Nantes - French Language Immersion & Area Studies

We all know that Fall 2021 is going to look a bit different from other study abroad terms, but that doesn’t mean it still won’t be the most incredible semester of your life!

We’re working hard to keep you safe and well, so you can focus on what you came to do—live and learn abroad (and have some fun along the way!). Below is a summary of the main tweaks to the program this semester, which may be updated as more details become known. You can learn even more about our measures for all programs on our Fall 2021 Health & Safety page.

Academics & Partner Universities

From courses taught by world-class IES Abroad faculty at our Center to courses taught at our local partner universities, know that you’ll be learning from the best of the best this fall. Explore all the options you can choose from on the “Academics” tab.

Health & Safety Protocols

We’re making sure that your learning experience is a safe one so you can focus on the topic at hand. So, to enhance effective social/physical distancing, IES Abroad is taking proactive measures in the classroom, including:

• limiting class enrollment sizes limitations
• adjusting space layout and room choice
• and promoting student/faculty use of personal protective equipment (PPE).

Learn more about our health and safety measures for Fall 2021.

Vaccines & Daily Life

Currently, France is implementing use of a health pass (“pass sanitaire”) to go to café terraces, restaurants, cinemas, theatres, libraries, museums, other venues, as well as airplanes, intercity trains, TGV trains, and long-distance buses.

To obtain a health pass, you will need to:

• Be fully vaccinated, and provide documentation of vaccination (Note that you will not be able to receive a vaccine while in France),
• Have been PCR or antigen tested (valid for 72 hours)
• Or provide medical documentation of recovery/proof of anti-bodies that is less than six months old

This ruling dramatically impacts the lives of students who are not vaccinated. Unvaccinated students will need to undergo regular testing in order to comply with the law and participate in the above activities. Presently, PCR tests in France cost 49 Euros and antigen tests are 29 Euros and are subject to change. Use of the health pass is legally in effect until July 2022, and will likely affect multiple countries throughout the European Union.

Housing

Students on the Nantes, France program who are fully vaccinated will have the option of either living in a homestay (which includes breakfast daily plus five evening meals per week) or single-occupancy housing in an apartment building. For homestay placements, we strive to only place students in homes where all individuals in the home are fully vaccinated.

The option for single-occupancy housing in an apartment building is intended to limit risk of exposure to COVID-19 for students who are unvaccinated. Unvaccinated students will not have the option to do a homestay.

Learn more about the overarching housing policies for Fall 2021.

Field Trips

Across all IES Abroad programs, field trips will stay local and regional this fall. Your fields trips will all take place in France, which means you’ll get fully immersed in the culture(s) you came for! Possible trips include:

• Clisson
• Guérande and the Marais Salants
• Loire Valley Castles
• Mont Saint-Michel and Saint Malo
• Île-aux-Moines and the Morbihan Gulf

Our Center

Our Center in Nantes is your go-to spot for classes, student services, and information. Serving as your campus away from campus, you can feel safe going to class or checking in with an IES Abroad staff member because, at a minimum, IES Abroad Centers will undergo daily cleaning and disinfection by professional cleaning services.

Cost

Cost details for Fall 2021 can be found on the Cost tab. Be sure to click through the linked total to view a thorough cost breakdown PDF. Consider those prices as a starting point. We encourage you to contact your study abroad office to determine the actual cost to you when factoring in financial aid, scholarships, your home school policies, and other factors.

Go Ahead & Get Started…With a Refund Policy that has your Back

As a mission-driven, not-for-profit, we are guided by two priorities as we navigate Fall 2021: to leave the door open for your opportunity to study abroad, and to strive to keep you safe and healthy. So, what’s our advice? Give yourself the chance to have an incredible adventure—even if it’s a bit different than planned!—and know we’re right alongside you as the details unfold.

And thanks to our Fall 2021 Refund Policy, there’s no commitment just yet. What’s more, once you start an application, you’ll be in the loop and hear directly from us if any changes are made to your program.

Program Details for Spring 2022

Looking ahead to Spring 2022, there will likely be some aspects of the pandemic that we are still navigating—and that’s okay! Program details may need to pivot as conditions shift, but throughout that experience our commitment to do right by you will guide the way. While it might look different from other study abroad terms, that doesn’t mean Spring 2022 won’t be the most incredible semester of your life!

