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Studying in Angers

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Study for a semester or academic year in Angers, France

Angers is a simple 1 1/2 hour train ride on the TGV from Paris (less than from Bloomington/Normal to Chicago!

  • Entrance to the University
  • Winter view from Château d’Angers
  • Cathedral Maurice in Angers
  • Château Chambord
  • Château d’Azay-le-Rideau
  • Château de Chenonceau
  • Château d’Angers
  • Le Jardin du Mail
  • Spring view from Château d’Angers
  • Maison d’Adam
  • Cathedral Maurice
  • Excursion to Mont St. Michel
  • Excursion to Normandy
  • View of Roi René
  • Roi René
  • Excursion to St. Malo

Where?

L’Université Catholique de l’Ouest at the CIDEF (Centre Internationale d’Études Françaises). ISU students have been studying at the Catho for over 20 years and come back raving about the city, the school, their experience, and their fluency in French!

Why Angers?

  • You will spend a semester or year studying in a program of the highest quality.
  • Your teachers will be friendly and helpful.
  • You will study in small classes with students from Europe, Asia, and North America
  • You’ll be immersed in the French-speaking culture of historic Angers.
  • You will live in a French home.
  • Your ability to speak and understand French will improve dramatically.
  • You will receive up to 15 ISU credits; most or all may be applicable to your major or minor.
  • You will be within easy traveling distance of Paris, Bretagne, Normandie, and the Châteaux of the Loire Valley, not to mention all of France and Europe.
  • You’ll love it.

What’s it like?

  • You will arrive in Paris by plane, then take a train to Angers, where you will settle in in your French home.
  • You may take your meals at the Resto-U, a café, or a restaurant.
  • You can also sign up to have some dinners with your host family.
  • On the first day of classes, you take a placement exam and are placed in a class with students who share your level of French.
  • The levels are: intermédiaire I, II, III, or IV (most students will place in Intermédiaire II or III), avancé et supérieur (many levels).
  • During the week, you study language in the morning and you take electives such as French society, culture, history, phonetics, politics, literature, and government in the afternoon.
  • Classes are taught entirely in French by French instructors.
  • During the spring, students throughout the school present an annual show.
  • There are weekly programs in French culture — music, dance, and movies – organized by graduate students.
  • Every Tuesday throughout the semester, international students are invited to mix with French students at one of the bars or cafés in town. This is called “Mardi Café”.
  • You will participate in three Saturday excursions, to two châteaux de la Loire and one to St. Malo and Mont St.-Michel.
  • Activities are organized by the Student Club, the International Choir, the Ciné Club, the theatre class, and the CIDEF animateurs. The Student Club also organizes travel during vacation periods.
  • You may go windsurfing, swim, sail, and picnic at the Lac de Maine.
  • You will find great shopping in downtown Angers.
  • See French movies or American movies in French in the many movie theatres.
  • Go to museums, the Angers Cathedral, and its château.
  • Taste wines in Angers and throughout France.
  • Travel alone or with friends throughout France and Europe before, during, or after the semester .

Are there prerequisites?

French 116, undergraduate GPA of 2.5 or graduate GPA of 3.0.

FAQs about your stay in Angers

Here is a list of FAQs and answers regarding your stay in Angers.

This is Cidef’s file given so that you can prepare for your stay.

For more information, contact:

Laura Edwards
Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures
STV 231B, (309) 438-3279
Email Laura Edwards​

For Application Contact:

Office of International Studies
308 Fell Hall, (309) 438-5276
International Studies Website 
Apply Online Here

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