Study in Lyon, France

CONTENTS (2008/2009)

WHY CHOOSE LYON AND ITS REGION? .................................................... 3 A major university city and a famous research network centre .......................... 3 A city full of history and culture .................................................................... 3 A region that is open and dynamic ................................................................ 3 Further information .................................................................................... 4

MAKING A SUCCESS OF YOUR PROJECT .................................................... 5 The main steps .......................................................................................... 5 Timetable ................................................................................................. 6

CHOOSING YOUR COURSE AND APPLYING ............................................... 7

Understanding the French higher education system: ....................................... 7 Categories of establishments: ............................................................... 7 Enrolment: ............................................................................................ 7 Diplomas: .............................................................................................. 7 Language: ............................................................................................. 7 Cost: ..................................................................................................... 7 The academic year: ............................................................................... 8 The new European structure: ................................................................ 8

Choosing a course in Lyon: .......................................................................... 9 Courses offered by the establishments of the University of Lyon: ......... 9 Other educational institutions in Lyon area: ....................................... 11 Special programmes for foreign students and international Master programmes: ...................................................................................... 12 French language courses: ................................................................... 14

Gaining recognition for your diplomas: ........................................................ 18

Applying for a course ................................................................................ 18 General rules: ..................................................................................... 18 Admission procedures: ....................................................................... 19 Enrolment in Licence and Master grades for applicants from outside the EEA and Switzerland: .......................................................................... 20 Enrolment in Licence and Master grades for applicants from the EEA and Stwitzerland: ................................................................................ 21 Enrolment in Doctorate grade: ............................................................ 22 Enrolment in STS (section de technicien supérieur: advanced vocational course): .............................................................................................. 23 Enrolment in an Institut Universitaire de Technologie (IUT, university technology institute) .......................................................................... 23 Enrolment in a class preparing admission to the Grandes Ecoles (CPGE): ............................................................................................... 23 Enrolment in an engineering school: ................................................... 24 Enrolment in specialised schools (Arts, Architecture, Business, Engineering, social, paramedic, health schools and so on): ................ 24 An alternative, distance learning: ....................................................... 25

1

PLANNING YOUR BUDGET ...................................................................... 26

Evaluating the cost of a year at university: .................................................. 26 Tuition fees: ........................................................................................ 26 Living expenses .................................................................................. 26

Financing your stay: ................................................................................. 27 Study grants: ...................................................................................... 27 Student jobs: ...................................................................................... 28 Housing benefits ................................................................................. 29 Bank loans .......................................................................................... 29

PREPARING ONE’S STAY AND ARRIVAL IN LYON ................................... 30

Finding accomodation ............................................................................... 30 Good techniques! .................................................................................. 30 Important information ........................................................................... 30 Useful places and services ...................................................................... 31 The different types of accommodation ..................................................... 32 Hostels: .............................................................................................. 33 Rental in the private sector: ................................................................... 33 Colocation: .......................................................................................... 35 Short-term and temporary accommodation: ............................................. 35 A short accommodation glossary: ............................................................ 36

Formalities .............................................................................................. 37 Passport: ............................................................................................. 37 Visa: ................................................................................................... 37

Health and Insurance................................................................................ 39 Health insurance: ................................................................................. 39 Other Insurance: .................................................................................. 40 Repatriation insurance: .......................................................................... 40

Practical information ................................................................................. 40 Banks: ................................................................................................ 40 Coming to Lyon: ................................................................................... 41 Driving licence: .................................................................................... 41 Climate: .............................................................................................. 41

Check list ................................................................................................ 42

2

WHY CHOOSE LYON AND ITS REGION?

A major university city and a famous research network centre Lyon is the first University City in France (after Paris) with 120,000 students, 13% of whom are foreign students. There are around 30 establishments, offering an extremely wide range of higher education courses. The research sector is very active: 10,000 researchers and teaching-researchers work in 510 public and private laboratories. The centres of excellence are: fine and molecular chemistry, clinical research, human biology, neuroscience, cognitive science, pharmacology, biological and medical engineering, medical imagery, engineering science, materials science, mathematics and scientific calculus.

A city full of history and culture The historical site of Lyon is home to an exceptional architectural and urban heritage. For this reason, UNESCO classed it as part of the World Heritage in 1998. Lyon has an Opera House and a National Symphony Orchestra, a National Centre for Contemporary Art, a House of Dance, the Lumière Cinema Institute in homage to the 1st film in the history of cinema (which was made in Lyon) and a wide variety of sites of artistic creation. There is an exceptional range on offer in all fields: film, theatre, music, dance, museums, theme cafés, university public lectures and more. Many major events punctuate cultural life: for example, the biennials dance festival, the biennial contemporary art festival, the “Nuits de Fourvière” (popular and classical concerts, plus theatre, from the Roman amphitheatre). And, every year, on 8 December, the city is illuminated for the Festival of Light.

A region that is open and dynamic The Rhone-Alps Region is the second economic region in France and is one of the most important economic regions in Europe. It is home to as many people as Denmark or Finland. In terms of size, the region can be compared to the largest German regions. It shares a border with Switzerland and Italy. Rhone-Alps Region has a remarkable, and protected, natural heritage thanks to the diversity of its climatic influences and the natural sites it contains: the Massif Central to the west, the Rhone valley in the centre and the Alps to the east. Natural parks cover 10% of the region. Its vitality comes from a wide range of activities in sectors of health, biotechnology, chemistry, textiles, environment, IT, mechanics, food industry …. The importance of the high technology sector should be emphasised, strengthened by research and higher education, as should that of tourism, both in winter and in summer.

3

The Rhone-Alps Region has adopted a highly active international policy and, for this reason, has invested in many cooperation agreements with numerous regions in Europe and the rest of the world. It supports international investment in education establishments and the mobility of their students. By train, Lyon is just 2 h from Paris and the Mediterranean Sea, 1 h 30 from the Alps, 2 h from Switzerland (Geneva) and 4 h from Italy (Turin).

Further information

Some key figures Population: Lyon 450,000 inhabitants

Greater Lyon 1,200,000 inhabitants

Rhone-Alps Region 5,700,000 inhabitants Universities in Rhone-Alps: Lyon University 90,000 students

Grenoble Universities 60,000 students

University Jean Monnet in St Etienne 12,800 students

Useful websites About research: • www.universite-lyon.fr • www.lyon-sciences.fr • www.lyoncampus.org/pagesguide/etab3.htm, guide for researchers. About Lyon: • www.lyon.fr, site of the Lyon City Hall (in English and Spanish) • www.lyon-france.com, site of the tourist office ( in English) • www.grandlyon.com , site of the Lyon area Assembly (pictures and maps of the area)

About the region: • www.rhonealpes.fr , site of the Rhone-Alps Region (in French) • www.franceway.com/regions/rhonealp/ : map, tourism, accommodation in the Rhone-

Alps area (in French and English) • www.rhone-en-decouverte.com, nature, sport, gastronomy, culture (in French)

4

MAKING A SUCCESS OF YOUR PROJECT

Before deciding to travel, there are four important questions you must ask yourself:

Is my French good enough to allow me to attend classes in French? Do I have at least 5000 € to live one academic year in Lyon? Do I have enough time (about one year) to complete all the necessary steps

before coming? What will be in my personal route and in my country the added value of the

course I’ll attend in Lyon?

The main steps 1- First of all, choose a course that is coherent with your career plans and your level

of skill in terms of your diplomas, level of study and level of French. You will need to: - understand the French education system - be aware of the general and particular enrolment conditions - make several choices and assess your chances of being accepted - Consider, if necessary, taking French language classes in the year before your departure, in your own country or in Lyon itself.

2- Next, you must consider the question of cost and your financial resources:

- How much does the course you have chosen cost? - What budget will you need to live in Lyon? - What financial resources can you hope to have (grants, benefits, loans, student jobs and so on)?

3- Then, you must obtain information on the application formalities involved and when

you must complete them: application request forms, grant applications and so on.

4- Finally, if your project is successful, prepare your departure and your arrival in Lyon:

being in possession of a passport, obtaining a visa and insurance, reserving your air or rail travel, finding accommodation, getting access to your money once in Lyon and getting all the useful administrative documents together.

Warning! If you are not a grant holder of the French government or on an exchange program, you will be considered like any French student enrolling at the university. You will be expected to manage on your own when it comes to finding accommodation and starting your life as a student at the university. Finding student accommodation in Lyon, however, is not an easy matter, especially if you are in a foreign country.

It is also important to note that enrolment conditions and administrative formalities differ depending on whether you are a citizen of the European Economic Area* and Switzerland *European Economic Area (EEA): the 27 countries of the European Union + Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.

5

Timetable

Choose a course that is coherent with you’re your career plans and skills

A year in advance

Consider the question of cost and your financial resources

A year in advance

Start your administrative steps for enrolment

From December : candidates applying for enrolment in 1st or 2nd year of the “licence “ grade, in an advanced vocational course, an engineering school, a class preparing admission to the Grandes Ecoles (CPGE) and for certain competitive exams for access to particular schools. And before the 31st of January for non-EU Nationals applying for enrolment in 1st or 2nd year of the “licence “ grade. From January and for 3rd and 4th year studies in engineering and business schools From March for master and Doctorate

Plan the practical details of your arrival in Lyon

Between May and July (on reception of a firm offer from the school or university)

6

CHOOSING YOUR COURSE AND APPLYING

Understanding the French higher education system

Categories of establishments Higher education in France is available from several types of establishment, which can be either public or private: - Universities - “Grandes Ecoles” and other specialised higher education schools - “Lycées” (Highschools): some of them offer “STS” programmes (Section de Technicien Supérieur, advanced vocational course) and courses preparing admission to “Grandes écoles” (CPGE). - Institutes, within the Universities: IUT (Institut Universitaire de Technologie- University Institute of Technology ), IAE (Institut d’Administration des Entreprises- Institute of Business and Management), IEP (Institut d’Etudes Politiques- Institutes of Political Studies). Although most courses come under the responsibility of the Ministry of Education, certain more specialised courses come under the responsibility of other Ministries: Agriculture, Health, Culture Defence, and Equipment. For further information: www.campusfrance.org ( English and Spanish versions) Enrolment Passing the French Baccalaureate at the end of secondary education gives you the right to access to higher education in public universities. Certain courses, including short technical courses, engineering courses and, more generally, those in Grandes Ecoles or specialised schools, have an extra selection process on admission (competitive exams, application forms, interviews and so on).

