Housing and Meals

Housing
Meals

Housing

The program offers a variety of pre-arranged housing options to meet the diverse needs of program students, including the option to live:

with carefully selected French host families
in an international student residence hall
in single apartments

Please note that program policy does not allow program students to share apartments because doing so inhibits linguistic and cultural immersion.

The Columbia-Penn Program retains the services of Host Families in Paris (HFP), a private housing service that places program students in lodgings located in a variety of neighborhoods throughout the city of Paris and its inner suburbs. All properties are pre-inspected. Proximity to other program students will vary. In some cases, you may live in the same building or neighborhood as other students but in most cases, you will not. It will depend on the housing available at the time. Please note that you will not be living “on campus” and will have to commute like the French students. Many placements require a 20-30 minute commute to Reid Hall using public transportation."Living in a homestay smooths out a lot of the little difficulties of starting up in a new country. The most important advantage of the home-stay, though, is the language opportunities.

Below please find a list of the different housing options:

French Homestays

Living with a host family is a special opportunity and provides students with a relaxed, friendly and, comfortable environment in which to experience French language and culture as an insider. Students have the option of choosing the number of meals they wish to share with their hosts. The majority of Columbia-Penn program students live with a French family because it is the best option for students who want to be certain they will interact with Parisians in French on a regular basis. A typical French household may include living with a single person, a couple who may or may not have children, a widow/widower, a retired couple, or a single parent with children. Students are provided with their own bedroom and will not be placed in households with other English speakers.

Kitchen and bathroom facilities are normally available without restriction; in rare instances, students have their own bathrooms. HFP attempts to match students and hosts who will be compatible and makes sure that particular privileges and/or conditions of stay (visitors, telephone, shared meals, laundry, etc.) are agreed upon in advance. The extent and quality of the relationship between the host and the student will vary depending on personalities and lifestyles.

Cité Universitaire

Some program students may choose to live at the Cité International Universitaire Paris (CIUP) which was established in 1925 to support student exchanges. CIUP houses over 5,000 French and international students and scholars in 40 residence halls situated on a unique landscaped park and located about 20 minutes from Reid Hall by public transportation. CIUP has a vibrant, diverse community and hosts over 800 events ranging from concerts to exhibitions to readings. There is also a wide range of athletic facilities for residents to use including a pool, tennis courts, soccer fields, and rooms for dancing and fencing.

The program has limited rooms assigned on a first come, first served basis. Each private room is furnished with single bed, closet, desk, storage space, high-speed internet access, and a small private bathroom with W/C, sink, and shower. Each house has a shared kitchen on each floor and general meeting rooms such as a reading room, a computer room, and a game room. A cafeteria is situated in the middle of the Cité complex.

Apartments

Host Families in Paris provides several options for students who would like to live independently in Paris. These options are best for students who have a high command of French, are motivated, and feel comfortable finding their own ways to interact with native French speakers outside of classes and their living situations. As with the homestays, proximity to Reid Hall and other program students varies considerably.

Independent Housing

Most students will choose program-arranged housing. However, some students prefer to arrange their own housing because they have family in Paris with whom they can live. Please note that short-term furnished housing is very difficult to find and usually requires a local person to provide a financial guarantee, and in some case, includes hefty broker’s fees. The most expensive housing is within walking distance of Reid Hall and other centrally located neighborhoods. Less expensive options might be available in the outer neighborhoods of Paris.

If students choose to arrange their own housing, please note that they will be expected to:

find suitable housing in a French-speaking environment either with locals or alone
negotiate the terms of living and payment including the setting up of utilities, etc.
resolve any issues related to the housing situation
provide full contact information of the residence to the Reid Hall staff
secure the signature of the home school advisor on the Independent Housing Form

Students choosing to arrange their own housing are completely responsible for their living arrangements and any issues that might arise.

Meals

Depending on the housing option chosen, students have private or shared kitchen facilities, or eat in local restaurants or university cafeterias. Students living in a French homestay have breakfast provided and the option to share up to five dinners a week with their families.