American University of Paris
Higher education centre, Graduate school in Paris, France
The American University of Paris (AUP) is a private, independent, international university in the historic 7th arrondissement of Paris. It was chartered in 1962 and began in rented classrooms of the American Church of Paris. AUP has more than 1,200 students from 110 nationalities and a faculty of 171 professors. The primary language of instruction is English.
AUP offers bachelor's and master's degrees rooted in the American liberal arts tradition. Undergraduates take roughly a third of their courses in the Global Liberal Arts Core Curriculum, a third in their major (chosen from 25 majors) and a third as electives, which can be used for a minor or a second major. Master's programmes include, for example, an MSc in Human Rights and Data Science. Classes are small, and coursework is linked to settings such as Parisian museums, study trips to Fez and visits to the European Parliament in Brussels.
Incoming first-year undergraduates must secure housing through AUP, which runs residences in several parts of Paris; exemptions are possible, for example for students over 21 or living with family in the Île-de-France region. New students start with a week of orientation activities before classes begin. AUP has around 23,000 alumni.
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Programmes
Bachelor's degrees follow the American liberal arts model. Students sample courses in several disciplines before choosing a major, with the programme divided roughly into thirds:
- Global Liberal Arts Core Curriculum: language, writing, public speaking, quantitative and technological skills
- Major: one of 25 majors, chosen with an academic advisor
- Electives: free choice, also usable for a minor or a second major
Teaching is in English, in small classes.
Graduate programmes
AUP offers several master's programmes; requirements and credit counts differ between them. Example from the 2026-27 catalog: the MSc in Human Rights and Data Science (42 credits) combines data science, international human rights law and data protection courses that prepare for the IAPP certification exam, and ends with a capstone thesis plus internship or the AUP Summer Institute for Human Rights. Graduate students must keep a cumulative GPA of 3.00.
Housing
Incoming first-year undergraduates (degree-seeking, Gap Year and First Year Abroad) must secure housing through AUP. Exemptions can be requested before enrolment, with documents, for students over 21, married students living with their spouse, students with French residency, students living with family in Île-de-France and students with medical needs. Transfer students may opt in to AUP housing; visiting students with college experience may opt out.
AUP housing includes shared and single rooms, studios and apartments in residences such as Musset, Champs-Elysées, Jouffroy, Annonciation, Université and Cité Universitaire. For fall 2026, semester rent per person ranges from 5,000 € (Cité Universitaire single room) to 17,000 € (Université premium single apartment), plus a security deposit and housing fee.
Subjects taught
- Arts, Design and Crafts
- Fine Arts
- Theatre
- Performing Arts
- Business
- International Business
- Communications
- Communications
- Film TV and video
- Computing
- Information Technology
- Computer Programming
- Economics
- Economics
- Finance
- Finance
- Humanities
- Art History
- History
- Philology, Languages, Literature
- Literature
- Modern Languages
- Spanish Language and Literature (in Universities)
- French Language and Literature (in Universities)
- German language and literature (in Universities)
- Italian Language and Literature (in Universities)
- Public Administration and Services
- Urban Studies and Planning
- Sciences
- Psychology
- Mathematics
- Political Science
- Social and Cultural studies
- Social Studies