University of Auckland students have the opportunity to study at six partner universities in France: Jean Moulin – Lyon 3 University (incl. Law), INSA Rennes (Sciences Only), Paris-Sorbonne University (Paris IV), Sciences Po, Paris, Toulouse Business School, University of La Rochelle
Let’s hear what our students have to say…
“Definitely go on exchange, but think about what you want to get out of it. For example, friends that went to American universities found it was a very intense academic experience, while my experience was more a mix of study, travel and experiencing French culture.” – Gabriella Garcia, Jean Moulin – Lyon 3 University
“On my first tour around the city I fell in love with its majestic grey buildings, historical monuments and the sound of Parisians chatting on the streets. I could understand why people call Paris one of the most beautiful cities in the world.” – Catherine Jang, Sciences Po, Paris
“The exchange was the first proper travelling that I have ever done and as such has broadened my opinions on the world and allowed me to get a better idea of our own, somewhat insignificant place in the world as New Zealanders.” – Daniel McDougall, Jean Moulin – Lyon 3 University
“My year in Paris flew by with many ups and downs but it was an incredible experience which I will cherish forever. I learnt so much, not just academically, and it broadened my horizon on the world. I’m also really grateful to have friends all over the world who understand what it’s like to live in Paris as a student.” – Catherine Jang, Sciences Po, Paris
On Culture
“Enjoy the fantastic food, wine and architecture that France has to offer!” – Elise Franklin, Jean Moulin – Lyon 3 University
“The city itself is very old, dating back to Antiquity, with ancient ruins dotted around the relatively younger buildings in the typical French style. Lyon is also lauded as the gastronomic capital of the world, and it is very easy to see (and taste!) why. The streets are dotted with bouchons – little bistros serving traditional food – and daily marchés where you can buy fresh produce, wine, and local delicacies. Everyone looks to Paris when they think of France, but for me, Lyon is a hidden gem! There is so much to do in the city, from the many musées and art galleries, to the beautiful Basilica of Our Lady of Fourvière on the hill, to Parc de la Tête d’Or, a giant park in the north of the city that holds the zoo, botanical gardens, and a large lake.” – Samantha Aramal, Jean Moulin – Lyon 3 University
“Many an afternoon, evening, and wee hours of the morning were spent relaxing along the edges of the Rhône and the Saône, enjoying fresh market fruits or a bottle of wine (or two). French life is very easy to assimilate to – even if you find yourself surrounded by a bevy of international students instead of French ones. Picnics were a staple of life there, with all the cheeses you could ever want and fresh baguette for 1 euro.” – Susy Neighbour, Jean Moulin – Lyon 3 University
“I loved Lyon and France. Lyon is beautiful, big enough to be exciting and have lots to see and do, but not massive so that it is daunting and expensive. Much more relaxed than Paris and much cheaper and cleaner. Highly recommended. So easy to get around with plenty of public transport options and unlimited use of them with your student transport card – around 30 euro a month. There is also a public bike system, which some of my friends used exclusively.” – Gabriella Garcia, Jean Moulin – Lyon 3 University
“French people love food and they really know how to enjoy every moment of their meal. There are cafes, restaurants, boulangeries and patisseries everywhere in the city and most of them are usually crowded. My favourite food was the baguette, anyone who visits France must try it! When you bite into it the crust crackles under your teeth and the bread inside is moist and chewy and it melts on your tongue.” – Catherine Jang, Sciences Po Paris
On Orientation
“Sciences Po offers a Welcome Programme to introduce you to other students and teach you about approaching assignments (who knew the French could structure an essay completely differently to the rest of the world?!). Unfortunately it isn’t included in your fees, and it’s pretty expensive for what it is. However, it is very useful for meeting people, so it’s probably worth splashing out on.” – Jessica Storey, Sciences Po Paris
“The orientation programme was an excellent chance to meet other students from all over the world. We came from different countries and had different upbringings but we were all incredibly excited about the adventure that was waiting for us.” – Catherine Jang, Sciences Po Paris
“There are other opportunities, especially in the 1st week, to meet new people in organised social gatherings (parties, language exchange groups, and clubs of all sorts). The student support office – I found to be supportive.” – Yohan Ryoo, Sciences Po, Paris
“There was a fairly comprehensive orientation once we started university including info like how to get transport cards etc., although since most of us had already been there a week or so we had figured out that information for ourselves already!” – Gabriella Garcia, Jean Moulin – Lyon 3 University
On Housing
“For anyone going to France on exchange, I highly recommend the CROUS accommodation. It is government subsidised housing for students, and very cheap. I think I paid approximately NZ$100 a week, including power and internet – a bargain compared to Auckland! In comparison, my friends in Lyon who were flatting in apartments paid anywhere from $200-350 per week, for a very small room. My room in CROUS had its own bathroom, and each floor of the building had a kitchen. The only disadvantage is that it was quite far from uni, as the residences cater for students from all different universities, so are scattered all over the city.” – Elise Franklin, Jean Moulin – Lyon 3 University
