Duke in Aix-en-Provence
A 6-WEEK SUMMER FRENCH LANGUAGE INTENSIVE PROGRAM
EARN CREDIT FOR FRENCH 203 & 204 IN ONE SUMMER SESSION
Apply NowDuke in Aix-en-Provence is on Hiatus for Summer 2025 and will return in 2026!
Duke in Aix-en-Provence provides unique and engaging opportunities to develop your knowledge of French language, culture, and literature. Program faculty are committed to excellence and strive to immerse students in an intellectually stimulating curriculum that includes both theoretical and practical approaches to learning.
Morning coursework during this immersion program includes both grammar and vocabulary review and practice, as well as active discussions that incorporate art, film, history, music, and literature. Afternoons are spent exploring the city and the region, either independently or through group excursions with faculty and local guides. Through interaction with host families, local artists, and business owners, you will put your developing language skills into practice while immersing yourself in the day-to-day life of Aix.
Life in Aix
When one thinks of Aix, one imagines its brilliant blue skies, its orange-hued tile roofs, its surrounding fields of lavender and sunflowers, and its majestic granite mountain painted so many times by Cézanne. We’ll get an up-close view of the city’s thriving culture via visits to museums and performing arts spaces, as well as attendance at outdoor summer festivals.
Outside of Aix, you'll have the opportunity to experience France's broad diversity. Visits to the port city of Marseille, the châteaux of the Loire Valley, and the capital city of Paris will enhance your understanding of a global, multicultural France.
PROGRAM FAST FACTS
Location: Aix-en-Provence, France
Term: Summer I
Dates: **On hiatus for Summer 2025 and will return in Summer 2026
Priority Deadline: December 1, then rolling until February 1
Academic Theme(s): French Language and Culture
Credit Type: Duke Credit
Eligibility: Open to students who have completed two semesters of college-level French. Open to Non-Duke students.
Duke Affiliation: Co-sponsored by Duke’s Department of Romance Studies
Housing: Homestay Families
Primary Contacts: Karine Provot, Emma Howell
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The daily, fresh market right in the center of Aix, one minute away from our classroom! Open 7 days a week.
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Savon de Marseille and lavender products at the daily fresh market
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Aix's historic City Hall, and its clock tower
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A street in Aix. The whole city center is a pedestrian area, and everything you need is within walking distance
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Night Life in Aix, cafés and restaurants with terraces
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Optional hike up the Montagne Sainte-Victoire, Cezanne's favorite inspiration for his paintings
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Street art and graffiti in Marseille, 30 minutes away from Aix by bus
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On the way to class every morning
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Le Cours Mirabeau, Aix-en-Provence's 17th century historic thoroughfare
ACADEMICS
The Duke in Aix program offers one signature course which carries two credits. The course is taught in French. Neither the pass/fail option nor auditing is permitted.
FRENCH 212A
Intensive Intermediate French Language and Culture
(FL, CZ) 2.0 Credits
Equivalent of French 203 and French 204 together. This course will build on your elementary-level French in an environment that will provide opportunities to put into practice the fundamentals of French language on a daily basis. In addition, through immersion in the target language culture, you will also have exposure to the history and arts of Aix and the surrounding area.
Pre-requisite: French 102 or French 111 at Duke. In addition, you may apply to the program if you have achieved an SAT II score of 490-580 or an AP French Language and Culture score of 3.
ACTIVITIES
Participants will enjoy an array of activities and excursions all included in the cost of the program. Excursions include transportation, guided tours, most meals, and lodging for overnight trips. Activities and excursion destinations and details are subject to change.
- Group movie night at a local theater
- Scavenger hunt to discover hidden gems of the city
- Atelier de pâtisserie: Prepare traditional French desserts with a local chef
- Musée Granet: private tour introducing the highlights of this esteemed fine arts museum
- Aix en Provence: From its Roman ruins and medieval architecture to the Renaissance buildings and fountains of the Cours Mirabeau and the Quartier Mazarin.
- Marseille: Located on the Mediterranean coast just 30 minutes from Aix, France's second largest city.
- Arles: A 1st century Roman amphitheatre the home to Vincent Van Gogh.
- Les Baux-de-Provence: Majestic medieval village with a 360-view of the region, plus an immersive art show at the award-winning Carrières des lumières.
