International Student handbook

Transcription

International Student
Campus map
handbook
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Université Paris X-Nanterre, 200 avenue de la République - 92001 Nanterre cedex
welcome
to the university of paris x
In the West of Paris
4 5
You have chosen to come study at Nanterre and you have the feeling you
have embarked on a real obstacle course: you need to chose a course of
study and enrol in the University, obtain a visa and complete immigration
formalities, find housing, take French classes...
The University of Paris X-Nanterre has specific offices designed to help you
quickly find the information you need for the duration of your academic
stay. Their staff is on hand to facilitate administrative and other procedures
required of foreign students and help you to better understand the French
educational system and life in France.
This handbook encourages students to seek information from the various
University offices: they are available to you to help you draw the greatest
possible benefit from your studies at the University of Paris X.
6 7
table of contents
9
Welcome to the University of Paris X
11 1. Paris X: An international university
in the west of Paris
The University’s international mission
The International Relations Office
The Foreign Student Services Office (SGAEE)
University of Paris X
200, avenue de la République 92001 Nanterre cedex
standard + 33 1 40 97 72 00 • http://www.u-paris10.fr
16 2. Organisation of studies
Implementation of the Licence
-Master’s-Doctorate system
(“L, M, D” system)
The academic year in France
Grading system/The ECTS
French proficiency tests and diplomas
22 3. Enrolment procedures
A necessary prerequisite:
validation of your degree
Intensive and extensive French courses
Students on an exchange programme
Students not on an exchange programme (individual applicants)
University fees
31
Getting the most out of your stay
32 1.Before you come
Entrance formalities: student visa
Residence permit
38 2. Funding your studies
Planning your budget
Opening a bank account
Grants and financial aid
44 3. Health care and health insurance coverage
Health insurance coverage
Health care access at the University
of Paris X
49 4. Housing
Housing in a university residence or
dormitory
Private or mutualist student residences
Private rentals
Other types of housing hotels,
dormitories, youth hostels
58 5. Work and study
Student work permit
Work hours
Job offers
8 9
Paris X : An international University
in the West of Paris
10 11
1. the international mission of the university
Welcome to the university of paris x
12 13
the international mission of paris x
The University of Paris X was founded in 1964. It is located to the west
of Paris on a large, 65-acre campus near the Défense business district.
Today it hosts nearly 32,000 students, 2,000 teaching staff and 700
administrative support staff. The University is made up of 9 Colleges
known as U.F.R. (Unités de Formation et de Recherche), 2 Training Institutes, 6 Doctoral Schools and 2 Research Institutes.
Within each of these components, specific offices manage and provide
information about university life: UFR secretariats, course registration
offices (secrétariats pédagogiques) and department offices.
CONTACT
International relations
office
• Exchange Students
Building A Room 106
Phone: +33 (0) 1 40 97 40 98
Fax : +33 (0) 1 40 97 71 14
relations-internationales@
u-paris10.fr
• European Socrates-Erasmus
Programme
Phone: +33 (0) 1 40 97 74 07
socrates-erasmus@u-paris10.fr
• Prospective students
Building A Room 103
Phone: +33 (0) 1 40 97 76 27
Fax: +33 (0)1 40 97 47 29
etudiant.etranger@u-paris10.fr
The International Relations Office
The Department of International Relations and Foreign Students is
responsible for the management, supervision and coordination of all
of the international activities of the University of Paris X. The promotion of exchanges of students and research assistants as well as the
management of funding for international cooperation is very much
one of the priorities of the University’s international policy. The International Relations office is responsible for managing, supervising and
coordinating all the international activities the University of Paris X is
involved in.
Welcoming foreign students and organising study abroad for University of Paris X students is part of the work done at the Department of
International Relations. More than 5,000 students from all continents
are hosted by the University of Paris X each year. They are enrolled in
an interuniversity exchange programme or else they have chosen, by
individual application, to come and study at the University.
admission of foreign students
The International Relations Office of the University of Paris X is in charge
of supervising more than 450 bilateral agreements entered into either
within the framework of the SOCRATES programme (over 170 European
universities) or through the large number of exchange agreements with
North America (United States, Canada), Latin America (Argentina, Bolivia,
Brazil, Colombia, Mexico), Asia (China, India, Japan, Thailand), Russia, the
Arab countries (Jordan, Tunisia) and Africa (South Africa, Senegal, Cameroon).
Some of these programmes allow students to obtain a joint degree from
the University of Paris X and the partner university or even separate degrees from each university. The number of such programmes is constantly
on the rise.
International students who wish to come and study at Paris X through an
exchange programme file their application with the relevant department
at their home university.
diversified curricula
9 colleges
admission for prospective students
Several steps are involved: distribution of information regarding
programmes of study offered by Paris X and conditions of enrolment, review of administrative eligibility to apply, transmission of
the application file to the academic committee for the programme
or department of the relevant teaching faculty, which is exclusively
authorised to decide on the academic acceptability of the application.
• Anglo –American Studies – EAA
(ufr-eaa@u-paris10.fr)
• Literature, Languages and Philosophy – LLPHI
(ufr-llphi@u-paris10.fr)
• Industrial Systems and Communication Techniques – SITEC
(webmaster@cva.u-paris10.fr)
• Foreign languages, Literatures and Civilisations – LANGUES
(ufr-langues@u-paris10.fr)
• Legal, Administrative and Political Sciences – SJAP
(ufr-droit@u-paris10.fr)
• Economics, Finance, Mathematics and Computer Science – SEGMI
(directeur@cva.u-paris10.fr)
• Science and Technology for Physical Activities and Sports – STAPS
(ufr-staps@u-paris10.fr)
• Psychology and Education Sciences – SPSE
(ufr-spse@u-paris10.fr)
• Social Sciences and Administration – SSA
(ufr-ssa@u-paris10.fr)
2 training institutes
• Institut de Préparation Générale – IPAG
(ufr.ipag@u-paris10.fr)
• Institut Universitaire Technologique – IUT de Ville d’Avray
(webmaster@cva-u-paris10.fr)
7 doctoral schools
• “Knowledge and Culture”
(ed.connassance.culture@u-paris10.fr)
• “Economics, Organisations and Society”
(ed.eos@u-paris10.fr)
• “Economics and Mathematics - Paris-Ouest”
(edempo@u-paris10.fr)
• “Literature, Language and the Performing Arts”
(ed.lls@u-paris10.fr)
• “Present and Past Environments of Cultures and Societies”
(ed.mcs@u-paris10.fr)
• “Law and Political Science”
(ed.sjp@u-paris10.fr)
• “Sport, Motion and Human Movement“
(ed.sciences.sport@u-paris10.fr)
14 15
16 17
2. organisation of studies
Implementation of the Licence-Master’s-Doctorate system (“L, M, D” system)
Grading system/The ECTS
Welcome to the university of paris x 16 17
organisation of studies
Grading system – European Credits Transfer System (ECTS)
Implementation of the Licence-Master’s-Doctorate system
As part of the harmonisation of European higher education programmes, the degree structure is now organised around the following levels: Licence (baccalauréat degree + 6 semesters), Master’s (baccalauréat degree + 10 semesters) and Doctorate (baccalauréat degree +16
semesters).
This new organisation, referred to as “L, M, D”, has been in effect at
the University of Paris X since 2005. Each year is worth 60 credits in the
ECTS (European Credit Transfer System). 180 credits are required for a
Licence, 300 for a Master’s and 480 for a Doctorate.
The semester system offers greater flexibility and caters better to individual needs than the former annual system. It also allows students
to explore other disciplines as long as a coherent multidisciplinary
course of study is maintained.
It is hoped that due to this reform, international students will find
the French university system rather similar to their own and be less
confused by the variety of curricula offered.
