The American University of Paris

Application requirements

An application to The American University of Paris requires several supporting documents and sometimes tests. Most requirements can be uploaded directly in your online application. We cannot provide you with a decision until we receive all of your documents.

• Online application form
• Personal statements
• Extracurricular activities and work experience
• Two letters of recommendation
• Official transcripts
• English language test
• SAT/ACT test scores (optional)

Majors

In the true spirit of providing a well-rounded liberal arts education, AUP offers fully-accredited majors in a variety of fields. Majors require the completion of AUP’s general education requirements, a core curriculum in your subject area, and several related electives. A major allows you to demonstrate sustained, high-level work in one subject area. So follow your interests. Focus on what you care about. Your major is a significant part of your time at AUP. AUP offers the following majors:

• Art History
• Comparative Literature
• Computer Science
• Creative Writing
• Entrepreneurship
• Environmental Studies
• Film Studies
• Fine Arts
• Gender, Sexuality and Society
• Global Communications
• History
• History, Law, and Society
• International Business Administration
• International and Comparative Politics
• International Economics
• International Finance
• Journalism
• Management
• Management Information Systems
• Marketing
• Middle East Pluralities
• Philosophy

Location

AUP has an urban campus that extends from its home in the 7th arrondissement to the city’s bookstores, cafés, libraries, and galleries. It provides you with the opportunities and amenities of one of the world’s truly great cities, right at your doorstop. We challenge you to engage in deeper academic and cultural learning sharpened by discussion, analysis, and research at over 200 institutions across the city, including the Louvre, UNESCO, Palais de Tokyo, the Sorbonne, L’institut Francaise de la Mode, and more.

The Classroom Experience

Imagine a classroom small enough that the professor knows your name, your goals and aspirations, and probably even your favorite movie. Imagine a classroom diverse enough that almost every student comes from a different national, cultural, or economic background, is happy to share his or her unique heritage, and is curious to learn about yours. Imagine a classroom where almost everyone is away from home but somehow feels completely at home. That classroom is The American University of Paris.

Our professors encourage you to define and reach individual academic goals within a deeply interdisciplinary curriculum that is cross-cultural and stimulates critical thinking. AUP truly facilitates your active participation in learning, combining liberal arts inquiry, preparation for professional life and student-centered activities to give you a springboard to the world.

Careers services

AUP students and alumni are distinguished within the global labor market by their cross-cultural outlook, multilingual skill set, and excellent problem solving abilities. Close to nine out of every ten recent graduates have furthered their studies and pursued international careers within a year of graduation.

Faculty advisors and experienced alumni working in 142 countries offer support and guidance to all AUP students through unparalleled networking opportunities – from classroom contacts to internships opportunities, and ultimately, to your career.

After graduation, most students begin a career in sectors such as communications, NGOs, economics, international organizations, or fashion and luxury. About a third of our students further their education at highly ranked international graduate schools including Columbia, Duke, ESSEC, Harvard, King’s, LSE, NYU, Oxford, MIT, and many more.

Student Life

Our student government, clubs, and social responsibility initiatives provide you with the chance to explore, create, and lead. Away from the classroom, we offer a wide range of opportunities for students to become involved in the community or pursue an interest or passion.

Supported by the Student Government Association, the student leadership teams that oversees a €100,000 budget dedicated exclusively to student initiatives, clubs bring together students to socialize, enjoy, and learn. Whether you care about the environment, love to act on stage, or flourish in a debate, you will find a club for it at AUP.

Our students also produce and manage a range of publications and platforms to the highest professional standards. The Plume new website, Peacock TV, a quarterly magazine and two scholarly journals are all opportunities for student to become involved in all aspects of media production.

Cultural Study Trips

You can engage directly with the histories, perspectives, and contemporary realities of cultures around the world on study trips led by faculty experts. Ranging from single-day to month-long expeditions, every program includes learning linked to international discovery – from the study of art history in Rome to first-hand experience with human rights law in the courts of Sarajevo and Belgrade to immersion in the Moroccan business center of Fez.

