Villa Albertine, the French Institute for Culture and Education, is pleased to announce the seventh annual call for applications for French institutions to host the Summer School in France program, formerly known as Community College in France (CCF).
Summer School in France is dedicated to expanding and diversifying student mobility between the United States and France. The program offers immersive academic experiences through interactive workshops, site visits, and hands-on vocational training. Organized in collaboration with Community Colleges for International Development (CCID), the program is also open to students from any Minority Serving Institution (MSI).
Be a Part of Summer School in France 2027
French institutions interested in hosting a summer school are invited to submit a detailed proposal outlining their program’s focus and activities.
Please carefully read the call for applications and apply here by November 2, 2026.
The results of the 2027 call for projects will be announced in mid- to late-November 2026 with student applications opening in December.
Summer School in France: A Program to Reshape Global Learning
Now in its seventh year, Summer School in France has become a transformative and sustainable model for study abroad, building strong connections between French institutions and US community college students. This effort is particularly significant given that, although over 40% of U.S. college students attend community colleges, only around 2% of all study abroad participants come from these schools—a gap often driven by financial and logistical barriers.
To address this disparity, Villa Albertine offers an affordable and high-quality international experience through Summer School in France. The program integrates low-cost tuition and a work-study format with a careful selection process to ensure academic rigor and value. For participating French institutions, Summer School in France offers a unique opportunity to engage with a broad network of US higher education institutions and strengthen their international partnerships.
The program uses a winning formula to make study abroad more accessible to disenfranchised students:
- A short-term format that combines lecture, workshops, cultural visits and down-time;
- Affordable tuition fees ($2,400 for a two-week all-inclusive program);
- Grants of $1,400 awarded on a financial basis (for Pell grant recipients and first-gen students in priority)
- ECTS credits awarded at the end of the program which can be transferred to the students home study program.
Since its launch, Summer School in France has provided short-term, intensive summer programs tailored for students enrolled in US community colleges. In 2026, the program selected 54 participants for these summer sessions.
For the 2026 edition, three leading institutions were selected, each presenting a summer school centered on sustainable development and democracy:
- Ecole d’Ingénieurs Généralistes EIGSI (La Rochelle): Ocean & Energy Towards Sustainability
- Université Sorbonne Nouvelle (Paris): Celebrating 250 Years of Freedom and Democracy: A Critical Assessment in Paris Noir
- Ecole des Ponts Business School (Paris and Beauvais): Future Tech for Good Leaders
Looking ahead to 2027, the summer schools we strive to offer to students should be centered around real-life challenges, such as sustainability, climate change, and democracy. These programs aim to highlight how technical and economic innovations can contribute to environmental stewardship, reduce inequalities, combat discrimination, and strengthen democratic values.