You are now preparing for your arrival in France and there are several things you need to check before leaving.

• Make sure to apply for a visa if necessary (this needs to be done several months in advance)
  
• Make sure to bring your passport (or ID card for EU citizens)
  
• Make a copy of your passport, French visa and all other important documents and save them as a PDF document for safety
  
• Make sure that your current passport is valid for at least six months after your return date
  
• Bring an original version of your birth certificate and a certified translation in French (with filiation)
  
• Book a temporary accommodation for your first few nights in Lyon or Paris (depending on your campus location)
  
• Contact your bank to ensure that you can withdraw money in France
  
• Make sure to have some cash available for your arrival (avoid large amounts for safety)
  
• Research in advance how to easily access the campus
  
• Check that your phone works for the first few days once you are in France
  
• Keep emergency contact information with you
  
• Bring important medical records (if you have an ongoing medical condition for example) and a copy of your vaccination records
  
• Have a valid European Health Insurance Card (for European students only)
  
• Bring the original of your English tests (if any)
  
• Bring the original of your diploma and transcripts with you (not a copy)
  
• Bring a plug adaptator if necessary
  
  
  

📝 Please note that the French administration (Préfecture, CAF housing benefits...) does not accept birth certificates translated into French in a foreign country (even by the Alliance Française – with China as an exception). You must have your birth certificate translated into French by sworn translators in France. Should your birth certificate be written in a rare language (for example: Hindi), you must have your birth certificate translated into English in your country of origin and then into French. The list of sworn translators you may contact will be provided soon in your gateway.