for International students

PRACTICAL GUIDE for International students
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For many years, international students have been coming to F rance to study with EFAP, ICART and EFJ. As many of you know, it is not always easy to leave your home country and family, for a semester, or sometimes an entire academic year.
This booklet was created in order to make the transition as easy as possible, you will find information concerning the schools, where to go, what to do when you arrive, who to contact for information, but also advice about your everyday life in France, such as accommodation, sports, health, leisure time, etc. Our F rench students will also be available to give you tips about the school, and life in Paris, Bordeaux, Lille or Lyon.
We look forward to h aving you with u s in F rance, and we h ope that you will enjoy your time with u s! Elodie GRAY
International Relations Coordinator
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SUMMARY
Practical information 4 – 6
Settling in France
7 – 9
Health & Insurance
10
Student life
11 – 15
Useful information
16
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PRACTICAL INFORMATION
HOW TO GET TO EFAP, ICART AND EFJ ?
EFAP, ICART and EFJ Paris, like all our schools, are located in the heart of the city. You can come to school by metro (line 1 or 9: Franklin Roosevelt), by bus (line 32: La Boétie-­Champs-­Elysées) or by RER (line A: Charles de Gaulle-­Etoile). You may also be at our campus in Levallois. You can come by metro (line 3: Pont de Levallois), or by bus (line 53: Pont de Levallois).
For further information about the transport system in Paris, you can check the website www.ratp.fr or download their official mobile application “Visit Paris by Metro”.
ARRIVAL Registration: Please contact the International Coordinator or whoever is in charge of Incoming Students when you arrive. You should meet with them a couple of days before the start of the semester in order to visit the school, receive your schedule, have your student card prepared, and finalize any documents. • EFAP/ICART/EFJ Paris International Relations Office
114 Rue Marius Aufan 92300 Levallois –
Paris Tel: +33 1 47 48 20 86 @: e.gray@groupe-­edh.com
• EFAP/ICART/EFJ Bordeaux 8, parvis des Chartrons 33074
Bordeaux Cedex Tel:+33 5 56 44 56 22 @: bordeaux@efap.com
• EFAP Lille 9, rue Léon Trulin 59000 – Lille
Tel:+33 3 20 74 64 90 @: lille@efap.com
• EFAP Lyon 47, rue Henri Gorjus 69004 -­ Lyon Tel:+33 4 78 30 10 01 @: lyon@efap.com
• EFAP/ICART/EFJ Bordeaux: www.infotbc.com/en
• EFAP Lille: http://uk.transpole.fr
• EFAP Lyon: www.tcl.fr/en 4
CLIMATE
The climate in France varies depending on whether you are in the North or South, and for which months you are staying.
Average temperature in degrees Celsius: •
Paris: January 4.7° -­ July 20°
•
Bordeaux: January 6.4° -­ July 20.8°
•
Lille: January 3.4° -­ July 17.9°
•
Lyon: January 3.2° -­ July 21.3°
PUBLIC HOLIDAYS Public holidays occur throughout the year. Schools and other businesses are closed during these days. However, some shops, restaurants, and activities may remain open. •
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•
•
•
•
•
•
January: 1st (New Year’s Day)
March/April: Easter Monday
May: 1st (Labour day), 8th (end of the 2nd World War), ‘Ascension’ which takes place 40 days after Easter
June: “Lundi de la Pentecôte”
July: 14th (National Day)
August: 15th (Assomption)
November: 1st (All Saints Day), 11th (Armistice)
December: 25th (Christmas) 5
MOBILE PHONES When you arrive in France, for the most part, the only thing you need to do is buy a SIM card to insert into your phone. There are various phone providers that offer 2 types of services: Bill Phone (you receive a bill at the end of the month), and Pre-­paid (you recharge as you go along). The pre-­paid option is probably the best for international students who are only staying a semester in France. You will find a list of phone providers below to help you chose the best option/price for your needs: • Orange: www.orange.fr
