Practical Information

This page is dedicated to helping you avoid, or at least reduce, some sources of frustration and worry that have affected international students in the past when arriving in France. The International Office is here to help you prepare your stay, so please feel free to contact us with any questions you might have!

Paris

Not a minute to lose in the "City of Lights"! Whether you enjoy going out, eating great food, or learning new things, Paris has so much to offer that you won"t have time to get bored!

• Population: 2,175,601
• Surface Area: 640 679 Km2
• Weather: Winter - rarely below 0° Celsius (32° Fahrenheit) / Summer: rarely above 30° Celsius (86° Fahrenheit)

ICD Business School's Paris Campus

General information

• Address: 12, rue Alexandre Parodi - 75010 Paris
• Subway Stations: Louis Blanc (lines 7 and 7bis), Jaurès (lines 2 and 5) or Gare de l'Est (line 4)
• Opening hours: Monday through Friday (closed Saturday and Sunday) from 7:30 am to 9:30 pm
• Campus Amenities: Computer workstations are available on campus; WiFi covers the entire campus, and students can use their own laptops to connect to WiFi; there are 2 cafeterias on campus which offer snacks and sandwiches all day long.

Some tips from ICD

Feel like going out for a drink after school? Or going for a workout? Or getting something to eat, or simply relaxing? Well, you're in the right place. Here's a list of places located close to the Parodi campus that we think you'll enjoy:

Getting around Paris

To get around the city, you are eligible for a special student rate on your "Pass Navigo" transportation card that will allow you unlimited access to Paris's public transportation system.

Taking a taxi

When you arrive, if you want to take a taxi to your apartment, here are a few helpful tips:

How to recognize a real taxi:

• Follow the "Taxi" signs to find the taxi stations located outside of airport terminals.
• Check that the taxi has a taxi light on the roof of the vehicle before entering the car.
• Make sure that the vehicle is equipped with a working fare meter.

When you arrive at your destination, pay the amount shown on the meter.

Top 5 places to visit in Paris

• The Basilica of the Sacred Heart
• The Arc de Triomphe
• The Eiffel Tower
• The Louvre Museum
• Notre-Dame Cathedral

Cultural venues offer reduced rates for students, so be sure to check prices before you go!

The European Heritage Days usually take place in September. During those days, visitors have access to cultural venues around the country for free or at reduced rates. Information is easily accessible on internet.

Must-Have Apps

Toulouse

There's no time to lose in the "Pink City"! Whether you enjoy going out, trying local and international culinary specialties, or learning new things, Toulouse has so much to offer that you won't have time to get bored!

• Population: 493,465
• Surface Area: 118.3 Km2
• Weather: Winter - rarely below 0° Celsius (32° Fahrenheit) / Summer: rarely above 30° Celsius (86° Fahrenheit)

ICD Business School's Toulouse Campus

General information

• Address: Groupe IGENSIA Education Campus - 186, route de Grenade - 31700 Blagnac
• Opening hours: Monday through Friday (closed Saturday and Sunday) from 7:30 am to 7:30 pm
• Campus Amenities: Computer workstations are available on campus; WiFi covers the entire campus, and students can use their own laptops to connect to WiFi; There is also a cafeteria, located in the campus's main hall, which offers snacks and sandwiches all day long.

Transportation

Some tips from ICD

Feel like relaxing after school? Or going for a workout? Or getting something to eat, or simply chilling? Well, you're in the right place. Here's a list of places located close to the Groupe IGENSIA Education Blagnac campus:

Getting around Toulouse

Public transportation: subway, bus and tramways

If you are under the age of 26, you can purchase a Pastel travel card for €15.00 per month (or €156.50 per year) to have unlimited access to the entire public transportation system in Toulouse. You can order your card directly on-line on the Tisséo website or via the app.

Taking a taxi

When you arrive, if you want to take a taxi to your apartment, here are a few helpful tips:

How to recognize a real taxi:

• Follow the "Taxi" signs to find the taxi stations located outside of airport terminals.
• Check that the taxi has a taxi light on the roof of the vehicle before entering the car.
• Make sure that the vehicle is equipped with a working fare meter.

When you arrive at your destination, pay the amount shown on the meter.

Top 5 places to visit in Toulouse

• The Garonne Riverside Area
• The Saint-Sernin Basilica
• The Place du Capitole Main Square
• The Cité de l'Espace Scientific Discovery Center
• The Jardins de Toulouse Public Park

Cultural venues offer reduced rates for students, so be sure to check prices before you go!

