What are the requirements to study abroad at Le Centre d'Avignon?
• A minimum GPA in French of 3.0
• At least two years of college French or the equivalent
• A willingness to adapt to a new environment

When is the application deadline?
Fall Semester: May 1st; Spring Semester: November 1st; Summer Term: April 15th

Applications after these dates will be considered on a space-available basis.

How much does it cost?
A complete list of costs can be found on the At-A-Glance page.

Are scholarships available?
IAU offers a $1,000 scholarship to qualified students who enroll at le Centre d'Avignon or the Marchutz School of Art for a full academic year.  In order to qualify, the student must come from an institution that is not already receiving a discount from IAU.  In order to determine if they come from an eligible institution, students must contact the U.S. Office.

Once a student is determined as being qualified, they must meet the following eligibility requirements:

• Be enrolled for consecutive fall and spring semesters at le Centre d'Avignon or the Marchutz School of Art
• Be free of behavioral problems during the fall semester
• Achieve a GPA of 3.0 or higher during the fall semester

The $1,000 scholarship will be applied against the student’s spring semester invoice.  Depending on the billing arrangement IAU has with the student’s home institution, IAU will either credit the student’s spring semester invoice or provide the student with a check for $1,000 on-site.  

What is the minimum credit load? What is the maximum?
For a given semester, students are encouraged to enroll in 5 courses (15 credit hours). Some students prefer to enroll in 4 courses. This is by and large acceptable but the student should understand that the tuition cost will remain the same. Students are strongly discouraged from enrolling in more than five courses. 1-3 courses is considered part-time.

For the summer term, students enroll in 2 courses (6 credit hours).

How can I be sure my credits will transfer?
Before departure from the United States, students must arrange credit transfer with their Advisors/Department Heads, Dean or Office of International Education who must sign the Institute for American Universities Academic Approvals form signifying that work completed at IAU will receive credit toward the applicant's degree.

Students who are unable to make such an arrangement may apply to IAU through:

Northern Illinois University - Sarah Casillas - 815-753-7399

Eckerd College - Karen Honsinger - 727-864-8381
Miami Dade College - Eva Fernandez - 305-237-3580

Truman State University - Rosa Virginia Mendez - 660-785-4076

The Institute for American Universities issues an official, traditional American transcript with letter grades. Institute courses have been accepted for academic credit by over 700 North American institutions of higher learning since its founding in 1957.

What are the language requirements to study at Le Centre d'Avignon?
Students should have completed at least two years of college French and have aGPA of at least 3.0 in French.

What are my options for study?
All students choose from courses which allow them to meet their academic goals while discovering the richness and diversity of Avignon, Provence,France, France in Europe, and beyond. A series of lectures, short-term internshipsin local organizations, and projects are available as part of the curriculum. A complete list of courses can be found on the Programs page.

Can I enroll in a course at the local French University?
Yes! For more information on this option, go here.

What are the program dates?
An updated academic calendar can be found on the At-a-Glance page.

When will I know if I have been accepted?
Students can expect to receive a decision via email within two weeks of the U.S. Office receiving their completed application (including all relevant academic signatures), transcripts, and essay.

Where will I live?
Students are generally housed in the homes of French hosts, though independentliving arrangements can be made when necessary. Living in a French home is consideredthe best form of housing because it provides an immediate introduction to lifein this new place. "Family" should not be interpreted too narrowly. Increasingly,about 50% of IAU's hosts are childless couples or single women with children whoenjoy having a student living with them. Hosts come from a cross-section of society;they belong to no particular professional or social milieu, but all are carefullychosen and many have hosted American students for several years. Students findthat speaking French at home is the single greatest factor in increasing theirfacility with the language.

Living in a French home is seen universally as an invaluable opportunity not found in many study abroad programs. Naturally, all students must accept the constraints and responsibilities that such arrangements entail. Whenever possible, IAU accommodates students' stated housing preferences.

Will I need a cell phone?
We highly recommend having a cell phone while on your program with IAU. This is for several reasons, chief among them are safety and security. In addition, it will obviously be a very convenient way for you to stay in touch with family and friends - both in France and back home. Finally, you will not be able to use your host's landline phone much since utilities in France are still quite expensive. So while it is essential to have one, it is not easy when it comes to choosing the right international cell phone company/provider/plan nor will you find one that can compare cost-wise to your current cell phone plan. The associated charges for your international phone will be much more expensive than what you are already used to in the States.

Due to the confusion and the need to find the best deal, we have surveyed previous students and have pulled together a hopefully helpful table which shows the benefits and disadvantages of each option based on their feedback. We do not endorse any of the listed companies nor do we receive any commissions from them. In fact, you could find plenty of other options on your own by doing a simple search on the web. However, we simply want to provide you with a starting point for your search for a cell phone. Details can be found on our cell phone table. Avignon students also have the option of renting a cell phone from the Center – you may view more details on the Avignon cell phone page.

Skype is a company that allows you to make free phone calls from your computer to another Skype user – see www.skype.com for more details. Yahoo also offers free calling. Visit http://messenger.yahoo.com/ for more information.

What about transportation for students housed outside the city walls?
Le Centre d'Avignon, aware that local public transportation stops too early in the evening for students to enjoy a late movie, has made available a co-allocation taxi to students who live outside a perimeter roughly defined by the ancient city walls. Those students also receive a monthly bus pass enabling them to travel freely on the bus network.

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