Diplomas Both public establishments and private establishments under contract to the State generally deliver State diplomas that are recognised nationally by all education establishments and professions. Certain university diplomas (DU) and diplomas from certain schools, however, are not recognised nationally.

Language The language used for teaching, with only a few exceptions, is French. But, more and more, courses could be available in English in such fields as management and sciences at a postgraduate level See page 10 “Courses for international students and international Masters”. Consult www.campusfrance.org “the courses delivered in English “

Cost The cost of courses varies depending on the level of study, the type of establishment and its status (public or private). Public education is largely

7

financed by the State and the costs that must be paid by the students are, as a result, low (see chapter “Planning your budget”).

The academic year The academic year starts in September/October and ends in May/June. The year includes several vacation periods during which there are no courses: Christmas: 2 weeks (End of December, beginning of January); Winter: 1 week (during February); Spring: 1 or 2 weeks (during March/ April) Public holidays: 1 November (‘All Saints’), 11 November (Armistice 1918), 25 December (Christmas), 1 January (New Year), 13 April 2009 (Easter), 1 May (Labour Day), 21 May 2009 (Ascension Day), 8 May (Victory in Europe 1945), 1 June 2009 (Pentecôte), 14 July (National holiday), 15 August.

The new European structure France, along with more than 50 European countries, has joined the European Higher Education System. The system is based on 3 grades and 3 degrees: Bachelor, Master, Doctorate. The diplomas are obtained after the validation of the various teaching units to which the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) is attached. These credits can then be capitalised by students who have fulfilled the validation conditions. Thus a bachelor’s degree, composed of 6 semesters on average, corresponds to 180 credits and a master’s degree to 120 credits with 4 extra semesters (see diagram above). This system aims to make student mobility easier. A bachelor’s degree obtained in France, for example, would be recognised in Italy. For international mobility, an appendix describing the diploma, called the “supplement to the diploma” will make it possible to assess the knowledge and aptitudes acquired for the diploma. The DEUG, the DEUST, the DUT and the BTS, 2-year post baccalaureate diplomas are maintained.

Short glossary for understanding abbreviations DEUG: Diploma of General University Studies DUT: University Technology Diploma - Diploma delivered

by the University Technology Institute

DEUST: Diploma of Scientific and Technical University Studies

BTS Diploma of Higher vocational studies

DEUST: Diploma of Scientific and Technical University Studies

8

CPU / AMUE Juillet 2002

BAC

LICENCE

MASTER

Description du dispositif

Specialised schools issue other diplomas: Engineering school diplomas, Business schools diplomas, Diplomas of Art. .

Choosing a course in Lyon Lyon and the surrounding area offer a vast array of higher education courses with diplomas delivered by Universities and Specialised Schools. All courses in Lyon area, available after a post compulsory upper secondary education certificate (equivalent to our Baccalaureat) are available on: www.orientation-lyon.org/choix/formations/guidebac.php

Courses offered by the establishments of the University of Lyon The University of Lyon is a Pole of Research and Higher Education (PRES) which federates 11 higher education and research establishments in Lyon and offers a wide selection of courses and diplomas. Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 Science and Technology/Health/Medicine/Sports www.univ-lyon1.fr - around 29 000 students 43, boulevard du 11 Novembre 1918 - 69622 Villeurbanne Cedex – Tel. : 33 472 44 80 00 Main course offerings: Science and technology, Engineering, Biology, Physics, Mathematics, Mechanics, Information technology, Earth Sciences, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Sports Sciences, Medicine, Pharmacy, Dentistry, Teacher training. Université Lumière Lyon 2 Human and Social Sciences www.univ-lyon2.fr - around 28 000 students Campus de Lyon - 86, rue Pasteur - 69007 Lyon - Tel.: +33 478 69 70 00 - Campus Porte des Alpes - Avenue Mendès-France - 69500 Bron - Tel. : +33 478 77 44 55

RECHERCHEPROFESSIONNEL

Diplô me intermédiai re

DEUG

Diplô me intermédiai re

MAITRISE

DOCTORAT

180

crédits

300

9

Main course offerings: Anthropology, Archaeology, Art history, Information and Communication technology, Economics, Education, French as a Foreign Language, Geography, History, Modern Language, Law, Linguistics, Modern and Classical Literature, Musicology, Performing Arts, Political Sciences, Psychology, Sociology, Tourism, Urban Studies, Work Studies Université Jean-Moulin Lyon 3 Law/Business/Human Sciences www.univ-lyon3.fr – around 22 000 students Two campuses in Lyon 1, rue de l’université - 69239 Lyon Cedex 07 - Tel. : + 33 4 78 78 78 40 - And: Manufacture des Tabacs - 4 cours Albert Thomas - 69008 Lyon Main course offerings: Law, Political Sciences, Management, International Business, Marketing, Finance, Entrepreneurship, Economics, Information Technology, Communication, Linguistics, Foreign Languages, Modern and Classical Literature, Philosophy, History, Geography Université Catholique de Lyon – Business Sciences/Theology www.univ-catholyon.fr –around 4000 students two campuses 25, rue du Plat - 69228 Lyon Cedex 02 - Tel. : +33 472 32 50 12 and 23 place Carnot- 69002 Lyon Main course offerings: Biochemistry, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Electronics, Business, Management, Law, Human rights, Environment, Quality Security, Linguistics, Literature, Philosophy, Psychology, Theology, Local development, Family Sciences. Ecole Centrale de Lyon www.ec-lyon.fr – around 1 200 students 36, avenue Guy de Collongue – 69134 Ecully - Tel. : +33 472 18 60 00 Main course offerings: Engineering, Electronics, Mechanics, Electrical Engineering, Material Sciences, Mathematics Ecole normale supérieure de Lyon (ENS) – Sciences www.ens-lyon.fr – around 950 students 46, Allée d'Italie - 69364 Lyon Cedex 07 - Tel. : +33 472 72 80 00 Main course offerings: Biology, Physics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Chemistry, Earth Sciences Ecole normale supérieure de Lettres et Sciences Humaines- Literature/Human and social Sciences www.ens-lsh.fr – around 750 students 15, Parvis René Descartes - 69366 Lyon Cedex 07 - Tel. : +33 437 37 60 01 Main course offerings: Linguistics, Modern and Classical Literature, Social Sciences, Economics Ecole Nationale de Travaux Publics de l'Etat (ENTPE)- Civil Engineering www.entpe.fr – around 800 students Rue Audin, 69518 Vaulx en Velin, Tel.. +33 472 04 70 70 Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Lyon (ENV Lyon)- Veterinary National School www.vet-lyon.fr – around 650 students 1, avenue Bourgelat - BP 83 - 69280 Marcy L'Etoile - Tel.: +33 478 87 25 25 Main course offerings: Medicine, Surgery for animals, Food Quality Security, animal biology and comparative bio-pathology Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Lyon- Institute of Political studies http://iep.univ-lyon2.fr - around 1300 students 14 avenue Berthelot 69007 Lyon — Tel.: +33 437 28 38 00

10

Main course offerings: Political Sciences, Management, Business, Public Administration, International Relations, Town Planning. Institut Polytechnique de Lyon federates 3 Engineering schools (CPE, ECAM, ISARA, ITECH) www.ipl.fr – 2400 students 30, rue sainte Hélène – 69227 Lyon cedex – Tel.. +33 472 41 08 28 Main course offerings: Chemistry, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical engineering and automation, Electronics, Production engineering, Materials Science, Informatics.

Other educational institutions in Lyon area Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Sciences de l'Information des Bibliothèques (ENSSIB) www.enssib.fr - 280 students 17/21, boulevard du 11 novembre 1918 - 69623 Villeurbanne Cedex Tel. : +33 472 44 43 43 Main course offerings: Librarian and library management, Book history, Information technology EM Lyon – Management www.em-lyon.com - 2 500 students – Private school. 23, avenue Guy de Collongue - BP 174 - 69132 Ecully Cedex Tel.: +33 478 33 78 00 Main course offerings: Marketing, Services, Technological innovation, International Business, Finance, Entrepreneurship, Management, Human Resource, Communication, Negotiation, Law INSA Lyon – Science and Engineering www.insa-lyon.fr - 5000 students 20, avenue Albert Einstein - 69621 Villeurbanne Cedex Tel. : +33 472 43 83 83 Main course offerings: Science and Engineering, Biochemistry, Civil engineering and city planning, Electrical engineering, Electronics, Mechanical engineering, Production engineering, Computer and information technology, Energy engineering and environmental studies, Material sciences, Tel.ecommunications Institut National de Recherche Pédagogique- Pedagogical Research - www.inrp.fr - 150 students Place du Pentacle BP 17 – 69195 Saint Fons cedex – Tel.. +33 472 89 83 00 Research Institution only. Ecole d'Architecture- Architecture- www.lyon.archi.fr - 690 students 3 rue Maurice-Audin BP 170 - 69512 Vaulx-en-Velin Cedex - Tel. : + 33 4 78 79

50 50

Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Lyon (CNSMD)- Music and Dance - www.cnsmd-lyon.fr - 550 students 3, quai Chauveau C.P. 120 - 69266 Lyon cedex 09 - Tel. : + 33 4 72 19 26 26

