The University of Queensland in Nouméa, New Caledonia

Program Overview

This unique study abroad program allows you to immerse yourself in the French language and culture without the time and cost of travelling all the way to France! Nearby New Caledonia, a French overseas territory and archipelago, provides a perfect setting for French language study, combining the language and culture of France with a pristine Pacific Island backdrop. Study in charming historical buildings by the sea, immerse yourself in the local culture by staying with a local family, and enjoy a relaxed island atmosphere as you improve your French and appreciate the unique culture and landscapes of New Caledonia.

French Immersion – Through small, personalised French language courses, you’ll be able to improve your formal language foundation. You’ll also have the chance to practice your French in your daily activities as you enjoy the French-inspired cafes and restaurants, as the vast majority of residents (about 98%) speak French. Whether you’re a complete novice or just need some refinement, you can choose from 6 levels of French language. We cater for all levels of French language on this program – from absolute beginner to advanced. (Note: there are minimum student numbers per level).

Study by the Sea – Combine authentic French immersion with an idyllic setting, as you study by the sea in quaint historical buildings! The program’s language school provides a beautiful and relaxing setting on a peninsula.

Affordable Alternative to France – Why spend the time, money and effort to go all the way to France for language study, when you could make the most of your Winter break by studying the same language in New Caledonia? This affordable, comprehensive program includes everything you need for a rewarding study abroad program at a fraction of the cost. 98% of the Island’s population are French-speaking.

Pristine Environment – Despite its World Heritage barrier reef, biologically diverse hinterland and pleasant climate, New Caledonia’s tourism economy is admittedly underdeveloped, meaning you can have entire islands, reefs and peaks to yourself! When keeping to the beaten track, you can indulge in the tranquility of New Caledonia’s pristine beaches and harbours as you sip coffee in your petit café.

Island Time – Things may move just a bit slower than on the Parisian boulevards, and you will be warmly welcomed in Nouméa.

Highlights

While you may have to see it to believe it, here are a few highlights of the program in New Caledonia to wet your appetite:

• Affordable and personalised French immersion language studies
• Unique combination of French and French-New Caledonian culture
• Beautiful and tranquil study setting
• Pristine natural environments: reefs, lagoons, beaches, islets, forests, mountains and more!
• Warm and hospitable residents, including your homestay family
• Mega-diversity in ethnicities, cultures, ecosystems and landscapes
• Pleasant climate year-round with consistent sunshine

Choose Your Course

Hosted at CREIPAC (Centre de Rencontres et d’Échanges Internationaux du Pacifique), a public institution established to promote French language in the Pacific area, this program offers personalised and immersive French language learning for all levels of experience. The personalised instruction is established in accordance with Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching and Assessment.

Participants of this program enjoy a course designed specifically for university students. Students will improve their knowledge of French language and at the same time learn about aspects of the history and culture of New Caledonia. Visits and speeches by guest speakers with specialist knowledge of the topics in question complement classroom instruction.

Course Offerings: 

• This program offers French language immersion studies to students of all abilities, from complete novices to advanced speakers of the French language.
• Your UQ academic will place you in one of 6 levels – 2 sub-levels in each of Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced. You may also be re-assessed on-site to ensure you are receiving the proper level of instruction.
• Independent self-learning facilities are also readily available (at no additional fee) for students who want to take advantage of the opportunities to further progress their language ability.

Note: CREIPAC is a language institution, and as such, does not provide official university transcripts. If approved for credit, students can use their CREIPAC Certificate of Completion to show proof of having completed the program.

Course Load: Program participants will have 3 hours of face-to-face French language instruction in a classroom setting per day. This equates to 15 hours per week, or 45 hours per 3-week program. Typical class schedule: 8:15am to 11:45am with a 30-minute break.

• The course is pre-approved for #2 units of advanced French (applicable to French or as an elective) at UQ.

Academic Requirement: To qualify for this program, students must be in good academic standing with a GPA of 4.0 (out of 7) or equivalent. If your current GPA falls below the requirement, you may still be considered for the program but will need to be prepared to provide supporting documentation. Please contact us to discuss your situation and we will work with you to help find another suitable program if required.

COVID Safe Travel

The health and safety of our students is our highest priority. We take our duty of care for our students, their families and our Australian University partners seriously. For all of our program locations, we have developed a site-specific COVID-19 risk matrix and risk management and emergency response plans so that health and safety response protocols are monitored, managed and communicated.

In preparation for your overseas program, it’s important that you carefully read and understand information related to COVID-19 Travel Safety and Insurance Requirements.