- Outside Provence: Midway through our time in Aix, we’ll take a long weekend excursion to another region of France and a large European city, where visiting major landmarks and experiencing local culture will allow us to connect past with present in each region. Each summer, we tailor excursions the best we can to match our group’s interests.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
Before applying to this program, you should assess and determine if you are physically or emotionally able to participate in the following physical demands required by some of this program’s activities:
- Walking or hiking up to 5 miles in a day, sometimes for two or more days in a row, sometimes on hilly, uneven, or cobbled terrain
- Climbing and descending stairs
- Using public transportation, including sometimes crowded buses or trains
- Standing during tours and site visits
- Entering into older buildings with narrow and sometimes steep staircases, at times with limited or no access to elevators
- The possibility of warm/hot temperatures while residing in locations without air conditioning
If you have questions or are concerned about these or any other program activities, please contact the Duke Office of Global Health and Safety (oghs@duke.edu).
HOUSING & MEALS
You will be housed with carefully selected homestay families in Aix, where you will receive 7 breakfasts and 6 dinners per week. The program will also provide lunch or dinner on selected excursions, as well as a final group meal at a restaurant in Aix. Other meals are the responsibility of the participant.
PROGRAM FACULTY & STAFF
Duke in Aix-en-Provence program director can assist with questions related to program academics, admissions, on-site needs, etc. For all other inquiries, please contact the Global Education Office.
COSTS
Costs below are estimates based on previous years’ programs and the current exchange rate. All costs are subject to change.
Summer 2024
| Duke Students | Non-Duke Students | |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | $5,680 | $5,680 |
| Program Fee | $6,900 | $6,900 |
| Transcript Fee | N/A | $120 |
| Other Costs | Other Costs | Other Costs |
| TOTAL (Estimated) | $18,030 | $18,150 |
Explanation of Costs
The program fee for this program includes:
- Accommodations
- Meals (breakfast daily, 6 dinners/ week, group meals)
- Airport and train transportation to/from program site (to/from Marseille airport, Aix TGV station)
- Laundry (1/week)
- International SOS Coverage
- Program-sponsored activities and excursions
- On-site orientation program
- Access to educational facilities at host university
- Internet and wifi access at IAU Center and at homestay locations
Use the following list to assist with budgeting for expenses outside the program fee. This list contains common examples but should not be considered exhaustive.
The program fee does not include:
- Airfare
- On-site accident and health insurance policy
- Out-of-pocket medical expenses
- Immunizations
- Access to activities such as sports, lectures, social gatherings, etc. at host university
- Visa and/or residency permit (if needed, see note below)
- Passport
- Textbooks and class materials
- Mobile phone
- Independent travel and entertainment
- Items of a personal nature
- Incidentals
U.S. citizens do not need a visa for this program. However, if you are not a U.S. citizen, you may need a visa. Please be sure to research the cost of obtaining a visa for Italy, including any required travel to a consulate or embassy.
If you receive financial aid, and need assistance with travel costs, please contact your financial aid counselor.
Personal expenses can fluctuate greatly depending upon habits and preferences of the individual. It’s also wise to budget for unexpected expenses such as medical emergencies. You can use a cost-of-living comparison tool to get an idea of what daily life costs in the program host location.
Step 1: Upon acceptance to the program, you must submit the Summer Participation Agreement found in your MyGlobalEd application to confirm your enrollment. A parent/guardian’s co-signature is required. This form takes the place of a deposit.
NOTE: If you withdraw after March 15, you will be charged a cancellation fee for voluntary withdrawal. Fees range from $2,000-3,000.
Step 2: Summer invoices will be sent via email to your Duke email address and home email address. Remit payment to the Bursar per due date and address indicated on your online statement. Consult the Duke Bursar's office billing schedule for payment due dates.
Financial Aid
Duke students receiving financial aid are eligible for aid for this program (work-study funds must be converted to loans). Students are individually responsible for making the necessary arrangements with the Office of Undergraduate Financial Aid and the Bursar. Non-Duke students are not eligible to receive financial aid at Duke and should contact their home institutions for financial aid information.
Scholarships
This program offers the following scholarship opportunities:
DATES
Attendance is required at all classes, excursions, and group events. Given the intense nature of this program, late arrival and/or early departure is not permitted.
- Arrival: May 18, 2024
- Departure: June 29, 2024
Flights
You will make your own travel arrangements to and from the program site. You are expected to arrive on the arrival date cited above, which usually means departing the U.S. one day prior. Once you have a flight itinerary, log in to MyGlobalEd to update your travel registry.
