Université d'Avignon

About 

The University of Avignon (Université d'Avignon et des Pays de Vaucluse) was established in 1303 and is one of France's renowned public universities, known for its rich history and commitment to academic excellence. With approximately 8,000 students, including a growing number of international students (approximately 13%), the university is a dynamic hub for learning and cultural exchange.

The University of Avignon fosters global collaboration through more than 140 partnerships with institutions in 40 countries, having a deep international orientation. Each year, it welcomes exchange students from all over the world, encouraging mobility and cross-cultural learning with its partner universities.

The university offers a wide range of courses across five main faculties: Arts, Law, Economics, Social Sciences, and Sciences. These programmes are facilitated by a dedicated team of teaching and research staff who are committed to the university’s values of fostering innovation, critical thinking, and interdisciplinary research. The University of Avignon is also home to several research units, that collaborate with national and international experts and think-tanks.

Consult QS World Rankings to learn more about their current world ranking and academic reputation in different subject areas.

Location

Avignon, situated at the crossroads of two regions in the south of France, is a historic and culturally vibrant city with nearly 100,000 residents and a wider metropolitan area of around 200,000 people. The city is easily accessible via the Mediterranean TGV, which connects the city to Paris in just over 2.5 hours. Avignon offers the perfect balance between a dynamic urban environment and an exceptional architectural heritage.

Due to its rich history, Avignon presents the marks of its rich past through the historic centre, including the Palais des Papes, the Pont Saint-Bénézet, and the city’s medieval parts.

As a city known for its cultural life, Avignon provides more than 10% of its municipal budget to culture. Its famous Festival d’Avignon, one of the most important performing arts festivals in the world, brings over 600,000 spectators to the city each July. Throughout the year, numerous theatre companies, museums, and exhibitions contribute to Avignon’s cultural scene.

Beyond culture, Avignon has become increasingly attractive economically due to the presence of high-value industries, and innovation hubs such as the Agroparc area. Moreover, being in the proximity of the river tourism, the city represents a gateway to Provence through its river connections.

A detailed presentation of Avignon’s history and culture can be consulted here.

Avignon university is composed of 2 campuses (the Hannah Arendt Campus and the Jean-Henri Fabre Campus). Across these campuses, the university has four different teaching components: the Agrosciences, Environment and Health Institute, the Culture, Heritage and Digital Societies Institute, the Centre for Education and Research in Computer Science as well as the University Institute of Technology. The access maps of both campuses are available here.

More information about available transport means and campus stations can be found here.

Level of competitiveness

This exchange is only open to students studying a Modern Language in the School of the Arts:  

For competitiveness level, please enquire with the STA Year Abroad team. 

^{The level of competitiveness (Less competitive * / Competitive ** / Very competitive ***) refers to one's chances of being allocated an exchange space at this partner. This is an approximation determined by the number of applications received for this destination during the last academic year versus the total number of exchange spaces available to Queen Mary students.}

Language of Instruction

French is the language of instruction and examination, as that is the target language of Modern Language students who study here, although there are a few courses taught in English. These courses, called “English friendly” may be found in this dedicated syllabus section.

The minimum French level required for international students to follow the undergraduate courses is B1.

Academic Calendar

The academic year at Avignon University is split into 2 semesters:

Semester 1: September – January (with a welcoming period in the first week of September)

Semester 2: January – May (with a welcoming period in the penultimate week of January)

This page contains the full academic calendar. 

Courses

Avignon University offers a wide range selection of courses taught in French and English across its undergraduate and graduate faculties. The catalogue for the programmes offered at Avignon is available here and the syllabus for the undergraduate and postgraduate modules can be consulted here. 

Students are required to submit their Study Contract and their choice of courses during the registration process. There are academic advisors available to assist exchange students when selecting their courses. More details are available in the international exchange guide.

The university also provides a free intensive French course of 12 hours during the welcoming period for each semester. More details are available on the Language Service’s page.

The Language Service of Avignon University is also a certified exam centre for the TCF-DAP and DELF-DALF French diplomas.

Credits 

Students must enrol on a full course load equivalent to 60 Queen Mary credits for the semester/120 for a full academic year. At Avignon University, this represents 30 ECTS credits each semester.

Grading

The grading system for the university is based on a 20 points scale, with 0 being the lowest mark and 20 being the highest mark available. In order to pass an exam, a 10/20 grade is required. Most degree courses are under continuous assessment throughout the semester, with further information available here.

More information about the ECTS credits is available here.

Find out more about Queen Mary’s credit transfer and grade conversion process.

Queen Mary student feedback

Blog posts on Queen Mary Global Bloggers:

• Sergiu in Tours
• Viktoria in Paris

Accommodation

There are several accommodation options for students, depending on various circumstances and the selected campus.

CROUS-managed accommodation: The Centre régional des œuvres universitaires, abbreviated as CROUS, is the public French organization/student welfare office that helps students with matters such as accommodation and catering. Accommodation in public French student residence halls is all subsidised and managed by each region's CROUS.