> THE ACADEMIC YEAR IN FRANCE
Higher education in France is broken down into two semesters as follows:
The European Credits Transfer System (ECTS) guarantees the mutual
academic recognition of studies carried out. Such recognition is ensured by:
• Outline, prior to going abroad, of a programme of studies bilaterally
approved by the home institution and host institution, including the
ECTS credits that will be given after requirements are met (examination, assessment, etc.).
• Establishment of a grade transcript clearly presenting the learning
outcomes achieved, transferable from one institution to another. It
indicates for each course taken not only the ECTS credits, but also
the grades obtained according to the local grading system and in accordance with the ECTS grading scale. The combination of these two
sets of grades and ECTS credits provides a qualitative and quantitative
summary of the work accomplished.
The ECTS grading scale facilitates the interpretation of grades obtained in another institution under a different grading system. It does
not replace the local grading system. Its use remains within the discretion of the higher education institutions concerned. Subjects taught
at the University of Paris X are graded on a 0 to 20-point scale, with
each subject assigned a coefficient of importance in a given curriculum.
FRENCH
GRADING
ECTS
GRADING
DEFINITION
20-16
A
EXCELLENT: exceptional results, only a few minor shortcomings
16-14
B
TRÈS BIEN: above
shortcomings.
• Second semester: from early February to the end of May (with 1 week’s vacation in February
14-12
C
BIEN: fairly good work, with notable shortcomings
and 2 weeks in April).
12-11
D
SATISFAISANT:
inadequacies
Exam sessions take place at the end of each semester. In September, the session for retaking
10-09
E
PASSABLE: results meet minimum standards
exams usually takes place between the second and third weeks of the month.
08-06
FX
INSUFFISANT: addition work is necessary for credit to be grante
06-0
F
INSUFFISANT: significant additional work is necessary
• First semester: from the beginning of October until the end of January (with 2 weeks’ vacation
at Christmas)
average
decent
work,
results
but
despite
with
a
several
number
of
significant
organisation of studies
20 21
learning french before coming to france
Directions to explore:
CONTACT
• Centre International
d’Études Pédagogiques
www.ciep.fr/langue/delfdalf
• Égide Newsletter:
www.egide.asso.fr/fr/services/
actualites/lettre
CONTACT
www.fda.ccip.fr
CONTACT
www.ciep.fr/tcf
• The Diplôme d’Etudes en Langue Française (DELF) and the Diplôme
Approfondi de Langue Française (DALF) are awarded by the Ministry
of Education.
The DALF certifies a level of proficiency in French that exempts students from the language proficiency test required for pre-enrolment
at the undergraduate level (1st cycle) at the University of Paris X.
• The Test d’Evaluation de Français (TEF)
Designed and administered by the Chambre de Commerce d’Industrie
de Paris, the Test d’Evaluation de Français (French assessment test) is
recognized worldwide and enables you to test your general level of
comprehension and expression in French.
• The Test de Connaissance de Français (TCF)
The TCF is the French test of language ability administered by the Centre International d’Etudes pédagogiques (CIEP), which comes under
the Ministry of Education. It is a language placement test for nonnative speakers of French who wish to obtain a simple, effective and
precise evaluation of their general language skills for professional or
personal reasons.
• The Alliance Française is the network of French language and civilisation schools that is the best known abroad. Information and addresses:
www.alliancefr.org
• On the French Foreign Ministry website, you can find the cultural cooperation network directory (Alliances Françaises, Cultural Centres and
French Institutes, Research Institutes, Cooperation and Cultural Services):
www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/annuaire
• Again on the Internet, you can find the addresses of French schools
affiliated with the Agence pour l’Enseignement Français à l’Étranger:
www.aefe.diplomatie.fr
learning french in france
Below are some of the best-known and most reputable organisations:
La Chambre de Commerce et
d’Industrie de Paris (CCIP)
Délégation des Hauts de Seine
6-8, rue des Trois Fontanot, 92023
Nanterre Cedex
Tel. 01 46 14 26 26
Centre International d’Etudes Pédagogiques (CIEP)
1,
avenue
Léon
Journault,
92310 Sèvres
Tel. 01 45 07 60 00 www.ciep.fr
Délégation de Paris
2, Place de la Bourse, 75002 Paris
Tel. 01 53 40 46 00
Association Philotechnique
18, rue des Fossés Saint-Jacques,
75005 Paris
Tel. 01 43 54 36 20
www.ccip.fr
www.philotechnique.fr
Municipal courses for adults
(Mairie de Paris)
Informations: 08 20 00 75 75
www.paris.fr/fr/education/DASCO/cma
3. enrolment procedures
A necessary prerequisite: validation of your degree
Intensive and extensive French courses at the University of Paris X
Students on an exchange programme
Prospective students (individual applicants)
22 23
24 25
enrolment procedures
A necessary prerequisite: validation of your degree
French improvement course (UFR LLPHI –FETE Department)
If you hold a higher education degree and wish to pursue your studies at
a French institute of higher education, your enrolment depends on your
academic level and the degrees you have already obtained.
This course is mandatory for international students who:
• have obtained an equivalence at Paris X for undergraduate admission;
• are regularly enrolled in any degree programme, whether as individual
candidates or in connection with an international exchange programme.
On presentation of the foreign degrees you hold, together with an official
translation of them as well as a description of the programme content, you
may ask for the degree requirement to be waived (i.e. an “equivalence”)
by the institution in which you would like to study for a French degree.
Such waiver is intended to enable you to obtain recognition of all or part
of your prior academic credentials.
This academic and administrative decision, which remains valid only for
the year in which it was requested, enables students to enrol in university
while taking into account the applicant’s level and desired curriculum Formalities must be accomplished prior to application for enrolment.
NB : Do not forget to have your diplomas translated: the translation of diplomas,
grade transcripts and programmes of study must be done by a translator approved
by the Paris Appellate Court (www.ceticap.com) or certified by a French consular
authority. The original diploma must always be presented.
Intensive and extensive French courses at the University
The University of Paris X Nanterre organises various courses catering to all
foreign students who need to improve their knowledge and command of
the French language to benefit more thoroughly from the courses they
will take.
CONTACT
• International Relations
Office
(SIF)
Building A - Room 106
Tel: + 33 1 40 97 74 61
The Intensive French Programme (stage intensif de français - SIF)
The International Relations Office organises an intensive language and
civilisation course for international students known by the acronym “SIF”.
The “SIF” takes place in the weeks preceding the first semester of the
academic year and during the first four weeks of the second semester ‘as
an online scheme. Students are strongly encouraged to take part in this
programme as it not only provides valuable university language skills but
also serves as a key period for adapting to life in France and familiarization
with the Paris X campus before classes begin. Courses are taught by the
French as a foreign language teaching staff.
CONTACT
• UFR LLPHI
Secrétariat du
FETE
Bât. L- Bureau
L 114
Tel: + 33 1 40 97
70 75
The classes are tailored to suit the needs and wants of the students in
terms of written and oral expression, grammar or language practice. The
course, which is held for 2 hours weekly, can be taken either 1st or 2nd
semester. The score obtained on the French placement exam determines
the level of the Constitutive Units the student will be enrolled in (Éléments
constitutifs - E.C.).
Enrolment in these courses is subject to the following conditions:
• For students enrolled in a curriculum for which a foreign language is a
requirement: this course is taken in lieu of the foreign language credits
required for the degree.
• For students enrolled in a curriculum for which a foreign language is not
required: at least one French language element must be taken in addition
to the degree requirements.
FETE Diploma of French language and civilisation française (UFR LLPHI)
The courses leading to the FETE diploma include 7 classes taken in the 1st
and/or 2nd semester. They are geared to students who already have a working knowledge of the French language. They focus on written and oral
expression, French literature, study of difficult texts, art history, French
civilisation and the history of ideas in France. Attendance is required and
enables students to acquire a French language university-level diploma.