“It is recommended that you wait until you arrive to find an apartment, because online scams are common. I also had one friend arrive to discover her apartment didn’t have a single window! Try joining the Sciences Po exchange group on Facebook to find potential flatmates. Also be aware that although the area around Sciences Po is historically the student quarter, it’s now one of the priciest in Paris.” – Jessica Storey, Sciences Po Paris
“I booked short term accommodation before I arrived and then looked for a flat/shared apartment once I arrived in Lyon. I had heard that the student residences were mostly international students and expensive so I wanted to live in a flat with French people, which was also a lot cheaper. I found a really nice apartment with two lovely French girls within a week, although I did visit Lyon at the beginning of August (with semester starting in September) in order to arrange it, as there was a lot more competition and stress towards the end of August as a lot of other students arrived. You could also try to arrange a flat before arriving in Lyon by offering to do Skype interviews/tours, but it is nice to see the area you will be living in etc.” – Gabriella Garcia, Jean Moulin – Lyon 3 University
“Sciences Po has an office and a website to help students look for accommodation. There is also a bulletin board inside the school building with housing and job advertisements. Every semester Sciences Po receives hundreds of exchange students and they offer us lots of services to help us settle into Paris.” – Catherine Jang, Sciences Po, Paris
On Academics
“At Lyon 3 there are two options for exchange students; SELF or DEUF. I participated in the SELF programme, which is entirely taught in English. I didn’t speak a word of French when I arrived, which made things very challenging – I would highly recommend learning some French before you go if possible.” – Elise Franklin, Jean Moulin – Lyon 3 University
“As classes are taught in just one long block per week, you usually just have one class per day. This was good in a way, as it meant you have a lot of free time, but sitting in one lecture for 3-4 hours instead of having it split over a couple of days is pretty tedious!” – Elise Franklin, Jean Moulin – Lyon 3 University
“Classes are generally small, very interactive, and only two hours a week, giving you plenty of free time to explore and travel” – Jessica Storey, Sciences Po Paris
“The university structure in France is definitely unique, and unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. Depending on the level and paper you take, lectures range from one to three hours a week, with no tutorials. There are secretaries for each subject, and depending on the class, you have to go through them to get enrolled. Getting your head around how things work can take some time, but luckily Lyon is a popular destination for exchange students, so there are always many other students going through the same things as you! The courses at the university don’t have a heavy course load, which was great, because for me that meant more time to travel, and to explore Lyon!” – Samantha Aramal, Jean Moulin – Lyon 3 University
“The courses at Sciences Po were really different to UoA, they were much more essay based, ideological and in some ways more thought provoking. Seemingly there was no standardisation of courses from year to year, so I really felt like I was learning something unique, especially as many of the classes were lead in a discussion style. This really pushes people to have an opinion on the subject and explain their thinking in front of the class – something that French people are very good at and which took a while to get used to. Your public speaking and presentations definitely improve at Sci Po” – Emma Ogilvie, Sciences Po, Paris
“I took a mixture of courses in French and English and I often felt very intimidated in my French courses. However, my classmates and lecturers were really helpful and encouraging and I learnt to push myself to practise my French, instead of giving in to my fears.” – Catherine Jang, Sciences Po Paris
On Travel
“I fell in love with Lyon the minute I arrived. Lyon is an amazing city with tons to do. Buses are very cheap to go to nearby destinations, as are trains if you book them well in advance. There is also a website called blabla car which offers cheap carpooling for places that are hard to get to by public transport – I highly recommend this.” – Elise Franklin, Jean Moulin – Lyon 3 University
“I had been hoping to study in France ever since I started university, and a 360 exchange at Sciences Po gave me the perfect opportunity to spend six months in Paris (not to mention side trips to Sweden, Latvia and Portugal, to name just a few).” – Jessica Storey, Sciences Po Paris
“Looking back on my exchange, Lyon was definitely one of my favourite places that I visited in Europe and I cannot wait to return there one day. It is a city rich in history and culture, and if travelling and exploring is a priority for your exchange, then Lyon is definitely the perfect place!” – Samantha Aramal, Jean Moulin – Lyon 3 University
“The ease of travel is one thing European’s don’t seem to value as much as New Zealanders, as we’d catch cheap coaches around Italy, Spain, France, and more.” – Susy Neighbour, Jean Moulin – Lyon 3 University
“Being in France meant that I was just a cheap flight away from many other European countries which are all amazing in themselves! Four day weekends meant that I could make the most of quick trips around the continent.” – Phoebe Moses, Jean Moulin – Lyon 3 University
