Academic year program - Semester program

Housing

Before departure students receive a housing questionnaire to fill out indicating the most important factors in their lodging. Students are requested to state preferences in housing and the American College Program administration will try to accommodate individual desires but sometimes can only fulfill part of a request. The student must express what is most important to him/her when completing the housing questionnaire - the kitchen, independence, contact, being in the country, the city, etc. The ACP tries to satisfy as many of the individual desires as possible; however, student flexibility is essential.

In the past few years, most ACP students have chosen to live in the Cité St-Justin (see pictures below) which is located across the street from the main university building. The most modern building of the Cité St-Justin complex has a fitness room, laundry facilities, fridges in every room and kitchens on every floor, houses both international and Swiss students and provides an excellent venue for students to meet one another. While the ACP makes every effort to house its students in the "new" building, space is often limited and the sooner you confirm your participation in the program, the better the chances that you can live there. As there is an annual rotation, the students who come for the academic year program are more likely to get in to the newer housing. Otherwise, there is ample room in the other buildings.

Students may also stay as paying guests in the homes of local residents. This can range from a room in a farmhouse or villa in the country, to a room in an apartment in town. Such rooms are generally rented out by older people whose children have grown and moved away, thus leaving behind an empty room. Landlords/ladies choose to rent to a student in order to have some extra income or sometimes to avoid living alone. The boarding situations in Fribourg are not to be confused with "homestays", where one is expected to participate in family life, though this can sometimes be arranged. While living with a family does have some obvious advantages, e.g., if you get along well then you are surrounded by people speaking French/German all the time, etc., the disadvantage is that most families who have homes large enough to accommodate a year-long guest live outside of town, so you need to take a bus/train to town (and these tend to have limited schedules in the evening, which may preclude you from having a normal student social life).

The specifics of each housing situation vary, but all are furnished and have linens provided, although towels are not guaranteed. All students have access to bathing facilities. Most students will have access to a kitchen in their homes. For those who do not have kitchen access, there are cooking facilities at a local student center, which students use regularly to cook dinner and do laundry - free of charge. Students should expect to purchase a few cooking utensils when they arrive. Most students are not permitted overnight guests. Standards of comfort are equivalent to housing in the United States.

Sometimes students choose to make their own housing arrangements in Switzerland. Friends, relatives, or personal contacts have sometimes helped to arrange appropriate lodging. In the case of autonomous living arrangements, it is necessary to have the written approval of a parent or guardian. It is important that the ACP is aware of private arrangements months before departure. Students who arrange alternative housing will have a pro-rated percentage of housing costs deducted from the program fee. Students hoping to secure an independent housing arrangement should consider the very high cost of living in Switzerland, as well as local administrative complicaitions in case of a residence outside of the canton of Fribourg, before seeking such an alternative.

[directions to Cité St-Justin]