> SPECIAL CASES
• Advanced degree students (3rd cycle) on an exchange programme
International students enrolled in an advanced degree programme (3rd cycle) are, of course, encouraged to take
FETE courses if they find it necessary and may in certain cases be required to do so by their thesis supervisor.
• Foreign students not enrolled in a degree programme
Foreign students who do not hold a French baccalauréat degree and who wish to take courses at Paris X outside of
a degree programme (Erasmus, inter-university agreements, etc.) are strongly advised to take FETE courses. They
may take the language placement exam in June or September in order to determine the level of enrolment.
26 27
erasmus students
your erasmus mobility in
3 steps
1) Before coming to Paris X, you must without fail
students on an exchange programme
European Socrates-Erasmus Programme
Exchanges of students and teachers, joint development of study programmes, distribution and implementation of the results of projects
for development of study programmes, thematic networks between
institutions and faculties throughout Europe, language courses and
intensive programmes, the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS),
all of these are activities that benefit from the financial support of
ERASMUS, and the «higher education» segment of the SOCRATES II
programme in education in Europe.
With respect to the period from 2000 to 2006, the goal of SOCRATES/ERASMUS is to improve the quality of the «European dimension»
of higher education, both within universities as well as within nonuniversity institutions of higher learning. The countries taking part
in the programme are the 25 member states of the European Union,
the three members of the European Economic Area (Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway) and certain associated countries in Central and
Eastern Europe, as well as Cyprus and Malta.
Bilateral agreements (outside Europe)
The University of Paris X takes part in a number of university student
exchange programmes -- Conventions avec la Conférence des Recteurs
et des Principaux des Universités du Québec - CREPUQ, the Inter-University Coordination Mission for Franco-American Exchanges (Mission
Interuniversitaire de Coordination des Échanges Franco-Américains
- MICEFA) -- and has signed several bilateral student exchange agreements with American and Canadian universities, universities in Russia
and the Ukraine, as well as institutions in the Asia-Pacific area, Africa
and the Middle East.
Enrolment procedures are the same as for students from the EU/EEA.
• Return the online application files before the deadline (see at our website http://www.u-paris10.fr/sri)
• Make sure you have a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) (see the
“Health Care” section)
• Request from the Erasmus office of your home university a proof of
Erasmus scholarship (or Free Mover) specifying the amount of scholarship,
translated into French. (This will facilitate and speed up visa applications
and thus the ability to obtain a housing allowance.) (see related sections)
• For students who have obtained, or wish to obtain, a room in a student
residence or dormitory, you should secure a medical certificate confirming
that you do not have tuberculosis should be obtained.
2) On your arrival at Paris X
You must register with the university. If you have filled in your registration application properly, your student I.D. card will be ready and all that
remains is course enrolment (inscription pédagogique), which involves
choice of courses and schedule. You must enrol in each course individually.
The “secrétariats pédagogiques” will help you and the dates that enrolment is open will be given to your programme coordinator to facilitate
this formality.
3) After your arrival at Paris X
If you wish to change your course enrolment either to drop a course, change the assessment method or add a course you hadn’t planned on taking
at the start, these formalities should be undertaken before the end of
October. Beyond that date, only second semester changes will be taken
into account.
• If you need to have a certificate of attendance filled out while in France,
see the International Relations Office (A 108) or the “secrétariats pédagogiques”.
• Before returning to your home country, it is a good idea to ask the “secrétariats pédagogiques” for attendance certificates to have each of your instructors sign. This will enable you to keep a written record of your grades
in the event of a dispute and to inform your university of your grades.
28 29
prospective students (individual applicants)
You are an international student and you wish to enrol in Paris X without
taking part in an exchange programme.
< enrolment in undergraduate studies (licence)
Pre-admission is mandatory for international students who are not members of the European Community holding a secondary school diploma
from a foreign institution and seeking first-time enrolment at the undergraduate level.
How to apply for pre-admission
If you reside abroad, you must obtain an application for pre-admission from the cultural services of the French Embassy in your country.
If you already live in France and hold a residence permit for a one-year
minimum stay (except students holding a six-month study visa), you must
obtain this application from the University you have chosen to enrol in
between 1 December and 31 January.
To complete your application for pre-admission, you must provide:
• a letter stating your reasons for applying together with a birth certificate (translated into French),
• certified copies of the diplomas required in the country of origin for the planned
course of studies together with translations,
• certified copies from the head of the school of grade transcripts for the two preceding years (in the case of initial enrolment in higher education).
> THE FOLLOWING ARE EXEMPT FROM THE PRE-ADMISSION PROCEDURE
• applicants who are holders of the French baccalauréat degree or diploma exempting them from the
baccalauréat, international baccalauréat, Franco-German baccalauréat,
• applicants who are nationals of the European Union or the European Economic Area,
• children of diplomats posted in France,
• student coming to study in France in the framework of an inter-government agreement,
• foreign students receiving scholarships from the French government, international organisations or foreign
governments whose scholarships are handled by a French-approved organisation,
• stateless persons, political refugees and nationals who have not yet been granted such status.
French language proficiency test
All International students must take a French language comprehension
test except
• holders of a DALF diploma (Diplôme Approfondi de Langue Française),
• citizens of states where French is the only official language,
• in specific cases, foreign students having studied in a French bilingual
programs.
< enrolment in graduate studies (master)
1) International students from the UE who wish to enrol at the master level
must complete pre-enrolment formalities on the Paris X website in early
April.
2) International students who wish to enrol in the 2nd cycle must have
their academic credentials validated without pre-admission.
• Site : http://sesame.u-paris10.fr
< enrolment in post-graduate studies (doctorate)
International students who wish to enrol in a post-graduate programme
should send a letter of application to the appropriate Doctoral School for
a PhD.
30 31
university fees
Student who have been accepted for enrolment in the University must
then proceed with:
• administrative registration at the registrar’s office (service de la scolarité)
• course registration (inscription pédagogique) with the various UFRs
(colleges) or Doctoral Schools
N.B.:
Administrative registration is the only official registration. It alone entitles you to student status and a student I.D. card, subject to payment
of university fees. Course registration is not enough.
University fees range between 150 and 550 €.
Affiliation with the “student” national health plan may be required,
depending on certain conditions (see the “Health insurance coverage”
section in this handbook).
getting the most out of your stay
> GOOD TO KNOW
• The Paris student guide: “Etudiant à Paris”
Where can I find housing? How can I finance my studies? Where are there affordable places to go out?
You’ll find answers to such questions in the “Etudiant à Paris” student guide published by the city of
Paris.
• Eduparis (www.eduparis.net)
the city of Paris information website for foreign students
1. before you come
Entrance formalities: student visa
Residence permit
A special case: political refugees and stateless persons
32 33
34 35
before you come
Students who do not
require a long-stay visa
• Students from the EU
•Nationals from EFTA
(European Free Trade Association) including Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein
and Norway)
entrance formalities: student visa
the residence permit
For foreign students coming to France, applying for a titre de séjour, or
residence permit, is one of the most complex administrative procedures
they must undertake. The residence permit carte de séjour usually takes
the form of a sticker affixed to your passport.
International students must apply for and obtain their titre de séjour
as soon as possible, in other words in the month following their arrival in France and before the end of three months. You sometimes
have to wait up to two months to get your carte de séjour.
Getting a student visa
Before leaving your country to study in France, you must apply for a
student long-stay visa (visa D), which is required to obtain your student
residence permit once you have arrived in France.
N.B.: Make sure you get the length of your stay right.
