At a Glance
Academic Programs Abroad (APA) specializes in boutique, French-immersion programs that place you in university classrooms, homestays, and curated cultural activities across Paris, Rabat, and Dakar. All tracks—semester, year, summer, or gap year—are conducted primarily in French and designed for a human-sized cohort, ensuring personalized language support and a close-knit community.

APA Spring 2024 students pause on a bike ride at the Loire Valley’s Château de Chambord—one of many weekend cultural excursions that reinforce their French-immersion coursework.
Why French Immersion Works
Host-family living and all-French coursework accelerate proficiency by surrounding you with 8–12 hours of authentic language input daily—a model researchers link to the biggest oral-fluency gains. Living with locals also deepens cross-cultural competence, which Frontiers Journal scholars call a key predictor of long-term language retention.
Destination Spotlights
Paris, France
- Programs: Semester/Year, Gap Year, August Intensive, Summer Internships.
- Academics: Direct-enroll at the Sorbonne and other Parisian universities alongside French peers.
- Signature outing: Weekly “cours-conférences” to museums, political debates, and theatre performances, all in French.
- Student voice: “I gained immense confidence in my French and endless opportunities to use it.” —Brandeis student review.
Rabat, Morocco
- Program: Six-week “Contemporary Maghreb” summer or part of the semester-long multi-country track.
- Academics: Courses on North African politics, Arabic language add-ons, and field visits to NGOs and Parliament.
- Immersion twist: Live with a Moroccan family and practice both French and Darija Arabic at home.

Rooftop moment in Morocco: APA participants soak in Rabat’s skyline during a French-Arabic immersion excursion that fuses cultural discovery with language practice.
Dakar, Senegal
- Programs: Semester/Year at Institut Supérieur de Management (ISM) plus a stand-alone six-week summer.
- Course highlights: Business, social sciences, and STEM delivered in French or English, plus in-house courses taught by UCAD professors and scholars.
- Cultural add-ons: Weekly artistic events, Wolof lessons, and excursions to Gorée Island and the Sine Saloum Delta.
Shared Program Pillars
Homestays & Mentoring
Every student is placed with a vetted host family and paired with a linguistic tutor—an approach proven to boost confidence, language skills, and independence abroad.
Internships & Service
From research at the Institut Pasteur in Paris, to Dakar social enterprises, or projects with the Haitian diaspora in the Maghreb, APA matches qualified French speakers with credit-bearing internships each summer. These professional experiences are ideal for students interested in global health, international relations, development studies, and cross-cultural education.
Scholarships & Cost
APA awards need-based scholarships up to €3,000 per term and offers billing through U.S. home-school financial aid offices, making study abroad in France, Senegal, or Morocco accessible for students from all backgrounds.

APA students take in panoramic views of Burgundy from a Gothic cathedral tower balcony during a program excursion.
How to Apply
Most programs require intermediate French (B1) and a 3.0 GPA. Rolling admissions mean you can apply at any time, and early applicants are eligible for discounts. If you’re not sure whether you’re ready, pre-application interviews are a great way to confirm your language skills are on track and ensure the program is the right fit. Don’t be afraid to start your application—no one is perfect, and APA’s supportive environment will help you thrive.
Ready to expand your world and boost your French fluency? Explore our programs, connect with an advisor, and apply today at Apaparis.com/apply