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Paris Summer - Internship
$6+ Million in Scholarships & Aid
Academics
Before you go, we work with you to fine-tune your résumé, perfect your cover letter, and hone your communication and interview skills as we prepare you for working in a new cultural environment. You’ll be guaranteed a placement at a local business or organization that fits your professional interests.
Academic Seminar
While working in Paris, you will enroll in a required 3- or 6-credit academic internship seminar with other IES interns, where you’ll gain context for your internship placement by examining cultural issues in the workplace.
Topics covered include:
- Understanding workplace culture
- Improving communication
- Strengthening work attitude and aptitude
- Navigating issues, challenges, and opportunities so you can succeed on the job in Paris and when you return home
You may also enroll in an optional 3-credit French language course taught at the Center.
Personalized Placements
Your internship coordinator will work with you to find a placement in the field of your choice. We’ve placed past interns at companies and organizations in the following fields:
- Business Development
- Marketing
- Media & Communications
- Non-Governmental Organizations
- Social Organizations
- Start-ups
- Tourism
Don’t see your field listed here? Just talk to your IES Internships Advisor. We are always finding new opportunities.
Courses
These courses are taught at the IES Abroad Center by local faculty.
To learn more about IES Abroad’s innovative theoretical and pedagogical approaches to teaching language abroad, refer to the IES Abroad MAP for Language & Intercultural Communication.
| Course Name | Term | Language | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| FR 221 - French for Professions: Novice Abroad I-III | Summer | French | 3 |
| FR 321 - French for Professions: Emerging Independent Abroad I-III | Summer | French | 3 |
| Course Name | Term | Language | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| IN 395 - Leading Across Cultures: Internship Seminar | Summer | English | 3 |
| IN 395 - Leading Across Cultures: Internship Seminar | Summer | English | 6 |
Field Trips & Events
Even though your adventure starts in Paris, our field trips and course-related trips take you outside the city to discover the culture and traditions of your host country and beyond. These trips are subsidized by IES Abroad. Here are a few possible destinations.
Giverny
1 Day | Summer
Visit artist Claude Monet’s home in the beautiful village of Giverny and walk through the spectacular gardens that gave him so much inspiration. Monet’s water lily paintings and many others were painted here.
Normandy
1 Day | Summer
A morning train ride takes us to the historic beaches of Normandy. Explore museums and discover the harbor remains in the town of Arromanches, followed by a visit to Omaha Beach and the American Cemetery.
IES Abroad field trip destinations, activities, and lengths of stay may vary according to term and availability.
Daily Life
Part of making you feel at home in Paris is doing our best to help you feel safe and cared for. Whether it is an orientation program that makes you feel prepared, your housing that is well-located and comfortable, or field trips that take you to places off the beaten path—we’re all about our student services.
Orientation
Your program begins at home with our virtual orientation to help you prepare for your IES Abroad experience. Orientation continues once you arrive abroad and introduces you to the IES Abroad Paris staff, your fellow students, and the city of Paris. During the first week of the program, you will begin your language learning experience and participate in activities to meet and bond with others at the same language level.
Housing
We want to make sure that your greatest challenge is deciding which landmarks to see first or discovering the best café—not finding a place to live where you feel comfortable. We do our best to locate housing that is reflective of how the local students are living. Our goal is that when you leave Paris, it will feel like home.
Apartments – Single room in apartment complex, with students accross many floors. Apartments include kitchen facilities. Meals are not included. Laundry and fitness facilities available onsite.
Private Residence Hall – IES has a very limited number of single rooms available in a local private female-only residence hall. You will have a private bathroom, and access to communal spaces shared accross residents.
Get to Know Your New City
Get More Monet For Your Money!
Spend all the time you want in the many museums of Paris like the Musée d’Orsay with cheap ticket prices thanks to your IES Abroad student card.
Bask in the Good Life at the Place des Vosges
This stately square features arched arcades, and gorgeous 17th- and 18th-century apartment buildings surrounding an immaculate garden. Grab a cup of coffee, have a seat on a bench, and take in the surroundings.