The European Heritage Days usually take place in September. During those days, visitors have access to cultural venues around the country for free or at reduced rates. Information is easily accessible on internet.

Must-Have Apps

Preparation

Checklist

Just like going on a trip or a vacation, prior preparation will help to ease your stress and reduce uncertainty.

Below is a checklist to follow which includes our advice for your preparation. The list is not necessarily all inclusive, but it does outline the procedures and steps which you must complete before coming to France.

For more information about studying in France, please visit: https://www.etudiant.gouv.fr/en/welcome-france-206

About Visas

If you are not a national of a European Economic Area country (European Union country + Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein or Switzerland) you must apply for a long stay student visa (more than 90 days) to study, conduct research, or do an internship in France.

To check if you need a visa, you may use the "Visa Assistant" on the official French visa service web site: https://france-visas.gouv.fr/en/web/france-visas/student

Note

• The Visa CANNOT be issued once the applicant is in France.
• You are required to obtain a student visa to attend school in France.
• You cannot apply for the visa more than 3 months before the start of the program.
• Begin the visa application as soon as you receive the Letter of Acceptance from ICD.

Types of Visas

Depending on your nationality, your situation and the length of your stay, you may be able to obtain a visa to study or conduct research in France, or to return here after you graduate.

For detailed information about various types of visas and visa application procedures, please visit the official website for visa application to France: https://france-visas.gouv.fr/

Paid work

You may be entitled to work during your stay, depending on your citizenship and the type of visa you have.

To obtain more information about this topic, please refer to https://france-visas.gouv.fr/en/web/france-visas/student

Campus France

Campus France is the French national agency for the promotion of higher education and international student services. All non-European students as defined above MUST apply and obtain permission through Campus France BEFORE they can begin the application process with their appropriate consulate. No visa will be granted by French consulates without Campus France registration.

Since visa application requirements and procedures vary from one country to another, we strongly recommend that students check the Campus France office in their home countries for the most accurate information.

Government health insurance

All students in France, including foreign students who reside in France for more than 3 months, benefit from the free government health insurance. Registration is mandatory and free of charge, and will entitle you to reimbursement of your health care expenses.

Required documents may vary depending on how long you will be at ICD (e.g. Exchange Students). Please check for the most updated application requirement and register at https://etudiant-etranger.ameli.fr/#/

Exceptions

• Family members of an international civil servant who are covered as such by the health insurance scheme established by the international organization to which the family members belong (e.g. the European Union social security scheme), do not have to register on this website.
• Quebec residents, Andorran, and EU/EEE or Swiss citizens who do not have an EHIC card must follow certain specific procedures to register with French government health insurance. These procedures require them to obtain certain documents in their home country before coming to France.

CVEC contribution fees (not applicable to exchange students)

The CVEC contribution fees are used to fund various social, health, cultural, and athletic services for students, and to strengthen prevention and health education initiatives. This is a MANDATORY procedure (for students with a VLS-TS or VLS visa). Higher education institutions are required by law to verify that students have paid the fees and are not allowed to register students who haven't.

Exchange students who are in programs governed by an agreement between a home institution abroad and a host institution in France are not subject to the CVEC fees, as they are not considered to be officially enrolled in a French institution.

Students must provide their National Student Identification (INE) number. If they do not have one, they can obtain a provisional INE on the site.

Practical Information about CVEC: https://cvec.etudiant.gouv.fr/?_locale=en

Cost of Apartments

The cost of an apartment in France varies according to the location, size, class of the building, quality, style of furnishings, view, local amenities, etc. A studio in Paris may cost between €800.00 and €1,200.00. A two-room apartment is between €1,400.00 and €2,500.00. In Toulouse, a studio may cost between €450.00 and €1,000.00. A two-room apartment is between €700.00 and €1,300.00. You can budget an approximate cost of €800.00 per person in shared accommodation. Individual accommodation is more expensive.

The above estimations are for furnished apartments, and they do not include the cost of utilities. On average, utilities will cost an additional 10 %
to 15 % on top of your rent, and possibly more in winter due to the use of heating systems. Very few apartments are equipped with air-conditioning.

In France, when you use a real-estate agency, the renter pays the agency fee, roughly 1 month’s rent. For short stays (4 months) however, you can also operate through an agency that builds its fee into the monthly rent. Rent is usually collected at the beginning of the month. If you rent an apartment, you will be expected to pay a security deposit (1 month’s rent) and the first month in advance. Don’t forget to plan with your landlord how and when they will return the deposit to you. In any case, it must be in cash and before you leave the country.