Ecole Nationale des Beaux Arts- Fine Arts- www.enba-lyon.fr - 330 students 8b quai St-Vincent 69001 Lyon. Tel.. +33 4 72 00 11 71

11

Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Arts et Techniques du Théâtre- Theatre Studies- www.ensatt.fr - 150 students 4, rue Sœur Bouvier - 69005 Lyon – Tel. : + 33 4 78 15 05 06

Special programmes for foreign students and international Master programmes Access courses for international students

At the University Lumière Lyon 2:

Specialisation courses delivered by the CIEF (Centre International d’Etudes Françaises): All year Intensive programmes (546h) leading to University diplomas. Specialities: “French literature”, “International Business and trade”, “Public Affairs” These courses are designed for students who have completed a degree in their countries and who want to improve their command of French language before carrying on studies in France. http://cief.univ-lyon2.fr At the University Jean Moulin Lyon 3:

The SELF programme in English. The programme is organized to allow significant improvement in the French level of proficiency. It has been specifically designed for foreign students who are motivated to study in France to get this necessary international experience without mastering the French language. The foreign student who is staying for a whole academic year can attend courses of the DEUF programme after a Self semester. Contact : [email protected]

The DEUF (Diplôme d'Etudes Universitaires Françaises) can be attended during one semester ( 1st or 2nd ) or for a whole academic year. It is composed of a core subject, French as a foreign language FLE and optional subjects (available in the complete list of courses offered by the University Jean Moulin Lyon 3). All the lessons are delivered in French. www.univ-lyon3.fr/58269362/0/fiche_10__pagelibre/&RH=INS-INTEven-ds&RF=INS-INTEven-ds At INSA Lyon (Engineering school):

Eurinsa, Asinsa and Amerinsa are international courses: they welcome French students (30 to 50% of students in 1st year) as well as students from, respectively, Europe, Asia and Latin America. These programmes have been designed to help foreign students to adapt themselves to the French system of “Grandes Ecoles” and to complete their degrees in engineering science in one of the 12 majors offered by INSA www.insa-lyon.fr/pg/index.php?Rub=84&L=1 Specialisation programmes for international students ESDES (Management and Business School ), Lyon Catholic University,

International Business Programme (IBP): one or two semesters composed of business and management studies taught in English, in French or in both languages. 30 credits per semester. These courses are available for students with a Master or a Bachelor level. www.esdes.org/en/int_etu.htm

12

Political Sciences Institute in Lyon (IEP):

Two courses in French : • The Certificate of Political Studies (CEP): it is a full academic year curriculum reserved to foreign students having completed two years of higher education. 60 ECTS credits. • The Short Programme in Political Studies (AEP): it is one semester curriculum reserved to foreign students having completed two years of higher education. 30 ECTS credits. http://iep.univ-lyon2.fr/index.php?Rub=78 International Masters (in English) • International Master of Physics and Technology: University Claude Bernard Lyon 1 Lectures taught in English and French language courses. http://spiral.univ-lyon1.fr/Files_m/M3281/WEB/master_english.htm (English version) • Master program in Atomic & Molecular Modelling : Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon a one year master organized in cooperation with the CECAM www.cecam.org

• Master program in Physics & Chemistry : Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon A sixteen ECTS credit course sequence which is part of the first year of the PCB master (physics/chemistry/biology). www.ens-lyon.eu/web/nav/article.php?id=77&rub=3&rub2=67

• Master BioSciences: Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon in association with University Claude Bernard Lyon 1 and PRES "Lyon University ". 4 semesters www.ens-lyon.fr/Bio-Geol/L3-Master/

• M.Sc Embedded Systems and Medical image : INSA Lyon 4 semesters http://gegp.insa-lyon.fr/index.php?Rub=57

• International Master in Information Systems : INSA Lyon 4 semesters http://imis.insa-lyon.fr/index.php?Rub=2

• LLM in International and European Law and Diploma in International and European Law: University Jean Moulin Lyon 3, Faculty of Law http://facdedroit.univ-lyon3.fr/29326521/0/fiche_01__pagelibre/&RH=DRO-ACCUEIL

• European Business Realities Program (Master): IAE (Institut d’Administration des Entreprises), University Jean Moulin Lyon 3 2 or 4 semesters www.univ-lyon3.fr/66886956/0/fiche_04__pagelibre/

• General Management Program (Master MSc): IAE, University Jean Moulin Lyon 3, 2 semesters www.univ-lyon3.fr/66886956/0/fiche_04__pagelibre/ • Euro-MBA programme : IAE, University Jean Moulin Lyon 3 12 months

13

www.univ-lyon3.fr/66886956/0/fiche_04__pagelibre/ • Master in Hospitality Management, University Jean Moulin Lyon 3 in cooperation with the Paul Bocuse Institute : 4 semesters, taught both in French and English http://iae.univ-lyon3.fr/5004651IL/0/fiche_04__formation/&RH=IAE-FORMglob-master&RF=IAE-FORM

• International MBA : E.M. LYON for executives, 3 terms http://executive-education.em-lyon.com/english/executive/imba/index.aspx • European Master in Management : E.M. LYON in association with Aston Business School and Ludwig Maximilian Universität : 4 semesters www.european-master.com/ • MSc in Management : E.M. LYON 2 years www.em-lyon.com/english/graduate/msc/Programme/index.aspx Erasmus Mundus Masters • Master in Mechanical Engineering : INSA Lyon in association with Trinity College Dublin and la Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya ( Barcelona) : 4 semesters

www.emmme.com/ • Master ATOSIM on computer modelling of physical, chemical and biomolecular systems, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon in association with the universities of Amsterdam and La Sapienza in Rome : 2 semesters www.erasmusmundus-atosim.cecam.org/ All Erasmus Mundus Masters on: www.campusfrance.org

French language courses As most courses are taught in French, it may be useful to attend a French language course. The prior application for admission to University, which is required for students from outside the EEA and Switzerland who wish to register for the first two years of a degree course in a French University, includes an exam assessing the level of knowledge in the French language. Passing this exam is not required if the student has the DELF (Diploma of French Language Studies) or the DALF (Higher Diploma in the French Language), two diplomas recognised by the French Department of Education. Moreover, your application for registration in a French university can be more convincing if you present a French language diploma. You will thus have to acquire a good level of French and obtain, if possible, a recognised diploma (see the following paragraph): - Either by means of courses you will attend before your departure for France:

A database of the “Alliances Françaises” and French Cultural Centres, by country and by city:

14

Where to get the DELF/DALF? www2.ciep.fr/DelfDalf/Centres/ - Or by means of courses in Lyon:

Foreign students can attend intensive French language courses in Lyon at any level and sit for language exams. They can also, if they are enrolled regularly at a university, take French classes in non-intensive programmes offered by the establishment they are attending.

Warning!

The French classes are very popular in Lyon! Do register beginning of January if you plan to come in September! All centres delivering French courses for foreigners and not depending on a university, do not give access to the French Social Security and by the way it is an obstacle to obtain the Temporary Work Permit for students from outside Switzerland and EEA. Check this when registering!

Centres offering French language courses at Lyon University CENTRE INTERNATIONAL D'ETUDES FRANÇAISES (CIEF) http://cief.univ-lyon2.fr Université Lumière-Lyon 2 16, quai Claude-Bernard - 69365 Lyon Cedex 07 Tel.: +33 478 69 71 35/36 - Fax: +33 478 69 70 97 For additional information contact: [email protected] INSTITUT DE LANGUE ET DE CULTURE FRANÇAISE (ILCF) www.ilcf.net Université Catholique 25, rue du Plat - 69288 Lyon Cedex 02 Tel.: +33 472 32 50 53 - Fax: +33 472 32 51 82 For additional information contact: [email protected]

There are three types of programme on offer: - Semestrial or annual programs for students with all levels of French. - Intensive Summer courses specially designed for students who already have a basic or advanced level of French and students enrolled in a French university. - Courses designed for French language teachers.

Those centres are exam centres for DELF end DALF

15

As a summary: dates and tuition fees (2008-2009)

Semestrial courses

Summer courses – Intensive programs

LYON 2 CIEF

*Semestrial language and civilisation courses, From 08/09/008 to 20/01/09 From 26/01/09 to 13/06/09 20h per week during14 weeks : 1700 euros 12h per week during 14 weeks : 1020 euros *Specific annual courses with options (International relations, commerce, literature, French Public institutions) : 546h, 2817€

Intensive one month session : 72h, 660€ From 01/07/08 to 24/07/08 Preparation session for the start of the academic year : 40h, 250€ From 01/09/08 to 12/09/08

UCL ILCF

*One month course : 4 weeks, 76h 538€ Two terms course : 13w.20h/w., 1665€ 13w., 16h/w., 1268€ Du 19/10/08 au 28/01/09 Du 19/02/09 au 22/05/09 *One year course : 26w., 520h, 2980€ Short courses of specialities : business French, tourism and catering and French

20h/week from July to September Four weeks, 80h, 572 € eight weeks, 160h,1052 € twelve weeks, 240h, 1510 € social programmes included

Other establishments offering French language courses Compared with the previous ones, if you are enrolled in those schools you can’t benefit from Student Social Security ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE DE LYON http://www.aflyon.org 11 rue Pierre Bourdan - 69003 Lyon Tel.: +33 478 95 24 72 Contact: [email protected] Université Francophone internationale www.institut-lyonnais.com 40, rue de Gerland – 69007 Lyon Tel. : +33 4 78 69 25 04 Contact : [email protected] Lyon Bleu international www.lyon-bleu.fr 54 cours Lafayette - 69003 Lyon Tel. : +33 437 480 026 Contact : [email protected]

16

Ecole interculturelle de Français pour étrangers : www.eife2f.com 3 Grande rue des Feuillants, 69001 Lyon Tel. : +33 4 78 39 04 88 French language diplomas and placement tests DELF and DALF: respectively, the basic and advanced level of knowledge of the French language. These diplomas are recognised by the Department of Education. The DALF exempts students from passing a linguistic test when they make their Demande d’Admission Préalable (DAP, prior request for admission). For further information: www.ciep.fr/delfdalf/index.php TEF and TCF: two placement tests specially designed for foreign students in their home country. These tests are useful for evaluating the student’s level of French when he or she applies for admission to a French university: For further information: www.ciep.fr/delfdalf/index.php Certificates end Diplomas delivered by the Alliance Française CEFP1, certificate of practical French studies, 1st level CEFP2 , certificate of practical French studies, 2nd level Diplôme de Langue de l’Alliance Française (DL) , language diploma of the Alliance Française) Diplôme Supérieur d’études françaises modernes (DS, higher diploma in modern French studies) Diplôme des Hautes Etudes Françaises (DHEF, diploma of advanced French studies) Diplôme Supérieur d’Etudes Commerciales (DSEC, higher diploma of business studies) DU (University Diplomas) at three levels: The CPLF (practical certificate of the French language) level 1 The Diplôme d’Etudes Françaises (DEF, diploma of French studies) The Diplôme Supérieur d’Etudes Françaises (DSEF, diploma of advanced French studies)

17

Gaining recognition for your diplomas With only a few exceptions, there is no legal principle governing the equivalence between foreign and French diplomas.

