Are scholarships available?

IAU offers a $1,000 scholarship to qualified students who enroll at any IAU program 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 the Aix Center or The Marchutz School of Art.
• Abide by all IAU policies
• 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.

How can I be sure my credits will transfer?

Please see our IAU policiesCredit Transfer page.

How will I get from my host home to school?

Students are placed in homes that are within walking distance of the town center and class buildings.

Should I bring my laptop?

Absolutely! It is very useful and convenient to bring a laptop to France. The Aix Center and The Marchutz School of Art have a wireless environment available Monday through Friday. In addition, students have access to computers and a printer at The Aix Center. Marchutz students may use the computers at the Aix Center. If students need to use the Internet later in the evening or on weekends, there are Internet cafes located in town. Students should be aware that some hosts do not have an Internet connection and even if they do, it may not be wireless. Detailed information on adaptors can be found in our Hip Pocket Guide.

What are my options for study at The Aix Center?

3 credit courses in Archaeology, Art History, Business, Economics, Political Science, Psychology, Education, History, Literature, Philosophy, and all levels of French Language and French Literature.

What are my options for study at The Marchutz School?

Drawing and painting studio every day, with weekly discussion seminar, and two 3-credit elective courses at IAU.

What are the language requirements to study at The Aix Center?

No previous French is required, but all semester students are required to take at least one French course. Beginners are required to enroll in French 101 and French 113. Courses are offered at the beginning (French 101) through the advanced level.

What are the language requirements to study at The Marchutz School?

No previous French is required, but all semester students are required to take at least one French course. Beginners are required to enroll in French 101 and French 113. Courses are offered at the beginning (French 101) through the advanced level.

What is the minimum age/class requirement for study at The Aix Center?

Minimum 18 years of age; at least one year of college or university successfully completed and seriousness of purpose and readiness to engage in the program's curriculum.

What is the minimum age/class requirement for study at The Marchutz School?

Minimum 18 years of age; at least one year of college or university successfully completed and seriousness of purpose and readiness to engage in the program's curriculum.

What is the minimum credit load? What is the maximum?

For a given semester, a full-time student will take 12 - 15 credits (4 or 5 classes). Occasionally, 18 credits may be approved with the consent of the appropriate authority on the home campus and the Center Director. A student enrolled in 1-3 courses is considered part-time. Summer students enroll in 2 courses or 6 credits.

When is the application deadline?

Fall term: May 1st, Spring term: November 1st, Summer term: April 15th. Applications received after these dates will be considered on a space-available basis.

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), transcript, and essay.

Where will I live?

Students are generally housed in the homes of French hosts, though independent living arrangements can be made when necessary. Living in a French home is considered the best form of housing because it provides an immediate introduction to life in this new place. "Family" should not be interpreted too narrowly. Some host families are childless couples, single adults, or single adults with children. Hosts come from a cross-section of society; they belong to no particular professional or social milieu, but all are carefully chosen and many have hosted American students for several years. Students find that speaking French at home is the single greatest factor in increasing their facility 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.

Skype is a company that allows you to make free phone calls from your computer to another Skype user or to land or cell phones at very reduced rates through credit card payments – see www.skype.com for more details. Yahoo also offers free calling. Visit http://messenger.yahoo.com/ for more information.