Université de Panthéon-Assas, Paris II
2015 – 2016
PREPARATION
exchange application process
The application proces was quite easy, although I did not get much information from my host university before I
got there.
counselling & support at Utrecht University
The International office of Utrecht University was always very helpful when I had questions.
academic preparation
I did not do any specific academic preparation for this exchange.
language preparation
The year before I went on exchange, I followed three language courses from the bachelor French language and
culture, to improve my French.
finances
I saved some extra money and my parents gave me some extra to pay my rent in Paris
STUDY ABROAD PERIOD
study programme (content and organisational issues)
Contrary to the Netherlands, in Paris you can choose your subjects until the first day of classes. The amount of
subjects at the same time (5 is normal) is quite high and the work load is also very high. Sometimes you can get
a bit lost in the French system (especially in the first weeks), because it is hard to determine the content of
certain subjects.
academic quality of education activities
The academic quality of the French university is very high. Especially the TD's (comparable to tutorials in small
groups) are very demanding: you have to always be prepared when coming to class.
counselling & support at receiving university abroad
There was not so much support and international students are treated the same way as French.
transfer of credits
Still in the proces of transfering my credits.
STUDENT LIFE
welcome & orientation programme
In the first week there was an introduction week organized for international students, where we had to follow
courses on the french law system from 9 til 17. This was very tiring and not very useful because most of the
knowledge was not very new or useful for the semester. But it was nice in the sense that all international
students could meet each other. Also ESN organized a 'welcome week' for international students.
accommodation
There was no help from the university. I started very early to find an accomodationa and I advise everyone to
do so: it is very hard to find an affordable room in Paris. I payed 600 for my room, but you can apply for the CAF
(which is a subsidy for students).
Université de Panthéon-Assas, Paris II
leisure & culture
Paris is amazing: there is always something to do (museum's, festivals, bars, parties) and the people are very
nice.
suggestions/tips
CONCLUSIONS
would you recommend this university/destination abroad to others? please explain
Yes I would: Paris is an amazing city and you wil definetly make international friends and learn good french. But
be aware of the high quality of the University and the amount of time you will actually have to study in order to
pass the exams.
do you have any additional advice or comments?
Make sure you speak and write good in French before the start of your semester.
2014 – 2015
PREPARATION
exchange application process
In order to apply for an exchange, you need to make sure to fill in some documents: Study Plan (how your
exchange will fit in your programme in Utrecht), Financial Plan (how you will finance your stay), a Letter of
Motivation (in the language spoken and used at your receiving university, French if you decide to go to Paris),
your Curricullum Vitae, (in French as well) and at last a Language Proficiency Form (which indicates your level of
French). This document is required for students who are not native French speakers, which I am. I gathered all
the required documents in time and sent them to the International Office. A couple of weeks later, I was
admitted by Utrecht! All I needed to do was wait until my application was admitted by 'Assas'. This will most
likely be the case, and so I was admitted by Assas soon afterwards.
counselling & support at Utrecht University
The International Office has been very helpful to answer all my questions when I attended the so called
'Studiepunt'. However, their opening hours are not very flexible. When I decided to send an e-mail in stead, I
had to wait for about 1,5 week for a response, if I would receive one at all. I recommend to visit the Studiepunt
for direct answers.
academic preparation
Besides the courses I followed during my bachelor's programme 'Rechtsgeleerdheid', I have had no academic
preparation. I allready finished the ECTS requirement to go on exchange, so I've had basis knowledge in public,
private and criminal law and the procedural laws. There are no courses french law offered by the University of
Utrecht, so there is not much that can be prepared academically.
language preparation
In order to follow courses in French at a high standard law faculty, you need to make sure your French is
sufficient. Levels in French go from 1, low, through 6, high. B2 is level 4. B2 is required by non-native speakers
to apply. Luckily, I've always payed attention in french courses during secondary school, so this was no problem
for me in order to apply. I've completed a language test at Babel, a language institution located at the
University College in Utrecht. This test costs about 60 euros and consists of an oral test and a writing test,
where spelling, grammar, etc will be tested. In case your French is insufficient to B2, you will have to take some
Université de Panthéon-Assas, Paris II
French courses to be able to get admitted. This is a strict demand. I think even B2 is quite basic for attending a
law faculty since I've experienced some difficulty in the beginning of the courses. On the other hand, the
purpose of my exchange was to learn to speak French fluently, and what better way than to learn during
studying?
finances
Paris is an expensive city. Of course, you decide what you spend, but you need to take into account that for
example grocery shopping is 1,5-2 times more expensive than in the Netherlands. To make sure I wouldn't be
short on money, I decided to lend some extra money from DUO. I managed very well with this amount.
STUDY ABROAD PERIOD
study programme (content and organisational issues)
At Assas, the study-year is divided in 2 semesters. During one semester, you follow courses that will count up to
30 ECTS. The courses are built up in a different way than in Utrecht. At Assas, there are 2 kinds of courses:
Cours Magistral or CM (which can be compared to the 'hoorcollege' in Utrecht), where attendance is optional
and there is no interaction between student and professor. The professor talks for 3 hours straight, or one day
2 hours and another day in the same week for another hour. And then there are Travaux Dirigés or TD, which
can be compared to 'werkgroep', in which you are expected to be well prepared the exercices, read the
jurisprudence and read the literature, which you need to figure out yourself. Your presence and preparation in
TD's are always registered. Courses that have TD are always accompanied by CM --> 3hrs CM and 1,5hrs TD.