Cultural Excursions represent another opportunity to enrich your experience at AUP. While not directly associated with a particular course, one and two-day trips make it fun and easy to travel to nearby destinations such as the Champagne region, Giverny, Mont St. Michel and Normandy, attend an opera or a ballet, learn to make macaroons, or participate in events and activities in and around Paris.

Sports

Even though we are located in the heart of Paris, sports play and important part of the lives of many of our students. AUP offers competitive sports including basketball, indoor soccer, volleyball, equestrianism, and cheerleading, where teams play local universities and compete in regional championships. There are also more social sporting clubs available including boxing, flag football, swimming, running, and yoga.

Medical and Welfare Services

All full-time students are automatically enrolled in the AUP Student Health Care Plan at the beginning of each semester. For new students, coverage begins the first day of Orientation and lasts until the beginning of the following semester. The policy is automatically renewed for continuing students during the second semester and the summer.

The plan consists of the following:

• French Student Social Security: Degree-seeking students are legally obligated to register for French Social Security no later than Orientation. Students then receive proof of coverage called an Attestation which allows them to benefit from medical care in France and to work part-time during the academic year and summer.
• Full Medical Coverage: Beyond French Social Security, the University has contracted with a private company to cover many important costs other student health care plans in France do not, including reimbursement for most of what social security does not cover: eye glasses and contact lenses, preventive dental treatment, alternative medicine such as chiropractic care, doctors who make house calls (SOS Médecins) and up to fifteen sessions a semester with a psychologist. The Health Office is available to assist students with questions regarding social security and supplemental insurance as well as to help with filing claims.
• Counseling Services: Individual counseling appointments are available for free throughout the week with an off-campus clinical social worker as well as with an off-campus psychologist. Students may also meet with an on-campus Student Affairs Guidance Counselor throughout the week. In addition, The Office of Student Affairs provides a range of health and wellness support, including prevention tools and workshops throughout the year.
• Emergency Support: An emergency response team is available 24 hours a day for psychological crisis or psychiatric or medical emergencies.

Housing

We work with a housing partner who provides fully furnished, Internet-equipped, shared housing in two and three bedroom apartments located in safe Parisian neighborhoods. Residence in the apartments or in homestays offered through AUP are required for all first year students, with exemptions only for pre-existing family residency in Paris. Master’s and returning students gain access to our network of private apartments. All housing is located within 30 minutes of campus via foot or public transport.

Student Support

We have a full range of support services available for each step of your life as a member of the AUP community. Before you arrive in Paris and from the moment you land, AUP is there to help you with bank accounts, Internet and phone needs, local transportation, health insurance, immigration, and doctors.

Visit AUP

The best way to know if AUP is right for you is to meet us in person. We will be happy to welcome you on campus throughout the year. We conduct campus tours and information sessions at 10:30 and 14:30 on Mondays and Fridays when the university is open. An admissions counselor leads your information session and, when possible, a current student guides your tour. If meeting current students is important for your visit, please plan your visit while classes are in session and outside of finals week. Sign up for the date of your choice on our website.

Virtual tours

Our students come from dozens of different countries, represent more than 100 nationalities, and speak 140 languages and dialects. While that means that our university is a cultural and linguistic melting pot, it also means that not all of our students can come visit the campus before they decide to make AUP and Paris their home.

To give you the opportunity to visit AUP, we have built an online open house experience. Look at photos of the University, watch our student-produced campus tour video and contact our admissions counselors online to have your questions answered. You can also attend an Online Information Sessions (OIS) during which one of our International Admissions Counselors will guide you through everything there is to know about AUP. The presentation is followed by a Q&A session that allows you to ask any questions that we did not answer.

