Department of French
Department of French

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.

Lyon
Lyon2
Lyon 3

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 or contact the Program Director, Prof. Blatt.

We are currently creating a J-Term in Dakar, Sénégal starting in 2025: for more information, contact Prof. Dia.

SEMESTER PROGRAMS, NON-UVA

Students have a variety of options for study abroad in France or the francophone world. More information on select programs can be found on the French Department website. You may also search for other programs by country, type of courses, language level, and other criteria on the ISO website here . Exchanges involve studying at a foreign university alongside local students and therefore require a higher degree of independence from you in terms of housing and any issues that may come up. Programs administered by other American universities or institutes (such as IES) have a staff and more of a structure to guide students through the process of living abroad. Coursework 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 Professor Tsien . 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.