• SFR: www.sfr.fr
• Bouygues Telecom: www.bouyguestelecom.fr
• NRJ mobile: www.nrjmobile.fr
• La Poste mobile: www.lapostemobile.fr
• Vrgin mobile: www.virginmobile.fr
• Free mobile: http://mobile.free.fr/ OPENING A BANK ACCOUNT You may wish to open a bank account when you arrive. Most banks open accounts easily for international students. You will have to prepare some documents for them to open the account: •
Copy of your ID card/passport
•
Letter from the receiving institution stating you are a student •
A copy of your lease (if you are renting) •
If you are staying with someone, a statement written by the person housing you (“attestation d’hebergement”) along with a copy of their ID and a copy of their lease Groupe EDH has partnerships w ith various banks, and this might make the task even easier: • Paris
LCL
55, avenue des Champs-­Elysées -­ 75008 Paris +33149531326
BNP Paribas
37, avenue des Champs-­Elysées -­ 75008 Paris +33153756350 • Bordeaux
CIC -­ 18, quai des Chartrons -­ 33000 Bordeaux +33556677390 • Lille
Crédit du Nord -­ 28, place Rihour -­ 59000 Lille +33320785441 • Lyon
Société Générale -­ 54, boulevard des Canuts -­ 69004 Lyon +33478985406/07 6
SETTLING IN FRANCE
• Accommodation: There are many different options for accommodation in France. On the following pages, you will find links to help you find the accommodation that is best for you. To ensure that you find what you are looking for, we suggest that you to start your search early. • Youth hostels: If you wish to arrive in advance, or if you have friends and family visiting, one option is to stay at a youth hostel: www.hostlebookers.com/auberges/france
www.fuaj.org/en/
www.hostels.com/france
www.hihotels.com
Rooms for rent: Some students wish to book a room directly with a landlord. Prices vary depending on the size of the room and the facilities offered: www.lokaviz.fr
www.cllajparis.org
www.logements-­etudiants.org
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SETTLING IN FRANCE
• Student housing: If you book in advance, you can get a room in a student residence. The advantage of student housing is that various insurances and facilities are included in the price: www.adele.org
www.icade-­immobilier.com
www.aljt.com
www.cljt.com
www.estudines.com
www.studelites.com
www.nexity-­studea.com
www.erashome.com
www.fac-­habitat.com
http://residences.leclubetudiant.com
www.residetapes.fr
www.arfj.asso.fr
www.foyer-­galliera.com
www.fjt-­idf.fr
www.espacil.com
www.arpej.fr
• Flatsharing: Another option for accommodation is flat-­sharing. On the following links, you can see different offers and fill out your application directly online: www.e-­colocation.fr
www.portail-­colocation.com
www.recherche-­colocation.com
www.easycoloc.com
www.cherchecoloc.com
www.seloger.com/recherche_colocation.htm -­
www.annonceetudiant.com
www.colocation.fr
www.appartager.com
www.mapiaule.com
• Exchanges: If you have a room or flat in your hometown, why not exchange your flat with someone in Paris, Bordeaux, Lille or Lyon: http://switcharound.com
www.homeexchange.com/en • Host families: For students who wish to spend their time with a family, please check the following links: http://hostfamiliesinparis.org
www.francestudenthomestays.com
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SETTLING IN FRANCE
RENTAL AGREEMENTS & FINANCIAL AID •
Documents: You will need to hand in the following documents in order to finalize your booking. In some cases, you may be asked for other documents:
-­ Copy of identity card
-­ Copy of student card or certificate of admission •
STUDENT MEAL-­PLANS As a student, you are allowed to benefit from the meal-­plans offered by the city. You need to prove you are a student with your student card at the beginning of the year. The advantages are numerous;; complete meals for under 10€, many restaurants/cafeterias around the city, open all year round, lunch and dinner, including on public holidays. http://www.crous-­paris.fr/article.asp?idcat=AAAB
