USF Paris Program > Frequently Asked Questions

Who should enroll in this program?

Students need not be art majors to enroll, but a foundation-level course in studio art for the art course or an introductory art history course for the art history course or equivalent background and good academic standing are required as minimum prerequisites. Students must first be approved into the program through the application process. Click here for the application instructions, the application form, and for details on eligibility.

Since daily activities will involve considerable amounts of walking and stair climbing, students should be in reasonably good physical condition.

The most important prerequisite is a desire to learn from the course activities and projects as well as from the immersion in a different culture and language. An adventurous spirit and sense of humor will also be helpful to the students' overall participation in this program.

Must I be a University of South Florida student to participate?

No. Students in good standing at other academic institutions are welcome as well as non-degree seeking students. Students at other schools who are seeking credit for this program toward their degree should inquire at their home institution about the transferability of credit. Students at other universities within the Florida State University System should be able to transfer credits since these are regular SUS academic courses.

How much money will I need for personal expenses in addition to the program fee and tuition?

This varies greatly depending upon personal spending habits. We recommend a minimum of $200/week to cover personal expenses. In a survey of students enrolled in the Paris 2007 program taken at the conclusion of the program:

• approximately 10% said that they recommend bringing $500-$750
• approximately 25% said that they recommend bringing $750-$1,000
• approximately 50% said that they recommend bringing $1,000-$1,500
• approximately 15% said that they recommend bringing more than $1,500

Some students have survived on $15.00/day by avoiding restaurants and cafes and keeping other personal expenses such as souvenirs, phone calls, and postage to a minimum. The program fee is very inclusive and includes not only all of your transportation (unlimited use of the metro and bus systems within metropolitan Paris, excursions to the suburbs (i.e. Versailles) and unlimited art museum admissions (both for art museums you visit with your class and those you visit on your own). Your main personal expense will be food. Every room will have a refrigerator and the residence has cooking facilities, so students can economize considerably by preparing their own meals. Students will have access to student cafeterias where a complete lunch or dinner will cost 3 euros (approximately $3.50) The best things about Paris are free and your instructors will be able to offer you numerous tips on how to conserve your funds if you're on a tight budget. Obviously, if you plan to do extensive shopping or to eat out frequently in restaurants and cafes, your expenses will be higher.

What travel arrangements are included in the program fee?

The program fee includes round-trip air travel from Tampa to Paris on a regularly scheduled airline. (You'll earn approximately 7,000 frequent flyer miles for the round-trip.) A chartered bus for transportation between the airport and the city will be provided as well as a pass that will provide unlimited use of the Paris metro and bus systems for the duration of the program. Round-trip travel by either train or chartered bus is included for the group day trips to cities and towns outside of Paris such as Chartres, Giverny, Chantilly and Auvers. Students who opt for the excursion to London (for an additional fee of $800.00) will travel there by Eurostar train from Paris and will return home to the states from London. The London excursion includes bus transfers from the train station to the residence upon arrival in London and from the residence to the airport for departure. A travelpass valid for unlimited use of the London underground and bus system for the duration of the London excursion is provided. Students who wish to remain in Europe after the end of the program for independent travel have the option of booking a later date return with our travel agent. There is usually a small additional cost for this, depending upon the requirements of the airline.

Can I make my own travel and lodging arrangements and, if so, will this reduce my program fee?

Students can opt to arrange and pay for their own air travel which may be desirable if you are leaving from a city other than Tampa or if you are using frequent flyer miles to purchase your ticket. Students who do so will have their program fee reduced appropriately. If you choose to book your own travel, you can coordinate with the group day and time of arrival so that you can join us on the bus that we arrange for transportation from the airport to the residence or you can find your own way into the city. (We'll provide clear instructions on how to arrive at our dormitory by RER train from the airport to Paris.) We strongly encourage students to not arrange their own lodging, since living in the same dormitory as the other students and instructors is important to your overall
participation in the program.

Will I need a visa to enter France?

You will need a valid passport but U.S. citizens do not need a visa for stays in France of three months or less. If you hold a passport from another country, check with the French embassy about visa requirements (telephone: 305-372-9799). If you don't have a passport you can get an application at most post offices ($85.00 for ten years). Don't delay on this since the passport application must be submitted with an original birth certificate which may take some time to obtain if you don't already have it. Click here to obtain U.S. passport application forms.

How will the time in Paris be structured? Will there be sufficient free time to pursue my own interests and activities?

Classes will meet approximately 16-20 hours/week distributed Monday through Thursday. Class time will be devoted to visits to museums and other cultural sites, discussions, critiques and guest lectures. Class activities will emphasize your acquiring the skills that will enable you to feel comfortable exploring Paris independently and there will be ample time for your own activities. On most Fridays, students from all classes will embark on a required day-long cultural excursion to a site outside of Paris. Most activities scheduled on the weekends will be optional. The optional French class will begin at approximately 9 a.m. daily and will end by 11:00 a.m. so as not to interfere with the art program courses, which will generally begin after 11:00 a.m. (Note that the French classes are offered at the Intermediate to Advanced levels only. Students planning to include a French course during the month of June should have already completed Beginning French prior to the program.) Students should be aware that this is a substantive academic program with course requirements which requires your active participation and not a packaged tour of Paris. Since the three Paris courses will have overlapping or conflicting meeting times, students are permitted to enroll in one course only. Those seeking additional credits are encouraged to do the optional excursion to London, June 30 - July 6.