Where to get your visa
Application for a student visa is made in French consulates or embassies
abroad • www.espatries.org/annuaires/annuaires.htm
More information
• www.diplomatie.gouv.
fr,/venir/visas/tarif.html
A word to the wise: below are some of the documents that may be requested to process a student visa application:
• acceptance in a French University,
• proof of personal income of at least 430 € per month and/or proof of
accommodation for the duration of the stay in France
Some sample forms (certificate of accommodation or financial resources)
can be downloaded directly from the website of certain prefectures.
Prefecture of the Hauts-de-Seine department:
• www.hauts-de-seine.pref.gouv.fr
CONTACT
• Centre de réception des étudiants
étrangers de la
Préfecture de Police
de Paris
(13, rue Miollis,
75015 Paris 15e –
M° Cambronne or
Ségur).
This centre is open
from Monday to
Thursday from 8:35
a.m. to 16:30 p.m.
and on Friday from
8:35 a.m. to 4:00
p.m.
Information by at
the Préfecture de
Police de Paris:
Tel. 01 53 71 51 68
NB: the carte de séjour cannot have an expiration date that is later than the
date your passport expires. If your passport will expire during your time in
France, get it extended in your home country before coming to France or have
it extended by your Consulate if you are already in France.
Where to go for a residence permit (titre de séjour)
International students who are not European Union nationals who
come to France for more than three months must go to the Préfecture
de Police (or sous-préfecture) where they live
Préfecture des Hauts-de-Seine (92)
167, avenue Joliot Curie
92 013 Nanterre cedex
Tel. 01 40 97 20 00
• www.hauts-de-seine.pref.gouv.fr
Préfecture de Paris (75)
• www.prefecture-police-paris.interieur.gouv.fr
(under the heading “prise de rendez-vous: étudiants étrangers”)
or by calling 0 800 95 95 75.
Application must include
• Passport
• Copy of birth certificate (initial request),
• Proof of enrolment,
• Proof of residence in Paris,
• Proof of adequate financial resources (430 € per month)
• Form for medical exam (initial request),
• 3 o 4 recent B&W or colour I.D. photos
• A self-addressed stamped envelope.
before you come
36 37
stay in france
documents to bring with you
CONTACT
• Immeuble
“Le Forez”
45, rue Maximilien
Robespierre, 94 126
Fontenay s/Bois
– RER
Val-de-Fontenay,
Tel.: 01 48 76 00 00
www.forumrefugies.org
Specific to initial requests:
• A long-stay student visa
• Copy of birth certificate
• Mandatory medical exam.
Fill out the form for the OMI (Office des Migrations Internationales) and include it with your carte de séjour application. This examination is free of charge.
Specific to renewals:
• Photocopy of previous titre de séjour: if you have your passport
renewed during academic year, don’t forget to keep a copy of your
residence permit.
• Proof of “actual study”: when renewing your titre de séjour, you
must include a copy of diplomas obtained and give details on the
course of study undertaken since your arrival in France.
Is there a charge for the carte de séjour?
A tax earmarked for the Office des migrations internationales
(OMI) is payable on issuance of the first titre de séjour, except for
Algerian students, political refugees and stateless persons: the
amount for a student residence permit is 55 €.
On renewal, the residence permit is free of charge for all students
regardless of nationality.
special case: political refugees and stateless persons
Office français de Protection des Réfugiés et des Apatrides
(OFPRA)
Political refugee status entitles the person to earn a salary, sign up
for unemployment and in general grants equal rights with French
citizens. The OFPRA refugee card must be presented upon administrative registration with the University.
> [GOOD TO KNOW] ISIC, INTERNATIONAL STUDENT IDENTITY CARD
For 10 €, you can get an international student identity card which entitles you to discounts on entrances to theatres, concerts, movies and museums; travel discounts; special rates in bars and restaurants
in the capital. For more information: www.carteisic.com (official ISIC website: how to apply, advantages, etc.)
Before leaving your country
• Valid passport or, for EU nationals, national identity card
• Visa for entry into France
• Legible copy of your birth certificate
• Originals (N.B.: never send through the mail) of secondary or higher education
degrees and if applicable, certified translated copies
• Grade transcript for most recent years in secondary or higher education
• For graduates applications: detailed transcript showing subjects studied and
grades received in higher education and, depending on the discipline, a detailed
research project
• Pre-admission or acceptance certificate provided by the University
• Student I.D. card from your original university
• Proof of financial resources or grant/scholarship
• Originals of documents provided to obtain your visa at the French consulate
or embassy. They may be requested at the border and when you apply for your
carte de séjour.
• Health and vaccination record.
And, if applicable:
• Legible copy of marriage certificate
• Family record (livret de famille)
• Proof of health insurance coverage (European Health Insurance Card for EU
nationals).
• French government grant recipients: letter of introduction from the French
Embassy cultural service in your home country and a letter certifying that your
secondary school degree entitles you to enter an institution of higher education
in your home country
• Valid driver’s license which will allow you to drive in France for two years or an
international driver’s license and an international insurance card
• Black and white I.D. photos 3.5 x 4/5 cm.
38 39
funding your studies
planning your budget
Before leaving your country, you should set a precise budget for your
needs in France so as to estimate the amount you will need to finance:
family contributions or scholarships and grants for the lucky ones, a
job for other (see the “Work and study” section)
It’s helpful to know that the minimum gross monthly wage (SMIC)
in France is 1,035 € for a 35-hour workweek, an income level that is
supposed to cover essential needs but not superfluous expenses, especially in the Ile-de-France region of Paris and its environs where
the cost of living is relatively high. Paris was ranked the tenth most
expensive capital in the world in 2004, and is the most expensive city
in the Euro zone. It also stands apart from the French provinces with
its particularly high rents.
2. funding your studies
Planning your budget
Grants and Financial Aid
Fortunately student status enables you to benefit from lower prices in
many areas: university cafeterias, university housing or housing subsidies from the CAF (Caisse d’Allocations Familiales or Family Allowance
Fund), reduced rates in public transportation, leisure pursuits, entertainment, etc.
To live decently, you will thus need to have between 700 and 900 €
per month at your disposal to cover expenses (keep in mind that a
monthly minimum of 430 € is required for the resident permit).
• Average costs
A baguette
0.90 €
French daily newspaper
1.20 €
A croissant
1.20 €
Foreign daily newspaper
Between 1.25 and
2.30 €
A cup of coffee
2.30 €
Telephone (France Telecom
50-unit card)
7.50 €
A sandwich
Approx. 4 €
A book (average price)
14 €
A fixed-price menu in
a restaurant
Between
20 €
A paperback
From 1.80 to 6 €
A stamp
0.53 €
A movie
7.60 € student:
from 6 to 8 €
National theatre ticket
Approx. 11 €
Louvre museum admission
5 € (reduced rate)
Swimming
mission
From 2.15 to 4 €
Métro or bus ticket
1.40 €
pool
ad-
12
and
40 41
Financial aid (once in France)
To be qualify for financial aid, students must meet citizenship, age
and educational criteria:
• Citizenship:
Students who are French, Andorran, refugees or stateless persons
holding an OFPRA card (Office Français de Protection des Réfugiés
et des Apatrides), foreign students holding citizenship from one of
the European Union member states; in certain conditions, foreign
students whose mother or father is an EU national; foreign students
whose tax home has been France for at least two years and who have
a temporary or 10-year residence permit (carte de séjour).
• Age
Students who are less than 26 years of age at level 1 when the first application is made. From the age of 26 onwards, grant recipients may
not suspend their studies if they wish to continue receiving the grant.
The age criterion does not apply to handicapped students.
