Aix Marseille Universite
Please find useful information below about Aix-Marseille Université as an exchange destination. Learn more about the location, the campus, courses and student life!
About
Aix-Marseille Université (AMU) is one of largest France’s universities, home to over 80,000 students, including 12,000 international students, and 8,200 staff. It offers nearly 1,100 degrees across 17 faculties, schools, and training institutes on 5 major campuses.
AMU is consistently ranked among the Top 5 French universities in the Shanghai Academic Ranking and has held the "Initiative of Excellence" (IDEX) label since 2012. The university is a key player in innovation, research, and entrepreneurship, with 121 research structures, 20 interdisciplinary institutes, and strong ties to major national organizations.
Consult AMU on QS World Rankings to learn more about their current world ranking and academic reputation in different subject areas.
Location
AMU spans 54 sites across 10 cities in 4 departments in the southern French region of Provence, with a notable presence in Marseille, Aix-en-Provence, and other locations such as Arles, Aubagne, Avignon, and more. It also has an international branch in Wuhan, China. Locations for its several campuses and more information can be found here.
Aix-en-Provence, where the main campus is located, is a charming and beautiful French city located in the southeastern side of France. It is a historic city, famous for its elegant and ornate architecture, cobbled streets, and lively centres. It is also known for its academic atmosphere, with several universities located around the city, AMU being one of them.
Aix-en-Provence is linked to a network of public transportation that can take you to other parts of France and greater Europe. The train to Paris takes about three hours, and Aix-en-Provence is also very close to Spain, Italy, and Switzerland.
Marseille, where other branches of the university are located, offers a more diverse and bustling environment. It is right next to the ocean, and is around 32km away from Aix-en-Provence, is reachable in about a 30-minute drive or 45-minute train.
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.
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. They can be found here.
A B1 level in French is required to follow French-taught modules.
Academic Calendar
The academic year is divided into two semesters:
- Autumn semester: September – December
- Spring semester: January – May
However, AMU has slightly different schedules depending on what each student chooses to study. Please refer to this website for more detailed information and the full academic calendar.
Courses
AMU is particularly known for law, politics, business, economics, literature, sciences, and medicine. With over 600 different courses to choose from, there is a course for every student out there. The entire course catalogue can be found here.
Credits
Students must enrol on a full courseload equivalent to 60 Queen Mary credits per semester / 120 for a full academic year. AMU uses the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS), where 1 Queen Mary credit = 0.5 ECTS. Therefore, a full courseload at AMU is 30 ECTS per semester / 60 ECTS for the full academic year. More information here.
UMA's landing page for incoming exchange students
Queen Mary Student Feedback
Blog posts on Queen Mary Global Bloggers:
Accommodation
There are several accommodation options for students. At AMU, many options are through partnership accommodation companies such as CROUS and Studapart. These include on campus university residences, studios, shared accommodations, or rooms in a private home. This website details accommodation options specifically for international students, and this website provides general housing information.
Accommodation in public French student residence halls (all subsidised and managed by each region's student welfare office known as the Centre régional des œuvres universitaires, abbreviated as CROUS) is price-controlled yet varies depending on if any facilities are shared or private/en-suite. Typically, accommodation in these halls reserved exclusively for students studying in France includes a single bed, kitchenette, shower, toilet, desk and all utilities (water, electricity and internet). For more information, please visit this link.
Campus France also has pages dedicated to accommodation: Where to live during your stay and a list of accommodation options. Students should also consult the advice from the advice from the Centre d'Information et de Documentation Jeunesse (CIDJ) Centre.
Students in France who meet certain conditions are entitled to modest, monthly financial housing assistance payments from the French government to help with the cost of rent, whether they rent student accommodation or privately, alone or in a flat/houseshare (referred to as colocation); procedures to apply will slightly differ depending on the situation. These housing benefits are commonly referred to as "la CAF" or "the CAF" in both French and English (Caisse des Allocations Familiales), as this is the service of the government delivering the financial support. The type and amount of the funding you may be eligible for will depend on your living and renting situation, yet most students are eligible to receive Custom Housing Assistance (aide personnalisée au logement, abbreviated as "APL") in the amount of €180-€200 per month. You must open a French bank account in order to be eligible to receive payments. You must also eventually have a French social security number (enrolment and registration at Panthéon-Sorbonne facilitates this), yet you may be able to begin the application process without this. Learn more here about eligibility and further conditions for applying; guidance for international students applying for the first time can also be found here.
Private accommodation: Students who rent privately either through an estate agent, homestay or private student halls should be aware that the cost will be higher, and students will likely be asked to provide details of a caution (or guarantor) required for signing any rental contract.
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
More information and estimations for cost of living in Aix-Marseille Université can be found here. Please also consult the estimated minimum and maximum cost of living figures available in our “Estimated Costs of Living” document available on our Finance page.
Support services
AMU offers an International Student Helpdesk, which includes an FAQ section, contacts for the welcome team for general enquiries, and other connection to the International Student Helpdesk. Any enquiries and questions about housing, financial aid, health, visas, etc. can be made at the helpdesk.
AMU also offers support for students navigating their educational and professional journeys, which include diploma or non-diploma training courses, advice and consultancy for professional projects, professional development training, and various professional development workshops for students to attend More information can be found here.
Student Life
At AMU, there is a plethora of different organisations and communities students can join. A comprehensive site with all options is linked here.
Some notable opportunities for students to be involved in campus life include the arts programmes, which span from music and dance to theatre and cultural performances. A variety of different sporting organisations are available, ranging from competitive sports to home sports programmes.
For dining options, there are several options which include restaurants, online ordering, and dining venues offered through CROUS. With original recipes, convenient dining locations, and affordable meals all within the campus, students can enjoy a wide range of healthy and delicious food options. More information about dining can be found here.
Aix-en-Provence is a charming and pleasant city to explore, welcoming hundreds of international students each year for term-time and summer programmes. It offers a relaxed atmosphere, beautiful architecture and lively markets. Aix-en-Provence is a very walkable city, allowing one to sightsee easily and enjoy the local restaurants.
Marseille has a historical port and wonderful coastlines, where one can relax on the beaches and explore the lush nature surrounding the city. With Marseille being the second largest city in France, and history dating back over 2,600 years ago, there are many restaurants, museums and other activities to partake in.