Term Dates

• Orientation takes place the week before the term begins.
• Spring 2017 = January 16 - May 12
• Summer 2017 = June 7 - July 22
• Fall 2017 = September 4 - December 19

Paris is your campus

Living and studying in a city like Paris is an incredible experience. Everything you want and need is at your doorstep. You’ll live in the vibrant neighborhoods of Paris, shop for your groceries at the local market, go to museums and historical sites with your class, and become a Parisian. You’ll be able to take advantage of everything that Paris, the most beautiful and culturally rich city in the world, has to offer. For those who need it, we have assembled useful resources to help you adapt to living in Paris and the team at the Student Development office is always available to answer any questions.

Sports and recreation

Our Sports Office is all about our student athletes. The skills you acquire on the playing field are applicable to all facets of life and align directly with our mission to educate.

Join the vibrant and productive sports community at the University by participating in one of our competitive or recreational sports. Also find out about other sports in Paris, gym membership, and more through the sports office. Whatever you’re passionate about, you’ll be able to do in Paris.

AUP sponsors several varsity teams that compete with other university teams throughout Paris. They include:

• Basketball
• Cheerleading
• Equestrian
• Indoor soccer
• Volleyball (men’s)
• Volleyball (women’s)

AUP also supports individual fitness activities and more informal team sports. They include:

• Flag football
• Track/running
• Boxing
• Swimming

Entertainment

Concerts, festivals, movies, museums, sporting events, and a great club scene—there are endless things to do in Paris, many of which offer discounts to students.

What do you look for in your students?

Our students are global explorers. They are open to new encounters and experiences and many have an international background. A good balance between academics and activities, both in school and out, is also important.

What's the weirdest thing to happen at the university?

Someone has an immediate and easy answer to the question “Where are you from?”

What grants/scholarships do you offer?

International Baccalaureate Scholarship – automatically attributed and the amount is based on the final IB score Global Citizen Scholarship – awarded at the time of admission Community Service Grants – provided throughout the student’s time on campus for assistance given to various departments. Students must apply to specific offers.

How much of an emphasis do you place on building workplace skills like presenting, project management and people skills?

Lecture courses are extremely rare here. These skills are used and improved upon in nearly every course taken.

What's university welfare and disability support like?

Our Student Development team puts in place the necessary support for students with disabilities to be able to attend AUP. We also have health and support services in place for all students.

What support is available to students who are struggling for any reason?

In addition to the professors, who are very accessible, we have an Academic Resource Center (ARC) for students who need help with their academics. Tutors and a writing lab are included in this service. For students who have personal struggles they’re dealing with, we have on campus counselors and off-campus psychologists that can help them through a difficult time.

What social events do you offer when people first join to help people make friends and settle in?

Orientation week is a key moment for new students to make new friends and settle in. A large number of social activities are organized in addition to the more administrative or practical information sessions.

What will my first few weeks at your uni be like?

During your first week, you will be settling into your new home, getting to know your roommates, the campus, and the city of Paris through the various Orientation activities that are planned. In the second week, you will begin classes, allowing you to meet with your professors, classmates, sign up for Cultural Program trips taking place that semester, and make any last minute changes to your schedule that may be necessary.

Is it a campus or city based university? What advantages do you think this offers?

City based university. The urban campus allows you to feel at ease as you move around the city and also allows many classes to take place at various locations in the city, such as at historical monuments, international corporations, and in museums. You’re able to be immersed in the French culture, while studying in an American institution.

What sort of societies are there?

There are no Greek Societies at AUP.

How far is the campus from the town centre and what is the public transport like?

AUP is in the heart of Paris, between the Eiffle Tower and Invalides. The subway and bus systems is one of the best served in the world. There are also public bikes available in a system called Velib.

How far apart are different university buildings, and how far away is the accommodation?

The buildings are a maximum of a 10-minute walk apart. Most students live within 30 minutes of the campus by foot or by public transportation.

How much one-to-one contact time do students receive from their lecturers?

Classes are very small with an average of 15 students, so there is a lot of contact time with professors. They are also very accessible outside of class and have regular office hours for an appointment or to drop by, if needed.