Day landing beaches, Mont St. Michel, and Monet’s house surrounded by beautiful water-lily ponds and gardens. The program will then travel to Paris, where students will spend four weeks studying culture, composition, conversation, phonetics, grammar, reading, and literature at l’Étoile: Centre de Langue et Vie Françaises. Course offerings range from absolute beginner's French through minor/major level courses and Honors credit.
The Department of French and Italian awards multiple scholarships for this program. To learn more, check out the Department of French and Italian Scholarships.
Normandy and Brittany
From the stunning, rugged coastline from which William the Conqueror’s ships sailed in the 11th century and to which Allied soldiers landed during WWII’s Operation Overlord, students will experience historical sites including castles and abbeys and the coastal fortified city of Saint-Malo.
Paris
From the Opéra boulevards to the historic area of the Marais with its early modern architecture and designer stores, from the Cluny medieval museum to the futuristic Centre Beaubourg, planned activities provide a comprehensive introduction to Parisian life, art, and architecture. In recent years, participants have enjoyed museum tours, concerts, plays and films; walking tours of Montmartre, the île St. Louis, and the Left Bank; coffee-tasting at a specialist roastery; as well as other cultural outings and activities.
Situated in the heart of Paris, l’Étoile: Centre de Langue et Vie Françaises opens its doors to students of all nationalities. Highly qualified instructors from the French educational system who specialize in the teaching of French as a foreign language offer a wide variety of courses to suit the needs and interests of program participants. Students are placed into intensive language and culture classes which meet four hours per day, Monday through Thursday.
All students enroll in two or three 3-credit hour courses, depending on their language level and whether they do the 6-credit or 9-credit option. Many program participants are at the FREN 230–240 level. Students will be assigned to various levels according to a placement exam and interview. Beginners will enroll in FREN 104 and FREN 440 or HNRS 495.
FREN 104 French Elementary, Overseas (5 credits): Basic language instruction in French for beginners participating in study abroad programs in France
FREN 120 Elementary French II (5 credits): Second-semester course with a balanced approach stressing understanding, speaking, reading, and writing French.
FREN 230 Intermediate French I (3 credits): Third-semester course stressing oral and written work in French; review of grammar and introduction to the reading of various texts, literary and cultural.
FREN 240 Intermediate French II (3 credits): Fourth-semester course completing the language requirement and a prerequisite for minor- and major-level credit.
FREN 375 Intermediate French Conversation (3 credits): Designed to increase fluency, improve pronunciation, and acquire vocabulary.
FREN 376 Advanced French Conversation (3 credits): Designed to increase fluency, improve pronunciation, and enhance knowledge of French culture and language. Classes have centered around themed topics such as Paris, French history, film.
FREN 420 Survey of French Culture (3 credits): A project-based credit with a focus on Paris or contemporary France for advanced students taking the 9-credit option.
FREN 440 Studies in French Culture (3 credits): Topics may include the history of France, French cinema, and architecture.
HNRS 495: Honors Directed Readings: The Story and History of Paris (3 credits): A research project related to the city of Paris.
Participants stay with host families in and around Paris. Housing assignments are arranged by our partner school in Paris. The director and graduate assistant provide individual support and organized activities which are designed to ensure that each student makes the most of their exposure to French culture.
All students have unique things to consider when studying abroad. A Traveler Profile is a set of personal factors, characteristics or life experiences that could impact daily life abroad. Your individual Traveler Profile may include things such as your age, foreign language proficiency, gender, medical history, medication use, mental health, mobility, piercings and tattoos, travel experience, and more.
SAGE is dedicated to creating international engagement opportunities that meet the needs of all our students and providing resources to support you through the process of studying abroad. Before selecting a program, consider how your Traveler Profile may impact your experience abroad in unique ways and talk with your Program Coordinator about any program-specific concerns. Students with documented disabilities should discuss any accommodation needs with their Program Coordinator early in the planning process.
Check our Traveler Profile pages linked below for information specific to you and other students who may be on your program.
- Adult Learners and Non-Traditional Students
- First Generation Students
- Physical and Mental Health Histories
- Religious, Spiritual, and Non-Religious Students
- Sexual and Gender Diversity
- Students of Color Abroad
- Students with Children
- Students with Financial Need
- Veterans, Active Duty, and ROTC
- Visible and Invisible Disabilities
Open to students from any accredited U.S. college or university. Minimum 2.5 GPA required (exceptions considered after submission of a petition).
Paul Scott is a professor of French and specializes in early modern literature in addition to science fiction in French, English, and Korean. As well as having spent several years in France, including 4 years in Paris, he has led 16 study-abroad programs to Paris and Strasbourg. One highlight of this program is visiting Monet’s gardens at Giverny; they are truly beautiful in all kinds of weather and it is easy to see why they inspired the artist so much.
Prof. Paul Scott
2054 Wescoe
785-864-9042
professor@ku.edu
Abigail Fields is the Hall Family Foundation Assistant Professor of French at the University of Kansas. They are interested in representations of agriculture and the environment in nineteenth- to twentieth-first-century French-language literature and popular media. They have spent several years in France, living in Paris and Marseille. As a student, they participated in a self-designed study abroad experience working on organic farms in France. This experience was life-changing and did a lot to set them on their current career path! This summer, they are especially excited to explore the many museums Paris has to offer, and to think with students on the relationship between art, literature and the environment of the city!
Prof. Abigail Fields
Wescoe 2064
abigail.fields@ku.edu
Elizabeth Mooney is a master's student in French and Francophone studies whose research primarily centers on queer and feminist studies. She has travelled to France three times, including participating in the 2025 Paris SLI as an undergraduate student. She is excited to return to the intra-muros city Saint-Malo, a remarkable city with a rich history and beautiful architecture.
Elizabeth Mooney
WES 2047
elizabeth.mooney@ku.edu
Study Abroad Program Coordinator: Brooke Stock
Have a quick question? Email me at: brooke.stock@ku.edu
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