Nevertheless, a diploma certifying the end of secondary education or the right to access to higher education obtained in one of the countries of the EEA (the 27 countries of the Union + Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein) and Switzerland allows students to enrol in 1st year higher education courses with rights as French students.

In all other cases, acceptance of admission, and to what level, will be decided by the establishment to which the application has been made.

The establishments are free to fix their own criteria for the admission of foreign applicants.

Warning! Semesters and diplomas gained in an establishment in the new European higher education system have got ECTS which can be compared. The diploma supplement can also allow a comparison of the different curricula.

It is therefore recommended that candidates situate their level of studies within the French system before applying so they can apply for an “attestation de niveau d’études” at the ENIC-NARIC centre. (You will be charged 50 euros and the delays for getting the document can last two months). This document is a real help for the commission of experts in each higher education establishment

For further information: www.ciep.fr/enic-naricfr/equivalence.php

Applying for a course

General rules In order to enrol in a university and higher education studies, you must prove that you have passed the French Baccalaureate or a foreign diploma recognised as equivalent. You must have passed the diploma in the previous year or years to enrol on higher education courses. To carry on a university course in Lyon, you must have attended in your home country a programme in coherence with what you plan to study in France. A pedagogical committee taking into account you ECTS credits will evaluate your application. For example 180 credits will be necessary to be accepted in a Master. Additional selection:

Additional selection procedures can occur before enrolling on advanced vocational courses or specialised courses delivered in upper secondary schools or in university institutes or specialized schools. This further selection is made by means of a written application and interview or exam or competitive entrance examination.

The “Grandes Ecoles” are accessible either on presentation of a written application or through a competitive examination which involves two years of preparation after the Baccalaureate: it is the case for the Ecoles Normales Supérieures (Grandes écoles preparing teachers for higher education), veterinary schools, architecture schools and certain engineering and business schools… nevertheless, some of these schools (like INSA Lyon) offer admission opportunities, called “parallel”, for students with a higher education diploma. Modes of admission may

18

vary and for further information, contact directly the establishment or visit one of the following sites: For Lyon schools, here are the websites!

Ecole Centrale de Lyon : www.ec-lyon.fr

Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon (ENS) – Sciences : www.ens-lyon.fr

Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lettres et Sciences Humaines (ENS LSH) www.ens-lsh.fr

Ecole Nationale de Travaux Publics de l'Etat (ENTPE): www.entpe.fr

Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Lyon (ENV Lyon) : www.vet-lyon.fr

EM Lyon – Management: www.em-lyon.com

Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Lyon: http://iep.univ-lyon2.fr

INSA Lyon – Sciences et ingénierie: www.insa-lyon.fr

lnstitut Polytechnique de Lyon: www.ipl.fr

Ecole d'Architecture : www.lyon.archi.fr

Ecole Nationale des Beaux Arts : www.enba-lyon.fr

Or consult the national sites: Engineering schools: www.cefi.org/WELCOME.HTM Other Grandes Ecoles: www.cge.asso.fr

The timetable and the enrolment procedures for higher education courses directly after the Baccalaureate in the area depending on the Lyon Education Authority are described on the following site: www.orientation-lyon.org/choix/formations/atlas/index.php

Admission procedures They are different according to your citizenship;

You are a citizen from EEE (UE 27 countries, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein) or Switzerland: the admission procedures are the same than they are for French citizens.

You are a citizen from outside EEE and Switzerland:

Now, in more 27 countries, a pre-application system is compulsory and available on line on Campusfrance. The CEF (Centre pour les Etudes en France) or the « Espace CampusFrance » available in your country will help you in the different steps of the application process and will validate your apllication form.

www.campusfrance.org/

If you apply to an establishment which is “connected” to CampusFrance, the whole procedure, until the pre-registration agreement will be made on line. In that case, and also in the case of a DAP (see further), the “Espace CampusFrance” will invite you to an interview and will check your dossier. You will have to pay for that (price is different from a country to another) but you will pay the visa half price and you won’t need to send to the establishments your application form by post mail.

If you apply to an establishment which is not connected to CampusFrance, you will have to send your application form to the establishment.

19

To know if an establishment is connected to CampusFrance or not, it is necessary to start an application on line. The results of the course search indicate “connected” or “not connected” in front of each course.

If there is no Espace CampusFrance in your country, you will apply directly to the establishment, except if you apply for a 1st or 2nd year of Licence grade. In that case, you must contact the cultural services of the French Embassy in your country.

The pedagogical committee of the establishment will examine your application generally in June.They will decide whether or not to accept you.

Enrolment in Licence and Master grades for applicants from outside the EEA and Switzerland

Enrolment in the first or second year of Licence grade:

You must get through the “Demande d’Admission Préalable” (DAP, prior request for admission) procedure starting in December Steps :

1- You must fill the “Demande d’Admission Préalable” (DAP, prior request for admission) procedure, between the 1st of December and the 31st of January for an autumn fall starting in September.

Where to get the application form?

• If you are abroad or in your home country, at the cultural services of French Embassies.

• On your Campus France account in the countries where the pre-enrolment is compulsory

• If you are in France, at the French university of your first choice.

• Or on the internet site of the Ministry of Higher Education www.education.gouv.fr/cid2477/commencer-ses-etudes-superieures-en-france.html.

The application form can be sent by snail mail. The candidate has to send a formal letter in French (by post mail to the cultural services of the French Embassy or to the selected university, before the 15th of January) to apply for it.

Warning: the “Dap” form is given by the universities only to the applicants who are living in France, with a temporary residence permit or whose husband or wife or parents are permanent residents on the French territory. You can select three universities and rank them by order of preference. 2- The form must be completed and returned by 31st January at the latest. You may be asked to attend a language test in February (fee: around 60€). The Embassy or Campusfrance will send your form to the university you put first, 3-This University must give you an answer before the 30th of April. If the response is negative, it sends the file to the second establishment which has to answer before the 31st of May and the last establishment before the 30th of June. The decisions are sent directly to the candidate. In the case of an unconditional offer, he or she has to confirm his or her enrolment before the 31st of July. Warning ! the unconditional admission in a higher education establishment is of course compulsory for the visa request but not sufficient, other conditions are mandatory!!!

20

For further information The French Ministry of Education: www.education.gouv.fr/pid266/venir-etudier-en-france.html All the locations of the “Espaces Campus France”: www.campusfrance.org/fr/b-agence/application01.htm Addresses of embassies and consulates: www.mfe.org/annuaires/repdipet.asp

Enrolment in a third year of Licence grade, in the 1st and 2nd year of the Master grade: See “Admission procedures” above. You must apply directly to the chosen university. As a rule, the deadline for the application forms is the 15th of June. The response is given beginning of July

Warning! It is strongly advised to make a DAP in parallel in case your application for a third year would be rejected!!! The admission in 2nd year of Master grade is very selective.

Enrolment in Licence and Master grades for applicants from the EEA and Stwitzerland

Enrolment in the first year:

If you have a diploma giving you access to higher education in your country (or if you are currently preparing such a diploma), you can apply to enrol in 1st year at university under the same conditions as a French citizen with the Baccalaureate. Your place of residence cannot be used as a reason for rejecting your application. A common application procedure has been set up this year, concerning a number of higher education institutions. If the establishement you consider is concerned by this procedure, it is quite compulsory to get through it. The three state universities of Lyon area, Lyon 1, Lyon 2 ad Lyon 3 and the Catholic University have adopted this procedure for the academic year 2008, for the admission in the first year of the “licence grade”.

www.admissions-postbac.fr : Information, timetable, database of the different courses, enrolment, validation of your choices, and following-up your application form.

The different steps of the computer-based procedure: - Registration and validation of your choices (36 choices offered as a

maximum): from the 20th of January to the 25th of March. - Deadline for the sending of the paper application foms: Friday the

4th of April - Ranking of the choices by order of preference: until the 31st of May - Admission phases: Tuesday the 3rd of June, Tuesday the 10th of June and

Tuesday the 17th of June. The applicant must give a definitive answer before each following Friday before 2pm.

21

Warning! the admission in the first year of the “licence” grade in a state university is not selective except for the courses where there are too many candidates such as Sports, Information and Communication studies. In these cases, the candidates who got their “baccalaureat” in Lyon area have priority. For all other subjects, it is, as a consequence, your first choice which will receive a positive reponse. The catholic university is selecting though application forms and interviews.

