University of London Institute in Paris (ULIP)

University of London Institute in Paris (ULIP)

Age: 117

History: Set up by an English woman, Edith Williams, in 1894 with the help of the then British Ambassador, Lord Dufferin. The Institute's original name was the Guilde Franco-Anglaise, and its aim was to improve the level of French spoken by the British. Later on, as part of the Entente Cordiale, the school became the British Institute in Paris (BIP). As of January 1, 2005, its title changed to the University of London Institute in Paris (ULIP).

Address: Based in a traditional Parisian building, in a great location overlooking the Esplanade des Invalides.

Ambience: Right in the heart of things, only a 10-minute walk from the Champs Elysées. It is also only a short distance from the spectacular Musée d'Orsay, and the artistic Latin Quarter.

Vital statistics: The institute, part of the University of London, is the only UK university institute in continental Europe. There is a BA in French studies, an MA in Paris studies and various PhD’s on offer, the former involving a three-year stay in Paris. Both these qualifications are awarded by the University of London. Part of a consortium of two other colleges, Royal Holloway and Queen Mary.

Added value: The institute sees itself as being right at the heart of French intellectual and cultural life. It offers courses on contemporary French culture, which include modules on theatre, cinema and Paris's many museums. The institute has a students union, which has various clubs including a football team and a theatre group.

Easy to get into? Pretty tough. For the BA in French, ABB is required, with at least a B in French, but all short-listed candidates are interviewed and offers are based on individual profiles.

Glittering alumni: Françoise Gilot, Picasso's partner between 1944 and 1953; newsreader Fiona Bruce studied a year abroad there.

Transport links: Right next door to the Invalides metro stop. The institute is also easily accessible from the regional express network. Paris is only an hour's flight from London, or two and hours by Eurostar. The city's public transport network is great, so getting around shouldn't be a problem.

Who's the boss? Professor Andrew Hussey, dean of the institute, author of Paris – The Secret History, formerly at UWA Aberystwyth. Professor Geoffrey Crossick is vice-chancellor of the University of London.

Teaching: The institute does not take part in the same assessments as universities based in the UK. Each student is assigned a member of full-time academic staff who acts as their personal adviser throughour their time in Paris to assist with both academic and personal matters. A student staff committee also meet at least once every semester.

Research: Scored an average of 1.70 in the 2008 RAE, equivalent to 106th out of the 115 universities in the Independent’s Complete University Guide.

Nightlife: Buzzing although pricey. Café culture is still the bedrock of Parisian life, while the city has enough variety to satisfy most needs.

Any accommodation? There is no college accommodation, but ULIP has a database of landlords and a special agreement with two private halls of residence.

Cheap to live there? No – on average, Parisian local rents are over €100 per week. You'll also have to get there, which is at least £50 on the Eurostar.

Fees: £3,375 per year for full-time home and EU undergrads starting in 2011. Fee plans for 2012 are yet to be confirmed.

Bursaries: Students in receipt of a full-time maintenance allowance, with an annual household income of less than £25,000 are likely to be eligible for a £1,100 per year bursary.

Prospectus: (0033) 144 11 73 73; www.ulip.lon.ac.uk

UCAS code: P26