We’re working hard to keep you safe and well, so you can focus on what you came to do—live, learn, and have some fun abroad. Below is a summary of the main tweaks to the program this semester, which may be updated as more details become known. You can learn even more about our measures for all programs on our Spring 2022 Health & Safety page.

Academics & Partner Universities

Know that you’ll still be learning from the best of the best this spring. On our Nantes – French Language, Immersion, and Area Studies Program, you’ll have the option to take courses taught by world-class IES Abroad faculty at our Center and/or potentially from one of our partner universities.

Once available, the IES Abroad course list will be posted below:

Health & Safety Protocols

Starting this spring, IES Abroad will require that students participating in our study abroad programs and in-person internship programs abroad be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 prior to the start of their program. Read more in our Vaccine Policy.

We’re making sure that your learning experience is a safe one so you can focus on the topic at hand. IES Abroad is taking proactive measures based on the local health and safety guidelines of your study abroad location. As more information for Nantes becomes available, we will provide updates here and in your predeparture guide, which you’ll gain access to after applying. In the meantime, review safety measures we have taken with students this fall, some of which may extend into your experience.

• limiting class enrollment sizes
• adjusting space layout and room choice
• and promoting student/faculty use of personal protective equipment (PPE).

Vaccines & Daily Life

Currently, France is implementing use of a health pass (“pass sanitaire”) to go to café terraces, restaurants, cinemas, theatres, libraries, museums, other venues, as well as airplanes, intercity trains, TGV trains, and long-distance buses.

To obtain a health pass, you will need to:

• Be fully vaccinated, and provide documentation of vaccination (Note that you will not be able to receive a vaccine while in France),
• Have been PCR or antigen tested (valid for 72 hours)
• Or provide medical documentation of recovery/proof of anti-bodies that is less than six months old

This ruling dramatically impacts the lives of students who are not vaccinated. Unvaccinated students will need to undergo regular testing in order to comply with the law and participate in the above activities. Presently, PCR tests in France cost 49 Euros and antigen tests are 29 Euros and are subject to change. Use of the health pass is legally in effect until July 2022, and will likely affect multiple countries throughout the European Union.

We know stepping into the unknown is part of your study abroad experience but know that you’re never alone and we’ll always have your back.

Housing

• Homestay:  While in Nantes, you will have the immersive experience of French living as you live with a local family in one of our homestay placements. Due to European Union privacy laws, which prevent us from asking homestay hosts directly about their vaccination status and sharing it with others, we cannot guarantee and state that all hosts are vaccinated. Our staff in Nantes are working with longtime hosts, people we have known for years, who share their vaccination status voluntarily.

Learn more about the overarching housing policies for Spring 2022.

Field Trips
So much of the study abroad learning experience happens outside of the classroom. Our field trips and course-related excursions help you explore the ins and outs of your city and local region, adding real-life context to what you’ve read about in textbooks for years. Possible trips include:

• Chateau de la Loire
• Normandie
• Mont Saint Michel et Saint Malo
• Clisson

Internships
Our optional, part-time internships and teaching placement programs have always been designed to give you experience in what it's really like to work in Nantes. For Spring 2022, while you’re living and studying on-site, internships may be completely online, a hybrid virtual/in-person experience, or completely in-person. It depends on a variety of factors, including country and employer-specific protocols. This uncertainty is something that every employee around the world has had to navigate in the wake of COVID-19, and it all adds to the real-life experience you’ll gain from working overseas! One thing is for sure, though—enrolling in an internship this spring will help you gain a professional edge.

Our Center
Our Center in Nantes is your go-to spot for classes, student services, and information. Serving as your campus away from campus, you can feel safe going to class or checking in with an IES Abroad staff member because, at a minimum, IES Abroad Centers will undergo daily cleaning and disinfection by professional cleaning services.

Cost

Once available, cost details for Spring 2022 can be found on the “Cost” tab. Be sure to click through the linked total to view a thorough cost-breakdown PDF. Consider those prices as a starting point. We encourage you to contact your study abroad office to determine the actual cost to you when factoring in financial aid, scholarships, your home school policies, and other considerations.