Accommodation in CROUS halls is reserved exclusively for students studying in France and is price-controlled yet varies depending on if any facilities are shared or private/en-suite. Accommodation generally includes a single bed, kitchenette, shower, toilet, desk and all utilities (water, electricity and internet). These residence halls are typically all located within or near campus premises, a short walk from amenities. Basic services such as mail, pharmacies, laundromats, restaurants, supermarkets and emergency medical services are often situated within a close distance.

In the case of Avignon university, there are 2 residences assigned located next to the university campuses: Residence La Gardielle and Residence Jean Zay. There are other accommodation options available within CROUS which can be consulted here.

CROUS lettings are available for 5 month periods (a semester at the chosen location) or for an entire academic year. There is a CROUS office within the campus Hannah Arendt between 1^st september and mid-november which can respond to specific inquiries. Outside this period, there is a service called OFII habitation available for housing issues.

For more information concerning CROUS, please visit this link. The CROUS service allocated to the Avignon city is CROUS Aix-Marseille Avignon. Please consult the “Additional useful information” section below for accommodation financing options.

There is no guarantee for obtaining a university accommodation in campus and vacancies are limited. It is therefore highly recommended that students apply for a room as soon as possible as the process is not automatic.  You will be sent a reservation form by the International Relations Service which you will need to return. Afterwards, CROUS will contact you to manage the payment of a security deposit, if needed.

Private accommodation: For those who wish to secure non-CROUS managed accommodation, students can choose to rent rooms or apartments, furnished or not, from private individuals. For this type of accommodation, students will need to be autonomous and liaise with landlords directly. More information about private accommodation options is available here.

When searching for accommodation which is called "meublé/furnished”: this means that basic equipment/furniture is included. Agencies always request a guarantor for renting private accommodation.

According to Avignon University’s housing guidelines, Visale is the free 100% guarantor for all adult students.Offered by Action Logement, the Visale guarantee provides everyone, without means testing, with a free rental deposit for all types of accommodation (student residences, independent accommodation, shared accommodation, flats, studios, rooms).

There are also several private student residence halls in Avignon: Résidence Les Cordellers, Résidence Appart’study, Résidence Quilci, Résidence Sainte Marthe-Aloméa, Résidence Le Tintoret, Résidence 5 épi, Résidence Suitetudes République, Résidence Campus del Sol Esplanade and Résidence André Malraux.

There is also the possibility of renting within intergenerational housing. This is an opportunity provided by the organization La Logitude which puts interested students in contact with eldery people renting a room. More information is available here.

Queen Mary students who intend to look for private accommodation are advised to follow the partner’s guidance as soon as possible to begin their accommodation search safely. Guidance about searching for private accommodation safely is also available on the QMplus resource page, “Pre-departure” tab from early spring.

Cost of living

Avignon provides information on the cost of living as a student in the international student guide on page 12. You can find more general, up-to-date information about the cost of living in Avignon here.

Please consult the estimated minimum and maximum cost of living figures for this destination country available in our “Estimated Costs of Living” document available on our Finance page.  

There are various student aid options for the cost of living from University of Avignon and other local institutions which can be consulted here.

Support services

(As a current Queen Mary student you will be able to find a summary sheet for Avignon on our QMplus page, with an overview of the local student support services available on the following topics: specific learning differences, physical impairments, sensory impairments, long term medical conditions, autism spectrum conditions, mental health and wellbeing difficulties, special accommodation provision, non-emergency health care, emergency services, harassment and trauma and suicide prevention.

Activities and Societies

Orientation: Incoming international students receive support and guidance from the university’s International Relations Department, which provide essential information to help students settle into life at Avignon. Details on orientation procedures and welcome activities are shared with students before arrival. 

Student organisations: University of Avignon has over 40 different student associations across a wide range of topics such as culture, sport and media. There is a dedicated Campus Life Office (Bureau de la Vie de la Campus) which oversees activities and projects reuniting students across the university. Each year, in early October, there is an Associations’ Week (La semaine des Assos) where students can check out different stands that present student associations and activities. Information about student associations from the university and the city can be found here.

For exchange students, the buddy system ("parrainage") is offered, where each exchange student is paired with a French student for the first 2 months of their exchange. This system helps international students integrate more easily by providing them with a local contact who can offer guidance, share insights about life at the university, and introduce them to the city of Avignon.

Sporting activities: The University Sports Service (Service Universitaire des Activités Physiques et Sportives, SUAPS) provides students with opportunities to engage in a variety of over 50 sporting activities. Students can participate in sports throughout the semester, with options available for beginners and those looking for more competitive events. The university organizes sports challenges, competitions, and themed events like sports nights, providing a chance to stay active and socialize. More information is available here about specific sport activities.

Cultural activities: The Culture and Campus Life Service organizes a wide range of cultural events throughout the year, including concerts, theater performances, art exhibitions, and conferences. More information is available here.

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Resources

Incoming exchange students page - information about the registration process and key dates

International Student Guide 2024-2025 – general information about exchanges at Avignon University

Support Services Guide – information about available support services