• Education level
Students must be enrolled at level 1 or 2 in a course of study eligible
to receive higher education grant recipients and pursue their studies
according to a normal pace of progress.
grants and financial aid
For all information,
check with the
organisations that
handle foreign
grant recipients in
France:
• CNOUS (Centre
National des Œuvres Universitaires
et Sociales)
6, rue Jean Calvin,
BP 49, 75 222 Paris
cedex 05
Tel. 01 44 18 53 00
www.cnous.fr
• EGIDE
28, rue de la Grange
aux Belles, 75 010
Paris
Tel. 01 40 58 58
www.egide.asso.fr
contact@egide.
asso.fr
Students who are eligible for a grant or other aid during the course
of their studies do not need to seek a providential sponsor in France
or find a part-time job to cover their needs. First check with the relevant authorities in your country: university, education ministry, etc.,
to find out about grants, scholarships and financial aid awarded by
your government. The amount of these grants varies considerably according to the country.
French government grants (before departure)
These are allocated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Your country
must have entered into a bilateral cooperation treaty with France.
Whether you are a resident of France or of your own country, the
grant application must be filed with the cultural or scientific advisors
of the Embassies or the French Consulate in your country.
The number of grants awarded to foreign students at the first (undergraduate) level is very limited. Priority is given to students intending
to carry out graduate degree studies (Master-Doctorate), preferably
in scientific and technological fields.
Financial need is not a factor for French Government Grants. Only
the student’s academic merit is taken into account. Keep in mind that
exam results and professors’ comments play a decisive role in whether
the grant is renewed or cancelled.
> WORTH CONSULTING
• The “Study Abroad” guide published by Unesco, in three languages: French, English and Spanish, can be
downloaded from the Internet: www.unesco.org/education/studyingabroad/networking/study.pdf
• A list of sources of possible funding for foreign students who wish to study in France, by county of origin,
is available on the EGIDE website (organisation that handles foreign scholarship recipients in France): www.
egide.asso.fr
CONTACT
• CROUS
de Versailles
- www.crous-versailles.fr/bourses
This grant is allotted on the basis of financial criteria. It constitutes
“financial assistance to families” enabling them to cover education
costs. The family’s or the student’s resources and expenses are taken
into account. Calculation of the entitlement to financial aid is made
on the basis of overall gross income for the preceding year.
Financial aid recipients are entitled to have university fees and health
care fees waived. Such waiver is effective immediately upon enrolment when you have received your conditional grant approval. Otherwise, reimbursement should be requested from the registrar’s office
(la scolarité) upon receipt of your final approval of the award. The
grant is awarded for one year and renewal is never automatic.
Application for first-time awards or renewal of the grant is made
starting January 15 of the year preceding online enrolment
(http://dse.ac-versailles.fr).
You will receive a “dossier social étudiant” (DES) that you should
complete or change as necessary, and return it as soon as possible to
the Crous office in Versailles.
42 43
Grants for Master degree studies
These grants are limited and are attributed based on academic criteria (age, length of study programme, quality of application file, etc.).
Grants for the agrégation programmes also take into account needsbased criteria.
Research grants : Doctorate degree
A research grant is a salary paid by the Ministry of Research as part
of a fixed duration employment contract (three years for contracts
starting in 2001) in order to enable PhD candidates to devote their
full and exclusive attention to their research work in preparation of
their thesis.
These grants may be awarded to refugees or those having stateless
status and have a OFPRA card, foreign students whose tax domicile
has been located in France for at least two years, and subject to certain conditions European Union nationals.
No tuition or health insurance (Social Security) fees are waived for
advanced degree students at the time of their administrative registration. However, once you have received a grant, you are entitled to
reimbursement of registration and health coverage fees. The request
should be made at the financial aid office of the University.
CONTACT:
• Grants
http://dse.ac-versailles.fr.
Building A Room 110
Tél. + 33 1 40 97
47 78
Pre-registration
The request should be made at the beginning of the academic year
in September at the time of registration to the financial aid office of
the University.
> OPENING A BANK ACCOUNT
If you plan to stay in France for more than three months, you can open a bank account. You can also open
an account at the Caisse d’Epargne or La Banque Postale.
To open a resident bank account in Euros, three documents are required:
• Passport, Residence permit, Proof of residence (telephone or utility bill, rent receipt)
About ten days after the account is opened, you will be given a chequebook and/or bankcard (debit or
credit card). Chequebooks are generally free of charge, but a bankcard costs between 15 and 40 € per
year, depending on the bank and type of card.
A word of advice: before leaving your home country, check with your usual bank. It may be affiliated with
a French network, which will make opening an account easier.
Applicants must be French (or in the process of naturalization), nationals of a member state of the European Union, students who have
prepared and obtained their Master degree in France, or students having attained an equivalent degree in the country that is a signatory
of the agreement relating to the European Higher Education Area.
INFORMATION
• Ministère de la
Recherche de des
Nouvelles
Technologies
Bureau des allocations de recherches
et de la technologie
1, rue Descartes
75231 Paris cedex 05
Tel.: 01 55 55 85 44/
45/ 46/ 47alloc@recherche.
gouv.fr
http://fr.education.
fr/Alloc_doc
Students must be under 25 years of age. Exceptions can be made for
students under 30 years of age as of January 1 in the year applying
by filing a specific and motivated petition to the dean of the doctoral school. Applicants must be free from their military obligations or
have obtained a two-year suspension.
Applications must be submitted by the dean of the advanced study
degree programme.
Other scholarships
In addition to the financial aid mentioned above, foreign students
may request scholarships offered by certain international organizations (UN, UNESCO, WHO, etc.) or by foundations, companies, etc.
These scholarships, which are available to French citizens as well is to
foreigners, are primarily for financing of advanced study programmes
for research.
44 45
health care and coverage
the french national student health plan
In France, personal health insurance coverage is mandatory for all students of 18 years of age. In 1948, a special student health plan was
instituted for students under 28.
All foreign students can take advantage of it, whatever their nationality. Your health care will be handled by a student mutual insurance
association, either the LMDE, or the SMEREP.
3. health care and coverage
The French national student health plan (“regime étudiant”)
The general national health plan for student over 28 years of age Health care access at the University of Paris X
ON-CAMPUS
AGENCIES
• La Mutuelle des
étudiants (LMDE)
Bureau E03
R.d.C. du Bâtiment
E., branch offices
in Ville d’Avray and
Saint Cloud
33, Boulevard des
Provinces Françaises
92 000 Nanterre
www.lmde.com
• SMEREP
ureau E03 R.d.C. du
Bâtiment E
Basic coverage
You should sign up with the student health insurance plan (Sécurité
sociale étudiante) when you complete you administrative registration
at the University. For a modest sum (189 € in 2006/2007), you will be
covered for the risk of illness and hospitalisation during your academic stay. Health insurance fees are waived for French government
grant and scholarship recipients as well as French higher education
grant recipients.
Additional coverage
Students who are covered by the national student insurance plan
should keep in mind that the plan does not cover 100% of expenses. For instance, only 70 % of the cost of a doctor’s visit, otherwise
known as the “tarif de responsabilité de la sécurité sociale,” is reimbursed by the plan, the remainder being a co-payment required of
the patient.
Students are strongly advised to subscribe to a supplemental, or
mutual coverage plan to meet the costs of co-payments. This is also
available through the student “mutuelle” organizations.
for further information and to obtain reimbursement of your medical expenses,
write or call:
• For students residing in Paris, the Caisse primaire d’assurance maladie
(CPAM) Relations Internationales (173-175, rue de Bercy 75012 Paris – Tel.: 01
40 19 55 30)
• In the suburbs, the CPAM of your place of residence.
documents to provide
• European Health Insurance Card (EHID); passport ; student I.D. card, bank details
(IBAN) and signed statement of the care received (feuille de soins).
the general plan for students over
28
If you are over 28 years old, you can no longer be covered by the student health plan. But other possibilities exist:
Universal Health Coverage (Couverture Maladie Universelle - CMU)
The CMU guarantees affiliation with the national health insurance
plan for any person with a stable and regular residence in France who
has no social coverage.
