Paris Fall Semester

Program Overview

Spend a semester studying at the Rice Global Paris Center in the heart of France. The Fall 2026 program offers Rice undergraduates the opportunity to live, learn, and explore Paris while earning full Rice credit toward their degree.

Location: Rice Global Paris Center | Paris, France

Program Dates: Fall 2026 Semester – Students arrive a few days before classes begin for mandatory orientation and team-building activities.

• Strict move-in date: Tuesday, August 18, 2026
• Required orientation: Wednesday, August 19 - Friday, August 21, 2026
• First day of classes: Monday, August 24, 2026
• Last day of classes: Friday, December 4, 2026
• Strict move-out date: Sunday, December 6, 2026

Language of Instruction: Courses are taught in English by Rice faculty (except for possible language course).

Course Credit: All courses earn Rice credit (no transfer required - except for possible local language course). Students register through ESTHER as they would for courses on campus.

Eligibility: This program is open to Rice undergraduate students in good academic and disciplinary standing. It is recommended for rising sophomores and juniors with an interest in health professions or the life sciences. Participants are required to enroll in a full course load and to take part in all program activities.

Please be sure to review General Announcements (GA) for BIOS course requirements and talk with your academic advisor to confirm that this program fits with your degree track.

Tuition and Costs

Tuition & Housing
Students pay the same tuition and rooming charges as a semester on the Rice campus in Houston.

• Included in Cost: Housing, local transportation, and all program-organized excursions and tickets.

Financial Aid
Students who receive or are eligible for financial aid in Houston will have that same aid applied to this program.

Airfare Awards
Limited awards for airfare may be available from Rice Global. Students can apply directly within the program application.

This is a flight purchased directly by Rice Global on the student's behalf. It is not a monetary award.

Rice University Fees
The following fees are required for participation in this program. Please refer to the rates as listed by the Bursar's Office (currently only listed for Academic Year 2025-2026; please re-check their website once Academic Year 2026-2027 are finalized).

• Undergraduate Tuition
• Health & Wellness Support Fee: Students are required to sign up for the Rice travel insurance covered by this fee and to have access to the Rice Wellbeing Office
• Rooming - On Campus: This fee covers housing costs in Paris

The following fees, however, are not required and will be waived for the fall semester:

• Student Activity Fee
• Meals - On Campus Plan
• Health Insurance

 

Rice Global Program Deposit
$400 deposit + $12 processing fee

• Non-refundable
• $400 will be applied toward program tuition once registration is complete

Additional Costs to Budget For

• Roundtrip airfare: ~$1,000-$2,500
• Meals: ~$2,400–$4,000 (Comparable to Rice meal plan ~$3200/semester)
  • Mostly groceries / minimal dining out: ~$1,400–$3,000
  • Mixed cooking + occasional dining out: ~$3,000–$6,000
  • Restaurant-heavy / frequent dining out: ~$6,000–$10,000
• Visa Fees: ~$300–$700
• Personal/incidentals (phone, toiletries, laundry, social, weekend travel, etc.): ~$800–$1,500
• Personal/travel buffer: ~$500–$1,000

Actual expenses vary by exchange rate, booking timing, lifestyle and travel choices.

Academics

Students select their curriculum from the following courses (each worth 3 credits). For full course descriptions, CLICK HERE.

Confirmed Courses for Fall 2026

BIOS 301 – Biochemistry I
Instructors: Natasha Kirienko & Dereth Phillips
This course is taught in a 7-week accelerated schedule

BIOS 341 – Cell Biology
Instructors: Janet Braam & Dereth Phillips
Distribution: Receive D3 credit
This course is taught in a 7-week accelerated schedule

RELI 124 - Religion and the Art of Happiness
Instructor: Niki Clements
Distribution: Receive D1 credit

RELI 350 - Demons, Mental Illness, and Medicine
Instructor: Niki Clements
Distribution: Receive D1 credit

POLI 211 - Intro to International Relations
Instructor: Taylor Damann
Distribution: Receive D2 credit

POLI XXX - Gender and War
Instructor: Taylor Damann
Distribution: Receive D2 credit

Optional (Not Yet Confirmed)
A French language course taught by a local instructor may be offered to support cultural immersion. Details are still being finalized and subject to confirmation.

PSYC 345 - Health Psychology **ONLINE **
This course has not been confirmed, but will be conducted fully ONLINE.

