University Programs in France (UPF)
Association Loi 1901 / Non-Profit Organization
À propos de nous
University Programs in France (UPF) is a French non-for-profit organization dedicated to help American universities implement locally and manage their study abroad programs in France.
How do we help our partner institutions?
We help US academic institutions to create and manage their study abroad program in France. Either short-term, semestral, yearly, free or faculty-led, we support international academic projects of any sort to become reality.
Once an agreement is signed between UPF and the US institution, we represent this institution in their relations with French partners and local institutions. We help to negotiate and manage agreements and MOUs between the parties.
We are in permanent communication with departments and faculty in the US in order to reflect with the greatest accuracy the educational spirit and the academic exigence that their study abroad program deserves.
We are a small and human scale organization. We work with passion and high-level of commitment to our students, to our programs and to our partner universities. We are academia oriented, hence our choice to be a non-profit organization.
We are a member of APUAF — Association des Programmes Universitaires Américains en France.
We provide a French legal framework to our US partners.
Because we are a French organization, we are fully allowed to open and run bank accounts, pay taxes, negotiate with other French institutions including the Foreign Service and Social Security.
We organize courses, hire local Faculty, rent new venues, get full insurance on all our activities.
We are in permanent contact with administration and registrars of several key academic institutions in Paris (Sorbonne university—Paris 3, 4 et 7—, The Catholic University, Sciences Po, the school of Paris Chamber of Commerce, fashion schools)
We manage transcripts and grade scaling.
We hire host families, book rooms in residences for students and young workers.
We help students with local internships.
We work with local schools and NGOs
We organize trips and cultural activities.
And of course, to put it simply: we know how things work here!
We provide on-site staff to run the program from A to Z.
The RD is dedicated to the program and is its official representative in France.
The RD is in charge of all administrative, financial and academic matters.
The RD is the first referent for faculty—on site and on campus—and students.
The RD and the adjunct are permanently on duty and available for students and host families throughout the time of the program.
We provide venues and facilities.
Our office, the headquarters for our study abroad programs, is ideally located in the heart of the Latin Quarter, in front of the Luxembourg garden and a few meters away from the Sorbonne University and the Catholic University, two major partners of UPF.
Our office and classrooms are located on the first floor of the Foyer International des Étudiantes (www.fie.fr), a historical building and a landmark in the history of relations between France and the US. At the fifth floor, students enjoy a heritage study library and the roof terrace offers some of the most breathtaking views over the city.
According to the type of program, we lodge students and faculty with French host families, residence halls, hotels or private flats.