Picnic by the Seine
Watch boats and share brie on baguettes with friends, then dance while live bands play on the river banks.
Explore the Parc de la Villette
This massive park is home to a canal, themed gardens, museums, a cinema, and large architectural sculptures.
Encore! Encore! Enjoy the Theatre
Experience ballet and opera performances under a ceiling painted by Marc Chagall at the Palais Garnier opera house.
Program Cost
Consider these 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.
Scholarships & Aid
Featured Scholarships
Summer Need-Based Financial Aid
Open to students who apply to and attend an IES Abroad or IES Internships summer program.
Criteria reviewed to determine award:
- Level of financial need as determined from infromation provided on the application. Priority is given to Pell Grant recipients.
- IES Abroad program location.
- IES Abroad membership status of home campus
Hemera Foundation Summer Social Impact Internship Scholarship
The Hemera Foundation Summer Social Impact Internship Scholarship was initiated by the Hemera Foundation, whose mission is to foster basic human goodness in individuals and society. This Scholarship, which will be sustained through a foundation collaborative, aims to inspire students to make a social impact through summer internships within philanthropic or direct service/social service organizations.
Use our budget worksheet to calculate your costs
$6+ Million in Scholarships & Aid
Our Center
The IES Abroad Paris French Studies Center is located on a bustling market street near the Cimetière du Montparnasse. The area is filled with restaurants, food shops, boutiques, and cafés.
Our Center is your connection point for all things IES Abroad.
- Take your IES Abroad courses in the Center's classrooms
- Meet with staff in their offices
- Study in the library
- Connect with friends in the student foyer
- Enjoy a sunny day sitting in the garden
Other features include: high-speed internet, WiFi, and printer access
Our Staff
Scott Lyngaas, Ph.D.
Center Director
Dr. Scott Lyngaas has been the IES Abroad Paris French Studies Center Director since 2014. Scott came to IES Abroad from Beloit College, where he was Associate Dean and Associate Professor of French. He received his doctorate from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he wrote his dissertation on Francophone historical fiction. In addition to Paris, Dr. Lyngaas has also lived and worked in Aix-en-Provence and Brussels.
Health & Safety
With 70 years of experience, we are proud to set the standard for health and safety in study abroad. Our Chicago-based and on-site staff are all highly trained and experienced in the matters of health, safety, and crisis management. We are here for you from predeparture to your return, and are ready to support you—no matter what time zone you’re in.
In response to COVID-19, enhanced safety guidelines will be implemented this year—such as social distancing and personal protective equipment (PPE) in on-site classes, in-country field trips and travel only, and apartment or residence hall housing (no homestays) that ensures proper space should self-quarantining be necessary.
How We Support You
We plan for "what if" so that you don't have to. From international health insurance included in the cost of your program to highly-trained local staff who can connect you to English-speaking healthcare providers, we are working around the clock to ensure your health and safety while abroad.
Learn more about the support you can expect to receive on our programs, including:
- International health insurance through CISI in the case you need to see a doctor or mental health professional
- 24/7 emergency support whether you encounter an issue while traveling or in your host city
- Location-specific health and safety information presented at orienation by on-site staff
- TripTracker system allowing you to share independent travel plans in case you need to be contacted swiftly in a crisis
- A mandatory cell phone policy so that you can be contacted locally and receive any emergency updates via call or text
- Crisis drills so that you feel prepared to respond to an emergency should one arise
- And more!
Health & Safety Resources
You safety begins with being accurately informed from the moment you're considering study abroad through to the day you return home.
Take note of ways you can maintain your health and stay safe abroad while reviewing our resources, including:
- IES Abroad MAP for Student Health, Safety & Crisis Management
- Study Abroad Safety Tips for Traveling
- IES Abroad Student Blogs on Safety and Mental Health
- And more!
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Contact a Past Student
From budgeting tips to housing insight, IES Abroad Ambassadors volunteer their study abroad and internship experiences and advice.