For further information www.orientation-yon.org/choix/dates_limites/index.php, “S”inscrire dans les universities”

Enrolment in the 2nd and 3rd year of Licence grade, in the 1st and 2nd year of Master grade: Send your request directly to the university from the beginning of April. As a rule, the deadline for sending the application form is the 15th of June. The pedagogical committee will examine your application form. The response will be given beginning of July and the applicants will have an appointment for the administrative enrolment. All Lyon universities have adopted the European Higher Education scheme (LMD). In this scheme, we are no longer considering academic years, it is much more appropriate to talk of semesters and the more you obtained ECTS credits in your previous institution the better! Request for an application form: between January and April, varying according to the establishments Response: in June or July. If it is positive, you will be asked to attend the definitive enrolment, in Lyon, at the start of the academic year.

Warning ! Enrolment in a second year of Master can be very selective so it is for French students as well !

Enrolment in Doctorate grade The Doctorate grades take place within the “écoles doctorales” (doctorate schools), which are part of the Universities. The 17 “écoles doctorales” in Lyon on: www.universite-lyon.fr/73366765/0/fiche___pagelibre

To enrol, you must first have the agreement of a Research laboratory and of a Thesis Director. You need to have a scholarship. If you don’t have one, you can’t enrol.

Within Lyon University, the “Centre de Mobilité” (Mobility centre) welcomes international researchers and helps them moving to Lyon: www.universite-lyon.fr/98408672/0/fiche___pagelibre/

22

Enrolment in STS (section de technicien supérieur: advanced vocational course) These are short courses (2 years after the Baccalaureate) delivering a diploma called BTS (Brevet de Technicen Supérieur). Places are limited and admission depends on a written application.

For the start of the new academic year 2008, all the applicants to a BTS course, in Lyon area have to use the"Admission post-Bac" procedure: >> Registration on www.admission-postbac.fr from the 20th of January to the 25th of March 2008. >> Sending of the paper application forms up to the 4th of April 2008. Exception: if you apply to a private establishment, contact them directly. All the establishments of the Rhone-Alps region are on: www.orientation-lyon.org/choix/formations/atlas/index.php

Candidates from outside EEE and Switzerland: No DAP is required. Registration on www.admission-postbac.fr and on www.campusfrance.org too. It is warmly advised to ask for an “attestation de niveau”of the upper secondary diploma, (which is not a formal recognition of qualification but just a way to compare your qualification to the French grading system) to join to your application form. The request has to be sent to ENIC-NARIC France: www.ciep.fr/enic-naricfr/index.php (you will be charged 50 €).

Enrolment in an Institut Universitaire de Technologie (IUT, university technology institute) Short courses (2 years after the Baccalaureate) within a university: places are limited and admission depends on a written application and sometimes an interview.

The application procedures may vary from an establishment to another. For further information and all details: www.orientation-lyon.org/choix/formations/atlas/pif-post-bac.php

Candidates from outside EEE and Switzerland: No DAP is required. Registration on www.admission-postbac.fr and on www.campusfrance.org too. It is warmly advised to ask for an “attestation de niveau” of the upper secondary diploma, (which is not a formal recognition of qualification but just a way to compare your qualification to the French grading system) to join to your application form. The request has to be sent to ENIC-NARIC France: www.ciep.fr/enic-naricfr/index.php( you will be charged 50 € )

Enrolment in a class preparing admission to the Grandes Ecoles (CPGE) The public or private preparatory classes prepare students with the Baccalaureate for the competitive entrance exams for admission to the “Grandes Ecoles”. Different categories of preparatory classes exist, for scientific studies, for literary studies and for management studies. There is a very harsh selection to enter these classes and you must have very good marks. The admission procedure is centralised and the applicants have to get through the”Admission Post-Bac” procedure.

23

>> Registration on www.admission-postbac.fr from the 20th of January to the 25th of March 2008. >> Sending of the paper application forms up to the 4th of April 2008.

Candidates from outside EEE and Switzerland: No DAP is required. Registration on www.admission-postbac.fr and on www.campusfrance.org too. The French baccalaureat is highly recommended.

Enrolment in an engineering school Enrolment in such schools can happen directly after the “Baccalaureat” through an application form or a competitive exam but most of them are recruiting after a competitive exam after a preparatory class (CPGE). You can also apply to these schools after a two-year university course or a DUT. Contact directly the engineering school you are interested in.

From 2008, the admission procedure for engineering schools that enrol directly after Baccalaureat is centralised and the applicants have to get through the”Admission Post-Bac” procedure. >> Registration on www.admission-postbac.fr from the 20th of January to the 25th of March 2008. >> Sending of the paper application forms up to the 4th of April 2008.

Candidates from outside EEE and Switzerland: No DAP is required. Registration on www.admission-postbac.fr and on www.campusfrance.org too.

A scientific upper secondary diploma is required.

Details of the six engineering schools available in Lyon area directly after a “Baccalaureat”, deadlines and procedures on: http://www.orientation-lyon.org/choix/dates_limites/index.php?chap=h

More information on engineering schools in France on the site: www.cefi.org

Enrolment in specialised schools (Arts, Architecture, Business, Engineering, social, paramedic, health schools and so on) Most of those programmes are delivered in specialized schools either public or private and are available on a competitive exam, an application form or test. Baccalaureat is mandatory in a great majority of them.

Candidates from outside EEE and Switzerland: No DAP is required, except for enrolment in Schools of Architecture. It is warmly advised to ask for an “attestation de niveau”of the upper secondary diploma, (which is not a formal recognition of qualification but just a way to compare your qualification to the French grading system) to join to your application form. The request has to be sent to ENIC-NARIC France: www.ciep.fr/enic-naricfr/index.php (you will be charged 50 € ). Architectural school, regardless of the level of study requested, is subject to the DAP for citizens from outside the EEA. www.archi.fr/ECOLES/

For further information, contact the establishments before the end of December. The exams take place between March and June.

For details of the establishments: http://www.orientation-lyon.org/choix/dates_limites/index.php?chap=c

24

If you have already taken a course of this type in your country, the school in Lyon may recognise your diploma and admit you. Contact the school directly for further information.

Warning! Some of those schools are private and require very high tuition fees. They may deliver some diplomas which have no recognition at a national level and which are just school diplomas. So be very careful when applying! Inform yourself of the reputation of the school! You may contact the Centre d’Information Internationale [email protected]

An alternative, distance learning The CNED (Centre National d’Enseignement à Distance, national centre for distance learning) offers a wide range of courses leading to the main secondary and higher education diplomas, as well as the exams and competitive entrance exams in the field of health and social studies, plus language tests and exams: www.cned.fr Universities have also developed distance learning. See the courses available on www.formasup.education.fr

25

PLANNING YOUR BUDGET

Evaluating the cost of a year at university If you need a visa to come to France, you will have to prove that you have sufficient resources by: - A grant allocation certificate, - A permanent standing order, - Proof that a creditworthy guarantor, residing in Europe, has taken responsibility for you.

Tuition fees Tuition fees in French public establishments are very low as they are largely subsidised by the State (from 156 € to 305 € per year depending on the courses). A student indeed costs from 6,000€ to 15,000€ per year. The enrolment fees are fixed at the national level and apply to everyone: French and foreign students. They however can be very high in private establishments, or for specific courses aimed at foreign students or French language courses. Examples of tariffs for the year in progress (fees liable to modification): Public university: about 165€ for Licence, about 215€ for a Master (inform yourself some can be more expansive), 326€ for a Doctorate. Private business school: from 3,800 to 7,000 € Engineering school: from 512 to 3,200 € (depending on whether it is public or private) Private Art school: from 1,500 to more than 5,000 € National higher conservatory for music and dance: 1st year: 400 €

Warning ! In public establishments, payment of tuition fees and associated fees is made on definitive enrolment. You will therefore not have to pay in advance. Some establishments, howeve, may request administrative fees if the admission process includes a selection phase based on a written application.

For further details: www.education.gouv.fr/cid58/droits-de-scolarite.html

Living expenses To live in Lyon, you should plan for a minimum monthly budget of 600 €. As a student, you will benefit from certain reductions: university restaurants and cafeterias, university accommodation (if you are a grant-holder), libraries and reduced rates for public transport, leisure activities and so on. For the first month, you will need three times your monthly budget as there are specific expenses associated with renting accommodation, enrolling at the university, taking out social security, insurance, electricity, Tel.ephone and so on…

26

Examples of prices (tariffs in March 2008) Accommodation: Room in a CROUS university residence:from 137 to 205 € per month Beds it in a CROUS university residence: from 250 € to 305€ per month Beds it in a private residence: approximaTel.y 400 to 500 € per month Bedsit in town (30 m2): approximaTel.y 350 to 400 € per month Getting a Tel.ephone installed: 27.50 € - rental charge: 16 € per month Electricity (EDF): Access: 14.02 € – Rental: 2 to 5€ per month Gas (GDF): Access: 14.02€ - rental: 4.20€ per month

Catering: 1 full meal in a university restaurant: 2.75 € 1 meal in a university cafeteria: between 2.70 and 3.50 € 1 sandwich in a university cafeteria: between 1.30 and 2.50 € 1 sandwich in a café: between 2.50 € and 3.50 € 1 Big Mac hamburger: 5.20 € 1 coffee: 1.30 € 1 croissant: 0.75 € 1 baguette: 0.80 € 1 kilo of fruits (apples): 1.20 to 2 €

Health care: Taking out Student Social Security: 192€ (tariff in 2007/2008) Taking out complementary student health insurance (a “Mutuelle”): from 7 to 25.5 € per month depending on the policy Consultation with a general practitioner: 22 € (21 € reimbursed at 70% by the Social Security, 100% if you have a mutuelle and 1 € charged to the patient)

Travel: 1 monthly public transport pass: 31.20 € ( 21.50 for grantholders) 10 public transport tickets (bus, underground, tram): 10.80€

Entertainment: 1 swimming pool entry: 2.80€ 1 local Tel.ephone call: between 0.018 and 0.033 € per second depending on the time of your call 1 national daily newspaper, for example “Le Monde”: 1.30€ 1 cinema entry: between 5 € and 9€ 1 theatre or “café-theatre” ticket: 7 to 12 € 1 meal in a Lyon “bouchon” (typical Lyon restaurant): minimum 10 €

Studying: 1 card for 100 photocopies: approximaTel.y 6 €

1 hour on the Internet: approximaTel.y 2 €

Financing your stay

Study grants Study grants can be allocated by Europe in the case of particular programs (such as Erasmus for European students and Erasmus Mundus for students from outside EEE), by your home country, by the French government in the case of bilateral agreements with your home country, by non-governmental organisations or by your original establishment in the case of particular agreements signed with establishments in Lyon. Start by finding out information from your original establishment (in your home country).

