PDPG

Only active fourth-year undergraduate students or second-year graduate students who are eligible to graduate in the May ceremony are eligible to enroll in the PDPG. If you will graduate in December you could be eligible to join for half the duration of the program. Students who receive an 'incomplete' for a course during their final semester must inquire with the Career Development and Internships department to learn if and / or when they are eligible to enroll in the PDPG.

If you are European Union student, you must have valid and unexpired immigration documents, such as a passport or an EU national ID to be eligible to enroll.

If you are non-European Union student, you must have valid and unexpired French immigration documentation, such as a carte de séjour, an attestion de décision favorable, or an attestation de prolongation d'instruction to be eligible to enroll. It is impossible to be granted a first-time visa in order to enroll in the PDPG. You must have already been granted a student visa for your undergraduate or graduate studies.

All students, EU and non-EU, must have a valid French social security number to be eligible to enroll. This number can only be obtained by enrolling in the French national healthcare system, commonly known as AMELI. Students must be able to provide a valid and unexpired attestation de droits.

If you are a non-EU citizen you must have maintained your student status that was granted for you to originally study at Parsons Paris. It is not possible to be granted a first-time visa with enrollment in the PDPG.

Understand that prospective employers will be more stringent about the validity of your French student titre de séjour in order to hire you as an intern. As an undergraduate or graduate student you were not prevented from attending class even if you did not hold valid French immigration documentation, but a prospective employer will have to see a valid French student titre de séjour* to be able to sign your internship agreement (convention de stage).

*French visa, French carte de séjour, Attestation de Décision Favorable, Attestation de Prolongation d'Instruction

You are strongly encouraged to prioritize finding an internship over summer travel plans.

It is paramount that you stay on top of your immigration in France once enrolled in the PDPG, including 

• collecting your carte de séjour in a timely manner (you are blocked from submitting a renewal application until you collect your carte)

• submitting your renewal application on time - within the 4-2 month window before your current visa or carte de séjour expires

• monitoring your renewal application and any requests from the French immigration authorities in the application portal - failure to do so could mean you will be unable to partake in certain internship opportunities even if you are enrolled in the PDPG

You need to submit your renewal application online 4-2 months before your French student visa or carte de séjour expires. 

Step 1 : 

Use the WHAT DOCUMENTS DO I NEED - while enrolled in PDPG manual at the bottom of this page to see what documents to gather for your renewal application, as well as the required specifications of certain documents. It takes on average 2-4 weeks to gather all the necessary documents so plan accordingly. Finding an internship should be your top priority and may take longer than 2-4 weeks. It is possible to submit your renewal application without an internship agreement (convention de stage). However, the French immigration authorities may request the internship agreement in order to accept your applicaiton. If you are unable to provide said document your renewal application will most likely be closed. 

Step 2 : 

Use the SUBMITTING RENEWAL APPLICATION - while enrolled in PDPG manual at the bottom of this page to see how to submit your renewal application. You will submit your renewal application online.

It takes on average 1-3 months for a renewal application to be reviewed and processed. It is not possible to pay to expedite the process. If you submit a renewal application without a convention de stage, u

Step 3 : 

Sixty days after you are notified that your renewal application is accepted you should receive a text message to your French cell phone number sharing your carte de séjour (or residence permit) is printed. If you do not receive this message by the 60-day marker you need to read through the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) manual at the bottom of the Immigration page and follow the guidance given.

Step 4 : 

Once you know your carte de séjour is printed, you must schedule an in-person appointment at the correct Préfecture to collect your carte. Use the COLLECT CARTE DE SÉJOUR manual bottom of the Immigration page. This will show you how to make an appointment at the Préfecture, or the French immigration office. You will have to personally go to the Préfecture to pick up your carte de séjour. You are not able to have someone else, even a guardian, pick it up for you. It is mandatory to pick up your carte and you will be blocked from renewing your carte until you pick it up. 

You will also need the BUYING TIMBRE FISCAL manual at the bottom of the Immigration page. This is one of the documents that you must bring with you to your in-person appointment at the Préfecture. Please reference the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) manual below to know what other documents you need to bring with you to that appointment. 

Step 5 : 

After you pick up your carte de séjour, send a scanned copy, front-and-back, to the Director of Career Development and Internships (grilletv@newschool.edu).

You need to enroll for free in the French national healthcare system, commonly known as AMELI in order to obtain a French social security number. A social security number or healthcare insurance from another country, including another EU country, are not permissible for enrolling in the PDPG.