The CM will give you 4 ECTS when you succeed for the exam. The courses you take in TD will give you 9 ECTS
when you succeed the exam. Usually, the exchange students have all of their exams orally. This freightened me
in the beginning because I've never had an oral exam, but I must say it is a very logical way of examination.
During your stay abroad, you will speak French with everyone around you (friends, housemates, teachers, other
students, while on the street). Writing happens less during your stay and is considered to be very hard for nonnative students, and therefore written exams are discouraged by the 'Action Internationale'/International
Office of Assas.
So if you need 30 ECTS during a semester, most students take 2 courses with TD (2x9 ECTS = 18) and 3 courses
with CM (3x4=12). 12 + 18 = 30 ECTS. Another possibility is to take more CM and less TD. Unfortunately, you will
not be able to attend all your CM because of schedule reasons.
academic quality of education activities
The quality at Assas is very high. Université Panthéon-Assas is THE university for law in France and is very wellknown. They are very proud of their university and there are a lot of politicians (and their childrend) who have
finished their studies at Assas. The quality of teaching is high, students are very willing to be the best of their
class. They don't seek to complete a course, but rather to get the highest grade possible, preferably higher than
their classmates. So the atmosphere under students is way more competitive than in Utrecht, or the
Netherlands in general.
counselling & support at receiving university abroad
The 'Action Internationale' en specifically my coordinator of Assas was actually quite distant, not very
welcoming at all (which is typically French). This seems strange to me since 15% of Assas' students are foreign
students!! In general, the teachers and professors were very likely to answer any questions I've had about the
specific course and the manner of examination and they were always enthousiastic when telling them you're
erasmus.
The student assocations as we know them in the Netherlands do not exist in Paris. Most universities have a lot
of societies of their own. I can recommend to join a students association. A lot of students have the same
problems, so you can exchange notes and ask older students your questions.
transfer of credits
Université de Panthéon-Assas, Paris II
The announcement of grades of the exams you've made at the end of January will happen in the second week
of March, 6+ weeks later! The moment of writing this report, my grades are yet to be announced. Once
announced, I will receive a Transcript of Records from the receiving university, which I will need to insert the
ECTS achieved in Paris at University of Utrecht and to complete the requirements to have right to the Erasmus
grant. I guess there is some kind of 'erasmus clemence' which contains that you will be corrected less hard and
your grades will be relatively high for your level. Of course, you're not a native, you've only lived in France for a
semester and there's another way of studying. To make sure not all foreigners fail their exams, the teachers
grade a little more in your favour.
STUDENT LIFE
welcome & orientation programme
The introduction week of Assas Started the 22th of September. I decided to go to Paris a little bit sooner to
install at my apartment, do extremely touristic things and to get to know my neighbourhood with it's shops,
restaurants and grocery stores. The introduction week contained 2 hours of french law history during 5 days,
and during 2 of these 5 days, the professor explained how to write certain documents like a dissertation and
the commentary on a judgement by the 'Cour de Cassation' (arrestanalyse van de Hoge Raad). I can recommend
to attend these methodology lessons! (they take only little of your time and you will be very glad to have
attended them later when you need to write something as homework for your TD courses).
After the introduction week, my 5 different courses started: Financial entrepreneurial law, civil contract law,
entrepreneurial law, employment law and competition law. 12 weeks of CM, and the TDs start 2 weeks later, so
10 weeks of TD. I've decided to follow the courses that interested me, whether they were bachelor level 3 of
master level 1 (a master takes 2 years at Assas). Since I already accomplished 175 ECTS before my exchange in
Utrecht, I had the freedom to choose whatever course I wanted because I wouldn't need them in order to finish
my bachelor's programme in Utrecht. The courses that I've followed were therefore supplementary for me,
which relaxed me.
Furthermore, there is not a single activity organised by the International Office at Assas. Something like the
'UITweek' in Utrecht does not exist at all in Paris. But because there are tons of erasmus parties and societies,
you will find your way through the first couple of weeks! There are so many others like you, making friends goes
very quickly!
accommodation
When I was permitted to go on exchange by Utrecht as well as Assas, I applied for a room at the CIUP (Cité
Internationale Universitaire de Paris). I've met a lot of people the last semester, and only 2 of them were able to
live at the campus. The chances you will be allowed at CIUP are extremely small. Instead, look up websites that
rent apartments or rooms on the internet or contact 'foyers' (big houses where students live)! I've found my
apartment through Home Away, a website that normally offers short stay and holiday rentals, but I guess I was
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an exception. I've lived 350 metres from 'Centre Assas' (6 district), where I needed to be on a daily basis.
Above all, there were 2 different large metro lines just within 50 metres and I've had 'Jardin du Luxembourg' as
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my backyard. Even though my apartment was only 10m2 and on the 6 floor without elevator (no gym class
needed this semester…) I was very, very lucky to find such a great location for an acceptable price (650 euros a
month). I've had a very good connection with my landlord and he even came by once a month to bring me clean
sheets and towels.