FOR MORE
INFORMATION
www.ameli.fr/211/
RUB/211/omb.html
Students over 28 can apply for it if they meet certain conditions:
• reside in France for more than 3 months
• not exceed a monthly income of 549 € (823 € for a couple) to benefit
from this plan at no cost (over this ceiling, the plan is available for a
fee.)
The request should be filed with the Caisse Primaire d’Assurance Maladie of your place of residence. An answer is usually given in about
one month.
Needy persons, depending on their income, may also be eligible for
supplemental coverage.
Health insurance coverage from mutual coverage or ordinary insurance companies
If you choose primary coverage, the basic annual premium is not
excessive (starting at 100 €). Several organizations offer a range of
health insurance plans that goes from 100 to 800 € .
CONTACT
• SMEREP - 01 56 54 36 34
• Cosmopolit’Services - 01 45 51 00 22 - www.cosmopolitservices.com
• Assistance étudiants 01 42 17 00 20 – www.assistance-etudiants.com
• Prévoyance étudiants (01 45 41 66 64 – www.peefrance.com
NB : Students over 28 can have their coverage extended to the day of their
29th birthday if they paid into the student plan for at least two years before
their next university registration.
Students enrolled in the PhD programme are eligible for student health insurance until the age of 32.
46 47
health insurance coverage
1) Members of the European Economic Area
If they have a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), students from the European Economic Area (European Union, Liechtenstein and Norway) can have their
medical expenses reimbursed without paying into the student health plan. This
card should be requested from your country of origin.
2) Quebec and Switzerland
Students from Quebec and Switzerland, who belong to their national health insurance plans should obtain form SE 401 Q 102 or SE 401 Q 106 from the public
health care office before leaving their country.
3) Others cases
You are a salaried employee at the same time as a registered student: if you
work at least 60 hours per month or 120 hours per quarter for the entire academic year, you can be declared by your employer and be entitled to the national
health insurance plan. You do not have to pay the fees to enrol in the student
health insurance plan.
• For more information: www.ameli.fr/84/DOC/38/fiche.html
You can also be entitled to coverage by plan by virtue of your relationship (spouse, relative) to another person’s enrolment in the plan as an “ayant droit” (beneficiary).
• For more information: www.ameli.fr/84/DOC/834/fiche.html
Getting the most out of your stay 48 49
health care access on the paris x-nanterre campus
The Nanterre campus health care service is open to all students.
A multidisciplinary medical team is on hand to personal care, attention
and advice in the strictest privacy. Consultations are free of charge.
Consultations by appointment:
• General medicine
• Birth control
• Nutrition
• Tobacco dependence
• AIDS and STD testing
• Clinical psychology
• Sports Medicine
• Family planning and sexuality
Bât/ E/R.d.C, salle 05
Ouvert de 8h 30 à 17 h 30
Tel.: 01 40 97 75 33
4. housing
Housing in a university residence or dormitory
Private or mutualist university residences Private rentals
Other types of housing: hotels, dormitories, youth hostels
50 51
housing
The Nanterre university residence
FINDING HOUSING IN THE PARIS AREA IS ONE OF THE MOST CHALLENGING
STEPS IN PLANNING YOUR STAY. THE CURRENT IMBALANCE BETWEEN SUPPLY AND DEMAND ON THE PARIS REAL ESTATE MARKET IS SUCH THAT YOU
SIMPLY CANNOT WING IT. IT IS ESSENTIAL TO START LOOKING WELL IN ADVANCE: FROM THE MONTH OF DECEMBER OF THE YEAR PRECEDING YOUR
ARRIVAL IN PARIS, PARTICULARLY TO FIND OUT ABOUT THE ADMISSION
REQUIREMENTS AND FORMALITIES TO ENTER A UNIVERSITY RESIDENCE.
The Nanterre university residence is located on the university campus within easy walking distance to classrooms, the library, gym,
university cafeteria, and the suburban train station (SNCF-RATP),
which makes it less than 20 minutes away from the center of Paris.
Monthly rent is around 180 €. Application is made only by Internet
(http://des.ac-versailles.fr) before 30 April for the following academic year. There is now a combined grant-housing application.
housing in a university residence or dormitory
State-run student dormitories are managed by the Centres Régionaux
des Œuvres universitaires et Scolaires (CROUS). They can be one of
the most economical solutions for living in Paris and the greater Paris
area, and are thus in high demand.
FOR MORE
INFORMATION
www.cnous.fr
• CROUS de Paris
39, av Georges
Bernanos, 75005
Paris –
M° Port-Royal
Tel. 01 40 51 36 00
• CROUS de
Versailles
145 bis, boulevard
de la Reine, BP 563,
78005 Versailles
Cedex
Tel. 01 39 24 52 00
• CROUS de Créteil
70, avenue du
Général de Gaulle,
94010 Créteil Cedex
Tel. 01 45 17 06 60
Requirements
To be admitted to a CROUS student dormitory, you must be less than
30 of age. Rooms are attributed on the basis of need, and scholarship
recipients are given priority, particularly those on a French government grant. The chances of getting a room if you are not a grant
recipient are virtually null.
During the summer, the CROUS can accommodate all types of students temporarily visiting Paris if there is space available. You should
contact the residence directly, shortly before your date of arrival:
http://aglae.ac-paris.fr.logement
The various types of accommodation available
• Standard dormitory room: furnished 9m2 room, common kitchens,
study rooms, meeting rooms and lounges. Rental varies from 130 to
180 €/month, from which you can deduct the amount of the housing
allowance you are granted by the CAF (see end of this section).
• Newer dormitories offer more spacious accommodations, such as
studio apartments. Some offer services on-site: Laundromat, cafeteria, photocopy machine, library, Internet access. Average rent for a
studio apartment: from 270 to 380 € / month not including housing
allowance granted by the CAF.
• Some low-rent apartments (HLM) are available for young married
couples.
CONTACT
• Résidence
universitaire de
Nanterre
Service Vie de
l’Étudiant
8, allée de
l’Université
92 000 Nanterre
Tel. 01 41 20 32
04
Resid.nanterre@
worldonline.fr
APPLICATION
http://des.ac-versailles.fr
> GOOD TO KNOW]
• To call France from abroad, dial “00 33”.
•
To call abroad from France, dial “00” followed by the country code, then the number you want to
reach.
• Long-distance calls for less
You can of course call abroad from the Post Office or a telephone booth. But the cost is high. Some
companies offer a callback system, for which the charge of a call is considerably less expensive (sometimes 50 % less than the normal rate). Instead of using the national phone company France Telecom, you
might try for instance Transworld Communications (www.chez.com/trans), Eurotelsat (www.eurotelsat.
com) or Budget Telecom (www.lesminutes.com). You can also purchase country-specific prepaid phone
cards.
52 53
housing
the cité internationale universitaire de paris (ciup)
This ensemble of student dormitories is located in a magnificent 80acre park. Each national pavilion (35 in all) is built in its own style
reflecting its country of origin. The Cité is in high demand – over 120
nationalities can be found there.
There are three categories of residents:
CONTACT
• 19, boulevard
Jourdan, 75690
Paris Cedex 14
Tel. 01 44 16 64
00 - Fax 01 44 16
64 03
Pre-registration
is possible over
the Internet:
www.ciup.fr/hebergement/index.php
Student residents:
Eligible students are less than 30 years of age enrolled in at least the
Master’s level. The board of admissions makes its decision mainly on
the basis of academic merit and not need. Applications are taken from
1 April to 31 July of the current year for the academic year beginning
in October, and starting on 3 November for admission in mid-year.
Admission is on a yearly basis renewable twice.
Trainees and teacher/researcher residents:
Trainee applicants must have already been employed for at least two
years. They must be enrolled in an institution of higher education or
university to complete an internship required for career advancement
or enrolled in an advanced degree programme (3rd cycle) as long as
the degree is related or close to their professional occupation, providing that the planned stay is for at least three months.
