Housing in Aix
Homestays are the primary form of housing for students due to the cultural and linguistic advantages they offer. A limited number of student residence apartments are available for students with housing accommodations (e.g. mobility concerns, severe allergies, or other wellness concerns). Please note that there is no guarantee that students will receive this housing option. Housing placement for IAU students can be subject to approval from the home university.
For the summer terms, French homestays are a limited housing option. IAU does its best to place all students in a Traditional 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.
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 from IAU's campus 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, but they must request each other or the request will not be taken into consideration.
- 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.
Traditional Homestay with or without meals prepared by the host
The level of interaction between students and their homestay hosts varies on a case-by-case basis. The Student Life Team strives to match students with hosts who have similar expectations for engagement. Depending on the level of autonomy you would like to have concerning meals and meal preparation, IAU offers two types of traditional homestay: with or without meals prepared by the host. For the option without meals, students will need to shop for and prepare their own meals. This option is supplemented with a small meal plan at Café Med, the IAU-ACM student café.
Living in a homestay is a challenging yet enriching experience. There is an adaptation period to be expected while the hosts and the student get to know each other’s culture and living habits. Hosts are interested in sharing a cultural exchange with students, and IAU alumni consistently comment on the benefits of the experience.
IAU's hosts come from all backgrounds; some are families with children, others are single retirees. The nuclear family is not the norm.
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 one night per week (decided together by the student and the host). Students will have access to Wi-Fi in their homestay. Note that air conditioning is not common in homestays, so it should be an expectation that this will not be available. However, students may request a fan.
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
- Sydnee Greenberg
"My homestay experience opened my ears to the French language, my nose to the Provencal cooking, and my heart to new people, whom I soon referred to as my family for four short months."
- Mary Claire Gustafson
Provence Family apartment
If you wish to live independently, you may choose to stay with one of our local Aix-en-Provence families. They offer apartment-style housing with kitchen access. Students will need to shop for and prepare their own meals. You will meet your hosts and learn about their life in France while maintaining a very independent lifestyle.
Student Residence Apartments
Students in student residence apartments will live in furnished communal residence halls with other IAU students and alongside local and international students studying in Aix-en-Provence. The student residence apartments are located throughout the city and are within convenient access to grocery stores, shops, restaurants, and pharmacies.
In student residence apartments, bedrooms are typically double or triple occupancy. No meals are included with student residence apartments, so students are responsible for all meal costs and preparation. Students will have access to a fully equipped and shared kitchen. Students are responsible for all laundry costs, keeping their residence apartments clean and for all costs associated with cleaning and repairs. The student residence apartments include access to Wi-Fi, bed linens and towels, and will have shared laundry facilities or be within walking distance to a laundromat.
Devenir Famille d'Accueil
L’Institute for Americain Universities et l’American College of the Mediterranean reçoivent des étudiants américains ou étrangers pour des séjours de plusieurs semaines ou plusieurs mois et recherchent des familles d’accueil chaleureuses, prêtes à partager leur vie quotidienne contre dédommagement. Pour tous renseignements supplémentaires, vous pouvez écrire à l’équipe logement de l’IAU: logement.aix@iau.edu.
Aix-en-Provence
Aix Academics
Aix-en-Provence Campus: 27, place de l’Université, BP 30970, 13604 Aix-en-Provence CEDEX 1, France +011 33 4 42 23 02 82
Barcelona Center: Carrer d’Ausiàs Marc, 25, 08010 Barcelona, Spain +011 34 696 78 84 25
U.S. Office of Admissions 409 Camino del Rio South, Suite 200, San Diego, CA 92108
Phone: (800) 221-2051 | Email: enroll@iau.edu