http://www.crous-­bordeaux.fr/restauration.html
http://www.crous-­lille.fr/restauration/
http://www.crous-­lyon.fr/html/-­restauration-­.html
Financial aid: When you have arrived in Paris, and finalized your housing, you may fill out an application to receive financial aid, under certain conditions, from ‘La Caisse d’Allocations Familiales’. For more information: -­ www.caf.fr
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HEALTH & INSURANCE
All international students must be covered by health insurance either from their home country, or by subscribing to insurance in France :
www.avi-­international.com
www.mondial-­assistance.fr
www.april.fr
They must s how proof of health insurance to EFAP, ICART or EFJ. Medical Centres: Centre a u Maire-­Volta: 0 1 4 8 8 7 4 9 8 7 (4, rue a u Maire, 7 5003) Centre E pée de B ois: 0 1 4 5 3 5 8 5 8 3 (3, rue d e l’Epée de B ois, 75005) Centre Tisserand: 0 1 4 5 3 9 4 9 2 9 (134, rue d ’Alesia, 7 5014) Centre Chemin-­Vert: 0 1 4 8 0 5 9 6 2 0 (70, rue d u Chemin-­Vert, 75011) Centre E dison: 0 1 4 4 9 7 8 6 0 1 (44, rue Charles Moureu, 7 5013) Centre René-­Coty: 0 1 4 3 2 7 5 4 1 5 (6, a venue Rene-­Coty, 7 5014) Centre A nselm P ayen: 0 1 4 5 7 8 1 7 9 9 (9, p lace V iolet, 7 5015) Centre d es E pinettes: 0 1 4 2 6 3 9 0 7 2 (51, rue d es E pinettes;; 7 5017) Centre Marcadet: 0 1 4 6 0 6 7 8 2 4 (22, rue Marcadet, 7 5018) Centre Cosem Miromesnil: 01 5 5 5 6 6 2 5 0 (6, a venue César Caire, 75008) Centre Cosem Auber: 0 1 5 5 5 6 6 2 5 1 (9, rue B oudreau, 7 5009) Centre Cosem Atlas: 0 1 5 5 5 6 6 2 5 2 (15, rue A tlas, 7 5019) Emergency contact numbers: SAMU Ambulance 1 5
Police 1 7
Fire 18
General e mergency 1 12
SOS Doctors: 0 1.47.07.77.77 o r 0 .820.332.424
SOS Dentist: 0 1 4 3 3 7 5 1 0 0
Night p harmacy 0 1.43.37.51.00
Anti p oison centre P aris: 0 1 4 0 0 5 4 8 4 8
Anti p oison centre B ordeaux: 0 5 5 6 9 6 4 0 8 0
Anti p oison centre L ille: 0 8 0 0 5 9 5 9 5 9
Anti p oison centre L yon: 0 4 7 2 1 1 6 9 1 1
Sexuality/contraception h elpline: 0 8 0 0 8 0 3 8 0 3 (French speaking)
Drug info service: 0 8 0 0 2 3 1 3 1 3 (French speaking)
Mental h ealth h elpline S ANELINE
0044 8 45 7 67 8 000 (English speaking)
SOS Helpline -­ confidential listening line in E nglish 0 0 3 3 1 4 6 21 4 6 4 6 -­ 3pm to 1 1pm
SOS Depression: 0 1 4 0 4 7 9 5 9 5
Before leaving your h ome country, you will n eed to make sure that your insurance covers your civil liability, responsibility towards o thers, d uring y10
our stay in France. STUDENT LIFE
At the beginning of your semester, you will receive your student card. You can get various discounts with this card (cinema, transport etc...) You can also order an ISIC card (International Student Identity Card). This is an internationally recognised ID card that proves that you are a student. This card will allow you to get many advantages and discounts (visiting monuments, travelling, access to cultural events etc...). The extensive list of places that provide discounts for ISIC card-­holders can be found on the following link www.isic.fr/isic-­
avantages
Set up in 2004, a student website that offers information on housing, working, health, activities, sports, cultural events, etc
can be found at: www.etudiantdeparis.fr
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CULTURAL LIFE IN FRANCE Most n ational monuments a nd museums a re free to E uropeans b etween the a ges o f 1 8 a nd 2 5. Y ou n eed to p resent a n o fficial d ocument stating your date o f b irth when you a rrive a t the e ntrance. (ID card, p assport...) You will find the list o f monuments a nd museums o n the following link: www.education.gouv.fr (search ‘pass e ducation’, g ratuité d es musées) Kiosques
There a re 2 types o f ‘kiosques’ that can interest you while you a re in France.