If you wish to spend less on rent, you will probably find a location that is about the same size, but outside the
'péripherique', in the suburbs. For me, the ultimate Paris experience was to live right at the centre of Paris. It
was only for 4,5 months, so I guess a little bit extra rent was worth it!
leisure & culture
Where to start… There are so many things to do and explore in this great city! I've been in Paris for 4,5 months,
and even this was too short to discover all the cool places, restaurants, shops and bars! I've made a list of things
Université de Panthéon-Assas, Paris II
I wanted to see that are not in the travel guides and made sure I had seen them all before I started studying for
the finals. Another great moment of leisure for me was running. While running, I decided to go left and right
whenever it felt good. This way, I've discovered different routes and districts. Also, while running, you suddenly
realise you've ended up near the Eiffel Tower or Arc de Triomph. Another great way of leisure for me was
renting bikes and cycle my way through the entire city. If I had known that a bike subscription only costs 20
euro's a month, I would have definitively chosen that above a metro subscription (which is also very practical).
This Navigo card costs 70 euros a month: unlimited traveling with bus, train, and metro within the
'périphérique' and outise the perif in the weekend (to go to Versailles for example!). When you're staying
longer than 6 months in Paris, you can ask for a 'Imagine R' metro card, with which you can travel under the
same circumstances as the Navigo, but is only 35 euros a month. Unfortunately, my stay was to short to
command this card.
Almost all of the well-known spots in Paris have their own metro station. Very easy accessible, though
sometimes there are some wanderers at night.
Assas offers you free sporting facilities. You can choose whatever sport you like, swimming, soccer, tennis,
dancing, yoga, zumba, fitness, badminton and more. I can definitevely recommend to make use of this free
offer, because you will get to know some other students with the same interest!
Besides studying, there are tons of student societies. There are societies for dancing, debating, human rights
organisations, blood donation, organising events with other universities, music orchestra, but also societies
specially for foreign students. I joined Erasmus Student Network (ESN), which sounds way more english than it
really is! With this association, I've been to Brussels, I've participated in a weekend trip to Normandy and
Bretagne, I've been to the Catacombes of Paris by night and there are several evenings and parties.
suggestions/tips
- Don't worry if you haven't figured out which courses to take before departure, you will choose them during
the introduction week and will probably differ from the courses you've chosen for your Erasmus Learning
Agreement.
- For some rooms/apartment, you can demand CAF (caisse d'allocations familiales), which is the same as
'huursubsidie' and run up to 1/3 of your months rent!
- Don't forget your biligual dictionaries, and if you'd like, a lexicon of french law words.
- You can pass the exams without buying 'codes' (wetboeken), even though it is kind of cool to have one of your
own. There are plenty of codes available in the university's library.
- I assumed that there were only exams in January, at the end of the semester. However, some teachers like to
give an 'interrogation' (only 20 minutes, short questions) or a 'partiel' (3 hour written exam where elaborate
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knowledge is required). This exam will count for your final note and takes place during the 8 or 9 week of TD,
so right before Christmas holidays. This is ONLY when you follow the TD next to the CM!
- Join a student association to make friends quickly.
-ENJOY PARIS!!!
CONCLUSIONS
would you recommend this university/destination abroad to others? please explain
I must certainly do! Even though it takes a little courage to move to another country for a semester and
gathering documents is not a great way to pass your time, but it was most definitively one the best choices I've
ever made. I speak fluently French now, I've made friends from all over the world (lots of Italians, Columbians,
Argentinians and Austrians) and I've enjoyed every single time I walked down the street and passed the
Hausmann-style buildings and architecture. Definitively a great destination for your erasmus exchange!
However, if you're looking for a semester of partying and drinking (compared to exchanges to Spain or Italy),
Université de Panthéon-Assas, Paris II
Paris in general is not the place to be. At Assas they expect you to work a little harder because of the high
standard and internal competition, as I explained earlier.
do you have any additional advice or comments?
2013 – 2014
Verslag 1
preparation
exchange/placement application process
Went very smoothly. The application was divided in progessive steps which made it very organized. Sometimes I
was even scared I had skipped some important steps because the application didn't give me a lot of stress.
Ofcourse it was very exciting to know if I would be admitted but except that the application was not difficult at
all.
counselling/support at home university
Very good support. Ofcourse there were a lot of people who needed help at the same time, which made the
waiting line very long at certain times. But even when they ere very busy, the international office was still very
helpful.
academic preparation
I didn't realy know how to prepare my self academicaly for the exchange. I was going to follow courses that
were very different from the courses I had followed in Utrecht, even though they were about Law. That was
hard in the beginning but I found it very interesting.
language preparation
For me the language preparation wasn't very hard because I already spoke French because of my background
but otherwise I really recommend to take some good French lessons because it can get really hard to
understand the courses.
finances
The daily life in Paris is much more expensive. The erasmus grant was very helpful. I tried to save enough
money before my stay. Especially groceries, drinks at bars and the rent are very expensive. You can find
restaurants that aren't very expensive. There are a few student restaurants where you can have dinner for very
small prices. The public transports are expensive too if you don't stay in Paris for a whole year beacause they
have only got student tarifs for whole years.
study/placement abroad period
study programme/work plan (concerning content and organisational issues)
Université de Panthéon-Assas, Paris II
The study program was very different from Utrecht. There are much more hours of lessons. You do not get to
prepare the "Cours d'Amphi" but you have to prepare the TD's.
academic quality of education/placement activities
Good quality but the education at Assas is very different from the Dutch system. It is very theoretic. During a
course, the only thing you do it listen to the professor and try to write down as much information as you can.