Researchers will be officially invited by a university or institution of
higher education in the greater Paris area. Application can be made
any time during the year. Admission is made on a yearly basis, renewable once.
Price of a room:
Prices vary from one residence hall to another.
• For student residents: from 199 to 275 € for a single room and from
282 to 396 € for a double;
• For trainees and post-docs: from 350 to 488 € for a single room and
from 366 to 534 € for a room for a couple (no kitchen) and 580 € for a
studio apartment shared with spouse or partner.
• For summer stays, prices vary according to the size and quality of the
room, between 20 and 30 € per night. Reservations should be made
two weeks in advance.
private or mutualist student residences
This type of residence has modern accommodations, furnished and
unfurnished, ranging from studio apartment to 1 bedroom apartment.
The rent charged is considerably higher than in student dormitories,
but living conditions are generally more comfortable (equipped kitchenette, shower, telephone connection) and most offer additional
facilities such as Laundromat, cafeteria, etc.
CONTACT
Mutuelle des Étudiants (LMDE)
Résidence Pablo Picasso
67, avenue Pablo Picasso
92 000 Nanterre - Tel.: 02 40 04 04 53
ADELE (Association pour le Développement économique du logement étudiant) ADELE brings together various agencies specialised in student housing.
For a copy of their guide to Résidences Ile-de-France:
13, rue Washington, 75008 Paris – Tel. 01 42 89 36 04 – www.adele.org
Accueil Familial des Jeunes Etrangers
This organisation offers accommodation in private homes for young students
as au-pairs, or in exchange for odd jobs, or as paying guests. The have a list of
low-cost accommodations (foyers) in Paris.
23, rue du Cherche Midi,
75 006 Paris - Tel. 01 42 22 50 34 -Fax 01 4 544 60 48
Association pour le Logement des Jeunes (ALJT) Tel. 01 45 80 70 70
OSE Point logement (Office des Services Etudiants) - SMEREP
In addition to a few student residences, the OSE has a file of accommodations
in private homes: 11-13 rue Serpente, 75006 Paris – Tel. 01 55 42 80 80
The Point Logement has a large file of housing offers. A membership card,
which will cost you 21 €, allows you to consult the offers available and make
direct contact with the landlord. This service is reserved exclusively for students registered with the University. Point Logement: 21, rue du Val de Grâce,
75005 Paris – RER Port Royal. Tel.: 01 40 46 86 73
The American Church
has a regularly updated bulletin board of
housing offers: 65, quai d’Orsay, 75007 Paris Tel.01 40 62 05 00
54 55
housing
other types of housing: hotels, dormitories, youth hostels
private rentals
2
Rent can vary from 300 € for a small room to 700 € for a 2-room 40 m
flat, depending on the neighbourhood.
There are several ways to look for a place to rent: real estate agency,
newspaper ads and Internet… Don’t neglect the ad boards in local
shops: bakeries, small grocery stores, etc.
INDIVIDUAL
AND REAL ESTATE
AGENCY ADS:
www.pap.fr,
www.explorimmo.fr
www.123immo.com,
www.fnail.com
www.seloger.com,
www.quickimmo.com
www.mapiaule.com,
www.nexdom.com
etc .
ADS FOR SHARES:
www.colocation.fr,
www.appartager.com
www.kel-koloc.fr,
www.e-cologie.com
www.pap.fr, www.
appartement.org
www.easycoloc.com,
etc.
FOR MORE
INFORMATION
www.afje-paris.org
23, rue du Cherche
Midi, 75006 Paris – Tel.
01 42 22 50 34 –
accueil@afje-paris.org
Real estate agencies
These agencies are specialised in property sale and rental. They act as
intermediary between the owner and the tenant. If you go through
a real estate agency, be prepared to pay agency fees upon signing
the lease, which generally amount to one month’s rent, sometimes
more.
Beware of “list merchants”. Some companies sell lists of accommodations for
anywhere from 150 to over 200 €. The trap is that you pay in advance to access
files of offers that no longer exist!
Newspaper and Internet ads
Daily papers, freebies and the student press all publish housing ads.
Two specialised weeklies:
- “De Particuliers à Particuliers” and “La Centrale des Particuliers”.
Available from newsstands on Thursdays (buy it early in the morning).
Their ads can be viewed on the Internet: www.pap.fr and www.lacentrale.fr
- FUSAC (“France USA Contact”, free ad magazine distributed in places frequented by the English-speaking public). Comes out every two
weeks on Wednesday. Ads can be viewed on the Internet: www.fusac.
org
Living with a French family
L’accueil Familial des Jeunes Étrangers
This organisation offers accommodation in private homes for young
people as au-pairs, or in exchange for odd jobs, or as paying guests.
Living in a Hotel
A hotel can be a good short-term solution while you are hunting for
the ideal housing situation.
Some very inexpensive hotels (known as “meublés”) rent rooms by
the month. This can be worthwhile for a long-term stay. For a list of
hotels, contact the Caisses Centrales d’Activités Sociales (CCAS) in the
Paris district city halls or in the suburbs.
USEFUL LINK
The Office du Tourisme
de Paris
website: www.paristourisoffice.com (127,
av. des Champs Elysées,
75008 Paris
– Tel. 0892 68 31 12
– Fax: 01 49 52 53 00 info@paris-tourisoffice.
com) .
Foyers
See the CIDJ (Centre Information, Documentation, Jeunesse) leaflets
(fiches) on foyers:
• Fiche 5.231 “Foyers et résidences pour étudiants” (student foyers and residences)
• Fiche 5 320 “Foyers et résidences pour jeunes travailleurs” (young worker
foyers and residences for age 26 and under)
CIDJ
101 quai Branly 75740 Paris cedex 15 Tel. 01 44 49 29 30 – www.cidj.com
Société nationale de construction pour les travailleurs (SONACOTRA):
42, rue de Cambronne, 75240 Paris cedex 15 – Tel. 01 40 61 42 00 – www.sonacotra.fr
L’Union nationale des foyers des jeunes travailleurs
12, avenue du Général de Gaulle, 94307 Vincennes – Tel. 01 41 74 81 00 – www.
ufjt.org
L’Association de Logement des Jeunes travailleurs
15, rue Ferrus, 75014 Paris – Tel. 01 45 80 70 70 – www.aljt.asso.fr
L’Union nationale des maisons d’étudiants
2, rue de la Roquette, 75011 Paris – Tel.: 01 48 05 73 62 – www.unme-asso.com
Foyer international
25, rue du 8 Mai 1945 - 78260 Asnières Tel. 01 39 11 14 97
Youth hostels
Housing in a youth hostel or International Acccomodation Centres
can be an inexpensive temporary solution.
Long-term accommodation is limited depending on the various centres’ availability.
Fédération Unie des Auberges de Jeunesse (FUAJ): www.fuaj.org
UCRIF Étapes Jeunes: www.ucrif.asso.fr
housing
housing subsidies
All foreign students can apply for housing subsidies. Such subsidy is
granted by the Family Allowance Fund (Caisse d’Allocations Familiales
- CAF) provided certain requirements are satisfied. These include:
Information
and application
form
www.caf.fr
A central telephone
number for Paris:
0 820 25 75 10
Where to apply for the subsidy?
The CAF handles requests for housing allowances.
You can download the subsidy application form, fill it out, sign it and
return it with the supporting documents requested.
You can also apply in person at the CAF office of your place of residence.
for students in paris
There are 4 CAF offices in Paris depending on which arrondissement
you live in:
• Centre de Gestion “Pot de Fer” (if you live in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th ou
6th): 19, rue du Pot de Fer, 75005 Paris – M° Place Monge - Monday to Friday
from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Centre de Gestion “Viala” (if you live in the 7th, 8th, 14th,15th or the
16th): 18, rue Viala, 75015 Paris - M° Dupleix - Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m.
to 4 p.m.