First of a ll ‘Theatre K iosques’ which o ffer 5 0% o ff tickets for e vents, p lays taking p lace o n the same d ay: Theatresparisienassocies.com/reduction-­spectacle-­paris
The second type is the ‘Kiosque Jeunes’ that o ffer d iscounts o n e vents, a nd sometimes free p asses/ invitations. These p asses a re reserved for p eople b etween the a ges o f 1 3 a nd 3 0 www.paris.fr
PLEASE FIND BELOW A LIST OF LINKS OF P LACES TO VISIT: •
http://parismusees.paris.fr
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www.ocup.fr
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www.forumdesimages.fr
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www.centre-­animation.paris.fr
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www.paris.fr/culture
•
www.louvre.fr
•
www.musee-­orsay.fr
•
http://mam.paris.fr
•
www.marmottan.fr
•
www.collections.quaibranly.fr
•
www.chateauversailles.fr
•
www.petitpalais.paris.fr
•
www.carnavalet.paris.fr
•
www.musee-­rodin.fr
•
http://musee-­jacquemart-­andre.com
•
www.musee-­delacroix.fr
•
www.museepicassoparis.fr
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www.musee-­moyenage.fr
•
www.bordeaux-­tourisme.com
•
www.lilletourism.com
•
www.lyon-­france.com
•
www.parisinfo.com
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SPORTS There are many ways to do sport in France, either through private clubs, associations, or through clubs organised by the town.
The links below will help you find what you are looking for: •
www.paris.fr/sport
•
www.citesport.fr
•
www.parisinfo.com/ou-­sortir-­a-­paris/Sports-­et-­jeux
•
www.parachute-­paris.fr/
•
www.bordeaux.fr/p63960
•
www.cleec.com/sport/bordeaux.aspx
•
www.jeunes.paris.fr/demarches-­infos-­
pratiques/loisirs/faire-­du-­sport-­paris
•
www.lille.fr/Que-­faire-­a-­Lille/Envie-­de-­sport
•
www.lillemetropole.fr/index.php?p=875
•
www.petitpaume.com/selections/faire-­du-­sport
•
www.lyon.fr/page/sport/la-­pratique-­du-­sport-­au-­
quotidien.html
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Leisure time France is k nown for its wining and dining, so don’t hesitate to go out and have a drink in a typical French bar or Brasserie. You also definitely need to taste the French c uisine. You will also find many r estaurants with food from around the world, and for a r ange of prices. • www.timeout.com/paris/en/restaurants-­cafes • http://erasmus-­party.com
• www.eat-­out.net/restaurant/paris
• http://en.parisinfo.com/where-­to-­eat-­in-­parisquejadore.com/food
• www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Europe/France/Aquitaine/Bordeaux-­
134172/Restaurants-­Bordeaux-­TG-­C-­1.html • www.hostelworld.com/guides/city-­guides/bordeaux/france/eating-­
out • www.mydestination.com/bordeaux/restaurants/35665/french
• www.timeout.com/paris/en/restaurants-­cafes/restaurants-­in-­lille
• http://gofrance.about.com/od/nordpasdecalais/tp/Restaurants-­In-­
Lille-­North-­France.htm
• www.timeout.com/travel/features/883/lyon-­a-­weekender-­guide • www.sortiraparis.com/ • www.parisbouge.com/ • www.lille.sortir.eu/ • www.lillelanuit.com/ • www.bordeaux.sortir.eu/ • www.aperorestodisco.com/sortir-­bordeaux.html
• www.culture.lyon.fr/culture/ • www.sortirlyon.org/ 14
Useful apps to download before you get here
• RATP (transport app-­ this is much better than Google maps for figuring out the Paris metro system) ( Free)
• Paris Map Offline (transport) ( Free)
• Vélib’ (transport-­ Paris’s bike service) ( Free)
• My Airport (transport) ( Free)
• The Fork ( food) (Free)
• Paris Food Markets ( food) (1,99 €)
• Le Fooding (food) (3,99 €)
• Tripbox (food) ( Free)
• Patrimap (tourist) ( Free)
• Secrets de Paris (tourist) ( Free)
• My Little Paris (tourist) ( Free)
• MyCityHighlight (tourist) ( Free)
• Paris Free Wifi (1,99 €)
• Allociné (films) (Free)
• Learn French Vocabulary Free ( language) (Free)
• Free French-­English Dictionary (language) (Free)
• XE (currency c onverter) ( Free)
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USEFUL INFORMATION
