While studying at Columbia in Paris, students take classes in Columbia University's study center, Reid Hall, which is conveniently located in the beautifully dynamic sixth district of Paris, the Montparnasse. The Center is near the Latin Quarter, and Luxembourg Gardens and is known as a cultural hub for students.
Students have the option to take at least one elective at a local university. Columbia University partners with Science Po, the University of Paris I (Pantheon Sorbonne), University of Paris IV (Sorbonne), University of Paris VII (Denis Diderot), Institute Pasteur, and Visual Arts at Paris I Pantheon-Sorbonne to provide students with diverse disciplines and academia. Each university has strengths in various disciplines and academia in Art and Architecture, Humanities, Social Sciences, and STEM. Furthermore, the Institute Pasteur gives students the opportunity to do work in research with a research team.
This is a French Immersion program, please see the requirements below:
- Must have completed at least four semesters of college-level French or the equivalent.
- It is expected that you will be enrolled in a French language course in the term preceding your enrollment in Paris. Grammar, composition, or literature courses will better prepare you for a semester in Paris than conversation courses. Failure to continue French language training may affect acceptance to the program
- Students looking to take local university courses should have studied at least 5 semesters of college-level French or the equivalent.
- Minimum 3.0 average language GPA
- Minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA. Students must also maintain a 3.0 GPA during the semester before going abroad.
Housing:
FALL - Student Residence Only
Participants are housed together at a student residence, just a short metro ride to Reid Hall. Options include single rooms with private bathrooms, and shared kitchen facilities or a studio apartment in a student residence. There is no meal plan offered.
SPRING - Homestay or Student Residence Options
VISA NOTICE:
**For this program, students will need to apply for a French visa. This requires an in-person appointment at a TLScontact center (replaced VFS Global as of 04/18/25), so students should expect to travel to their visa appointment. This is included on the Budget Sheet for visa cost estimates.
- If apply for spring study abroad: Do not plan international travel during Thanksgiving or Christmas Break if you are applying for a French visa.
- Find a French visa guide here for more information.
- TLScontact application center locations: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington DC.
Please note: your passport will be submitted to the consulate as part of the visa application, this may impact travel plans if you need your passport to travel domestically or internationally.
