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You can choose to live with either a French host family, in an apartment, the Observatoire, or dormitory. Each housing option has its own benefits—your choice will depend on your personal preferences and priorities. Your housing decision should be made when you submit your confirmation materials. While the staff does their best to accommodate the preference of the student, housing requests are subject to availability.
Read the descriptions carefully
before making your housing decision. You will receive additional information,
including your placement, closer to your departure.
NOTE: Students with special dietary needs (such as vegetarians)
and those with severe allergic reactions to cats should select the
apartment, Observatoire, or dormitory option, and must budget for the costs listed
under these options. In some instances, homestays cannot accommodate special dietary
needs and many families in France have cats.
Program Fee
Your program fee is determined by your housing
option. Refer to the current budget estimate and take careful note
of the costs and additional expenses you will need to prepare for,
depending on the housing option you select.
Pre-Session Housing
Fall Semester & Academic Year Students
Students participating in the pre-session will live in the dorms for the pre-session
and then move to their permanent housing.
Students not participating in the pre-session will stay in a hotel (arranged and paid for by the program) for the first night. Students then move into their permanent housing.
Spring Semester Students
All students stay in a hotel (arranged and paid for by the program) for the first
night. Students then move into their permanent housing.
Homestay
Homestays are a vital connection to local culture and social life and provide students with the opportunity to experience daily life of the French from a first-hand perspective. Host families are carefully selected by the on-site housing coordinator and the on-site director.
In general, French family life is different from American family life, and families in France are as diverse as families in the US. A homestay family could be made up of a married couple with children, a single woman, or a married couple whose children have moved away.
Students receive breakfast and dinner during the week and all meals on the weekend. Housing is not provided during program breaks unless specifically arranged.
Host families are usually located in the suburbs, approximately 45 minutes from the city center and from campus. Transportation is more limited in the evenings, but the tram does run until midnight. This housing option is best suited for students who wish to maximize their linguistic development through regular family contact and who can adapt to a French family's lifestyle and schedule.
The level of integration each student experiences with their host family will vary—some families will go
to great lengths to make you feel welcome and part of the family;
others may have a more independent approach. Although you may not
like all aspects of the family’s habits or lifestyle, view
this as a cultural and learning experience as well as an invaluable
opportunity to speak French. Living with a family will require you
to adjust to habits and constraints you may not be used to. Students who
prefer a more independent lifestyle should select one of the
other housing options.
Apartment
Apartments are usually in town and are an approximately 30 - 45 minute commute to the University and downtown Montpellier.
Students share the apartment with two to four other students from the program, often with two people sharing a bedroom. The program fee for this option does not include meals, utilities, or the apartment deposit. Please see the budget estimate for additional costs.
This is a good option for students with special dietary needs and students who intend to have an active social life with frequent evenings out.
Observatoire
The Observatoire is a student residence with basic single, studio rooms. Students will have a private bathroom and basic kitchenette as well as a single bed and desk.
The Observatoire is located in downtown Montpellier and students will have an approximate commute of 30-45 minutes to the University.
Students will need to purchase their own food and do their own cooking. Utilities are included in the program fee, however, students will need to pay the $500 apartment deposit.
This is not a good option for a student seeking a social community as most students stay in their rooms and do not socialize in the common spaces.
Dormitory
The university dormitory is conveniently located near the Paul Valéry campus. Students are placed in a single room. There are no cooking facilities, but there is a cafeteria. Bathrooms are co-ed and located on each floor.
Dormitories are typically reserved for financially-needy international graduate degree students, and there is almost no social life in the dormitories. The program has only two dormitory rooms per semester, and students should only request this option if they have significant financial need and are extremely independent. The program fee for this option does not include meals.
This is not a good option for any student seeking a social community.
During the summer and pre-session, the dormitory is socially active and is inhabited by US and international students participating in the language programs at the Institute for Foreign Students.
Last modified on August 21, 2009 |