Angers

Université Catholique de L’Ouest

Before you meet with an education abroad advisor be sure to complete the "Advising Form" linked at the top of this page.

Please note that you will not be able to apply for semester or yearlong education abroad program until you've met with an education abroad advisor. To make an appointment, please contact internationalprograms@noctrl.edu or call the Center for Global Education at 630-637-5132.

Program Overview

Eligible students must be junior or senior standing, and must have successfully completed at least two college courses in French at the 300-level or above. A cumulative GPA of 3.0 is preferred.

Located in the Loire River valley in the city of Angers and founded in 1875, the Université Catholique de l’Ouest (UCO) is one of the oldest universities in western France and one of the important actors in higher education and research today. As a multidisciplinary university with a worldview, it offers more than a hundred programs in six faculties: Education, Humanities, Sciences, Human and Social Sciences, Theology and Religious Sciences, and Law, Economy and Management. Before enrolling in fall term, students may elect (for an additional cost) to study intensive French at its well-known International Center for French Studies program. Angers is a young and dynamic city of 230 000 inhabitants, famous for its quality of life and only 90 minutes by train from the Paris Montparnasse station and 2.5 hours by train from Charles de Gaulle airport.

UCO website

Academics

Students are required to complete GLS 277 in the spring term prior to studying abroad in the fall.

Students earn 8-12 credits, depending on courses selected and length of stay. All grades earned abroad affect your North Central College GPA when transferred back. Students cannot take courses pass/fail. 

Eligibility: Our UCO program is an intense French language program, and all courses taken at UCO are taught in French. Students must have successfully completed at least two college courses in French at the 300-level or above before studying abroad at UCO. Most students study at UCO as seniors, however, studying at UCO as a junior is possible so long as students meet the language requirement.

Housing and Meals

Students live with a host family and receive kitchen privileges where they prepare their own meals. Students use local laundromats near their homestay location to do their laundry. There are no options to live in residence halls at UCO.

Meals:  Not included in program costs. Students prepare their own meals.

Estimated Costs

Students pay North Central College tuition and room and board to the host institution. A $30 non-refundable application fee is due at the time of application submission. Students are personally responsible for paying airfare, health insurance, departure tax, books, extra personal travel, and spending money, as these items are not included in room and board fees. North Central College financial aid does apply.