For most of the courses there are no books that completely treat the course. That's why it is important to hear
what the professor sais. The TD's can be very helpful but give a lot more work to do.
counselling/support at host institution/organisation
The support at the host institution wasn't very good. I received very little information from the International
Offive there. They told me two weeks in avance that there was an introduction week, while I had asked them
about it a few times. This made it very hard for me to attend this introduction week because I hadn't been able
to plan it.
transfer of credits
I thought the system of the stransfer of credits wasn't very clear. I went to the International Office and to a
Student Advisor a few times to be sure I could use the courses I had chosen in Paris. They didn't have an answer
for me and told me I could only be sure of that in the end when the exam commission would look at it. I had to
try to figure out myself if the courses would be accepted and I am still not completely sure of that.
student life
welcome/orientation programme
Even though it wasn't clear untill two weeks before that there would be an introduction week, this introduction
week was helpful. Especially to get to know all the internaitonal students. During the introduction week we got
some general information about the French Law system and the way the exames and courses would take place.
It was mostly about the university itself but not about the general life in Paris.
accommodation
I was able to stay in an apartment that was very nice and I had no problems with my acommodation
leisure/culture
The culture is quite different but it is not very difficult to adapt to it. People are more closed and can be rude
sometimes, but they can also be very helpful. There were no big culture shocks for me, but that was because I
hade lived in Paris before.
suggestions/tips
Do not be scared to call the International Office in Paris because they do not reply to e-mails very fast. Try to
find some friendly students who can help you with the notes you make during the courses because it can be
Université de Panthéon-Assas, Paris II
very hard to be able to write everyting down.
conclusions
would you recommend this host organisation/destination to others? please explain
Yes I would certainly recommend it to others. The city is amazing, there is a lot to explore and it will give you a
great Erasmus experience. The systems and habits at the university can sometimes be frustrating but you will
learn a lot from it.
do you have any additional advice or comments?
It is important to speak French when you arrive because the courses are very difficult, even when you speak
French fluently.
2013 – 2014
Verslag 2
Preparation
exchange/placement application process
I long knew I wanted to apply for an exchange with the law faculty in Paris. The faculty in Utrecht explained the
process very well and clear. I just had to upload all the files. I was lucky to be selected to eventually go to Paris, my
first choice.
counselling/support at home university
The people at the International Office in Utrecht, and especially Mrs. Van der Ven, were very nice and helpful. If
I had a question I could just call them or visit them. Everything went well.
academic preparation
Except for following the standard courses at Utrecht Law College, I did not prepare academically. It is not
necessary at all.
language preparation
My mothers family is French and I spent a big part of my youth with my French grandmother, so I already spoke
French. I would definitely say you should speak French before going to Paris. Firstly, all courses are in French,
and secondly, you will have to communicate all the time in French. B1/B2 level is the minimum.
finances
Université de Panthéon-Assas, Paris II
The Erasmus grant helps a lot to get your financial plan sorted out. You also get money from the Dutch
gouvernment for your public transport expenses (but you can spend it basically on everything) and you can
get the basic student loan. And luckily my parents were very generous to support me financially. Staying in
Paris will cost you definitely more because you want to spend more money, but it does not have to be that way
necessarily. For instance my room in the Cite Universitaire has cost me less then my room in Utrecht.
study/placement abroad period
study programme/work plan (concerning content and organisational issues)
As an Erasmus student you can choose from subjects in Law and Political Science at Assas. What is very nice is
that you can choose your own subjects according to your interests from first year courses till master courses.
I mostly followed master courses because they interested me the most. A study year at Assas consists of two
semesters. Exams take place in January and May/June. There is a difference between courses without and
courses with TD (TD is a class which you will attend every week with about twenty students. Preparation is
needed and you will be demanded to do extra exercices and exams). Courses without TD are given 4 ECTS and
with TD 9. I followed two courses with TD and two without TD each semester. So 8 subjects the whole year.
academic quality of education/placement activities
French and Dutch education systems are very different. You can not say that one is better in general. Both have
positive and negative things to say about them. What will be noticed immediately is the absence of a general
book which you will have to study. Instead the courses by the profs are the main source of your subject. Do
not think you will have to take your own notes and that the French are only competetive and arrogant. Just ask
them, they will be very willing to help you out and give you normally more notes than asked for. With these
super detailled notes you will be able to get well prepared for your exams, and if needed there is a big library at
Assas where you can consult all Law and Political Science books. Furthermore the courses given by the profs are
very structured and theoratical. What is nice is that you get a good overview and idea of the subject. What is
less nice is that the practical aspects of the subject and development of skills are missing.
counselling/support at host institution/organisation
The people at the International Office at Assas are nice. Just be prepared to burocracy and have patience.
transfer of credits
Not applicable yet.
student life
welcome/orientation programme
Université de Panthéon-Assas, Paris II
The welcoming programme is a good way to meet different kind of people who will be studying for a year or
half a year at Assas. I met most of my international friends there. I would definitely recommend you to attend
and get the most out of the first week to meet a lot of new people. Further on there are associations at Assas. I
was a member of one of those associations so I met some French students and via via you will get to know a lot
of people.