Co-Curricular Programming

Students will engage in site-based learning and cultural activities designed to complement their coursework. Examples of possible activities include:

• Guest lectures by faculty from PSL and Saclay Universities
• Field-based collaborations with local professors
• Visits to Parisian research and medical institutions:
  • Necker Children’s Hospital & Imagine Institute for Genetic Diseases
  • Paris Brain Institute
• Museum visits
  • Cité de l'architecture et du patrimoine
  • Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain
  • Mémorial De La Shoah (Holocaust museum)
  • Musée des Arts et Métiers
  • Musée du quai Branly - Jacques Chirac
  • Musée Curie
  • Musée de l’Histoire de la Médecine
  • Musée du Louvre
  • Musée nationale de l'histoire de l'immigration
•  Additional course-related visits
  • Assemblée nationale (National Assembly)
  • Bourse de Commerce - Pinault Collection
  • Brigade de Recherche et d'Intervention (Search and Intervention Brigade)
  • Centre national d'art et de culture Georges-Pompidou (Centre Pompidou)
  • Grande Mosquée de Paris
  • Maison de l'UNESCO (UNESCO Headquarters)
• Overnight trips
  • Fall 2025 cohort went to Strasbourg and Marseille

Fall 2026 programming is still in development and subject to change.

Housing

All residences are located in 13th arrondissement in the Buttes-aux-Cailles neighborhood, an approximately 30-minute journey to the Rice Global Paris Center via metro. Resident Associates (RA) will live onsite for student support.

Each residence has individual fully furnished, single-occupancy apartments which include the following: a full bathroom with a shower, a kitchen area with plates/utensils provided, a table or desk with a chair, a bed with linen & pillows provided, and a shared washer/dryer.

Admissions

Applications are reviewed in the order they are received. Students will be notified of acceptance after a thorough review.

Priority Deadline: December 12, 2025 at 12:00 PM (NOON)

Students who apply by the priority deadline will be notified whether the program has met the minimum enrollment numbers. If numbers are met, an official acceptance and award notification will be sent, and must confirm participation by paying the registration fee within a week of acceptance. If program has not yet met enrollment, students will be informed and will receive a final update as soon as enrollment has been met.

After the priority deadline, this application will close once all spots are filled and no later than early March 2026.

We are prioritizing rising sophomores and juniors with an interest in health professions or the life sciences. Students are encouraged to consider how their Spring course selections align with potential courses offered through this program.

Application Statements: Intent, Readiness & Cultural Awareness

As part of your application, you will complete three short written statements that help us understand your motivation, readiness, and cultural awareness for studying abroad in Paris. These statements are a key component of the application review process and allow you to share your goals, experiences, and perspectives in your own words.

Please take time to write thoughtful and complete responses. Short or one-sentence answers will not be considered sufficient. Each response should be between 150–250 words.

• STATEMENT OF INTENT (150–250 words)

  Studying abroad in Paris offers unique academic and cultural opportunities. Please tell us why you want to participate in this program and elaborate on your course preferences, explaining the connection to your academic or personal goals. Additionally, please tell us what you hope to contribute to and gain from this experience.

• PERSONAL READINESS & ADAPTABILITY (150–250 words)

  Studying abroad requires independence, maturity, and flexibility. Describe a situation where you had to adapt to a new or challenging environment—academic, professional, or personal. What did you learn about yourself through that experience, and how do you think those lessons will help you navigate the opportunities and challenges of living and studying in Paris?

• CULTURAL AWARENESS & REPRESENTATION (150–250 words)

  As a Rice University student abroad, you will represent both Rice and the United States in a variety of settings—from daily interactions in Paris to academic excursions and events with institutional partners and professionals. Reflect on your awareness of cultural differences and describe how you plan to approach living and learning in a different cultural context. How will you demonstrate professionalism, cultural sensitivity, and respect for local norms, values, and customs while engaging with others and building meaningful connections in Paris and across France?
  

  
  

How to Apply?

➡️APPLY HERE

Students are encouraged to review all program details—including confirmed courses and eligibility requirements—before applying

 

Info Session Slides

CLICK HERE to access the presentation slides from our info session in November 2025.

 

More Information

• Check out our Student Life in Paris page to learn about where you will live and learn.
• For questions, please contact us at globalowls@rice.edu
• To get up to date emails regarding upcoming information sessions, CLICK HERE to join our interest list.