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Undergraduate
- Why Study French?
- What Can You Do With a French Major?
- Elementary and Intermediate Courses (FREN 1010- FREN 2320)
- UVA French Placement Diagnostic
- Course Placement
- Majoring and Minoring in French
- Tutoring
- Writing, Honor, and Community: A Guide for Compositions in French
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- Maison Française
- Courses
- French Summer Language Institute
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- Study Abroad and Internships
Study Abroad and Internships
The French Department encourages students to seek the linguistic, intellectual, and personal benefits that can be obtained only from a well-planned period of study in a French-speaking country.
For application deadlines, please contact the International Studies Office in Minor Hall or the specialist in Francophone study abroad, Yohanis Kassa . They can provide specific information concerning entrance requirements, academic calendars, courses, language(s) of instruction, housing arrangements, travel opportunities, costs, and availability of financial aid (in the form of scholarships, grants, and loans).
Study abroad scholarships
There are many funding opportunities available for students wishing to study abroad. The Robert Denommé Study Abroad scholarship is specifically designated to support students wishing to study in France or in another French-speaking country. For more scholarships, visit the ISO Scholarships page.
Passports
Attention! Current passport processing times remain delayed (8-11 weeks for routine service; 5-7 weeks for expedited). You need your passport months ahead of your actual departure date for many study abroad programs, and your passport must be valid for at least 6 months (in some cases, one year) after the end date of your intended program. If you need a new or renewed passport, APPLY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE USING EXPEDITED PROCESSING. See the State Department for details and to apply.
Choosing a Program
SUMMER PROGRAMS
The following programs are administered by UVA and automatically receive credit towards the French major and minor.
- UVA in Lyon summer program (3 or 6 credits). Contact: Cécile Rey
- UVA Global Internship Program in Paris (3 credits) . Contact: Ingrid Hakala



JANUARY TERM
We regularly offer a J-Term course in Paris entitled “Making Paris Modern: A Secret History of the City of Light. for more information, see here and here or contact the Program Director, Prof. Ari Blatt.
We are excited to announce that we recently began to offer a J-Term program in Dakar, Sénégal. We hope to offer J-Term in Dakar again in January 2027. For more information see here and here or contact the Program Director, Prof. Mamadou Dia.
NON-UVA SEMESTER PROGRAMS and EXCHANGES
Students have a wide variety of exciting options for study abroad in France or the francophone world. In recent years, along with in-house, direct-credit, UVa-run programs (Summer in Lyon, J-Term in Paris and Dakar, Global Summer Internships in Paris etc) students have also participated in programs at the IAU in Aix-en-Provence, IES in Paris, Sciences Po in both Paris and Lille, and the University of Minnesota's International Development program in Senegal, among others. UVa's International Studies Office has a handy searchable database of approved programs on their website here .
Certain exchanges involve studying at a foreign university alongside local students and therefore require a higher degree of independence from UVa students in terms of housing and any issues that may come up. Programs administered by other American universities or institutes (such as IES, IAU, and IFE) have a staff and more structure to guide students through the process of living abroad. Coursework in these programs is usually created specifically for American students.
All the credits received in these programs are transfer credits. Some courses are available at the beginner levels and may replace courses at the same level at UVA. If you are at the FREN 3000 level, you may transfer up to 12 credits for the French major and up to 6 for the minor. To find out if the courses you have chosen will count towards the French major or minor, please check this website . You may also request transfer credit for any courses not on the equivalencies website by contacting the Director of Undergraduate Programs in French . To qualify, courses must be held in the French language at the B2 level or higher and not cover the same material as a course you have already taken.
INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS
These programs at the FREN 3000 level provide students with internships based on their interests (sciences, consulting, media, finance, theater, government, etc.) and students will receive academic credit for the coursework that is associated with their internship.
- UVA in Paris: Global Internship program (3 UVA credits) Contact: Ingrid Hakala
- IFE semester program in Paris, Marseille, or Strasbourg (12 transfer credits) Contact: Emily Freeman at info@ife-edu.eu . Click here to see student profiles that provide further information on the range of internships our UVA students have pursued through the IFE program.
For more information on studying abroad, or with help choosing a program, feel free to contact the Director of Undergraduate Programs in French. We also recommend students make an appointment with a study abroad advisor at the International Studies Office.