Université de Panthéon-Assas, Paris II
Accommodation
I demanded for a room in la Cite Universitaire. Luckily I was placed in the main building. The Cite U is a superb
place for students. Especially when the weather is nice it looks very great and you can enjoy the huge park
where it sits in. There are a lot of houses that represents different nationalities. Students are mixed in those
houses to create a 'brassage'. You will have to be lucky to be placed in a nice house, you can not apply for one
house in particular. The people in some houses are more outgoing than others. I had quite a lot of friends who
lived at the Cite U which I had met at Assas. But still I did not spent a lot of time at my house and was most of
the time in the city. The RER takes you in 10 minutes to Assas and in 15 minutes to Notre-Dame, in other words:
perfect.
leisure/culture
You will not get bored in Paris. Leisure time is taken up by just drinking and eating, going to a museum, going to
the movies, watching an opera or theatre piece, etc. There are a lot of things to do. It speaks for it selfs.
suggestions/tips
Make sure you are patient and willing to go. Do not hesitate or be afraid, it will be a great year. Practical tips
might be:- get a pass navigo;- get a French mobile phone number;- open a French bank account;- make sure you
keep the deadlines in sight, start early if you want have everything listed above in time;- speak French, or try
to speak it. Even though a lot of French people of our age are very willing to speak English, the main language
is French; - go out. a lot. It will be the way to meet people and enjoy the city;- attend courses and prepare your
TD's. It will help you to improve your French and skills;- choose your subjects wisely. It is better to have to many
courses, you can always erase them later, but you can not add new courses if you do not like the original ones
you chose.
conclusions
would you recommend this host organisation/destination to others? please explain
I would definitely recommend this destination to one who is willing to speak French and stay in one of the
nicest cities in the worlds. A stay in Paris will not only make you happier, but will also develop a lot of skills and
widen your horizon.
do you have any additional advice or comments?
Do not hesitate to go on an exchange abroad anywhere. Just do it. It will be nice and you will not regret it. Also
do not hesitate to ask questions to students who already went on exchange or French students who you will be
seeing in Paris. Most people are very willing to help you out.
Université de Panthéon-Assas, Paris II
2013 – 2014
Verslag 3
preparation
exchange/placement application process
I wanted to do my ERASMUS exchange in France, as I wanted to better my French (instead of applying only for
uni's where the courses were taught in English). I had to choose between Toulouse and Paris, as these were the
two UU partner universities in France. I made Paris my first choice on the application form, as I thought it would
be a better university and I preferred to go to a big city like Paris after three years of study in Utrecht. I got my
first choice and went to Paris.
counselling/support at home university
The International Office at Utrecht University, Hester van der Ven in particular, have always been very
supportive and helpful. If ever there were administrative problems they were open for questions and help.
academic preparation
I didn't do any real academic preparation, other than looking around on the website of PARIS II to look for
courses I wanted to follow.
language preparation
I already spoke French quite well (C1 level), as I did a language course two years earlier. I would highly
recommend to follow some courses, as I think 'just' high school French doesn’t suffices and it really helpes
during both your courses and social life, as the general spoken languages really is French (people don’t like to
speak English, as they all came to Paris to better their French etc.).
finances
Paris is a very expensive city to live and study. I worked a lot during the summer, in order to have some money
to spend. Together with my Erasmus and Dutch Governemental Fund (Stufi) I was able to pay for my stay
without further help from parents etc. I would highly advise to make sure you have enough money to get
around, because it makes your stay a lot more fun.
study/placement abroad period
study programme/work plan (concerning content and organisational issues)
For me my ERASMUS period really was an extra period of study. I didn't want to finish my bachelor already after
three years, so in order to have another year of study I left only 7,5 ECTS open within my curriculum. This
enabled me a great liberty during my ERASMUS period, as I didn't need specific courses to bring home within
my bachelor curriculum. From an academic perspective I really wanted to do something different than law for
one year, in order to broaden my perspective. I did a lot of courses in Political Science (Sciences Politiques),
International Relations and the courses I did in Law were mainly philosophy of law or history of law etc.
