Paris Academia welcomes intellectually driven high school students to learn from the finest teachers, scholars, and industry professionals at the American University of Paris, located in the heart of the 7th arrondissement. This summer program offers students a full Parisian university experience as they choose an academic major and minor, pursue subjects in the company of motivated peers, and engage with course material under the guidance of distinguished educators and academics.
Combine with a second session at Paris, Yale, or Oxford to save $1,000.
Grades 9–12
Motivated rising 9th graders will also be considered
The American University of Paris is a vibrant urban campus, nestled in the heart of Paris’ 7th arrondissement. Some buildings overlook the Seine on the Quai d’Orsay, while others are tucked into the quiet St. Dominique neighborhood a few blocks away, between the Invalides and the Champ de Mars and Eiffel Tower. A mix of elegant historic structures and modern, state-of-the-art facilities, students are immersed in university life and inspired by the full Parisian experience.
As one of the oldest American educational institutions in Europe, and the first in France, the American University of Paris is the ideal location to pursue academics and the arts in one of the world’s most intellectually stimulating cities. This summer, students will find inspiration in Paris’ vibrant social and cultural scene, following in the footsteps of world leaders, scientists, artists, and researchers—on the banks of the Seine, in the Musée d’Orsay up the street, at La Bourse, the French stock exchange, and more.
Each day features a combination of seminars, hands-on activities and workshops, lab time, guest speakers, community meeting, and unstructured time for socializing and reflection. Part of the Paris Academia experience includes commuting with friends and instructors to and from campus, a 20-minute walk or short bus ride, immersing students in an urban existence in the charming and richly historic heart of Paris.
After breakfast, depending on the day, seminar learning may begin in classrooms, labs, or meeting spaces. After lunch taken independently in small peer groups, seminars continue. Afternoons and evenings offer opportunities for students to explore Paris and their interests beyond seminar topics through elective workshops, take part in exciting extracurricular activities, or work on their independent projects.
After dinner, students and instructors from all seminars convene for evening activities, which may include programming such as a keynote address, taking in a local play or concert, or an activity such as strolling the streets of Paris or a night visit to a museum. On the final days of the program, students focus on completing their independent projects, which they then present to the program community.
On weekends, either with their seminar groups or on staff-led excursions, students have the opportunity to leave the city limits to visit Versailles Castle and wander its extensive gardens; to take in the stained glass of Chartres Cathedral with an art historian who has dedicated his career to a study of the stories depicted in the glass; take a guided bicycle trip along the quais of the Seine; or hike up the hill to take in sunset from Sacré-Coeur.
Catherine Down, Food & Travel Writer
Catherine is a James Beard-nominated freelance food and travel writer who has written for The New York Times, Condé Nast Traveler, Eater, The Food Network, Travel & Luxury, TripAdvisor, and McSweeney’s, among others. Over the years, she has shepherded thousands of travelers to the best food in France through her work as a culinary tour guide. Before moving to Paris, she founded and edited Edible DC Magazine. Since earning her master’s in food culture and communication in Italy, she now writes, eats, and lives in Paris.
Alexis Tadié, Professor of English Literature
Alexis is a distinguished scholar, writer, and public intellectual, and author of many books. His work focuses on literature and its philosophical dimensions when it travels to other parts of the world such as India or the Middle East, and when it is confronted with social practices such as sports. Currently, he is Professor of English Literature at the University of Paris-Sorbonne and a senior fellow of the Institut Universitaire de France. He has also served as the French cultural attaché in the French Embassy in Syria, and as the director of Doctoral Studies for Modern Languages at the Sorbonne.
Ziad Majed, Political Scientist
Ziad is the Elliott E. Burdette Professor of Middle Eastern Studies at the American University of Paris. He teaches history, politics, and international relations. After graduating with a degree in economics from the American University of Beirut, he earned a master's degree in Arabic literature and a Ph.D. in political science from Sciences Po Paris. Majed has been involved in research and reform campaigns related to political processes, civil society issues, women's rights and social justice in Lebanon and the Middle East since 1994.
Students enjoy breakfast in a common space in their dorm.
Major seminars meet in classrooms, labs, or off-campus at museums and sites around Paris.
Get a sandwich or a bowl of soup with classmates in a cafe or the neighborhood market.
Major seminars continue.
Explore the 7th arrondissement and take in indigenous art at the Musée du Quai Branly
Join friends and faculty for a typical French dinner in a bistrot
Attend an evening guest lecture, take in a jazz concert in a Parisian cafe, or attend a presentation focused on French Impressionism by an art historian
Paris Academia is based at the American University of Paris, where seminars meet daily. Students and residential faculty stay together in single or double rooms in private university apartments in a beautifully renovated hôtel particulier on the Champs-Élysées, a short commute from campus or a second dorm in the exquisite Marché de Passy neighborhood. We begin each day with a French continental breakfast. Lunches are a combination of cafés, restaurants, and picnics. Students can buy picnic supplies in the Rue Cler market and eat under the Eiffel Tower, or grab a sandwich in a café in the Rue St. Dominique. Please note that lunches are not included in the tuition. Dinners are organized by the program at local restaurants.
The program dates reflect the days that students commence, and consequently complete, travel to and from their program. For Paris, this assumes students will fly on an overnight flight to Europe.
Students are responsible for arranging travel to and from the program. For students wishing to travel accompanied by an Academia staff member, families may choose to book a ticket on an identified Escorted Flight from New York (JFK). Alternatively, families may book a different flight and arrive using our arrival and departure window guidelines. For students arriving at and departing from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport during the designated arrival window, Paris Academia will arrange group transportation to/from the American University of Paris residence. This fee is $40 each way.
Combine with a second session at Paris, Yale, or Oxford to save $1,000.
Grades 9–12
Motivated rising 9th graders will also be considered
