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Study Abroad | Paris

France | Cours de Civilisation Française de la Sorbonne | January Term 2025
A student standing near a river in Paris during the evening.
Students walking around Versailles.

Overview

Spend January Term in the charming and iconic city of Paris, France, with AIFS! Study French Fashion at the Sorbonne, a highly respected Parisian university. You will have plenty of time to explore the walkable City of Light.

What’s Included

The AIFS inclusive program fee includes all of the great features below in addition to many pre-departure, on-site and upon-return services to help students make the most of their time abroad.

Review Our Policies
  • Tuition

    3 semester credits

  • Courses

    Courses in fashion

  • Housing

    Double room in a Parisian homestay or, for a supplement, single room in a homestay or a double/triple room in a communal residence

  • Meals

    Breakfast every day and dinner once a week in the homestay

    Breakfast every day and five meals a week in the communal residence

     

  • Excursions & Day Trips

    Versailles (half-day trip)

  • Cultural & Social Activities

    Sightseeing tour of Paris, a boat ride on the Seine and visits to museums and monuments such as the Opéra Garnier

  • Welcome Event

    To help you get to know your classmates better, familiarize you with the local area and advise you about your stay

  • On-Site Support

    To help with any questions or advice you may need throughout the program

  • Health & Safety

    24/7 emergency support and comprehensive insurance

  • Green Initiative

Additional Options & Opportunities

  • AIFS Flight Package

    Round trip flights U.S.-Paris-U.S.

    Round trip transfers between the airport and campus overseas

  • Activities

    Macaron Cooking Class (2 hours)

  • Housing Supplement

    Single room homestay

    Communal residence

Program Details: Study Abroad | Paris French Fashion: 18th – 21st century

Dates

January 3, 2025January 23, 2025

Term

January Term

Institution

Cours de Civilisation Française de la Sorbonne

Application Deadline

October 1, 2024

Inclusive Fees

$4,490

Eligibility

Open to First Year, Sophomore, Junior, Senior

Minimum of 2.5 GPA

Additional requirements may vary by course selection. See Academic section below.

Visa Requirements

A visa may be required for this program. Please contact your advisor or log into your portal for more information.

Areas of Interest

  • Fine Arts

Global Themes

  • Arts, Culture and Creative Industries
  • Language, History and Culture
Learn More About Global Themes

Academics

AIFS Abroad offers a unique global educational experience for students on this program, with the following academic options available:

The prestige of the Cours de Civilisation Française de la Sorbonne (CCFS) is matched by few educational institutions. The Sorbonne is now one of the dozen or so independent units of the University of Paris. Dating back to 1919, the Cours de Civilisation Française de la Sorbonne has the status of a private institution for the teaching of French as a foreign language and courses about French culture and civilization.

  • Fine Arts

Earn 3 credits studying at the Cours de Civilisation Française de la Sorbonne (CCFS). Take a course on the fascinating history of French fashion. All courses are taught in English and will include visits to relevant sites in Paris to enhance classroom study.

View All Courses For French Fashion: 18th - 21st century
A student in Paris.

Living Abroad

Included

Paris Homestay

Homestays are located within the city of Paris and about 30 minutes by metro from classes and the AIFS office. You will have a key and can come and go as you wish. The homestay includes:

  • Double bedroom with another AIFS student
  • A single room may be available for a supplement of $125
  • Access to kitchen
  • Privacy for study
  • French style breakfast daily and 3 dinners with host family

Optional

Communal Residence ($795)

Live with other AIFS students in residence halls located in central Paris for a supplemental fee. The residence includes:

  • Double or triple bedrooms
  • Breakfast every day and lunch or dinner 5 days a week – this may be in the form of an allowance
  • Self-service laundry facilities

Internet access is included in all AIFS housing in Paris.

Food

Paris is famous for its restaurants and haute cuisine, food meticulously prepared and artfully presented. Thanks to immigration, every French regional cuisine and almost every national cuisine in the world can be found in Paris; the city has more than 9,000 restaurants. In addition to restaurants, the café concept arrived in Paris in the 17th century. Since then, Parisian cafés have been considered centers for the city’s political and cultural life.

Fashion

Since the 19th century, Paris has competed for the title of Fashion Capital of the World, particularly when it comes to haute couture, clothing hand-made for special clients. Some of the largest fashion houses and designers call Paris home including Dior, Chanel, Karl Lagerfeld, and Christian Lacroix. The city also plays hosts to two Fashion Weeks, held in January and July. 

Architecture

The city owes its style to its aligned street-fronts, distinctive cream-grey “Paris stone” building decoration, aligned top-floor balconies, and tree-lined boulevards. Amazingly, Paris has never been destroyed by catastrophe or war and has preserved even its earliest history, including many famous landmarks and buildings. Parisian architecture is best highlighted in the city’s churches (Basilica of Sacré-Cœur, Saint Chapelle, La Madeleine, Notre Dame Cathedral), Palais Garnier Opera House, Louvre Pyramid and Eiffel Tower.