CISaustralia monitors Smartraveller and reliable news feeds to keep up to date with the latest COVID information and any associated travel restrictions and entry requirements for all destinations where we have programs. Due to the constantly evolving COVID-19 situation, Government travel advice can change quickly. For the most up to date information on New Caledonia, visit the Smartraveller website.

Excursions

3 excursions are included for every 3-week program. These vary program to program. Past excursions have included:

• Visit to the Tjibaou Cultural Centre
• Kayaking excursion
• City tour

Other places of interest past students have recommended that you may choose to visit (at own expense) include:

Aquarium des Lagons Nouvelle Caledonie: See species found in New Caledonian waters – including nautilus, sea snakes, stone fish, turtles, sharks and stingrays, as well as living coral displays. Don’t miss the emperor of coral reefs – the Napoleon fish.

Amédéé Lighthouse: After climbing the 247 cast-iron steps, you will be able to enjoy a breathtaking panorama over the beautiful turquoise water of the lagoon, the large reef and the mountains of Grande Terre.

Blue River Park: This park boasts exceptional biodiversity and is designated as a nature reserve. Its well-marked trails, pristine rivers, and serene lakes offer a wide range of outdoor activities suitable for all nature enthusiasts.

Location

New Caledonia is a French overseas territory (specifically a ‘special collectivity’) in the Pacific Ocean, about a 2-hour flight northeast of Brisbane. The third largest archipelago in the Pacific (18,575 square km), New Caledonia is made up of the main island (Grande Terre), the Isle of Pines to the southeast, the Loyalty Islands (Maré, Lifou, Tiga and Ouvéa) to the east and finally, to the northwest, the Belep Islands and many other smaller islands.

Grande Terre is the largest and most densely populated island in the archipelago, and home to the capital city Nouméa. Along its entire length runs a mountain range, of which highest peaks rise to over 1,600m. The highest points in the range are covered with diverse and often unique forests, which are likely to have been Captain James Cook’s inspiration for the archipelago’s namesake, as he was reminded of the Scottish landscapes.

New Caledonia draws on a variety of cultural and ethnic influences, as it blends characteristics from Melanesia, Polynesia, Europe, Asia and even Africa. Of its roughly 290,000 inhabitants, the current demographic makeup of Nouméa nearly splits the majority between Kanak (original inhabitants of New Caledonia) and European descent. The archipelago’s diversity is reflected in additional ethnic groups, including Polynesian, Tahitian, Indonesian, Vietnamese, Chinese and Algerian.

New Caledonia has been called the ‘Island of Eternal Spring’, with its tropical ocean climate and consistent sunshine. There are 2 main seasons with very short spells in-between:

• The hot season from December to March with average temperatures around 25-27°C and brief tropical showers.
• The cool season from April to November with average temperatures around 20-23°C.

The CISaustralia program is based just outside of central Nouméa, New Caledonia’s capital and largest city. Albeit somewhat quaint (especially in comparison with the likes of Paris!), Nouméa offers all you need to enjoy yourself, including museums, shopping, sports activities, beaches, aquatic activities, hiking, etc., as well as amenities and conveniences you can expect from a city of about 170,000. You’ll have quick and easy access getting to and from the language centre, with central Nouméa about 10 minutes by bus.

The University

Founded in 1980, the Centre de Rencontres et d’Échanges Internationaux du Pacifique (CREIPAC) is dedicated to the promotion of the French language in the Pacific area. The Centre is located on a largely undeveloped peninsula just two kilometres west of Noumea, and consists of charming, old historical buildings by the sea, set amid frangipanis and palm trees.

Playing an active role for the past 20 years in French as a Foreign Language, CREIPAC developed a teaching style truly responding to learners’ needs. Courses offered at CREIPAC follow the recommendations of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching and Assessment (CEFR), created by the Council of Europe in 2001. CEFR has been adopted worldwide in order to harmonise program conception and teaching. Moreover, it offers an innovative approach in teaching, being more focused on the needs of the learners. It also allows a better standardisation of diplomas and certificates.

CREIPAC hosts approximately 1,500 students per year, with an average of 120 students at any given time. The majority of students are from Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Europe, as well as some local students. The language centre has a library stocked with novels, manuals, newspapers and comics – all in French. A study room is also available for use, with desks and computers with free internet access.

CREIPAC counts on friendly and experienced staff and instructors to create a warm and welcoming environment in which to learn French language while learning about French and French Caledonian culture.

Accommodation

Participants on this program stay with a local family.

Homestay accommodation
Students on this program will stay with a welcoming local family, where they will be fully immersed in New Caledonian culture. This is a great way to practice conversational or day-to-day French.

Homestay includes breakfast and dinner daily, and the family will drop you off at the school in the morning and pick you up from town in the afternoon. Lunch will be included on weekend days where no excursion is scheduled.

Program Fee & Dates