French Guiana is the only French Territory located on the South American mainland. Situated on the northern coast, its main city is Cayenne with a population of 41,000. The two UAG campuses are in Cayenne and Kourou.

The archipelago of Guadeloupe includes the islands of St Barthélémy, St. Martin, les Saintes, la Désirade, Marie-Galante, and Guadeloupe itself. The main city of Basse-Terre, with a population of 12,410, is located on Guadeloupe. The two AUG campuses are located in Pointe-à-Pitre (Grande-Terre) and St. Claude (Basse-Terre).

Martinique is the second largest island of the French West Indies. It is home to the active volcano Mount Pelée, which erupted in 1902. The main city, with a population of 100,000, is Fort-de-France. The campus is in the town of Schoelcher.

Academic year or semester exchanges

ISEP-Exchange for US students.

Academic year: September to June
Semester 1: September to December
Semester 2: January to May.
 

Full year or semester enrollment in regular university courses
Humanities (French literature, history); Languages (English, Spanish); Science and Technology (biology, chemistry, computer science, geology, mathematics, medical studies, physical education, physics, Tropical environment); Social Sciences (economics, law).

When selecting their courses, ISEP participants should be very careful about the pôle where the courses are offered. For example, French as a Second Language (F.L.E.) is taught in Martinique at the Institute for Francophone Studies (ISEF). However, specific programs can be organized in French Guiana or Guadeloupe. This does not apply to all courses. Students may choose to study at only one of the three UAG locations - French Guiana, Guadeloupe, or Martinique.

A minimum of 4-5 semesters of university-level French or its equivalent must be completed prior to program.

A French language course is offered at the Institute of Francophone Studies in addition to regular classes during the academic year for intermediate to advanced levels. Contact hours per week: 2
Additional intensive French courses can be taken in September or throughout the academic year for an additional fee.

For more information on courses and language options, see the:
ISEP French Language Advising Guide for US Students
ISEP French Language Advising Guide for I-to-I Students


All students studying in France must purchase French health insurance (la Sécu) upon arrival for approximately 200 euros in addition to purchasing ISEP Health Insurance prior to departure.
 

ISEP students are housed in family rooms near campus. A stipend is provided for meals. Students will be able to purchase meal tickets at the cafeterias.

A faculty member and a postgraduate student will welcome ISEP students to campus. Upon arrival, students will be provided with information concerning the French university system. Students will also receive all of the necessary documentation at this time. The faculty member and postgraduate student will advise students in the selection of courses. Students will also be given a tour of the campus.

The Université des Antilles et de la Guyane (UAG) is the only French university in the Caribbean. Between 1970 and 2000, five campuses were established on each of the three French Overseas Departments in the region: French Guiana, Guadeloupe and Martinique.

Today, UAG has a total of 12,000 students enrolled at two campuses in French Guiana, two in Guadeloupe, and one in Martinique. The campuses are locally ruled by administrative bodies called pôles. UAG enrolls about 500 international students from Africa, the Caribbean, Canada, Europe, and the United States.