Undergraduate Current Students | Student Testimonials

Name: Britany Rougier

Highlight of my semester abroad: 

Exploring the city with my friends because I learned a lot about European and French history and the buildings and sites were so amazing.  

Something about me you might be interested to know:

This was my second semester abroad and I was able to get into a show at Paris Fashion Week.

What I would say to students considering participating in IBEX:

Relax, Breathe, the French bureaucracy will soon be over. Other than that, enjoy it. ABSOLUTELY DO NOT STAY IN YOUR ROOM IF YOU HAVE ANY FREE TIME. Soak it all in and make every effort to travel!!!

• Expenses
• Banking
• Housing
• Academics
• Course Recommendations
• Student Life
• Restaurants, Shopping, Must-See Sites
• Travel Tips
• Culture Shock

Expenses

• Food: €100/week
• Housing: €300 - €500/month - Depending on the location
• Books: €50/semester
• Entertainment: €100/month
• Local Transportation: €60/month
• Visa: $100 for Campus France application

Banking

• "I created a French bank account and withdrew money from that as well as my American accounts. I had 3 debit cards (1 French, 2 American) and a credit card."
• "Banking is as simple as it is in NY. You can go to any local branch (Société Générale and BNP Paribas are the more popular ones) and open an account, then you can deposit checks and use your bank card as usual. It's definitely advisable to bring along some traveler's checks though because traditional checks will carry fees. I'd recommend opening an account unless you have a credit card that doesn't charge international transaction fees. Opening an account is also beneficial because your checking card then works in any country in the Eurozone, which makes traveling much simpler. You can almost always find someone in the banks that can speak English, so they'll help you open an account. In case of emergencies, you always also use your US debit card at any ATM and get cash out at the exchange rate, but of course, there's going to be fees on both ends as well as the exchange rate spread."

Housing

• "I had a room in a student residence which came with furniture but did not have sheets or cooking utensils or anything for the bathroom. There is no meal plan. The only concern is the process to get your housing. I found my housing through the university and lived in Paris student housing."
• "I lived on campus. Housing is paid by the month, but it's very cheap (< €300 per month, decent condition dorm). Just like NYU, the dorms and the school are all part of the city. So don't be surprised if your dorm is far away from the actual school building. Subways take you everywhere though, so just like NYC distance isn't really that big of a deal. There are also bike rental/sharing stations, which are very easy to use and relatively cheap. I've never used it though, the subways run much more smoothly than NYC subways, and besides that, I've just walked. It's Paris, come on!"

Academics

• "To register for courses at Dauphine prior to your arrival you have to complete a learning agreement online that basically has the courses you will be taking for the semester. The problem is that you are not officially registered until you attend the first class. I, like most others, was under the impression that once you show up you're automatically registered which was not the case. Dauphine's system allows for more students than the actual capacity of the class to put it on their learning agreement which causes confusion, and you never actually know how many people are registered for the class."
• "Dauphine offers a mix of courses. As an exchange student, you can certainly expect that the coursework will be much easier compared to Stern standards."
• Class Format: a combination of lecture and group projects
• Grading: 0 to 20 - less than 10 is failing
• Class Size: small, big classrooms or lecture theater
• Course Load: depending on the course itself. Two or three times the number of hours of the course, if not more.
• Examinations: Continuous assessment, final exam. (50%, 50%)

Course Recommendations

• "My favorite class was Cross-Cultural Barriers because the class was very interesting and eye-opening. I was able to learn about a lot of different countries and their cultures and hear from guest speakers. My favorite professor was in my French A2 class because she was very relaxed and understanding. She made the atmosphere comfortable and inviting where we were not afraid to speak up." 
• "I'd definitely take International Business Ethics since it can substitute for your PRL requirement back home. And the professor speaks very fluent English."

