Is this program for you?

The Teen Residence/Homestay Program in Nice, France is suited to the student who is looking for a well-balanced language + culture immersion program in a French-speaking environment. Students must be comfortable travelling independently by public transit. You must also be comfortable under the guidance of outgoing and knowledgeable monitors and like to interact with international students. Please visit the supervision page for more information

Location

Nice la belle, or Nice the beautiful, is located on the south-east coast of France on the beautiful Mediterranean Sea. It is France's 5th largest city with a population of just over 350,000. Nice offers visitors an endless list of things to do, including great food and shopping choices, along with seemingly endless beaches to enjoy. And with over 200 days of sunshine each year, you are sure to have at least a few days of perfect beach weather!  For those of you who want to experience the rich culture and history of the region there are numerous landmarks and places of interest to visit including Place Masséna, Hotel Negresco, Musee Matisse, Cathédrale Sainte Réparate, Cours Saleya and Place du Palais. And, for ancient archeology buffs, you'll be captivated by Terra Amata, an archeological site with finds dating to the Lower Palaeolithic Age, underscoring Nice's status as one of the oldest human settlements Europe. Of course, no written description can do Nice justice; you'll just have to experience for yourself the place that has inspired so many before you.

School Facilities

The school is located in a beautiful building dating back to the Belle Époque. It is in the heart of the city centre and only ten minutes on foot to the beach. The school has seven fully-equipped and bright classrooms, as well as a common room and an internet area with computers. In the summer months, additional classrooms in a nearby building are also used.

Program

The program offers an ideal mix of French lessons and French culture, including exposure to cuisine, history and art as well as fashion and cinema.  See the sample schedule page for more information. It also offers the unique opportunity to meet and make friends with students from all over Europe, Latin America and Asia, making this a very popular program for students who are looking for a truly international experience. You can choose the Standard Course, which consists of 20 x 45 minute lessons per week, or the Intensive Course, which consists of 30 x 45 minute lessons per week. The program offers sports and cultural activities in the afternoons as well as half-day excursions including walking tours and visits to museums and galleries. On the weekends, students will enjoy a full-day excursions to places of interest such as Eze, Cannes, Monaco and Grasse. 

Level Placement

Prior to your arrival in France, you will be asked to take an online test. This way you'll be able to go directly to the appropriate class on your first Monday. There are a minimum of 4 levels offered including beginner, elementary, intermediate and advanced.  If you have no previous experience with the French language, you typically do not have to take this test and will automatically be placed in the beginner class.

Teachers

The teachers are all native French speakers with university degrees and are all experienced teaching French as a foreign language. They bring a wealth of experience and enthusiasm to the classroom and design lessons with an emphasis on fluency, using discussions, debates, games, role plays and other materials suitable to young learners. Teachers will also review and build on previously studied grammar as well as work on developing students' vocabulary.

Supervisors/Monitors

The program supervisors and monitors are all over 21 and have an amazing amount of energy! They are chosen not only based on their experience and qualifications, but also on their personality, creativity and sense of responsibility and initiative. Their goal is to make sure that you get the most out of your program and they do this by being available 24 hours a day to answer your questions, provide guidance and look out for your overall safety and well-being. 

Activities and Excursions

Included in the program are 2 half-day and 1 full-day excursion every two weeks. In addition to this, there are a variety of cultural, sports and leisure activities offered every afternoon and evening.  These are all included in the program fees. For a sample weekly schedule and list of possible activities and excursions please visit the sample schedule page.

Accommodation - Residence

Students staying in residence will be accommodated at the Residence Azur, which is situated in the heart of Nice, just a 10 minute walk from the school, the beach and the main train station. The air-conditioned double rooms are furnished with two beds, a desk, a wardrobe and television. Each room has a private bathroom with shower and free Wi-Fi (computers are not provided).

If you are in residence, during the week you will have all breakfasts and dinners at a nearby restaurant. You will be given a packed lunch daily. There are numerous restaurants and cafes around the school and a super-market across the street from the residence for snacks.

For general information on residence accommodation please visit our Residence Q & A page.

Accommodation - Homestay

If you prefer to stay with a host family you can choose the homestay option. You will be accommodated by welcoming local families in a shared room with another student from the program.  Host families live in apartments or villas in Nice or the surrounding area, no more than 30 minutes from the school by public transit.  Your host family will provide breakfast and dinner daily. You will be given a packed lunch daily. Most host families are within a 15 minute walk of cafes, restaurants and a supermarket for snacks.

For general information on homestay accommodation please visit our Homestay Q & A page.

The following program features are included in the price:

• Standard Course: 20 lessons per week (4 x 45 minute lessons per day) or Intensive Course: 30 lessons per week (6 x 45 minute lessons per day)
• Study materials
• Language level test prior to arrival in France
• Certificate of attendance
• 1 full-day excursion every 2 weeks
• 2 half-day excursions every 2 weeks
• Rich and varied daily cultural and sports activities
• Residence accommodation in shared room with en-suite bathroom & internet access
• Homestay accommodation in a shared room
• Three meals per day
• Return airport transfer for Nice (see the Getting There page for more info)
• Comprehensive Medical & Travel Insurance