Below is a list of the main Embassies that can be found in France. For a complete list, please check the following link: www.mfe.org/index.php/Annuaires/Ambassades-­et-­consulats-­etrangers-­en-­France Argentinian Embassy
6, rue Cimarosa 75116-­ Paris
Australian Embassy 4, rue Jean Rey
75015 Paris
Belgian Embassy 9, rue de Tilsitt
75017 Paris
Canadian Embassy 35, avenue Montaigne 75008 Paris
Chinese Embassy 11, avenue George V 75008 Paris
Croatian Embassy 7, square Thiers 75116 Paris
German Embassy
13/15, Avenue Franklin D. Roosevelt
75008 Paris
Spanish Embassy 22, avenue Marceau
75008 Paris
Hungarian Embassy 5, square de l’Avenue Foch 75116 Paris
South Korean Embassy 125, rue de Grenelle
75007 Paris
Irish Embassy 4, rue Rude 75116 Paris
Swedish Embassy
17, rue Barbet-­de-­Jouy
75007 Paris
Italian Embassy 51, rue de Varenne 75007 Paris
Japanese Embassy 7, avenue Hoche 75008 Paris
Portuguese Embassy 3, rue de Noisiel
75116 Paris
Romanian Embassy 5, rue de l’Exposition 75007 Paris
Tunisian Embassy 25, rue Barbet de Jouy
75007 Paris
Turkish Embassy
16, avenue de Lamballe
75016 Paris
United-­States Embassy 2, avenue Gabriel
75008 Paris 16
I know it s ounds c liché, but I applied to study abroad mainly because I love to travel. I think travelling is one of the best of life's experiences. Who doesn't like discovering new places and having wonderful experiences, all the while exploring v arious c ultures, and making new friendships all over the world? This k ind of program not only offers an additional educational experience, but also enhances y our CV, which increases y our employment opportunities. EFAP was my first c hoice because it has allowed me to learn about topics that I'm extremely interested in, s uch as public relations and c ommunication, event management and intercultural c ommunication. The thing that I love most about this experience is that it gives me the opportunity to follow communication c ourses in foreign languages. Among a multitude of exciting experiences, my favourite s o far has been meeting many amazing people from all around the world. From an academic perspective, the teachers' impressive expertise in their s ubjects has been particularly helpful. To c onclude, I must s ay that I r eally r ecommend this experience to everyone. Erasmus is s o much more than just studying abroad. It is an opportunity to discover new horizons, and to immerse oneself in a c ompletely different way of life. Erasmus has been a v ery positive experience for me.
Esther Berisic – Zagreb, Croatia
I applied for the Erasmus program, because I wanted to improve my French s kills, meet new people and discover a different way of learning. I applied for EFAP because it's a partner-­school of my s chool in Ansbach, G ermany, and I was excited about the prospect of living in Paris. I also met a French girl from EFAP who was doing her Erasmus year in Ansbach. She told me a lot of positive things about EFAP, which made me want to apply even more. I think the teachers are r eally nice. The biggest c hallenge is understanding everything in c lass, but they try and make it as easy as possible for us. They always ask if we, the Erasmus s tudents, understand ( I'm following the French c ourses from the s econd y ear). If not, they are v ery happy to explain it again, and, if you have any questions, they always do their v ery best to help y ou. I would v ery much r ecommend the Erasmus program. I always have to s peak French here, as there are no other G erman s tudents, which makes it invaluable for my language s kills. There are also s o many things to do in Paris, which means that there is always s omething new and exciting.
Johanna Hörl-­ Ansbach, G ermany
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GROUPE EDH
RELATIONS INTERNATIONALES
114 Rue Marius Aufan / 92300 Levallois – France
Elodie GRAY
Coordinatrice des Relations Internationales
Tel : +33 1 47 48 20 86
e.gray@groupe-­edh.com
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