Student Life

• "The International Exchange Committee makes great efforts to take the international students out. That was one of the greatest parts of their program. I met my amazing friends through being a part of this group and was able to meet some very cool French students as well." 
• "The school offered a mentor program, which pairs you up with a French student who will show you around for your first couple of weeks and help you with adjusting. Apart from that, Dauphine also offers a French Conversations program where a group of foreign students are put together with a French tutor who will help you with the language. Between both of these, you'll get chances to meet new people, both French and international, go out with them, learn some French culture and language, etc. Apart from that, you and your friends will get more than enough chances to get out and have fun."

Restaurants, Shopping, Must-See Sites

• "Arc de Triomphe - use student ID card (it's free also bring visa) / Eiffel Tower / Musee D'Orsay / Musee D'Orangerie / Palais Maillot (club, go before 12:30 and it's free) / Cafe Oz (Australian bar) - very chill atmosphere and during happy hour cheap drinks / Mix (club)- has a slide as the entrance but not necessary to go many times, music isn't that great / Montparnasse Tower- one of the best views of the entire city / Sacre Coeur and Love Wall- highest point in Paris where you can see the entire city / Neuilly-sur-Seine (neighborhood) great for nice restaurants  / La Defense (mall)- great for grocery shopping and shopping in general, all kinds of stores / Champs Elysees - you must walk this all the way from Charles de Gaulle to Concorde (especially if during Christmas time and also visit the Christmas markets) / Le Refuge de Fondues - great fondu place where you can get either meat or cheese fondu and wine is served in a baby bottle / Montmarte neighborhood very cute and nice to walk around / Latin Quarter- great for cheap and international food, also there is a crepe shop where you get 2 crepes and a drink for 5 euros / the Louvre - free with student ID  / Rue Honore- all the designer shops / Saint Germain neighborhood- also a lot of designer shops / For great macaroons- La Duree and Pain du Sucre / Go to both Opera houses / Luxembourg Gardens / Chateau de Versailles - student ID free on Sundays (also with the navigo pass it's free to get there on Sundays) / Sit/walk along the Seine  / Louis Vuitton Foundation House and Jardin d'Acclimatation"
• "You'll find plenty of nice restaurants everywhere. Restaurants in France always have a fixed price menu where they offer 3 courses for a fixed price. In addition, the streets are full of kebab and crêpe shops, which make for a very quick lunch. When you don't plan to eat out, grocery shopping is just as easy as in NYC, with Marché Franprix being their equivalent of Acme."

Travel Tips

• "I was traveling almost every weekend if not every other weekend. It is very easy to get from Paris to another city. The key is planning ahead. I would say don't book last-minute trips unless absolutely necessary and find the off-peak times to visit high-traffic cities because your expenses will be a lot cheaper. Book your trips at least 3 weeks in advance and also there are sites like Voyage SNCF, Trainline Europe, Vueling, Transavia, and Ryanair that will give you the cheapest prices for traveling. Also always travel with your Paris student card because some sites let you in for free with a European student ID"
• "Paris itself has a seemingly inexhaustible number of attractions. Let alone the rest of France and other European countries. There are plenty of travel options. Many people love cheap airlines. But there is also the EURail pass, which basically lets you go anywhere in the EU by train. It can be a cheaper and more convenient alternative to flying depending on your vacation schedule. Students will already know about the famous places around Europe, so I don't even need to mention Venice or the Louvre. But I'll highlight some amazing places that aren't as famous:
• "Everyone knows about Versailles, but don't forget the nearby Château de Fontainebleau, the gardens of Giverny, Luxembourg City and Château Vianden, Hallstatt, Austria (Beautiful lakeside town. With delicious fish.) and Oktoberfest, Munich."

Culture Shock

• "Knowing a bit of French certainly helps, but isn't 100% necessary. If you don't know any French then I recommend taking one of the French Language courses at Dauphine. Certainly learn how to say hello, thank you, and ask for directions before you arrive. People are generally very helpful, so don't be afraid to ask."