Property insurance (Assurance habitation)

As a renter, you are liable for any damage caused to the accommodations during the term of your lease, which means you must repair any damage you may have caused. Thus, in most cases, it is compulsory by law for tenants to take out a home insurance policy (assurance habitation), or at least insurance for rental risks, which covers damage to the property caused by a fire, an explosion, or water damage. If you want insurance coverage for your belongings (computer, musical instruments, in short everything you own) as well, you need to take out supplementary insurance (multirisques habitation).

If you are living in a shared apartment, at least one of the tenants must be insured. However, in the event of a claim, each co-tenant must receive compensation for the loss according to their share of rent.

You can take out the insurance policy from an insurance company, an agent, or from a bank. If the company agrees to insure you, it must send you an insurance proposal containing its terms. The cost (premium) will be proportional to the size of your unit and age.

For more information regarding home insurance (withdrawal, terms and conditions, minimum coverage, supplementary insurance, etc.), please visit: https://www.etudiant.gouv.fr/en/insuring-your-accommodation-what-are-your-legal-obligations-1660

CAF housing subsidy

Depending on your visa and the type of accommodations you choose, you might be entitled to a housing allowance through the CAF agency. Please refer to Campus France website for more information: https://www.campus-france.org/en/student-housing-france

Visale

If you need a guarantor to secure your lodging, Visale, a service from Action Logement, is a new and free guarantor system which offers adult students a free rental deposit for any type of accommodation. For more information, please visit www.visale.frl, or https://www.campusfrance.org/en/VISALE-free-security-deposit-for-students

Things to pack

When you prepare your luggage, remember to check with the airline, as well as the airport web page for the most updated list of prohibited items for checked luggage and cabin luggage.

Official web site of Paris Airport: https://www.parisaeroport.fr/en/passengers/flight-preparation/baggage/golden-rules

Below is a list of items which you are advised to bring with you to France:

Living in France

Visa validation

Upon your arrival in France, you must validate your visa. The process is entirely digital: you can do everything remotely, at home, on your computer. Remember: You must validate your visa within 3 months of arrival in France. To validate your visa, please visit the following website: https://administration-etrangers-en-france.interieur.gouv.fr

Residence card - Biometric Residence permit - "Carte de séjour"

Since 17 September 2020, a new fully dematerialized procedure has been in place. Students can apply for the renewal of Residence Card on the following web site: https://administration-etrangers-en-france.interieur.gouv.fr/particuliers/#/

No physical presence will be required at the Prefecture. Usually, the residence permit is to be renewed every year but depending on the length of your studies in France, it could be given for up to 4 years until you obtain your degree. Student should apply for renewal 3-4 months before the visa/temporary residence permit expires. Once you have applied for renewal online, and if your application is in order, you will receive an electronic certificate of deposit at the end of the procedure.

Life in France

Date and Time

In France, and most of Europe, dates are expressed as day/month/year. For example: March 1, 2024, is 01/03/24. Time is expressed by a twenty-four-hour clock system. Thus, 4:00 p.m. is 16h00. In the evening though, and in spoken French only, people tend to revert to a twelve-hour clock as the context is sufficient to avoid misunderstanding. “Midi” is not necessarily high noon. It is advisable to check if your appointment is for 12h00 or 13h00.

Smoking

Smoking is banned in any public enclosed spaces welcoming visitors. This includes offices, restaurants, bars, airports, train stations, and so on.

Food shopping

There are regular supermarkets, grocery stores, and specialized food shops everywhere. You can also find late night shops or convenience stores in most areas. These are usually more expensive than supermarkets and Parisians generally use them in case of emergency.

They stay open until 10:00 p.m. or later. Check with your local grocery. Regular shops open between 8:00 and 10:00 a.m. and are open until 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. The cheapest supermarket chains are Lidl, Aldi, Leader Price and Franprix. Be ready to see many food items you have never seen or heard of, let alone know how to cook!

Every neighborhood has street markets twice weekly. If you go to the market towards the end, around 1:30 pm for example, you can get very good deals on fresh produce.

Cost of living

On average, it is advised to reserve €400.00 to €450.00 per month for food expenses in Paris. However, this varies depending on personal preferences. Below is the average price for some daily food items:

Students should also include the following estimation of additional expenses in their monthly budget such as: