👋 Welcome to France! 4 Essential Steps You Must Take to Start Your Journey Right

1️⃣Validated your VISA

2️⃣Subscribe for a french bank account

3️⃣Apply to the CPAM/AMELI/Social Security Health

4️⃣Subscribe for a french phone number

1️⃣Validated your VISA

As soon as you arrive in France, it is mandatory to validate your visa  The procedure is entirely online! Please note that the visa is only valid for 3 months, so you must validate it before it expires.         

👉 Please validate your VISA on this website  👈

If you need help during your procedures, please check the following article : How to validate my VLS TS visa through OFII? – Aloha Student Support

What if I have a Visa "étudiant concours" ?  This visa allows you to apply for a residence permit at the prefecture. Please complete the application process on this website : Carte de séjour mention "Etudiant visa concours" · demarches-simplifiees.fr. Please note that this visa is only valid for 3 months. Please submit your application within the deadline. 

2️⃣Open a french bank account

Once you arrived in France, it is very necessary to open a French bank account as it will be mandatory for any administrative procedure. The school has negotiated special offers for you with its trusted banking partners. 

👉Please find all the information you need in these articles :

• How to open a French bank account? – Aloha Student Support
• Bank partnerships – Aloha Student Support
• French state-guaranteed loan – Aloha Student Support 

3️⃣Register to the CPAM/AMELI/Social Security Health

To ensure you are covered in the event of a medical problem, it is mandatory to have health insurance. In France, the national health insurance system is called “La Sécurité Sociale” (Social Sécurity). It is mandatory if: 

• You are a non-European student
• You want to find a part-time job
• You are in a apprenticeship program

⚠️If you are a European student and you have the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) : you do not need to register with the French health insurance system.The health organization in your country will take care of your medical expenses. 

👉Social Security will cover some expenses but not all of them. In this case you can apply for a complementary health insurance. Please find more information on our article : My health in France – Aloha Student Support

 4️⃣Subscribe to a french phone number

It is not a mandatory but it will be very helpful in your daily life and administrative procedures. 

👉Please find more information here : How to get a French phone number? – Aloha Student Support

😣 Are you confused or having trouble with the process? Feel free to come see me in my office (No. 149, Building 1), send me a message on Aloha Square, or book an appointment with the Welcome Office.