27

For further information: The CNOUS (Centre National des Oeuvres Universitaires et Scolaires, National Student Welfare Services) : www.cnous.fr (chapter foreign students) The French Department of Foreign Affairs: www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/france_829/venir-france_4062/etudier-france_4247/index.html (French version) CampusFrance: www.campusfrance.org Grants for researchers: www.iedu.asso.fr

Student jobs

If you have a residence permit, you can work in France, without asking for a temporary work permit. This work has to be casual. French legislation now authorizes foreign students to work a maximum of 964 hours per year, meaning 60% of a full time work. This permit allows you to work in any kind of salaried job you choose all over the territory. The employer has just to inform the “prefecture” which granted the residence permit by a letter of intent.

If you are coming from a new EU country such as Bulgaria, Hungary, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Czech Republic, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, you have to ask for a residence permit to the Prefecture of Lyon: it will authorizes you work in the same conditions than described above. If you have obtained a Master, the residence permit is no longer mandatory.

If you are coming from another EEA country or Switzerland, you can

work in France without any restriction.

Warning ! Some institutions that provide only classes in French as a Foreign Language do not always enable their students to join the student Social Security If it is the case, and if you are not a EU-national, you will not be able to work. (Contact the establishment in question for further information). The temporary six months visa which exempts you from applying for a residence permit will not allow you to work as well.

Since 2008, universities can offer you some student’s jobs on campus, in libraries and different services or for delivering language courses or for tutoring…Ask your hosting university!

The easiest jobs to find are: language teaching, assistance with children’s homework, babysitting, home helps for the elderly, Tel.esales and jobs as salespersons, receptionists, cashiers, pollsters, waiters, dish-washers, cooks (in fast-food restaurants), security guards, caretakers, messengers and so on.

Examples of tariffs: Minimum wage (SMIC): 8.44 € brut/hour (in other words, before the obligatory social contributions are deducted, about 20%). Child-minding: around 5.70 €/hour daytime – 26.80 € from 20h00 to 24h00 Conversation in a foreign language: roughly 8.80 €/hour Typing doctoral work in a foreign language: around 5.60 € per page. Manual labour: 7.61 €/hour

28

Housing benefits Housing benefits are called APL (Aide Personnalisée au Logement, personal housing benefit) and AL (Allocation de Logement à caractère social, housing benefit based on social criteria). They are available to anyone (including foreigners) paying for accommodation. The amount varies in relation to the rent, the tenant’s income and family responsibilities, the type of accommodation and its position. The lease and rent receipt must obligatorily be in the student’s name. Depending on the rent paid, the benefit can reach approximaTel.y 190 € per month. The benefit is paid from the second month for the entire duration of the lease. The formalities must be completed once in Lyon, and once you have signed your lease, on line, near CAF: www.caf.fr (in French only)

Warning! Given the amount of time needed to obtain your residence permit, you are unlikely to receive your benefits for the f irst 3 months (although the benefit wil l be paid retroactively for the 3 months in question). If you have a temporary visa (3-6 months), you can’t receive housing benefits.

Bank loans For further information, contact your bank. In France, financial establishments offer student loans. The interest rates vary depending on the level of study, the discipline studied and also the educational establishment. Interest rates are currently between 4.8% and 6.8%.

Warning! This solution is only available to students who can provide serious guarantees!

29

PREPARING ONE’S STAY AND ARRIVAL IN LYON

Finding accomodation

Above all: Anticipate!

Good techniques ! • Once spring arrives, and if you are sure that you will be coming to Lyon for the new academic year starting in September, start finding information about hosTel.s and private residences. See if it is possible to reserve them from your home country. • If you have a contact in Lyon (friend or relative), do not hesitate to ask them to act as intermediary – everything is easier if you are on hand; • If you live in Europe and can come to Lyon easily, do not hesitate to come in June start your search for accommodation. Visit the EME, the CROUS and the CRIJ (full details further). • Make sure you have enough money to pay for the deposit or advance rent. Do not bank on obtaining housing benefits immediaTel.y as the payments are deferred. • Contact the student associations in the establishment you will be attending. See the Internet sites of the establishment in question. • Contact community associations (people from your country): You can find a database of international associations on Cosmolyon website: www.cosmolyon.com/index.php?mod=lien_web • If you cannot plan to come to Lyon in advance because of visa problems, make sure to reserve some form of temporary accommodation, even if you cancel it at a later date (details further)

Important information The university residences managed by the CROUS are reserved as a

priority for holders of grants from the French government and exchange students. It is nevertheless possible to apply once you are in Lyon. You may obtain a room if there are students who cancel. The Lyon region is composed of several towns and the educational

establishments are spread over several sites. Depending on where you intend to study and the public transport available, you can look for accommodation outside Lyon in, for example, Villeurbanne, Bron, Caluire and so on. A map and local maps can be found on the site: http://france.express-map.com/plan-lyon/

• Home insurance: All people in accommodation must take out home insurance (fire, flood damage…) for the accommodation he or she is occupying. This is called the “multirisques habitation (home multi-risk insurance). You can get this insurance once on the spot, near student “Mutuelles” (SMERRA, LMDE). • Housing benefits: See the “Budget” chapter.

30

The deposit or “caution”: the deposit is a sum equivalent to at least one month’s rent (in somes cases, it can be two months rent). You will be obliged to pay it in most cases where you have to sign a lease. It will be returned when you leave the accommodation, on the condition that no damage has been done.

The problem of the guarantor, “garant” also called the

“caution/solidaire”. A guarantor may be a real person (relative or friend) or a corporate body who vouches for you and undertakes in writing to pay any rent that you have not paid, should this case arise. The guarantor must be a European resident for Crous residences or a French resident for private residences or owners and must be able to prove that he or she has a monthly income at least equal to three times the amount of your rent. A guarantor is required for almost all accommodation situations except hosTel.s and certain private homes. If you do not have a guarantor, you will either have to prove that you yourself have an income at least equal to three times the rent or pay all your rent for the year in one payment.

Particular cases: for students with grants or who are employed: The “Comité Interprofessionnel du Logement” (CIL, interprofessional accommodation committe) can act as guarantor and pay the deposit. It is just an advance that must be reimbursed each month, afterwards. This is known as the “LOCA PASS”, www.loca-pass.com Warning: you must make your application at the latest on the day you sign your lease. It will take around one month for the money to be made available.

The Association Collective pour l'Accès au Logement (ACAL, collective association for access to accommodation) can act as guarantor and pay the deposit for foreign students who are also employed (minimum part-time work).

Useful places and services • At the beginning of the academic year: the EME, The Espace MultiServices

Etudiant (multiservice student area) is a place that brings together all the key players in student life: accommodation, insurance, bank, transport, health and so on. Information available on www.universite-lyon.fr and www.lyoncampus.org

• CROUS (regional student welfare services”): 59 rue de la Madeleine, 69007

Lyon

In addition to its residences, the CROUS also has a genuine accommodation service, collecting offers from private individuals. These offers can be consulted on site or at: www.crous-lyon.fr

• CRIJ (Centre régional d’information jeunesse-Regional centre for youth

information): 10 quai Jean Moulin 69001 Lyon www.j-net.org

• CCLAJ (Comité Local pour le Logement Autonome des Jeunes- Local

committee for autonomous accomodation for young people)) 3 rue de l’ Abbé Rozier 69001 Lyon www.cllaj-rhone-alpes.com Information on all accomodation issues, support and advice

• OSE Point Logement 78 rue de Marseille - 69007 Lyon- Tel. +33 4 78 69 62 62

31

www.leclubetudiant.com It is an association for students which proposes a large rental offer. A list of offers is daily updated (from studio to F4) on line and on the spot. 3 months stay at least. Registration and information on the spot. Registration fees: 55 euros (and 30 euros for students affiliated to SMERRA).

And some major websites www.lyoncampus.org www.anil.org - Information on all the legal aspects concerning accommodation. You will also find a list of local real state agencies on the site. www.lyoncampus.org/cllaj-logement.pdf - A set of practical advice to search accommodation elaborated by the Cclaj

The different types of accommodation University residences • CROUS university residences The CROUS (Regional Student Welfare Services) is a State-funded service placed under the responsibility of the Department of Education. Its mission is to improve the living and working conditions of students in higher education establishments. The offers of accommodation range from rooms in residences to F2 type flats (two rooms, kitchen and bathroom). These offers are by far the most interesting in terms of rent! If, however, you will not be staying for the full academic year, and if you are not a grant holder, do not count on finding this type of accommodation! www.crous-lyon.fr Rent prices from 128 to 305 € per month for traditional accommodation Deposit/guarantor Deposit equivalent to one month of rent plus obligatory guarantor from EU. Temporary or short-term accommodation: no, obligatory 9-month contract for a room and 12-month contract for a T1 (one room, kitchen and bathroom), except during the summer. Reservation from a distance no On site you can make your application as soon as you arrive. If there are cancellations, you may find CROUS accommodation. Housing benefits possible. • Private residences They are more expensive and offer a certain number of services (reception, entry phone, common room, cafeteria, laundry, cleaning, parking and so on). Many flats are furnished. For a full list of these residences: www.lyoncampus.org www.j-net.org www.universite-lyon.fr Rent prices from 300 € for the T1 to 450/500 € for the T2

Deposit/guarantor

one month’s rent and an obligatory guarantor. If you do not have a guarantor, you can pay the whole year’s rent in advance.