Housing Before/After
You will need to make your own housing arrangements if you will be arriving before the program start date or leaving later than the program end date.
- VISA & PASSPORT
VISA & PASSPORT
Visa
No visa is required of U.S. citizens to participate in this program.
Passport
All participants must have a valid passport. Make sure your passport has at least six months of validity beyond the program end date to avoid unintended disruptions. For instructions on obtaining or renewing your U.S. passport, visit passports.state.gov.
IAU Student ID
While participating on the Duke-in-Aix program, you will receive a student ID from our partner school in Aix, Institut Américain Universitaire (IAU). You may use this ID to access reduced student prices at various places in France and in Europe (museums, cinemas, lunch specials, concerts, performances, shows, etc.).
International Student Identity Card (ISIC)
You may also be interested in applying for an International Student Identity Card (ISIC), which is optional. ISIC is the only internationally recognized form of student ID, endorsed by UNESCO. The ISIC will allow you to enter many museums free or for reduced fees and will often entitle you to travel discounts. If purchased in the U.S., the card also carries with it a supplemental insurance policy, which can prove to be very helpful in the event of serious injury.
You may purchase this card through www.myisic.com. Processing of the card takes between 4-15 days. After confirmation of enrollment and prior to departure for the program, email your ISIC card/policy number and expiration date to globaled@duke.edu.
ADMISSIONS
Priority Deadline: December 1
Rolling Admissions after December 1 until filled. Final deadline February 1
This program offers a priority deadline of December 1, followed by rolling admissions until February 1 or until the program fills. Admissions decisions will be made after the priority deadline, and on a space-available basis after that time. Application opens November 1.
Decisions: If you apply by the priority deadline (December 1), you will receive an admission decision before the end of the Spring semester add/drop period.
Priority: Priority is given to applicants who submit all materials by the deadline, meet the language requirements, and perform well on the individual interview with the faculty director(s).
Minimum GPA: There is no minimum GPA.
Non-Duke Students: Non-Duke students are welcome to apply for this program. You must be a degree-seeking student in good standing at an accredited college or university. Consult your university’s registrar and/or study away advisor for assistance with transfer credit. Students who are not matriculated at a college or university are not eligible to participate in Duke’s study away programs.
GEO policy for graduating seniors who wish to apply for a Duke summer study abroad/away program:
Students must be active, matriculated students in order to participate in any Duke-in summer programs, including Duke’s domestic summer programs. All program courses must be taken for graded credit. If seniors plan to graduate in May of the year they plan to study abroad in the summer, they will not be eligible to participate on any of our summer programs unless they receive approval from their academic dean at Duke to delay their graduation until after the summer program has ended.
Non-Duke students planning to graduate in May in the year they plan to study abroad in the summer must provide approval to delay their graduation until after the summer program has ended from the appropriate official at their home institution. Such approval must be furnished in writing to GEO before the student will be allowed to participate in the summer program. This approval may be sent via email to the appropriate program assistant at GEO.
Duke students who defer their graduation to participate in study abroad should consult with their financial aid advisor in the Duke Office of Undergraduate Financial Aid to determine whether they are eligible for a summer aid package and/or a GEO summer scholarship.
APPLY
Please start your application early to ensure that it is complete by the deadline! Incomplete applications will not be forwarded to the program directors for consideration.
To apply to Duke in Aix-en-Provence, please submit the following items using MyGlobalEd:
- Online application
- Official transcript(s) from all colleges and universities attended.*
- Personal statement, no longer than one page, explaining why you would like to participate
- One academic letter of recommendation, preferably from a language professor noting your linguistic and academic abilities. If you have not taken a language course at Duke, please request a letter from a Duke professor who knows you well. Letters from high school teachers will not be accepted
*First-Year Students: You must wait until Fall grades are posted to request your transcript be sent to GEO. Please be sure to submit your transcript as soon as they are posted. All other components of the application must be complete by the deadline.
Interview: The program director will contact you to schedule an individual interview.
STUDENT STORIES
I took home my knowledge of the culture of my host country as well as newfound independence. This experience was invaluable.”
The program was challenging and enriching - my French improved drastically.”
I definitely began to increase my knowledge in politics and other world issues that are going on around the world.”
GEO ADVISING IS HERE FOR YOU
Get advice on choosing a program, exploring courses and credits, and covering the costs of study away when you engage the Global Education Office's advising network.