On February 11, 2014, President Barack Obama welcomed French President, François Hollande, to the White House. This was the first state visit by a French President in nearly 20 years. The United States and France have a long history of cultural exchange dating back to our founding.

Many French students enroll in U.S. education programs. Below are examples from a White House fact sheet on the history of educational exchange between our two countries.

• Franco-American Commission for Educational Exchange: Through this program, U.S. academics visit France to discuss opportunities for cultural exchange. Since the program’s start in 1948, nearly 20,000 French and U.S. students have participated. If you live in France, and are looking for information about studying in the States, visit your closest EducationUSA advising center.
• Youth Ambassadors for Engagement: The U.S. Department of State and the French National Agency for Social Cohesion and Equal Opportunity support this program, which connects youth working towards positive change in their communities and provides them with leadership training and a two-week visit to the United States.
• Benjamin Franklin Transatlantic Fellows Summer Institute: The U.S. Embassy in France annually selects 35 French students to collaborate with U.S. peers on a four-week trip to the United States to learn about leadership and discuss global issues.
• Studying in the States: According to the Institute of International Education’s Open Doors report, more than 8,200 French students studied in the United States during the 2012-2013 academic year. Most of these students studied business, engineering, and social sciences.

Read more about these exchange programs on the White House fact sheet and follow French President Hollande’s visit on the White House blog.