Housing in Aix

Homestay placements are the primary form of housing for students due to the cultural and language advantages they offer. The majority of IAU students live in French homestays during the semester. Under certain conditions, and with prior approval, a limited number of student residence apartments may be available for students with housing accommodation needs (e.g. mobility concerns, severe allergy, or other wellness concerns). If students would like to request living in a student residence apartment for solely the independent-style living experience, they can request to be on a waitlist. Please note there is no guarantee that students will receive this housing placement. Note: Housing placement for IAU students is subject to approval from the students' home universities.

For the summer terms, French homestays are a limited housing option. IAU does its best to place all students in a French homestay, however, if there is limited availability of French homestays, students may be placed in a Student Residence Apartment. Please note that the costs of all meals, laundry, and cleaning supplies for the student residence apartment are the responsibility of the student.

If homestays are available on a limited basis for a given term, homestay placements are prioritized for students participating in the French Honors Program or with specific university requirements on housing. 

It is important that students maintain flexibility and an open mind when it comes to housing placements. IAU will consider student preferences in housing placements but cannot guarantee that all stated preferences can be met. Moreover, students should be prepared that they may not receive their first preference for housing.

Important to Note:

• Most IAU housing is located within 25-30 minutes’ walking distance of IAU’s buildings. Aix-en-Provence is a very pedestrian-friendly city and students should expect to do a great deal of walking every day.
• Students may request roommates on the housing application form and IAU will do its best to accommodate such requests.  
• By default, placements are shared with other students. Though this might mean sharing a room, all students will have their own bed. 
• Note that air conditioning is very rare in France, so students should expect to live without air conditioning during their time in Aix-en-Provence. 
• All program participants are required to live in IAU-arranged housing. 

French Homestays

Living in a French homestay is a challenging yet enriching experience. Students must learn to adapt to the family's personal and cultural lifestyles, which are naturally quite different from students' own habits.

IAU's hosts come from a cross-section of society; some are families with young or grown children, and others are single retirees. Some work busy schedules while others may spend most of their days at home. Some of our hosts have several rooms that they rent out to students, and some have just one room.

Hosts are selected for their interest in sharing a cultural exchange with students, and IAU alumni consistently remark on the growth and insight offered by the homestay experience. Students must be flexible and accepting within their French household, and will in all likelihood find the attitude rewarded.

Students in a host family receive daily breakfast and six dinners per week. Breakfast is a typical French-style meal and dinners vary by family, but students can be expected to be well-fed and are encouraged to communicate with their hosts about food preparation and planning as this can be a wonderful way to integrate into a French family! Students are responsible for their own lunches (daily) and for dinner on Sundays. Students will have access to wifi in their homestay. Note that air conditioning is not common in homestays, so it should be an expectation that this will not be available. 

PLEASE NOTE: Homestay and student residence apartment schedules are aligned with the IAU academic calendar. Students should be aware that they will need to vacate their housing arrangements during the December/January holiday period and at the conclusion of the Spring term in May. If a student is enrolled in a summer session, they will need to vacate their housing arrangements at the conclusion of that session in mid-July.   

Student Reviews of Homestays