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Term	Year	App Deadline	Decision Date	Start Date	End Date
Fall	2009	03/02/2009 **	Rolling Admission	08/30/2009	12/12/2009
Summer	2009	03/02/2009 **	Rolling Admission	05/31/2009	08/01/2009
NOTE: Session I: 5/31/09-6/27/09, Session II: 7/4/09-8/1/09.
Academic Year	2009	03/02/2009 **	Rolling Admission	TBA	TBA
Spring	2010	10/05/2009 **	Rolling Admission	01/24/2010	05/09/2010
NOTE: Start and end dates are subject to change. Please consult Pont Aven's acceptance materials before purchasing airline tickets, completing a visa application, etc.
Academic Year	2010	03/01/2010**	Rolling Admission	TBA	TBA
Summer	2010	03/01/2010**	Rolling Admission	TBA	TBA
Fall	2010	03/01/2010**	Rolling Admission	TBA	TBA
** Indicates rolling admission application process. Students will be immediately notified of acceptance into this program and be able to complete post-decision materials prior to the term's application deadline.
Indicates that deadline has passed

Minimum Required GPA:	2.5	Minimum Class Standing:	4 - junior
Course Prerequisite(s):	No Program Course Prerequisites	Housing Option(s):	Homestay
Open to students from:	CU-Boulder Only	Language(s) of Instruction:	English and French
Type of Program:	U.S./Intl Student Center	Course Load for Summer/Winter Program(s):	6 credits
Length of Summer/Winter Program(s):	4 Weeks	Subject(s) Available:	Studio Arts, Art History, French
Host Institution(s):	Pont Aven School of Contemporary Art	Estimate of total costs for one semester:	More than $23,000 and less than $28,000

Program Highlights:

• Study contemporary art in a location that has attracted artists for over 100 years

• Visit hot spots of contemporary art throughout Europe: Paris, Berlin, Barcelona, Venice, among others

• Take courses a variety of artistic disciplines: Painting, Sculpture, Printmaking, Drawing, Conceptual Art, and Illustration
  
  

Location Description:

This program is based in Pont-Aven, a small town of about 3,000 in Brittany, a region in northwestern France. The town has been an international artist's colony since the 1860s, in large part due to its incredible setting. Pont-Aven is only about five miles from the coast, with its white sand beaches and dramatic cliffs. The town itself is surrounded by farms, fields, and woods--all dotted with picturesque thatched cottages and ancient stone walls. It is no wonder that artists (including Paul Gauguin) have been attracted to Pont-Aven for over 100 years.

Academic Overview:

The Pont-Aven School of Contemporary Art (PSCA) is run through the Pacific Northwest College of Art as well as the Rhode Island School of Design. This program places a strong emphasis on studio practice and awareness of global contemporary art. A normal course load at PSCA is 15 credits: three studio courses, a French language class, and Art History/ Criticism. Instructors at PSCA come from leading art institutions in the United States as well as France, and teach at PSCA on a rotating basis.

Although the program focuses intensely on studio work, students also engage in numerous activities within the Pont-Aven community as well as various Study Trips to areas around France and the rest of Europe. Students do not need to know French before the program, but will be enrolled in a French language course unless they test out of it. The course focuses not only on language acquisition, but also on French customs as they apply to everyday life in Pont-Aven.

Academic Calendar:

• Fall, Spring and Summer terms available. See Dates/Deadlines section at the top of this page for details.
  

Academics:

General Academic Information for CU-Boulder Programs

• You will receive CU-Boulder "in residence" credit for courses taken on this program as if you had completed the work on the Boulder campus.

• You are required to be a full time student while studying abroad.

• You may apply credit to your major and college requirements with approval from your academic advisor.
  
  

Program Specific Academic Information

TO SEE COURSE DESCRIPTIONS FOR THIS PROGRAM, click here.

Program Staff:

PSCA has a permanent staff of six in Pont-Aven to oversee all aspects of facilities, housing, field trips, group meals, and logistics. The faculty is led by a Studio Chair and the Executive Director, who are responsible for academic advising, curriculum, and student comportment. The Head of Student Activities organizes all social activities and field trips and supervises response to eventual emergencies, in cooperation with the school's Administrator and Executive Director.

Extracurricular Activities:

As mentioned, PSCA sponsors numerous class study trips throughout the semester. Study trips are led by PSCA faculty and staff and involve visits to contemporary art manifestations like the Venice Biennale, Madrid's ARCO, London's Frieze, Paris' FIAC, as well as contemporary centers of art such as Berlin, Barcelona, and Bilbao. There are two PSCA-sponsored study trips each semester as part of the curriculum. Students are also taken on short field trips near Pont-Aven. For example, to Mont Saint-Michel and Carnac, famous for its Celtic standing stones.

Aside from official PSCA trips, the students' host families often invite their students on local excursions to festivals and events. Students are also free and welcome to engage in activities within the Pont-Aven community. An example of a possible activity is the Pont-Aven folk dance group which sponsors weekly Breton dancing classes. Other options for extracurricular activities include sports and English tutoring.

Housing:

All PSCA students live with host families during their stay in Pont-Aven. Host families provide breakfast and dinner for students, as well as free access to the house. Host families are in contact with the PSCA Head of Student Activities about student illnesses or behavior issues.

Transportation:

You will be responsible for making your own transportation arrangements to and from France. PSCA provides a bus for students from Paris to Pont-Aven.

Program Costs:

See the Program Costs page for updated information on program fee breakdown, estimated additional costs, payment and withdrawal schedules.

Financial Aid and Scholarship Information:

If you receive financial aid from CU-Boulder, you will normally be able to apply that aid to program costs. Your financial need will be based on the total cost estimate for your study abroad program. Study abroad scholarships, awarded on the basis of academic excellence and financial need, are available from CU-Boulder. For additional information see the Financial Information page.

There are several scholarships you may be eligible to apply for. We particularly recommend:

(1) CU-Boulder study abroad scholarship: This scholarship is awarded on the basis of academic excellence and financial need. Click here to apply.
(2) Ayer Romance Language Scholarship (for students on French or Italian programs who have not previously studied abroad and who are not seniors). Contact: French & Italian Department (frenital@colorado.edu)
(3) Katherine J. Lamont Scholarship (for students studying abroad in Santiago de Compostela, Spain or on a French program for the first time). Contact: French & Italian Department (frenital@colorado.edu)
(4) Alliance Française de Denver: For more information: www.afdenver.org/ The application deadline is usually March 31.
(5) Additional study abroad scholarships and information about how to apply: see the Financial Information page.

General Eligibility Requirements: Click here to learn about eligibility for study abroad through CU-Boulder.

Applying to the Program: To apply to a CU-Boulder program you must first complete an online advising form. Click here to login and complete the form.

Study Abroad Programs puts a high priority on serving a diverse student body. We welcome applications from members of various groups which have traditionally been underrepresented in study abroad programs, including racial and ethnic minorities, GLBT students, students with disabilities, and older students who have followed nontraditional paths to higher education.

Handbooks for this Program:
- Essential Guide to Study Abroad
- Program-Specific Handbook

Additional Information:
- Pont-Aven School of Contemporary Art website

Students Returning from this Program:
- Click here for information for students returning from this program.

Photo Credits: "Student in Studio" and "Students Visiting Carnac" courtesy of Pont Aven School of Contemporary Art

All links on this brochure can be accessed from the CU-Boulder Study Abroad Programs website at studyabroad.colorado.edu

The information contained here is subject to change. Please check with the office for the latest information.

The University of Colorado at Boulder is an affirmative action/equal opportunity institution.