Université Sorbonne Nouvelle - Paris 3

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Your Arrival in Paris

In 8 Steps

Step 1: CVEC and University Registration

After having been accepted,it is mandatory to make your administrative registration in order to get your Student Card and your Academic Certificate

1 - CVEC

The CVEC (Contribution Vie Etudiante et de Campus) is a 103 euros contribution that student must pay to the CROUS. This contribution's purpose is to help social, sanitary, cultural and sports related actions.

► DISCLAIMER! The CVEC must be established under the same name used for your application.

HOW TO PAY THE CVEC?
1. Create an account on messervices
2. Pay the 100 € fees of the CVEC (online or with cash at a desk at "la poste" with additional fees)
3. Download the CVEC's certificate which will then be used for your administrative registration.

2 - Administrative Registration

After having paid the CVEC, you should proceed to the administrative registration.
Once the tuition fees are paid and the necessary documentation provided, you will receive your academic certificate and your student card. You will then be able to create your iSorbonne account in order to register to your courses.

► Registrations at the University: The Administrative Registration procedure (IA)

3 - Course Registration

Course Registration will allow you to register to your degree's modules and to create your timetable.To register to your modules, you will have to wait for the confirmation of your administrative registration.
After getting your student number, you will be able to have access to your iSorbonne account, as well as the course registration platform (IPWEB) to schedule your modules. It will then be visible on your account.

► Register to your courses and elaborating your timetable: The Course Registration Procedure (IP)

Step 2 : Phone Number

Once you will settle in France, you will have to get a French phone number to facilitate most of your procedures (visa validation, bank account, etc). We strongly advise to begin this procedure as soon as possible (even before registering to the University).

You will also be asked to have a bank account in order to pay the membership's instalment, and as you will need a phone number to open a bank account, we suggest that you take a look at FREE MOBILE's bundles that allow you to pay with any credit cards (foreign cards included).

You will then be able to change your payment option as well as your subscription (with another operator) while still keeping your phone number for the opening of your bank account.

You can compare the different offers here.

Etape 3 : Bank account

In order to prepare the different procedures needed for your settlement in Paris, you will need a bank account whenever you arrive.

Some banks offer an online opening service (if you want to have a look at the procedures before arriving).
Most banks offer free bank accounts for students (in this case, you will have to wait for your administrative registration to be complete, as well the academic certificate).
Prepare your documents before going in person. You can book an appointment online to open the account.

→ You can look at the banks websites : Société Générale, Caisse d'Épargne, Crédit Agricole, BNP Paribas.

Step 4 : Visa validation and residence permit

► Visas and residence permit

Case 1 : I am a minor

If you have a VLS-TS bearing the "schooled minor" mention, you don't have to go through any procedures before the expiration of your visa or until your majority (18 years old).
You will need to make a first residence permit application in the 2 months following your 18th birthday or 2 months before the expiration of your visa. The procedure is doable online on le site des Étrangers en France.

VISA SCHOOLED MINOR IN FRANCE: valid 11 months maximum
1. You should be under 18
2. You should be registered in a course in France, which should last at least 3 months
3. Your parents must be living abroad

Case 2: I am of legal age

Once in France, you will have 3 months to validate your VISA VLS-TS. The validation of the visa should be made on le site des Étrangers en France. You will receive an online confirmation. This procedure substitutes l'OFII. No OFII sticker should be put on your passport.

The online procedure:
1. Buy a revenue stamp 50 € for students
2. Choose "I confirm my VLS-TS"
3. You will receive a mail containing your visa confirmation, which must be kept along your passport

→ Between 2 and 4 months before the expiration of your VLS-TS, you will have to apply for a renewal of your residence permit by logging into your account.

Please, take a look at our Visa and Residence Permit guide.

Step 5: Social Security, coverage and health card

The social security is free and compulsory for all students in France: register to "l'Assurance Maladie"
The mutual will allow you to complete the Assurance Maladie's refunds, for your medical cares.

Health Centers are always available, have a look at our dedicated webpage.

	► Adhere to social security and subscribe to a mutual
	► Health centers and social services

Step 6: Accomodations and CAF

1 - Accomodations

To help you find an accomodation in Paris (and its suburbs), you can have a look at our dedicated webpage.

► Informations and accomodation guide for individual international students

► Informations and accomodation guide for students in exchange programs

2 - CAF

To help you pay rent and charges, you can ask for the Aide Personnalisée au Logement (APL) alongside CAF (Caisses des Allocations Familiales).

This fund is mensual and is calculated based on several criteria: your accomodation, your resources, your professional situation, if you benefit from a grant, or not, if you live alone, as a couple or with flatmates.
The CAF is given at the beginning of the month, for the previous month (early February for January, for example). You will receive the CAF starting from the second month of renting, as the first is not taken into account.

Before starting the creation of your account, please verify these details:
1. A stable address in France
2. A bank account in France (RIB/ IBAN)

You can ask for the CAF even without having your social security number. If you have issues while opening your account,you can book an appointment with your local CAF to explain your situaton as a foreign student and that you still are waiting to get your social security number

Step 7: Getting around the Parisian region

► Parisian Transportation

Transports within the Parisian Region generally offer reduced fares for students under 26. This can include reduction on single tickets or special fares for monthly and annual subscription
Among the most popular subscriptions for people under 26, the NAVIGO IMAGINE R is proposed at 365 euros per month.
It allows access to all the transports in Paris, including buses, RER trains, transiliens, metros and tramways. It covers the fared zones 1 to 5, which implies that you can travel all accross the region, unlimited, through the validity of your pass.

You can make your online subscription and you will receive your pass in your letterbox. You will then have to activate your card at any station.

Etape 8 : Find a part-time job as a student

► Working while studying in France

When you are a student wih a student VISA VLS-TS or a student residence permit with the "autorisé à travailler à titre accessoire" mention, it is important to follow the restrictions of working time. Depending on these conditions, you can't exceed 20 hours of work per week.

Finding a part-time job can be an excellent solution to earn money and have solutions to subsit in your student life. Fortunately, there are several online platforms and resources in France, which offer different solutions adapted to students.

Some leads to find part-time jobs

1. Jobétudiant.net: You can find many part-time jobs that will fit your timetable.

2. Indeed: One of the main websites to find job opportunities.

3. Parkours: Parkours in an online platform which puts people in relation for various tasks (baby-sitting, tutoring, gardening, etc.) with available students.

4. Superprof: Private tutoring, where you will be able to display your abilities.

5. BeMyNounou: A baby-sitting platform, where parents seek english-speaking babysitters for their children.

6. 1jeune1solution: A state managed platform which helps students to find jobs.

7. Pôle emploi: You can have a look at their website and see their opportunities.

8. Mômji: This agency offers baby-sitting. You can apply to become a baby-sitter [PDF - 157 Ko] and find missions that are fit for you.

9. ProfilCulture: If you are interested in working within the cultural sphere, ProfilCulture is a platform which offers part-time jobs, formations, and internships.