Sciences Po Lille Summer School
Sciences Po Lille is one of France's "Grandes Écoles" for International Relations, and is located just 1 hour Northeast from Paris, 40 minutes from Brussels and less than 2 hours from London.
Sciences Po Lille's summer school is a highly selective program offering a look into challenges facing the EU, encouraging student-led solutions to real-world issues, while offering a French language and cultural immersion program. Attend courses taught by esteemed guest lecturers from around the globe, and gain experiential learning into challenges facing European governance and the UN. As a part of the summer school you will have an opportunity to study the art of French Cooking, and take day trips to Paris and Brussels, experience a tour of the city of Lille, and more fun social outings.
Key information
Application information
Student experience
Program details
Areas of Study: The English-taught summer program runs based around a unique theme(s) each year.
Summer 2021 offers 2 modules (class sets):
- EU Affairs: "Rethinking the European Union", "International Justice: Policy and Practice", "Reassessing the place of religion in the European public sphere"
- French Language & Society: "French Language" (open to students in all levels of French), "French Society and Politics"
Because the Summer 2021 program is online, there is much flexibility in your class selection. Students can take one module, or both modules, or mix and match classes. Sciences Po Lille also offers a variety of class lengths for students to choose from (1-4 weeks long). Generally 1 class is worth 3 ECTS credits.
Course requirements:
6 ECTS = 3 UCalgary units (1 half-course).
UCalgary students must take at least 2 classes on this program (6 ECTS) in order to receive credit. Sciences Po Lille allows students to take up to 4 classes (12 ECTS), which will transfer back to your degree as 2 UCalgary half-courses
Note about the Summer 2021 online program:
The courses will be taught mainly in live online lectures. The times have not been announced yet, so there is a chance it may be at an odd time for students in Calgary (Lille is 8h ahead of Calgary) - this program may be well suited for night owls!
In addition to the online courses, students can participate in a wide range of activities with other international students such as French cooking lessons, virtual museum visits, etc.
Sciences Po Lille also offers students 1:1 consultation with a summer school advisor throughout the program to ensure things are going well and provide additional support.
For the online summer program 2021 you can apply for a UGo Virtual Global Learning Grant for this program, valued $500 per grant. Deadline to apply: March 10, 2021
The summer program at Lille runs from late June to late July each year. For details click here.
Students wishing to extend their studies into a semester-long program can also apply for the semester/year long exchange to Lille.
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Costs
Each year we select 2 students for the summer program who will not have to pay the Lille tuition (must still pay for UCalgary tuition for 2 summer courses). Students will also need to pay for accommodation and the application fee to Lille, roughly 700€ (includes a 650€ cost for accommodation and a 50€ application fee). If you are not selected by UCI, you should contact the exchange advisor for other options.
Also, don't forget to include things like visas, insurance, vaccinations etc in your budget planning.
Costs cover accommodation, conferences, administration of documents, city tour, a field trip to Brussels, some breakfasts, and a final dinner. Not included are health/travel insurance, field trips to Paris, cooking courses, flights, additional personal or living expenses, and meals (except as previously mentioned).
Lille cost comparison vs. Calgary: Click Here
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Funding
Did you know that you can take your UCalgary funding with you on exchange?
Since you remain a degree seeking student at UCalgary while on exchange you remain eligible for any awards and scholarships you are eligible to receive from the university as well as student loans.Our office administers several awards, including the Global Access Fund (based on a funding-first model where students apply prior to committing to a global learning program) and the Global Learning Award (students apply after being accepted to a global learning program; the amount varies year-to-year as the money is split among chosen recipients). Students may only receive these awards once. Please see the funding page, linked below, for more information.
Information on accommodation can be found on the summer school accommodation page.
This exchange is open to regular, full-time students in any faculty at UCalgary, who have completed at least 1 full year (10 courses) at the post-secondary level, with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.7 (B-).
Although most courses are taught in English for the summer program, we do recommend that students have completed at least one year of French at the university level (or possess the equivalent skills) before participating in this exchange, to help with daily life.
For more information on the program, check the FAQ Summer School page.
Have questions?
The exchange advisor for this program is: Saniya Korhalkar
How to Apply
Download the application guide
This PDF contains information on how to complete your application and what to do after you have applied.
Identify three programs of interest
We recommend applying for your top three programs for the priority application deadline, as placement may be competitive. We will assess your applications in ranked order.
Check requirements and deadlines
These may vary by program, so check the individual program pages and make sure that you are aware of any different application deadlines or eligibility requirements.
Start your application
Once you have gathered everything you need, you can begin your application!
Please note: Applications will not be considered complete until all required documents are submitted in full.
International travel presents challenges that may not be found when attending classes on campus. There may be a lack of resources, emergency services, hospitals, accessibility issues and/or demands on the physical and the mental self, all of which can challenge individuals when away from their usual support systems and structures. Adequate preparation is essential.
For this reason, it is imperative that you evaluate all aspects of your own physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual condition against the rigors of the particular global learning program you are selecting. If you are unsure of whether or not this program is a good fit for you and/or if you have any circumstances that could impede your enjoyment of the program, please contact us. Our Global Learning Advisors will be happy to assist in finding the best options for you and arrange any supports or accommodations necessary to ensure your success.
If you have or are seeking a certificate from Student Accessibility Services, you should provide this early to your Global Learning Advisor to ensure that the option that you are seeking can support your needs.
Please note: All participants must adhere to COVID-19 and other vaccination-related requirements for the destinations visited on this program. Failure to do so may have consequences such as being denied access to accommodation/housing, program activities, or to the host country itself.