Temporary or short term accommodation possible, depending on availability Reservation from a distance

32

if you reserve from abroad, you will be asked to pay two months’ rent in advance. Useful information can be found on the Adele site www.adele.org. (Virtual visit available)

Housing benefits possible.

• HLM (Habitat à loyer modéré, accommodation proposed on the basis of social criteria) reserved for students. Two organisations are responsible for these residences. Actually, very few flats are available for students. They can be in rather distant areas, but served by public transport. Alliade Rhône-Alpes: 173 avenue Jean Jaurès 69364 Lyon cédex 07. Rental department: Tel. +33 472 80 55 19. Furnished and unfurnished flats. Full list available on: http://www.axiade.fr/residences_etudiants.asp Rent prices: on average 300 €/month Deposit/guarantor: deposit + one month’s rent in advance + obligatory guarantor in France Temporary or short-term accommodation: no Reservation from a distance: possible on the site Housing benefits: possible. OPAC reserves certain furnished flats for students. OPAC of Greater Lyon www.opac-grandlyon.com OPAC of the Rhone www.opacdurhone.fr OPAC of Villeurbanne www.opacdevilleurbanne.fr Rent prices: on average 300 €/month Deposit/guarantor: deposit + one month’s rent in advance + obligatory guarantor Temporary or short-term accommodation: no Reservation: on site or through an intermediary in Lyon Housing benefits: possible.

Hostels Hostels are denominational or not and are often destined for young workers. They can also, however, accept students. Very often, they are not mixed and there is considerable demand in relation to the places on offer. Foreign interns (on work placement) can also be housed in hostels for relatively short periods, but there are very few places available. For further information, contact each hostel directly.

www.lyoncampus.org , www.ufjt.org/menu.htm (search by region, department, town) Rent prices: on average 300 €/month

Deposit/guarantor: no deposit, one month’s rent in advance

Temporary or short-term accommodation: depending on availabilty. Often closed over the summer (month of August). Reservation on site or from a distance if the hostel has a web site Housing benefits possible.

Rental in the private sector Accommodation can be rented either directly from the owner or through professional agencies (“agences” or “régies”)

33

Warning!

A few traps you should try to avoid and some useful information:

• You must never pay any money until the lease has been signed (and for every payment you make, make sure you receive a receipt detailing the nature of the sum paid) • You should never pay money to gain access to or obtain a list of rental offers (the list is generally out of date!) • It is best if you are on site so you can visit the accommodation. You may be required to make your decision immediaTel.y after the visit and be ready to sign the contract. You should therefore have all the necessary documents with you and a cheque book • There is a standard rental contract for the duration of a university year that covers all the aspects of the owner-tenant relationship. It can be obtained from the CROUS. Please read it carefully, it will be the only legal document to refer to between you and your owner. Pay attention to items concerning rules for daily life, the notice and the deposit. Once in Lyon you can get very useful information from the CLLAJ, 3 rue Abbé Rozier Entrée Place du Forez 69001 Lyon- Métro Hôtle de Ville- Tel. 04 72 07 87 17

From a distance Offers from real estate professionals: CNAB: www.cnab.fr; FNAIM: www.fnaim.fr (search by town) Offers from private owners: www.pap.fr (search by administrative departement: 69 and town) http://www.crous-lyon.fr Offers from professionals and private owners in small ad newspapers www.paruvendu.fr www.petites-annonces.fr On site Free small ad newspapers (le Paruvendu, Top Affaires), agencies and “régies”, offers available at the CROUS and the CRIJ Rent prices very variable, depending on the offers Deposit/guarantorVia a professionnal: one-year lease and guarantor required, one month’s rent deposit at least + one month’s rent payment in advance + fees for the real estate agency (slightly less than one month’s rent) + inventory and statement of state of repair. Stay at a private individual’s or in a family: no fees or inventory and state of repair. Reserving from a distance you must reach an agreement with the landlord and pay a certain amount in order to ensure the reservation. This is obviously a difficult thing to do if you do not know somebody who can act as an intermediary for the place you want to rent. Housing benefits the accommodation must be declared and must fulfil the conditions for the housing benefits.

34

Colocation Very popular among students. It is a means of sharing both a flat and the rent. Each co-tenant is entitled to housing benefits but the lease must mention the names of all people living in the flat. From a distance www.colocation.fr www.easycoloc.com www.kel-Koloc.com On those sites, a large number of updated offers, but you have to give a phone call, it costs 1.80 €, you are given a code and allowed to consult the site the whole day (warning, information for any kind of public). Other sites are free such as www.appartager.com www.recherche-colocation.com www.colocationfrance.fr For further details consult: www.lyoncampus.org On the spot offers available at the CROUS and the CRIJ.

Short-term and temporary accommodation In France, a lease is signed obligatorily for one year and can be renewed. It is very difficult to get round this obstacle. You can, however, sign a lease for one year and, providing that you give three months’ notice, you can leave earlier. Depending on availability, certain private residences offer rental contracts for periods shorter than a full year. HosTel.s can offer temporary accommodation with no lease to sign For a short stay (2 to 6 months)

• Residence in Villeurbanne: 36 rue des Antonins- 69100 Villeurbanne TTel. +33 472 73 43 92 13: studio or T2 (two-room) flats (price from 335 € to 460 €). Available for short stays from March. http://www.urbania.org

• « La Maison des Etudiants du Rhône », 13 avenue Joannes Masset- 69009 Lyon Tel. + 33 4 78 64 66 09. Available from March for four-month stays or longer. Price: 370 € plus electricity. Guarantor obligatory or else all rent must be paid in advance.

• In summer: the CROUS University residences can have rooms available. You must send a request by postmail and join a copy of an identity document and a proof of enrolment in a University. The addresses on: www.crous-lyon.fr For temporary accommodation when you arrive in Lyon • Youth hosTel.s: the one in Vieux Lyon (old town) is in a good location but

most often full. Easier to find a few beds available in the one in Vénissieux. It is reasonably well served by public transport. Prices: bed and breakfast: around 15.90 € per night. You can reserve from a distance, the staff can speak several languages. You can stay up to 12 days. You cannot rent for more than 3 nights in a row during the high season. You should not hesitate in booking for the longest you can because the search for permanent accommodation can be very long. Youth hosTel.s are described in more detail on the following site: www.hihosTel.s.com Auberge de jeunesse in Vieux Lyon : Tel. +33 478 15 05 50

35

Auberge de jeunesse in Vénissieux: Tel. +33 478 76 39 23

• You can sometimes find beds available in sheltered-accommodation hostels

(not very comfortable): Aralis (16 shelter-accomodation hostels in the Rhône): 15 rue du Dauphiné- 69003 Lyon. Tel. +33 478 53 40 01 Reception in foreign languages (English, Spanish, German, Turkish, Yugoslavian)

• For those with a bigger budget:

- Bed and Breakfast in Lyon (about 50): Tel.. + 33 4 7232 02 74 Prices: between 22.50 € and 47 € a night, breakfast included. - CISL: 101, boulevard des Etats-Unis, 69008 Lyon- Tel.. + 33 4 37 90 42

42 www.cis-lyon.com/fr/ Price: 27.30 € a night, breakfast included. - Le TOTEM: 90 cours Tolstoï -69100 Villeurbanne. Tel. + 33 4 72 65 19 19

Prices: between 17 € a night, breakfast included for a single room and 29 € for a double room, breakfast included in all cases.

• Cheap hotels: You can make your choice from no-star or one-star hotels on the site of the tourist information office: www.lyon-france.com/ Prices: from 25 to 50 € a night.

A short accommodation glossary Agency fees (“frais d’agence” or “honoraires” demanded by agencies and régies) : in general, the fees are reduced for students but, in certain cases, they can be as much as one month’s rent.

CAF (“caisse d’allocations familiales”): Family allowance office.

CC (“charges comprises”): maintenance costs included. Ask which kind of maintenance costs are included (Water and heating in particular).

Deposit (“caution” or “dépôt de garantie”): deposit of money corresponding to one or two months’ rent that must be paid when signing the lease as a form of guarantee.

F1, F2, F3: 1, 2, 3 rooms in addition to the kitchen

T1, T2, T3: 1, 2, 3 rooms in addition to the kitchen but maybe of a better standard than previously.

HLM (Habitat à Loyer Modéré): low-rent council flats.

Guarantor (“caution solidaire” or “garant”): person who vouches for the student and who lives in France or in the European Union.

Home insurance (“assurance habitation”): this is obligatory and must cover both your accommodation and third party insurance.

Inhabitance tax (“taxe d’habitation”): this is a local tax that you must pay if you occupy accommodation on 1 January of the tax year taken into account. Ask your lessor if this tax is included in the maintenance costs. CROUS university residences are exempt.

Inventory and statement of repair (“état des lieux”): this is the description of the state of the accommodation that must be made on your arrival. You sometimes have to pay. Do not forget to mention everything that is not in good

36

condition. A second “état des lieux” will be made when you leave. Depending on the state in which you leave your flat, you will receive all or part of your deposit.

Lease (“bail”): this is the contract that specifies the rules governing occupation of the accommodation.

Lessor (“bailleur”): the owner of the accommodation or his representative, with whom you sign the lease.

Maintenance costs (“charges locatives”): collective expenses such as the lift and maintenance charges for communal areas, may also include heating, water and inhabitance tax

Notice (“préavis”): before leaving your accommodation, inform your lessor by sending him a registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt in accordance with the delay set in the lease, generally one to three months.

Rent (“loyer”): monthly sum to be paid for occupying your accommodation. Make sure to ask if maintenance costs are included or not.