If you are a non-European Union student:

Step 1: 

Read the STEP 1 ENROLLING IN AMELI for non-European students manual below. It can take several days to several weeks to be fully enrolled in AMELI and given a French social security number. There is no way to pay to expedite the process. It is crucial that you respond to any requests from missing or incorrect documents in a timely manner. At the end of Step 1 you will be sent an Attestation de Droits confirming you have a French social security number. ATTENTION - this document will expire and step 2 is mandatory.

Step 2:

Once you have received the letter in the mail inviting you to apply for a carte vitale, or the national health card in France, read the STEP 2 PERMANENT STATUS CARTE VITALE for non-European students manual below. If you moved and forgot to update your address in the AMELI portal for foreign students, you must call the AMELI helpline. Please see the Health Insurance and Healthcare page for this information.

If you are a European Union student:

Step 1:

Read the STEP 1 ENROLLING IN AMELI for European Union students manual below. It can take several days to several weeks to be fully enrolled in AMELI and given a French social security number. There is no way to pay to expedite the process. It is crucial that you respond to any requests from missing or incorrect documents in a timely manner. At the end of Step 1 you will be sent an Attestation de Droits confirming you have a French social security number. ATTENTION - this document will expire and step 2 is mandatory.

Step 2: 

Once you have received the letter in the mail inviting you to apply for a carte vitale, or the national health card in France, read the STEP 2 PERMANENT STATUS CARTE VITALE for European Union students manual below. If you moved and forgot to update your address in the AMELI portal for foreign students, you must call the AMELI helpline. Please see the Health Insurance and Healthcare page for this information.

Congratulations on having completed, or soon to have completed, your studies at Parsons Paris! 

We understand that you may want to remain in France after graduation / after the PDPG. If you are a non-EU citizen you will need to procure a French titre de séjour that is connected to your status. We have provided information about other types of titres de séjour that exist (this list in not all inclusive), but bear in mind that it can be more difficult to procure one of these visas compared to a student visa and that Parsons Paris is not able to give guidance on applying for these different types of titres de séjours. 

Having foundational knowledge in the titre de séjour process in France, such as the difference between ANEF and the Préfecture or what is an attestation de prolongation d'instruction, will help if you want to stay in France post graduation. That sort of information is provided above and in the manuals below. It is also explained in the workshops related to immigration. You are highly encouraged to attend.

PROLONG YOUR STUDENT TITRE DE SÉJOUR:

If you decide to continue studying in France by enrolling in a doctorate program or a Master's program you will need to work with that institution to get the documents you will need to either obtain a new student visa in your home country / country of residence or to renew your current student titre de séjour. It will depend on the expiration date of your current student titre de séjour and when you are informed of your acceptance at the other institution as to whether you will be able to renew your student titre de séjour as you have done before, or if too much time will have passed and your current titre de séjour will have expired. Some French universities offer graduate programs in English. Others do not and will require that you prove a B1 or B2 French-language level. 

You can also prolong your student status by enrolling full-time in French language classes. You can enroll through groups like Alliance Française or by enrolling in FETE (français pour étudiants étrangers) programs at French universities. You should inquire with the language program provider before applying to confirm that their program will grant you a student titre de séjour. Please be aware that the titre de séjour you receive for enrolling in French language classes may not grant you the right to work. That decision is made by the French government when your titre de séjour application is reviewed and processed. 

SALARY TITRE DE SÉJOUR:

In order to obtain a work titre de séjour (salarié status) you need to have a company that is both willing to hire you and willing to submit the required paperwork to the French government in order for you to be granted a work authorization. The contract needs to be a full-time French contract (either a CDD or CDI) and the salary needs to be at least the monthly minimum wage (known as SMIC in France). SMIC evolves, sometimes annually, so you should search to see what the current amount is. You will need to work with the employer to change your status from 'student' to 'worker'. Parsons Paris is not able to help you with your change of status from student to worker. 

Companies will not always indicate in their job posting(s) if they are willing to sponsor a work titre de séjour or not. You will need to inquire with the employer about that prior to applying or apply to the position and see if the information comes up during the application process. 

● Here you can read more about this titre de séjour.

TALENT TITRE DE SÉJOUR:

This type of titre de séjour is sometimes called the 'Talent Passport'. This titre de séjour is quite broad and there are several avenues you can pursue to qualify including joining a French start-up or other type of innovative business or proving that you can earn between 51-70% of a minimum wage salary (SMIC) through your art, either through an employer or from being self-employed. You can also qualify if you can prove that you are known nationally and / or internationally and will enhance France’s “attractiveness” to the international world. There are several other avenues to qualify for this type of visa and you can search about them using your preferred web browser. 

