UPON ARRIVAL
New sights, unfamiliar words - there's a lot to take in when you're navigating your way through France for the first time. Here are some importants things you should remember to do once you arrive in France.
THE FIRST WEEK AND THE FOLLOWING DAYS
As soon as you arrive, make sure to complete the following 6 important steps. Make sure to take care of it immediately.
Pay your contribution to campus and student life
This is the first step to complete, before any other. It is mandatory to register in your higher education institution. You can even complete this step before coming to France.
The contribution to campus and student life costs 92 euros per year. You can pay it online at cvec.etudiant.gouv.fr. You can also pay in cash at your local post office.
Our tip: make sure to keep the proof generated after your payment. You will have to provide it during your registration in your institution.
The contribution to campus and student life is paid to the CROUS to facilitate the reception of students and their social, health, cultural and sports follow-up. It also finances prevention activities in relation with health.
All students registered in an initial training in a French higher education institution, whether public or private, must pay this contribution, to the exception of students:
- Holders of a scholarship on social criteria managed by the CROUS or holders of a scholarship from a region
- Holders of a French government scholarships
- With the status of refugee or subsidiary protection
- Registered as asylum seeker and entitled to stay on the French territory.
For all other cases, even students exempt of payment of the Contribution to Campus and Student Life (CVEC) must login to the website cvec.etudiant.gouv.fr to validate their exemption and receive a certification allowing them to register to their higher education institution.
For more information, check out our article about the 10 things you need to know about the CVEC
Good to know: students registered in a BTS course are not subject to the CVEC, because they are registered in a secondary school and not a higher education institution.They don't need to login to the website cvec.etudiant.gouv.fr; no certification will be asked of them.
Open a dedicated bank account
It can be very handy to open a bank account in France, in particular for paying bills (electricity, telephone, rent) and subscriptions (transportation, Internet). You will also be able to cash any wages you receive and it's easier to be reimbursed for healthcare expenses. A French payment card also lets you pay for most things so you don't have to carry large amounts of cash with you.
Owning a French bank account is a right recognised by French authorities. A foreign student can open a bank account in any bank in France. The different banks have branches in most cities; just open the door and make an appointment with a counsellor.
Compare what the different banks offer. The costs of the bank card, international transfers and cash withdrawals abroad may vary noticeably from one bank to another.
Three documents are needed to open a bank account: identification, proof of residence and an attestation of enrolment or a student card. If you still don't have any accommodation, you may be able to use the address of the service of international relations of your institution.
After you open a bank account, you will have the right to a bank card and a cheque book. With your Relevé d’Identité Bancaire (RIB - bank account information slip), you will be able to easily make the different monthly payments you have.
If you face difficulties to open an account, a process called "droit au compte" (right to account) can help you: the Banque de France will appoint a bank and force it to open an account for you. Details of this process, documents to provide and associations offering help are available on the Banque de France website.
REGISTERING AT YOUR FRENCH INSTITUTION
After you arrive in France, you will need to register at your new university or institution.
All students enrolling at public universities are required to register in person at the beginning of each academic year. Registration comprises two parts :
- Administrative registration (inscription administrative) : You will enroll at the national student health plan, choose a supplemental insurance plan (mutuelle), and pay any balance due for your tuition (unless you paid in full in advance). At the end of the process you will receive your student ID card. Visit your university's website to find out the dates and other details of registration.
- Academic registration (inscription pedagogique) : in this second phase of the process, you will register for your courses, learn the dates and times of your classes, and receive additional information on grading methods and examination schedules.
Other higher education institutions (grandes ecoles etc.) have their own registration procedures, which are usually communicated to students well before the beginning of the academic year. Be sure to take note of any documents that you may be asked to provide at registration. originals are often required.
Validate your residence permit
If you came to France with a long stay visa used as residence permit (VLS-TS in French), you must validate your visa as soon as you arrive in France. The process is entirely digital: you can do everything remotely, at home, on your computer. You must validate your visa within 3 months of arriving in France at the very latest.
To do so, visit the following website: https://administration-etrangers-en-france.interieur.gouv.fr
What do you need to validate your VLS-TS visa?
You will need:
- a valid email address,
- information on your visa,
- your date of arrival in France,
- your home address in France,
- a bank card to pay online the fee for issuing the residence permit.
What if you do not have a bank card?
Don't worry! You can buy an electronic stamp (timbre électronique) at a kiosk, at a dedicated terminal, and pay in cash.
To find out more, visit our page "How to validate your VLS-TS visa upon your arrival in France?"
Register for social security (health care)
- Non-European students arriving in France:
You must register to the French general social security system. Registration is done online by logging in to the website of the health insurance dedicated to foreign students: https://etudiant-etranger.ameli.fr/
Registration is free. You must complete your registration immediately after the registration to your institution and after the validation of your visa.
- You can benefit from the French social security and the reimbursement of your medical fees, whatever the type of visa you used in France to complete your studies (VLSTS or VLST).
- First, you must register at your higher education institution.
- Then, you must register with the French general social security system.
Registration is free of charge and completed online by logging in to the website of the health insurance dedicated to foreign students. It is available in French and English.
This is a mandatory step. You will be issued a "carte vitale" (social security card) to benefit from reimbursements. You can also subscribe to a healthcare mutual for a better reimbursement of your medical expense.
Our advice
Read our article on the registration to the French social security to plan your stay serenely.