RIB (“relevé d’identité bancaire”): official details of your bank account, available from banks.

TTC (“ toutes taxes comprises”): all taxes included.

Formalities Passport For all the nationals of outside EEA (if you are not from one of the 28 countries of the EEA or from Andorra, Monaco, Switzerland, San Marino, the Holy Siege), a passport is obligatory for entry into France. If you already have one, make sure that its validity will cover at least the minimum period of your planned stay. An identity card is enough for citizens from EEA and Switzerland.

Visa For all the nationals of outside EEA (if you are not from one of the 28 countries of the EEA or from Andorra, Monaco, Switzerland, San Marino, the Holy Siege), a visa is mandatory. The nature of the visa depends on the nature of your stay and the length of your stay in France. It costs 99 €.

To obtain a visa, you must: - Either register on line in CampusFrance, a mandatory procedure if you are

a National of a country where there is an Espace CampusFrance. See www.campusfrance.org

- Or ask for an application form at the French consulate of your home country which will also provide you with the list of documents required. To find out the list of documents you will need as well as how to obtain the application form, visit the web site of the Department of Foreign Affairs: www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/venir/visas/index.html (French, English and

Spanish versions) For all study trips of long duration, a long-stay visa marked “student” is obligatory. Here is a list of visas.

• Long-stay student visa - 3 up to 12 months (Visa D)

If you come to Lyon to study more than three months, a long-stay visa is necessary. You will need it once arrived in Lyon to obtain your student residence permit from the Prefecture du Rhône.

37

The period of validity of the visa cannot exceed one year, and is renewable after the first year of stay, provided you furnish the necessary documents.

A tax stamp of 70 Euros will need to be paid when you receive your first temporary student residence permit (except for Algerian citizens). This tax stamp can be bought from newsagents authorised to sell tax stamps. Students making their first application will be invited to an appointment by the “Agence Nationale de l’Accueil des Etrangers et des Migrations” (ANAEM) for the regulatory medical examination: ANAEM, 7 rue Quivogne, 69002 LYON, Tel.: 04 72 77 15 40 - Fax: 04 72 77 15 59 Renewal of the temporary student card the following year requires the student to produce a certificate showing that he or she has been to this medical examination.

Warning! It is impossible to obtain your residence permit if you are in France with a tourist visa. It is also impossible to apply for a student visa once you are in France.

Short stay « student-competition » visa - 3 months (Visa C)

If you are required to pass an interview, sit for an examination, entry test, or orientation as part of your admission process, you must then apply for a short stay "student-contest" (visa court séjour « étudiants-concours »). This visa is valid for a period of 90 days. In the event that you are successfully admitted to your establishment, you may apply directly for a student residence permit at the “Préfecture”, without having to return to your home country to obtain a long stay visa. • “Temporary student” visas for stays of up to maximum 6 months If the entire duration of your stay in France lasts between 3 and 6 months, you can apply for the temporary student visa, entitling you to remain in France without having to obtain a "student" residence permit.

Warning!

This visa will under no circumstances be converted to a long stay student visa. In the event that you wish to prolong your stay, you will be required to return to your home country and apply for a long stay student visa.

A temporary visa does not entitle you to work, neither to obtain a housing benefit!

• Long stay student visas for trainees and au pairs/family help - 3 to 12 months If you plan to study in France while working as an au pair, you will ask for a long stay student visa. You will be required to submit an attestation, “engagement d”accueil”, defined by the Employment Authorities (Direction départementale du Travail et de l’Emploi), as well as proof of preliminary registration in a French language course.

38

Health and Insurance As an international student and under some conditions, you will be allowed to benefit from French social security system and will also have access to the services of “Médecine Préventive Universitaire- MPU” (university preventive medicine), which is present on all 3-city campuses.

Health insurance Foreign students have access to the student social security system under the same conditions as French students. That is, - they must be enrolled in a higher education establishment giving access to the student social security system, - be under the age of 28 - and be able to present a document or residence permit showing that their administrative situation is in order. The student social security system is obligatory. It is run by two student complementary health organisations (SMERRA and LMDE), one of which should be selected when you enrol. Affiliation to the social security system takes place when you enrol in a higher education establishment and requires payment of a contribution: 192 € for the 2007/2008 academic year. Holders of grants from the French government are exempt. Students in the following cases are also exempt from affiliation to the student social security system, if they are already insured for the entire academic year in their home country: - Nationals of the EEA and Switzerland who have the European Health Insurance Card or a certificate (in French) showing that they have taken out private insurance and the duration of its validity. - Students from Monaco or Quebec who have a standard form. - Nationals of countries with a bilateral social security convention (Algeria, Andorra, Cape Verde Islands, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Gabon, Macedonia, Mali, Morocco, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Slovenia, Tunisia, Turkey, French Polynesia), aged less than 19 (born before 30/09/86). Social cover runs from 1 October to 30 September. It gives automatic access to the reimbursement of health expenses (maximum 70% of the amount paid on the basis of the tariffs approved by the Department of Health*) and pharmaceutical products (from 40% to 60% of their cost). Reimbursement of hospital expenses is now possible for 80% to 100% of the amount paid, depending on the severity and duration of the hospitalisation. * The Social Security fixes its approved tariffs. Beyond this tariff, the sum is not subject to reimbursement. The approved tariff for a consultation with a general practitioner, for example, is 22 €. Complementary insurance These policies are proposed by the student “mutuelles” (complementary insurance companies). They complete the reimbursements made by the Social Security and give access to the “tiers payant” card (which exempts you from paying certain expenses in advance in certain establishments). Contributions per month: from 3.75 to 25.50 €, depending on the cover chosen. Taking out insurance with a mutuelle is optional (obligatory only for foreign students who hold French government grants), but strongly recommended. SMERRA, 43, rue Jaboulay, 69007 Lyon - www.smerra.fr

39

LMDE 20 rue François Garcin 69003 Lyon or 19 rue de Marseille 69007 Lyon- www.lmde.fr

Warning! In certain cases, you do not have the right to join the student social security system:

- You are enrolled in an establishment that does not give you this right (certain establishments proposing courses in French as a foreign language, for example): you must take out health insurance before leaving your country of origin, or take out insurance once in France (the student mutuelles can propose policies).

- You are over the age of 28: to obtain your student visa, you have to justify of insurance.

Vaccination: No vaccination is required for France.

Other Insurance Third party and personal accident insurance:

The student mutuelles propose complementary policies for “third party” risks (that is, damage caused to another person) and “personal accident” risks (that is, accidents that affect the policy holder), particularly for students who play sport or who travel abroad. Annual contribution: 12 €

Repatriation insurance:

It is highly recommended that, before leaving your home country, you take out an insurance policy that would cover your repatriation should you have a serious or long term health problem that would oblige you to return home.

Practical information

Banks The currency in France, and in 10 other European countries, is the Euro (€).

You are advised to open a bank account in France: - if you are a citizen of a country outside the Euro zone, this will save you bank charges (exchange commission, transfer fees) when you take out money or deposit money, - if you are planning to find employment, - to receive housing benefits, - to receive health payment reimbursements if you are affiliated to the student social security system. Find out from your own bank if it has branches in France or an agreement with a French bank. All foreigners staying in France for more than three months can open a bank account as a resident.

To open a bank account, you will need: • An identity card or passport, • A residence permit (for citizens from outside EEA), • Proof of domicile,

40

• A certificate showing that you are enrolled in a higher education establishment. Opening an account will give you access to a cheque book and credit card

Coming to Lyon To reach Lyon by plane: the Saint-Exupéry airport is 20 km from the city centre (shuttle buses leave every 20 minutes) www.satobus.com If your plane lands in Paris, you can be in the centre of Lyon in 2 hours by train (called the TGV, “Train à Grande Vitesse”, high speed train) from Charles de Gaulle (Roissy) airport or the Gare de Lyon railway station in Paris. To book and buy your train ticket: www.tgv-europe.com (European languages available). You can get a reduced fare by purchasing a ticket in advance, called “Prem’s” or “IDTGV” : around 40 € one-way.

Driving licence If you already have a driving licence, it will be valid in France for as long as you are a student (and also for a tourist stay of less than 3 months). Citizens from the European Union can use their driving licence in all other countries in the EU provided that it is valid.

Warning: the car rental agencies ask students to be at least 21 year old and to have a driving licence of one year old. Non-Citizens from the European Union will also need an international driving licence.

Climate Lyon has got a temperate climate, rather cold in Winter (5° as an average in December, January and February) and warm in Summer (more than 20° as an average in July/August). Rain is frequent in April, June, September and November. One counts 180 rainy days per year.

41

Check list For students from the EEA, Switzerland, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, Holy Siege

Your passport or identity card

The pre-enrolment certificate from the higher education establishment you will be attending

1 copy of your birth certificate and/or marriage certificate translated into French and certified by an official French service

your diplomas and/or certificates showing that you have successfully gained access to University studies in your own country, translated into French and certified by an official French service

Identity photos identical 3X4cm, taken face on with an uncovered head, on a light background.

if you already have an insurance policy: the European Health Insurance Card or a certificate in French stating that you have private insurance and the duration of the policy.

For students of other nationalities

your passport with a long stay study visa marked “student”, “Dxxx” or “exam” or “C” visa (students from Switzerland do not need a long stay visa) Proof of financial resources

The pre-enrolment certificate from the higher education establishment you will

be attending 4 copies of your birth certificate, translated into French and certified by an

official French service your diplomas and/or certificates showing that you have successfully gained

access to University studies in your own country, translated into French and certified by an official French service Identity photos (a dozen, including 3 in black and white for your residence

permit) identical 3X4cm, taken face on with an uncovered head, on a light background.

Welcome to Lyon!

42

MAP OF LYON UNIVERSITY ESTABLISHMENTS

43

44

METRO AND TRAMWAY IN LYON AREA / www.tcl.fr