Which School of Art and Art History degree requirements will the Paris courses fulfill?

The Paris art studio course will satisfy one of the following: Theme Studio, or Advanced/Intermediate Elective Studio or Extended Studies. The Paris art history courses will satisfy the Critical Studies requirement or Extended Studies requirement. The optional excursion to London will satisfy the Extended Studies requirement. (Note that the London excursion can be done for one or three credits, but if you plan to use it to fulfill the Extended Studies requirement you must take it for three credits.) Note that the Paris courses cannot be used to fulfill two requirements at the same time. For example, if you use the art studio course to satisfy the Theme Studio requirement, it cannot also be used to satisfy the Extended Studies requirement.

Will there be time during the program for independent travel?

Most weekends will be scheduled as free time and most of the group activities or excursions that are offered on weekends will be optional. However, this is an intensive program and not one which will allow for you to incorporate European travel during the month of June. If you would like to spend some extra time in Paris, or would like to combine this program with other European travel, you should book a later date of return back to the U.S. Although distances between countries in Europe are small by U.S. standards, cramming in a jaunt to another country during the weekend is bound to be hectic and frustrating. Besides, once you become familiar with Paris and its environs you'll find it to be an extremely dense and rich environment with no shortage of things to explore. We cannot arrange lodging for you after June 30th, but can provide guidance and suggestions for extending your time in Europe. Students who wish to extend their stay in Paris through the month of July can do so at a very moderate additional cost by booking an additional month of lodging at one of our Paris residences. A later date of return can be arranged through our travel agent at either no additional charge or a small additional charge.)

We encourage students to give their travel plans serious consideration prior to the January deposit deadline because by mid- to late-January, our travel agent will be finalizing the dates and destinations for each student. Changes to your air ticket after it has been finalized and purchased will result in a either substantial penalty imposed by the airline or purchase of a new ticket.

How much French will I need to know to survive in Paris for four weeks?

It is suggested that you engage in some form of language preparation prior to your arrival in Paris. The more French you know, the less alienated you'll feel, and the more you'll get out of your stay in Paris. This doesn't mean having to become fluent. Even a minimal vocabulary of 100 words and one or two dozen phrases will go a long way towards easing your daily encounters with the French. A French I course, self-study tapes or a book like "French in Ten Minutes a Day" will also help a great deal. A few optional "emergency French" lessons will be provided shortly after your arrival in Paris, These sessions will focus on acquiring a basic "survival" vocabulary and on pronunciation so that you won't be tongue-tied or incomprehensible when you try to order your morning cafe creme or baguette or mail a letter at the post office.

What are the lodging facilities like? Will there be studio and classroom space?

Our students are housed at centrally-located university residences, including our principal residence, the Foyer International des Etudiantes, (FIE) 93 blvd. St. Michel in the 5th arrondisement, the Foyer Tolbiac (TOLBIAC), 234 rue de Tolbiac in the 13th arrondisement and the Maison Andre Honnorat of the Cite Universitaire de Paris (CIUP). Instructors and assistants are housed at the Foyer International des Etudiantes which is also the location of classrooms. All residences are conveniently connected by bus and RER are no more than 15-20 minutes away from each other. The residences are equipped with a with a full range of amenities including a small kitchen on every floor, a solarium, classrooms, television, laundry facilities, outdoor terraces and internet connectivity. The rooms are clean and each is equipped with a small refrigerator and sink. There is 24-hour security at the front desk. These residences do not resemble, however, an American-style hotel. Showers and toilets are down the hall. Phones either in the rooms or on the floors can receive incoming calls only. There is a lockout at the FIE from 1:30 a.m. - 6 a.m. daily, except Friday and Saturday when the foyer remains open all night. The other residences have no lockout. Every effort will be made to accommodate student preferences for their housing assignment. Since art activities will emphasize the use of accessible methods and materials (such as photography, xerox, collage, found objects and performance), studio art facilities are neither needed nor provided.

If I am on a tight budget, what are some of the things I can do to conserve my funds during the program?

• Instead of eating in restaurants, buy food at discount supermarkets or local food vendors and picnic in neighborhood parks.
• Bring a recognized student identification card such as the International Student Identity Card and ask for discounts when you buy tickets to events. (You won't be spending any money on art museum admissions since they are included in the program fee, both those that you attend with the class and those that you attend independently.)
• Bring film and other supplies with you to Paris instead of buying them there.
• Write letters rather than spend time on the telephone or in a cyber-cafe.
• Learn to live on bread, wine and cheese! All of these are less expensive in France than in the U.S. as are many other foods.

What advice do students in last year's program have for those enrolled in the 2007 program?

At the end of each year's program, students are asked to fill out a program evaluation and to answer the question "What advice would you give to a student attending this program in the future?" Responses by students enrolled in the 2007 program emphasized the following:

• Learn more French before leaving for Paris.
• Bring small kitchen utensils (pots) and silverware if you plan to do your own cooking in the kitchens in the residence.
• Buy groceries and cook your own meals rather than going out to restaurants (if you're on a tight budget).
• Wear comfortable shoes. (You'll be doing a lot of walking and comfort is more important than fashion!)
• Do not overpack.
• Bring extra funds for shopping or as a contingency fund in the event of an emergency (i.e., a backup credit or debit card or extra traveler's checks).