Exchange studentscome and study at ICES

You might or might not have some experience living abroad. Travelling to another continent can be intimidating, especially for those going for the first time or for long stays. ICES is a small institution situated in a small city. As such, it is not difficult to get to know people and for us to get to know you. We will help you out with your accommodation reservations, pick you up at the airport or train station, and personally help you get settled. We've helped students with their initial groceries, set up their telephones, open bank accounts, fill out the paperwork...in short, when you arrive at ICES, you'll have friends waiting for you.

Being in a small city is in itself much cheaper than living in a big metropolis like Paris. The cost of living is less expensive in general and we will help you fill out the paperwork for a local grant that will pay for about 40% of your rent fees.

The university's size is also a plus, because it offers an intimate environment. It's easy to know the faculty and for them to know you, which is good should there be any concerns. It shouldn't take long to interact with French students, and ideally, to make new friends.

This is where we get into your personal growth. It is important, within the first two weeks, for a student to make personal connections to the location, to the institution, and to the people, students and faculty he'll be spending time with. This initial connection is a foundation that helps the student feel comfortable in essentially a new home, it also is a vantage point from where they can build upon his or her experience. We go out of our way to facilitate the interaction of international students with French students and this is paramount in your study abroad experience. They are essentially the exchange students' counterparts and play a significant role in cross-cultural communication and experiential learning. It is a mutual benefit to both groups of students who are equally curious and eager to learn about one another.

ICES is an official catholic university accredited by the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research. We adhere to the European Transfer of Credit System in the LMD homogenization of diplomas as specified in the 2002 Bologna process. In all areas, state diplomas are delivered officially by government approved examinations.