AIFS in Paris Director, January Term Program

Danica Debizet headshot.

Danica Debizet

Bonjour! “Hello” in French, one of the four languages I am fluent in, along with English, German and Slovak. You have quite the experience awaiting you in Paris; from the cultural activities offered, the number of museums to visit and the various people you’ll meet, it is sure to be an amazing time.

I studied for three separate MA degrees in Paris and Grenoble and have lived in four different countries. I consider myself a “global citizen” and am looking forward to helping you to adjust to your time abroad. As your Program Director, I am here to advise, listen, help and encourage you to make your stay in Paris a wonderful experience that you will always remember.

My office is located right in the heart of the city and my door is always open.

The Program Director provides academic advice, introduces you to the community and handles communication with the University.

Learning does not begin or end in the classroom. To help you get a true taste of French culture, a wide range of cultural activities and excursions are included in your program fee. Activities and events will include:

  • Welcome dinner in a typical French restaurant
  • Guided city tour in a private bus with an English speaking professional guide
  • Visit to the Opéra Garnier
  • Bateaux-Mouches boat trip along the River Seine
  • Château of Versailles excursion
  • French King’s cake and cider tasting

Enjoy a couple of hours baking this most iconic of french pastries!

  • 2 hour class with a professional English-speaking chef
  • Make two different flavours that you can then enjoy on your own at home
  • No previous experience needed
  • The class is taught at a cooking school in central Paris
  • A minimum of 8 students is required for the class to take place

Students must enroll and pay for the optional activity in the U.S. by the final payment deadline. Once paid for, activities are non-refundable except in the event of cancellation by AIFS.

Excursions

This program offers a range of day trips and excursions that will take you outside Paris and deepen your social, historical and cultural understanding of France. Previous excursions have included:

Palace of Versailles.

Palace of Versailles

Tour the magnificent and historically significant Palace of Versailles. Includes entrance fees.

  • France
  • Half Day
  • Included in Program Fee
Barcelona,Spain
A group of happy students at a carnival.
A view of Prague.

Social identity & access

One of the best things you can do before departure is enter into the journey knowing that your time abroad will be unique to this experience. The resources, community, and support available to you when abroad will likely be different as well. In order to help you prepare for your experience, we have compiled many resources about social identity and access in specific locations abroad. Your program staff will also provide you with more details pre-departure and during orientation.

Learn more

Important Dates & Deadlines

Request Info

Open

Dates & Deadlines

Details

  • Early Application Deadline*
  • Application Deadline
    October 1, 2024
  • Deposit Deadline
    October 31, 2024
  • Scholarship Deadline
    October 1, 2024
  • Visa Deadline****
  • Optional Departure Flight from US***
    January 2, 2025
  • Program Begins
    January 3, 2025
  • Program Ends
    January 23, 2025
  • Optional Return Flight to US***
    January 23, 2025
  • *** Included for students on AIFS flight package.
  • **** AIFS Abroad offers visa processing services to applicants who enroll into the program by this date. All other applicants who enroll after this date will be responsible for securing their own visa with guidance from AIFS Abroad.

Optional Flight Package

Students can select an optional transportation package for all AIFS programs. Students who choose to book their own flights should meet up with group at the program location and will need to make their own ground transportation arrangements.

Below are fees by departure city based on average historical costs and subject to change. If you select this option on your application, the total flight package price will be confirmed in your account 6 months prior to departure. (Program fee is guaranteed.)

Depature City

Fee

  • Atlanta
    $1,560
  • Boston
    $1,480
  • Buffalo
    $1,480
  • Charlotte
    $1,520
  • Chicago
    $1,500
  • Cincinnati
    $1,520
  • Columbus
    $1,480
  • Dallas
    $1,520
  • Denver
    $1,560
  • Des Moines
    $1,520
  • Detroit
    $1,500
  • Houston
    $1,460
  • Los Angeles
    $1,560
  • Miami
    $1,520
  • Minneapolis
    $1,560
  • New York
    $1,400
  • Newark
    $1,400
  • Orlando
    $1,560
  • Philadelphia
    $1,480
  • Phoenix
    $1,600
  • Pittsburgh
    $1,480
  • Raleigh/Durham
    $1,520
  • San Francisco
    $1,520
  • Seattle
    $1,560
  • St. Louis
    $1,520
  • Washington/Dulles
    $1,500
  • View more View less

See what others are saying

Two students walking in a field.

Ready to Study Abroad in Paris?

For more dates or questions, contact your program consultant:
(203) 399-5163 or email: aifsabroad@aifs.com