• Centre de gestion “Laumière” (if you live in the 9th, 10th, 17th, 18th or
the 19th): 67/69, av. Jean Jaurès, 75019 Paris – M° Laumière - Monday to Friday
from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Centre de gestion “Nationale” (if you live in the 11th, 12th, 13th or the
20th): 6101, rue Nationale, 75013 Paris – M° Nationale - Monday to Friday from
8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
for students living in the suburbs:
• Hauts-de-Seine (92)
70-88, rue Paul Lescop, 92023 Nanterre cedex – Tel. 08 25 05 27 32
• Seine-Saint-Denis (93)
15-17, rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud, 93112 Rosny-sous-Bois - Tel. 01 49 35 49 99
• Val-de-Marne (94)
Quartier de l’Echat, 2, voie Félix Eboué, 94033 Créteil cedex – Tel. 01 49 83 50
94
to rent
56 57
: memotum
Before renting a room, studio apartment or flat, there are a number of steps to take that
legally bind both tenant and landlord.
What the landlord is most interested in is that the tenant is able to pay the rent each
month. Students consequently must produce proof of incomre and/or find someone to act
as guarantor (“caution”).
A lease is mandatory: it specifies the term of the rental, the name of the tenant and the
landlord, a description of the premises, the rental amount, and the amount of the security
deposit. Theoretically, the length of the lease is for three years, renewable. In general, two
months’ rent (excluding maintenance fees – les charges) is requested as a security deposit.
When the tenant leaves, the security deposit serves to cover the cost of repairs if there
has been any damage to the premises. It is thus very important to be attentive when the
schedule of condition is drawn up both on arrival and departure from the apartment. If
the premises are returned in the same condition as when you arrived, the amount of the
security deposit is of course refunded to you in its entirety. But the security deposit is never returned on the day of the departure when the second schedule of condition is drawn
up. The security deposit is generally refunded one or two months after departure.
The tenant is required to take out a comprehensive rental insurance policy (assurance
multi-risques-habitation) against risk of fire and water damage etc. When given the keys,
the tenant must produce an insurance certificate. Most rental insurance policies protect
not only the property but the tenant as well (this is known as “civil liability” insurance).
Every tenant of rented premises must pay a yearly residence tax (taxe d’habitation) the
amount of which can vary between the equivalent of one or two months’ rent depending
on the municipality. Some students are eligible for a reduced tax rate, under certain conditions: check with your local tax office.
People who live in a university residence or foyer, or who have a room in a private home
are not subject to this tax.
Lease in hand, the new tenant will then need to ask for electricity and gas to be hooked
up and the telephone if he or the wishes:
• Electricity and/or natural gas: if the apartment has been vacant for under three months,
the hook-up can be made by phone. Just call the “EDF-GDF” agency (http://monagence.
edf.fr) responsible for your area. If it has been vacant for more than three months, an appointment with a technician must be made in order for him to make the hook-up. You will
be billed every two months and a meter reading is taken every six months.
• Telephone: to get a new line installed, contact the “France Telecom” agency nearest the
apartment (www.agence.francetelecom.com). The installation can take place in a matter
of days.
58 59
work and study
student work permit
Since July 1998, foreign students in possession of a student residence
permit are entitled to work part time starting their first year of studies in France. “All foreigners who wish to work full- or part-time,
must have a valid work permit.”
For all paid work, you must apply for a student work permit at the
Direction Départementale du Travail et de l’Emploi et de la Formation
professionnelle (DDTEFP) of your place of residence.
for students living in paris
• Bureau de la Main d’œuvre étrangère
127, bd de la Villette, 75010 Paris – M° Jaurès – Tel.: 01 44 84 41 15
for students living in the suburbs
Contact the DDTEFP for your place of residence:
5. work and study
Student work permit
Work hours
Job offers
• Seine-et-Marne (77): Cité administrative – Pré Chamblain – Bât. C – 77011
Melun cedex – Tel. 01 64 41 28 59
• Yvelines (78): La Diagonale – 34, avenue du Centre – 78182 St-Quentin-enYvelines – Tel.: 01 39 44 10 00
• Essonne (91): Tour Agora – Gd. Place d’Evry 2 – 523 Place des Terrasses de
l’Agora – 91034 Evry cedex – Tel.: 01 60 79 70 00
• Hauts-de-Seine (92): 13, rue de Lens – 92022 Nanterre cedex – Tel.: 01 47 86
40 00
• Seine-Saint-Denis (93): Bât. 6- 1, avenue Youri Gagarine – 93016 Bobigny
cedex – Tel. 01 41 60 53 00
• Val-de-Marne (94): Immeuble Le Pascal – Avenue du Général de Gaulle –
94007 Créteil cedex – Tel.: 01 49 56 28 00
• Val-d’Oise (95): Immeuble Atrium – 3, boulevard de l’Oise – 95014 Cergy
Pontoise cedex – Tel.: 01 34 35 49 49
The main supporting documents required:
• Valid student residence permit,
• Student I.D. card for the current year,
• Documents relating to the job (promise of hire or job contract) specifying
the position, remuneration, duration of contract, place of employment, work
hours (days and schedule).
60 61
work and study
job offers
On receipt of the application, the DDTEFP should theoretically issue
a certificate enabling the student to begin work immediately while
his or her application is considered. On renewal of the student work
permit, the DDTEFP are requested to take action rapidly so that the
student need not suspend his or her activity.
Student work permits are only valid for six months and must be
renewed without fail before the expiration date printed on the card.
> SPECIAL CASES
Exempt from student work permit:
• Students from the European Economic Area (European Union + Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway)
• Students from Andorra, Gabon, and Monaco
• Students on paid internships need not apply for a student work permit since these periods are not governed by a work contract but instead by an internship agreement signed by the three parties involved:
institution, student and company.
work hours
In Paris, the maximum number of hours a student may work in the
year is 830.5 (on the basis of the legal 35-hour work week for a fulltime job).
The contract can be either a fixed-term or open-ended contract as
long as the annual ceiling is not exceeded, but students may not work
full-time for more than 3 months in the course of a year.
In the suburbs, depending on the DDTEFP office, the annual number
of hours allowed may differ slightly from Paris.
International students holding a residence permit may not work more
than 20 hours per week during the academic year and 35 hours per
week during school holidays.
Foreign students often need part-time jobs in order to fund their studies.
Several specialized newspapers and temporary employment agencies
exist, but it is advisable to check with the services or organisations
offering jobs that are more suited to student life.
CROUS (Centre Régional des Œuvres Universitaires)
145 bis, bd. de la Reine, 758005 Versailles cedex – www.cnous.fr
In conjunction with the French national employment agency (ANPE) this organisation has a temporary job service open to all students. The first time
you apply, you must sign up with the office and produce your student I.D.
card, proof of health insurance coverage, your last degree obtained and your
residence permit.
• CIDJ (Centre d’Information et de Documentation Jeunesse)
101 quai Branly
75740 Paris cedex 15
Tel. 01 44 49 29 30
www.cidj.com
• La Cité des métiers
Cité des sciences
30, avenue Corentin Cariou, 75019 Paris
M° Porte de la Villette, Tel. 01 40 05 72 23
www.citedesmetiers.com
Also check the Internet, for instance the “L’étudiant” magazine website which posts many job offers compatible with a student schedule:
www.letudiant.fr
62 63
the word of the end
enjoy your time at paris x
We hope this handbook, designed by the International Relations Office, has been useful to you. We would be grateful for any suggestions for improvement.
The International Relations Office in conjunction with the Foreign
Student Services Office (SGAEE) and “Réso-U”
note
64 65

International Student handbook

Transcription

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