Frequently Asked Questions

What is CampusFrance?
CampusFrance is a service provided by the Embassy of France to Americans and U.S. residents who wish to pursue their higher studies in France.

Who is affected by CampusFrance?
American students or foreign students living in the USA

• who have obtained a French baccalauréat or an American or foreign high-school diploma;
• who would like to pursue higher studies in France;
• who plan on spending more than 3 months in France for their studies.

How much does CampusFrance cost?
The cost of CampusFrance is $70 for study-abroad students and $120 for students who are applying directly to a school in France. The visa application fee for students has now been lowered to 50€ (for more information go to the French Consulate of your region’s website).

Can I change my course selection when I arrive in France?
When you arrive in France, you will have your first individual conference with the resident director to begin planning your program. She will discuss with you any new documentation she has for the courses and institutions you listed on the tentative program form you filled out in the U.S. or discuss other possibilities if necessary. At the beginning of November and March, you will be asked to fill out an individual schedule of courses. This schedule will be sent to your home college advisor and will be used to write your official transcript. Any changes after that date must be approved in writing by the resident director. If a student drops a course to substitute another, the new course will only be reported on the final transcript. On the other hand, if a student drops a course, but does not replace it, the grade will be recorded as an F. Please note that this was recommended by the Advisory Committee of the Sweet Briar College Junior Year in France.

May I take a studio art course? Does this cost extra?
We call your attention to the fact that the Junior Year in France overall fee does not include the cost of individual art, dance and music instruction which do not result in academic credit [see the JYF Bulletin, p. 10.] Piano recitals and studio supplies are generally not covered. Except for majors in art, music, dance, theater and other performing arts, students will be allowed to take only one studio course per semester within a total of five courses: a studio course cannot be a sixth course. A studio art major may take two studio art courses within the total of five courses.
The Junior Year in France grants credit for studio courses on the same basis as other courses, i.e. one unit of credit for a course meeting approximately 3 hours per week for a semester. However students should be aware of the policy of their own home institution: some schools will not grant full credit for such courses and may require more hours of presence. Other schools will not grant academic credit for studio courses taken in France. Please check your school’s policy.

May I travel to France independently? May I live independently? Is this deducted from the total fee?
Yes — Fall and academic year students traveling independently should plan to meet the group in Tours in late August. (Spring semester students should arrive in Paris mid-January — dates to be announced). They cannot join the group at Charles de Gaulle airport since the number of seats on the busses is limited and the busses are supplied by the travel agent for the exclusive use of students traveling with the group. Students traveling independently must also handle their own baggage. Extra baggage cannot be sent with the group, nor can the Paris office assume any responsibility for the storage of baggage. Specific instructions on traveling from Paris to Tours will be provided.

In the past, certain students have had their own apartments or studios or have chosen to live with relatives, family friends, etc. If you prefer this option to living with a family, you must settle this in writing with the Virginia office by May 15 (Nov. 10 for spring semester students). We will require your parents’ and your college’s approval.
In this case you must find your own accommodation and make your own financial arrangements; the bill you will receive from the Junior Year in France of your college will reflect a credit for independent room and board. If you have not yet found housing by the time the group moves to Paris, we will help you find a cheap hotel where you can stay until you find a studio or an apartment.

Are there scholarships? How do I apply?
Federal financial aid (Pell grants, Stafford loans, etc.) is available to students who can demonstrate need. In 2012-2013 the maximum total of subsidized and unsubsidized Stafford loans for juniors was $7,500. 

In 2012-2013 a total of $30,500 in direct grants, ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 was available to well-qualified students with demonstrated needs. This aid came from funds supported by alumni, alumnae, friends of the Junior Year in France and matching grants from corporations: the R. John Matthew Scholarship Fund, the Robert G. Marshall 25^th Anniversary Fund, the Bates Memorial Fund, the Phillip Frost Endowed Scholarship Fund, as well as contributions to the Financial Aid Operating Budget.

The student's home college will normally process the federal financial aid application. Students should therefore first contact their own financial aid office. Many colleges allow their institutional aid to be applied to the Junior Year in France.

Students who need assistance but cannot get it from their college should request the special information sheet from the Junior Year in France. In order to qualify for direct grants from the Junior Year in France, students should file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or a "Renewal" FAFSA as soon as possible after Jan. 1 and send a photocopy to the Junior Year in France.

Which address in France do I give on the visa form?

• Paris students use the office address: 34, rue de fleurus, Paris 75006
• Nice students use the office address:
  

  Junior Year in France, Sweet Briar College
  Campus Carlone, Université de Nice
  LASH
  98, bd Edouard Herriot
  BP 3209
  06204 NICE Cedex 3, FRANCE

May I request a particular host family?
You may try but there is no guarantee. The associate director places students based on the detailed housing questionnaire sent to JYF headquarters.

Do I need to bring bedding and towels?
Bedding is provided by the host family. However, you may want to bring a large towel since you will be traveling to youth hostels, which very often do not provide them.

What kind of gift do I bring my host family?
You may bring a small gift made in the USA from your local town, such as candy, ceramics, a book about your town, etc.

Are internships available?
Internships are available in February for year or spring semester students. If you wish an internship, send an email to the JYF office indicating the special area in which you would like to work (i.e. politics, the arts, film, science, etc.). There is no guarantee that the internship director can find the exact work you want, but she will try. You will have time to meet with the internship director upon arrival in Paris.

How will I know my level for courses?
Don’t worry, we are very careful to place students in the correct levels. When you arrive, you will meet with the resident director, Mme Marie Gree, who is in charge of advising each student based on his/her academic level. If you wish to take courses in literature at the Sorbonne, for example, we may place you in the niveau Licence. This is equivalent to the 300-level in the United States.

Do I need to prepare an audition piece for my music courses?
You will be advised in Tours during the two weeks’ orientation. We will likely enroll you in courses at the Schola Cantorum, which are excellent. You will be asked to audition, but it is not necessary to bring a recording of yourself. However, if you wish to do so, it always helps to have additional information.

How do I list the credit hours/points/units I will be receiving for each course I take?
A normal course load is four (4) academic courses per semester for which we offer one unit of credit. Most universities award between 3-4 semester hour credits per course. However, you should check with your home institution’s registrar’s office for specifics.

Should I buy a cell phone when I arrive in France?
We highly recommend that students buy cell phones in France. They are fairly inexpensive and cost of calls is much cheaper. If you bring a phone from the United States, you will usually be charged a roaming fee for all calls. You must also purchase a mobicarte, a phone card containing a certain number of minutes (i.e. 20, 40, 50, 100). The phone is charged using the code on the card. Some French companies allow students to purchase a monthly plan which is cheaper than using a mobicarte. JYF staff will advise students upon arrival about the various plans.