Université de Panthéon-Assas, Paris II
academic quality of education/placement activities
The French system is very different from the Dutch or Anglosaxon educational system. You have 'cours'
(seminars) which take 3 hours mainly, most of the time without a break… It's all very 'classical' with a professor
who really dictates the course from his stage and as a student you just have to type your own course from what
the professor tells in his seminars, there is no prescribed literature. I personally liked to be in a different system
for one year, but wouldn't be able to study like this longer than a year. In my opinion it is a very inefficient way
of studying, so you really have to know what to expect, if you want to go to Paris.
counselling/support at host institution/organisation
You have your own personal counsel within the international office of Paris II. In my experience the person who
works with people from the Netherlands and other northern countries was one of the most rigid et difficult
persons within the international office. You can get what you want from the administration, but you really have
to do everything by the book and in general there are no exceptions possible. I had a problem with an exam,
which I couldn't attend, and even if the teacher and I agreed on changing the date for the exam, the
international office didn't agree and told me I would have to come back for the 'rattrapages' in september in
order to do the exam. In the end this is perhaps quite logic, because all French administration wants to do it 'by
the book'. This can be a very hard experience if you come from the Netherlands, where things are relatively
efficient and easy.
transfer of credits
I will transfer 51 ECTS in total.
student life
welcome/orientation programme
There was a ESN drink after the first course for ERASMUS students, where I met a lot of people. I believe there
were a lot more activities possible, but I found my own friends quite quick and didn’t go to any ESN related
activities anymore.
accommodation
It's quite hard to find any accomodation in Paris, especially as the UU selects his students quite late. Therefore
you're not particulary well placed on the waitinglists of CROUS, which makes it hard to get into a residence like
the Cité Universitaire or other CROUS buildings. Personally I had a lot of luck with finding an appartment via a
friend.
leisure/culture
Paris is a city of a million things, you can litteraly do whatever you want when it comes to culture or things to
do. With all its parks and musea, you can easily find something to do.
suggestions/tips
Université de Panthéon-Assas, Paris II
Make sure you have enough money and have a good level of French: then you can enjoy it the most!
conclusions
would you recommend this host organisation/destination to others? please explain
I would really recommend to go to Paris: I totally and utterly loved this city! From an academic perspective it
was a great opportunity for me to study 'something different' than law with courses in Political Science,
International Relations etc. And in the end it was quite interesting to study in a different system as well. Of
course, it's perhaps less efficient, but I think once you accept it, it's not that bad. And being an ERASMUS
student you can really pick your courses 'à la carte', from different studies and from different years of study
(master, bachelor etc.), which was something I really liked!
do you have any additional advice or comments?
no
2012 – 2013
Preparation
My preparation for my semester in Paris started early. I already contacted my residence (cité universitaire) a
good half year before I came to France. I advise anybody wanting to study in Paris to check out that campus,
as it is an incredibly luxurious, high-quality, big and relatively cheap center of student life.
I applied for an Erasmus scholarship and a compensation of my transport subsidy from DUO. There were few
problems during my preparation; it only appeared later on that I made a crucial mistake. I had forgotten to
deactivate my ‘reisproduct’, so instead of a compensation for my transport subsidy (90Euros) I actually
received a fine of 90 euros (!) per half-month. And I only found out I had not deactivated my product until
somewhere in march. Luckily I could later on renounce my claim
to the subsidy and the fine was cancelled, but this joke still cost me some 180 euros. To be quite honest
seeing that this clause was only written somewhere in small letters, and without a doubt many more students
must have made the same mistake, I find it absolutely incredible and grave that the international office did
not warn me or informed me of this trap more thoroughly.
Also I noticed only after several months that is very valuable to apply for the CAF rental support. This is open
to foreign students as well and will give you a substantial financial support (90-200e depending on your rental
fee). However the application is an introduction to French bureaucracy, it will take some time and effort. I
also already spoke French more or less fluently, with my passive ability much stronger than my speaking
capability, because I’ve grown up in Brussels.
Study Abroad
The educational system in France is quite different from what you are used to as a foreigner. Personally I
think it’s very archaic, inefficient and cumbersome. There are ‘cours magistraux’ which consist of professors
giving lectures, without decent power-point presentations and you’re expected to actually type on your
laptop every single sentence he says. Often the professors speak too fast, or you won’t understand anything
because you’re too busy copying what they are saying. Luckily, if you ask kindly the French students will give
you their notes.
Often the principal lectures (travaux dirigés) are supplemented by small-scale working groups actual
academic books are rarely used. You can either only take the ‘cours magistraux’ 4 ECTS, or those and the
travaux dirigés which are 9ECTS. I advise the latter because it will give you a much more comprehensive
Université de Panthéon-Assas, Paris II
image of the material and it will help you establishing rapport with the French students, with the work-load
not too hard to handle- a presentation, an essay in class and a homework assignment.
Another thing that puzzled me is the lack of organization, often lessons are simply canceled without warning,
the online university space is very poorly developed and the ‘rattrapages’ recovery lessons are planned in a
bizarre, improvised fashion on dates that may simply conflict with your other courses. If that is the case,
you’ll just have to accept that. The exams can be in written form or oral. Especially the written exams can
pose problems because the French system revolves around a very rigid set of form rules, you will most likely
need to write an essay that will have to answer to strict formal requirements, however you will undoubtedly
learn all of that. Lastly don’t expect high grades, whereas in the Anglo-saxon tradition A’s are not uncommon,
in France you’re already a star if you have a 14/20.
