Identify your contacts in your PSL institution/school.
Check if you need to apply for a visa. If so, reach out to the Campus France office of your country, at least three months before your expected departure. Complete the online Etudes en France pre-consular procedure. Gather all the documents needed to apply for your visa; then schedule a meeting with the French consulate.
Sign up on the Online Welcome Desk (the registration link and your access code have been sent to your by email);
Sign up for a “Welcome Event”, organized either by your institution/school or by the PSL Welcome Desk (“Welcome Days”).
Sign up for a "Buddy Program" (either from your institution or from PSL Partner@psl – if interested write an email to partner@psl.eu).
If you have to pay the CVEC fee (and your credit card is accepted on the etudiant.gouv.fr platform), remember to pay the 91€ and to download the CVEC certificate.
Register with a health/travel insurance plan to cover the period between your arrival in France until your registration at your institution/school.
As soon as you receive the visa, book your flight (if your visa has not yet been granted, book a flight with flexible dates that enables you to change your departure date).
If needed, sign up on VISALE.fr For more information, visit the Campus France page dedicated to VISALE.
Send all the information related to your arrival to your "Buddy", your accommodation contact and the PSL Welcome Desk and your institution/school contact.
After your arrival
If you couldn’t pay the CVEC before your arrival, make the payment (you cannot enroll in PSL without the CVEC certificate).
Proceed to your enrollment in PSL (ask the administrative support officer of your study program what the enrollment process is) and get your enrollment certificate.
Complete your application for VISALE by uploading the enrollment certificate.
Visit the PSL Welcome Desk to discuss the paperwork you need to get done next.
Attend a “Welcome Event”.
If French is not your native language, sign up for a French class. If there is no French class available in your PSL’s institution/school, write an email to FLE
Ask your "Buddy" to show you nice spots in Paris and give you a tour of the PSL campus.
Open a bank account.
Subscribe to a housing insurance scheme & civil liability insurance.
If you have come to France on a “student” VLS-TS visa ("Visa Long Séjour valant Titre de Séjour") or a visa VLS-TS ("passeport talent chercheur") valid for less than 12 months, get your visa validated on the OFII platform.
Make a request for a transportation cardImagineR or Navigo.
If you are entitled to it, join the general French Social Security on the Ameli platform
Make a simulation on the CAF website to check if you are entitled to financial support and submit an application to receive a housing allowance.
A few weeks after your arrival
Find out about the PSL student organizations, the PSL orchestra and choir, the PSL Sport registration and the PSL Welcome Desk activities.
As soon as you receive your student ID, activate your Izly chip in order to pay for lunch at the university cafeteria (CROUS).
Stop by the PSL Welcome Desk to have a chat and enjoy coffee with the team!
Reach out to the embassy of your home country in Paris / subscribe to their newsletter to stay tuned with the events they organize, and meet other students.
Obtain your temporary Social Security number. From now on you can get medical expenses repaid.
During the year
Receive your permanent Social Security number: you can now create your AMELI account, choose a primary care doctor and order your Carte Vitale.
Renew your Titre de séjour 3 months before it expires via the ANEF portal.
