To do before you leave

You have just been accepted in a foreign university as an exchange student, congratulations!

As the obstacle course is not over, here are the steps to take for a smooth departure.

Re-enrolment at the University of Avignon

Any student going abroad on an exchange programme must You must register at the University of Avignon before your departure and pay the registration fee.
Payment of French student social security is compulsory (and also allows you to benefit from social security cover during your holidays in France).

As an exchange student, you are exempt from paying tuition fees at the host university.
A copy of your student card, issued by the Service de la Scolarité de l'Université d'Avignon and valid during your period of study abroad, must be sent to the SRI as soon as you re-register. (to mobilite@univ-avignon.fr)

Visa

For many countries outside the European Union, obtaining a study visa is a precondition for departure.

For students who are not French nationals, you must comply with the immigration laws of your destination country.
You must complete the administrative procedures directly with the host country's embassy (in Paris). Please send or bring a copy of your visa to the SRI before your departure.
A study visa usually costs between €100 and €200 and often requires at least one trip to Paris...
Also remember that your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond the end of your stay abroad.

If you are planning to do a work placement after your period of study, please find out about the formalities for obtaining a work visa. For some countries (particularly the United States and the United Kingdom), this permit is difficult to obtain and very expensive (around €500 depending on the number of months). You can ask your employer to help you obtain this work experience visa.
If you wish to work abroad, check with the embassy to find out whether this is allowed and under what conditions.
In some countries outside the European Union, it is possible to work on campus, but not outside.

Health insurance and coverage

Well in advance of your departure, you should check with your health insurance fund to obtain medical cover abroad.
If you are not covered or not sufficiently covered by your usual insurance company, you should know that there are several specialised insurers (for example www.cfe.fr, www.assistance-etudiants.com, etc.).

Check with your social security centre to find out whether your health insurance covers a stay in your chosen country. Some partner universities require you to take out their own insurance, while others accept a certificate attesting to your French health insurance cover.

You must also take out repatriation and civil liability insurance. Before choosing a supplementary insurance policy, find out what you need to know; your multi-coverage insurance may already cover you!

For Quebec, your social security (or mutual insurance company) will issue you a form called "SE 401 Q 106" which avoids you paying for health coverage in Quebec (if you have French nationality). You must have this form signed by the International Relations Service of the University of Avignon (and by the CPAM) before leaving.

Scholarships

Make sure you have completed your application and submitted it to the IRS before you leave.

An International Mobility Grant Committee will determine the allocation of grants and you will be informed by email of the committee's decision. But you need to leave with some savings, because the mobility grant will not cover all your expenses abroad. (especially in countries where the cost of living is quite high).

When you arrive at your host university, please send us a signed, stamped and dated certificate of arrival as soon as possible to certify the date on which you began your studies. Please note that you will not receive your grant until approximately one month after you have sent us this certificate (due to accounting delays).

Consular registration

The Consulate General of France is responsible, among other things, for ensuring the defence and protection of French citizens abroad. It also offers services of the Town Hall or the Prefecture.

During your stay abroad, you are required to highly recommended to register in the register of French nationals living outside France and apply for a consular card. This step is free, voluntary and not compulsory and can be very useful, for example, to obtain a passport renewal or in the case of the implementation of a security plan in the country. Moreover, only this registration in the register of French nationals established outside France allows the consular post to be aware of your presence in the country.

For more information about the application process, please visit the following websites

• Embassy or Consulate of the country you are going to stay in
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Accommodation abroad

In most cases, partner universities help exchange students find accommodation; some even require them to stay in their on-campus residence.
In general, the partner university attaches a housing application form to its acceptance letter. It is your responsibility to return this form as soon as possible.

No housing assistance similar to APL, AS or ALS is available abroad. In most foreign halls of residence, three months' rent (or even the entire stay) must be paid on arrival. This is often a large amount of money that you should plan for before you leave.

Health

Before you leave, it may be useful to have a check-up with your GP, who can advise you on the vaccinations you should have depending on your destination. Don't forget to take your prescriptions and your health booklet or vaccination certificates with you. It is also a good idea to visit the dentist...

International student card

The International Student Identity Card (ISIC), which is recognised almost worldwide, may be useful.
It allows you to benefit from student tariffs for travel, entrance to museums etc.

It can be ordered via the Internet at ISIC or in an agency in Aix-en-Provence (OTU voyages) or Marseille (Wasteels voyages).

Preparation and culture shock

Take an interest in your destination before you leave, as this makes integration easier. Read the press or local authors in the language of the host country, watch films in original language, meet foreign students through the UEO "Parrainage international" and "tandems linguistiques" on Wednesdays from 5.30 to 6.30 pm at the Maison de l'International.

The "Preparation for International Mobility" UEO is also offered on the 2 campuses throughout the year.

Please also give us your university e-mail address (@alumni.univ-avignon.fr); it will be used throughout the year to send you information. Remember to inform us of any change of postal or e-mail address during your stay abroad.