Moreover you will enter in an intensive language course program given by the university, it’s quite valuable
and it’s a great way to meet the other erasmians. It is honestly quite difficult to really meet and become
friends with French students, instead you will probably be spending the bulk of your time with the other
Erasmus students and they are a big group, at least 40-50 foreign students. I would however try to refrain
yourself as much as possible from speaking English with these colleagues, even though the urge is hard to
suppress when both of you are more at ease in that language than in French. Unless of course you’ve already
given up on learning French.
Student life
Student life in Paris is marvelous. There’s an abundance of museums: Musee d’Orsay, Louvre, Palais de Tokyo,
Jardin de Rodin, Orangerie, Versailles, Invalides, etc. Large parts of Paris virtually are a museum. If you walk
around in the Quartier Latin every building, every street corner, is littered with decorations and engravings.
There are numerous parks to relax in with some wine and cheese, my preferred parks are Jardin de
Luxembourg and in the North-West the Parc Buttes-Chaumont.
Furthermore, Paris is always in the middle of one or another festival or colorful event, there is Roland Garros in
late May, Paris Saint-Germain football club plays its matches in the stade Parc des Princes, there is the Stade
de France which hosts all kinds of sporting events and every week there are big markets for example on the
boulevard Richard Lenoir. Sometimes you’ll even end up in one of these events unconsciously, as there are
typically French demonstrations every once in a while. Concerning night-life, Paris delivers as well. The rue
mouffetard is famous for its little bars, that are generously priced for Parisian standards, in the Sain-Germain
region you will find bars of a little more chique quality (pint of beer for ~5 euros) and the Marais and
Republique area is the domain of the bo-bos (bourgeois-bohemes) with especially the canal Saint-Martin as an
eyecatcher. The real clubbing happens in the Arc-de-Triomphe district and the Grand Boulevards area,
although there are also a few nice clubs on the boards of the Seine – Wanderlust is an must. Note that clubs
are very expensive, with small beers costing already 6-7 euro’s.
The transportation system in Paris is very efficient, but I strongly advise people from Holland coming here to
bring a bike, Paris is a paradise for bikes, or you could benefit of the Velib system that has stations all over the
city.
In terms of housing it is important to remember that prices in Paris are probably as high as they can get
anywhere in Europe. I’ve had many friends here paying 700-800 euros a month and some even above a
thousand euros per month. Therefore I advise anyone wanting to study here to find students residences, the
aforementioned Cité universitaire is an example of that, but there are many others throughout Paris. Of
course if you want an apartment in the very center, it will be hard to find such a residence. However one must
remember that Paris enclosed by the peripherique is actually fairly small, you can bike from the peripherique
to the ile de la cite in 20 minutes. Lastly, in the unlikely event that you want to get out of Paris for a few
change or go on a field trip, Lyon, Normandy, Brussels, the castles along the Loire, and the castle of
Fontainebleau are all within range. The “tobeerasmus” organization frequently offers group trips to these
places.
Conclusions
For me Paris was an essential step in my life. I needed the change of place. It helped me improve my French,
Université de Panthéon-Assas, Paris II
I wasn’t bored for a minute and I made a lot of good interesting friends. Although I won’t be returning any
time soon to France for its educational quality (of course France has excellent universities in the form of the
Grandes Ecoles, but those take part of a closed system with for example required preparatory years), I
discovered that life in a foreign metropolis is very rewarding, it’s all about getting yourself out of your
comfort zone, experiencing new things, and in the process of that growing more confident, independent
and as human being.
P.S. I said it before, but make sure de-activate you reisproduct, get all of the other subsidies (Erasmus
scholarship, CAF housing support) and apply for the student residence well in time. Bon voyage!
Université de Panthéon-Assas, Paris II
preparation
exchange/placement application process
I applied at my home institution for my stay abroad. The process started with an information meeting, in which I
was explained what to expect and what documents to provide. I uploaded my motivation letter, CV, financial
plan, study plan and the demanded language proficiency form onto the section 'Stay abroad' of Osiris,
accompanied by my top three of university's I'd want to attend. In februari I found out I was selected for my first
choice: Panthéon-Assas.
counselling/support at home university
During both the application process and my stay abroad, the International Office
proved to be very helpfull. Ms. van der Ven answered my questions clear
academic preparation
none
language preparation
Prior to my depart, I took several french classes at the James Boswell Institute. I also
read French books and ordered a French courses from LOI.
finances
Paris is incredibly expensive. Not only housing (around €800 is average when not on the campus), also living costs
are around 2 - 2,5 times higher than in the Netherlands. This in mind, I started saving 8 months prior to depart
and applied for an Erasmus grant.
study/placement abroad period
study programme/work plan (concerning content and organisational issues)
When studying in France, expect a lot of vagueness and questionmarks from your side.The 'programme de cours'
(studyprogram) offered online was very different from the definitive version we received at the introduction on
location. This meant my original plan had to be changed entirely.
There are two types of courses offered, 'Cours Magistraux (CM)' and 'Travaux Dirigés (TD)'. A CM is a lecture (3
hours per week) and will give you 4 ECTS, a TD is a CM with an additional tutorial (9 ECTS). During the
introduction I was explained one had to pick three CM and two TD (CM with TD). (This means you'll spend quite
some hours at the university: 5x 3 hours of lectures and 2 tutorials a week!) After a week, in which we could take
different courses to learn which ones suited us, we had to pick the definitive 5. Besides the law courses, I also
took the french courses offered by the university.
