I had a great time abroad, and I will never forget my time in Europe. July 07, 2026
By A student (Wellesley College) - abroad from 01/12/2026 to 05/13/2026 with
SAI Study Abroad: Paris - American University of Paris (AUP)
I learned how to travel and budget better. These are two important skills that I think will help me in the long run.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I think the classes were quite manageable, and the professors were very kind, accessible, and gave good feedback. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Administration was able to help with any need I had, specifically regarding technology issues, library usage, and medical insurance. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I had a kind RA and neighbors. The facilities were nice, but sometimes the other students struggled to clean up properly. |
| * Food: |
I cooked for myself mostly, but found some delicious restaurants as well. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I spoke with locals for food and in some small conversations. My French is a work in progress, but I was able to get great practice. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Did not have health issues. |
| * Safety: |
I felt very safe most of the time. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I am grateful for the friends I made, and the progress I made with my French. I also got to explore Paris beyond the tourist-y locations, which is amazing. |
Finances
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* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?
(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
Needed more money than I had, but my parents were able to help support me. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | ~$7,500 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | If you want to be stress-free, I'd recommend 7-9k saved. Paris is particularly pricey as well. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
Spoke in French every class for 85-90% of the class. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Beginner |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | French II in high school |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Speak as much as you can in that language. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? |
A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Paris is expensive. I'm not a shopper, but I still spent a good amount of money. Shop at Aldi's for groceries! |