The French lecturing style is quite different than we're used to in Utrecht. 'Les enseigneurs' are very highly
respected public figures that sit down at the beginning of the course, order their papers and just start reading.
Université de Panthéon-Assas, Paris II
There's no such thing as a Powerpoint presentation and understanding the contexts is not really the point;
everyone just types as fast as possible to catch every single word and write it down properly. Some days I had
courses from 08:00-16:00, only alternated by breaks of 10 minutes every 50 minutes and one lunchbreak of an
hour, in which I was in the same seat surrounded by fanatic typers hardly speaking (most Assas students are
overly competetive!). Very different! Luckely the courses are very interesting. You don't have to buy/read
books, but I did so anyway. Most professors have published books on their subject, so look them up online and
buy them new or second hand at Gibert Jeune.
A TD is a lot of work; you have to prepare a dissertation for every meeting (once a week) and you can be
questioned to check if you're properly prepared.
academic quality of education/placement activities
The quality of the professors and their courses is very good.
counselling/support at host institution/organisation
Assas offers an 'Action Internationale' to guide international students. My 'coordinatrice' madame Clergue
was very helpfull and responded strikingly promptly (for French terms) at my e-mails. The other staffmembers
(teachers, technical support a.o.) weren't as helpfull. Most of them have yet to respond to our e-mails
concerning problems or questions, and only after visiting them face to face the were willing to help. Don't take
this personally though, it's just the French way of living. Vive la bureaucratie!
transfer of credits
I have yet to receive my results and thus the obtained amount ECTS.
student life
welcome/orientation programme
A week before the official start of the courses, the International students were invited for an introduction
arranged by the 'Action Internationale'. We were informed about the courses that could be taken, the dates of
the exams/rattrapages and were handed all kinds of pratical information. After the introduction, it was possible
to attend four general courses in French law/history.
accommodation
I applied for housing at the student campus, le Cité Universitaire, and given the stories I
heard from other exchange students from Utrecht I expected to be placed there. When this didn't work out
(quite last minute), I had to find something affordable in less than a month. I ended up in an amazing little
'pièce' in the heart of le Marais, found on Airbnb.com. The room was really small, but at walking distance from
le Centre Pompidou, Hôtel de Ville and le Notre Dame and had a typical french balcony with amazing view.
Really a lucky shot! Make sure to start your search early though, and create a savings plan asap. At a rate of
€780 a month, my room was really cheap for Parisian standards, especially given the location. Not quite the
Utrecht prices, and I could have never afforded it without my savings!
Université de Panthéon-Assas, Paris II
leisure/culture
I don't think I have to explain the beauty of Paris. La Ville-Lumière will never bore you.
You'll find the beauty in the numerous (and incredible) museums (Musée d'Orsay, Louvre, Musée de l'Orangerie,
le Grand Palais, Maison Européenne de la Photographie etc. Most of them free for European citizens up to 26
yrs!), the monuments (l'Arc de Triomphe, Église St Eustache, Pont Neuf etc.), the pretty parcs (Jardin du
Luxembourg, Jurdin des Tuileries) but also in the Parisian 'joie de vivre'. You prepare your classes in french
coffeshops with a 'petit café' and a 'cigarette' rather than in the library, and the best way to recover one's
breath after a long day of classes is with a bottle of 'vin rouge' shared with your french studymates. The French
nightlife is just as amazing. Enjoy your night having a drink in a lovely bar, watching people pass by, or dress up
and go to one of the amazing clubs Paris has to offer. You'll enjoy every second of your stay.
suggestions/tips
- Most important: make sure you save enough money! Paris is incredibly expensive, but it will be worth every
penny.
- Since most of the classes are lectures, I brought a dictaphone. It really helped me to complete and
understand my notes when I relistened my recordings.
- Books are not required, but most Assas-teachers happen to have written a book or two about the subject of
their courses. Buy these (and the 'code civil etc.' second hand (d'occassion) at Gibert Jeune.
- Get yourself a 'Passe Navigo', to travel unlimited by 'metro' for €65 a month. You can also use this card for a
subscription to 'Velib', a system that allows you to get one of the rental bikes you find at every street corner.
Cycling through Paris comes with quite a suicide risk, but it may come in handy when you want to get back home
after a long night out. Check out the website for more information.
- If you want to arrange something, make sure to visit the person you want to reach rather than to send an email. It will save you loads of time!
conclusions
would you recommend this host organisation/destination to others? please explain
I loved every second of my stay in Paris. Not being fluent in French, it was hard at times to arrange things and
prepare classes, but since most Parisiens don't speak any other language you'll learn quick! Assas is an amazing
university (the best law faculty of France) and a lot will be expected of you, but you'll receive a warm welcome. Be
prepared for loads of bureaucrasy, a whole new way of studying and frustrating French behaviour, but it will be
worth it. I would fully recommend to anyone with some French skills ( or who's really willing to learn the
language) to choose Paris as a destination. I had the best experience myself and will be back for my masters one
day!
do you have any additional advice or comments?
Profitez des petites joies de la vie parisienne!