● Here you can read more about the above qualifications and other types of talent titre de séjours.

RESEARCHER-TALENT TITRE DE SÉJOUR:

This type of titre de séjour is also known as 'passeport talent - chercheur / scientifique'. In order to qualify for this type you need to have completed a Master's degree, intend to teach or conduct research at a French university and have a 'hosting agreement' with the university already in place. If you think you could qualify for this type of titre de séjour you should do a wide search for universities in France and contact the appropriate department(s), including their HR, to see if they are willing to sponsor this sort of titre de séjour. If they say yes you should work directly with the university to obtain the proper documents you will need for your application. 

● Here you can read more about this titre de séjour.

● Also, here you can also read more about this titre de séjour. 

SELF-EMPLOYED OR LIBERAL ACTIVITY TITRE DE SÉJOUR:

This type of titre de séjour is also known as the 'entrepreneur / profession libérale' or the 'freelance' titre de séjour. In order to qualify for this type of titre de séjour you need to create and prepare a viable business plan and demonstrate that you will be able to earn at least the monthly minimum wage (known as SMIC in France). SMIC evolves, sometimes annually, so you should search to see what the current amount is. It is more difficult to obtain this visa if you do not already have clientele and invoices to submit in your application and are only projecting on how you would earn SMIC each month while residing in France. Some students return to their home countries for several months to build out their clientele and receive invoices that they can submit in their application. 

● Here you can read more about this titre de séjour.

● Also, here you can also read more about this titre de séjour.

● Here you can find a presentation from an alumni who obtained this visa.

SPOUSAL AND / OR FAMILY TITRE DE SÉJOUR:

This type of titre de séjour is also known as 'vie privée et familiale' or VPF. In order to qualify for this type of titre de séjour you need to be married to either a French citizen, a French resident or a European resident who resides in France. You can also be PACSed (a type of civil union) with a French citizen or a French resident. In order to PACS you need to prove cohabitation with your partner for a minimum of one year. Finally, you can be related to a French citizen or a French resident to qualify for this type of titre de séjour. 

● Here you can read about this titre de séjour.

JOB SEEKER / NEW BUSINESS CREATOR TITRE DE SÉJOUR:

This type of titre de séjour is also known as 'recherche d'emploi / création d'entreprise'. It is possible you will have heard about this titre de séjour from other international students who do not attend Parsons Paris. This titre de séjour is intended for Master’s students who upon graduation are granted a year-long titre de séjour to seek employment, but it only applies to students who have graduated from a French institution. Parsons Paris is not classified as a French institution, but rather as an American institution operating within France as classes are taught in English, the US grading system is used and the university does not adhere to a French curriculum. Therefore, Parsons Paris students are ineligible for this type of visa.

APS TITRE DE SÉJOUR:

This type of titre de séjour is also known as 'autorisation provisoire de séjour'. Technically the APS titre de séjour is a type of job seeker titre de séjour. It is specifically reserved for students who graduate from specific types of French programs and hail from the countries listed below. This type of titre de séjour originates from bilateral accords between the French government and the governments of these countries. Parsons Paris is unable to dictate what nationalities qualify for this visa. Parsons Paris is not classified as a French institution, but rather as an American institution operating within France. Therefore, Parsons Paris students are ineligible for this type of visa.

● Gabon, Benin, Tunisia, Mauritius, Cape Verde, Burkina Faso, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, India

WORKING HOLIDAY TITRE DE SÉJOUR:

This type of titre de séjour is reserved for young people hailing from the specific countries listed below. You must be of a certain age to qualify for this type of titre. It will be valid for 12 months, not able to be renewed (except for specific exceptions) and allow you to work under certain conditions. This type of titre de séjour originates from bilateral accords between the French government and the governments of these countries. Parsons Paris is unable to dictate what nationalities qualify for this titre. You should speak with the French embassy or French consulate in your home country / country of residence to see if you are eligible to apply for this titre de séjour from France or if you need to return to your home country / country of residence, as well as what work conditions apply to your country.

● Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, South Korea, Hong Kong, Japan, Mexico, Peru, New Zealand, Russia, Taiwan, Uruguay

● The France-Canada Youth Mobility program falls in this category of titre, and compared to the other countries, Canadians can renew this type of titre once.

● Here you can read more about this titre de séjour.

● Also, here you can also read more about this titre de séjour.

UNIVERSITY LANGUAGE ASSISTANT TITRE DE SÉJOUR:

The university language position is known as 'lecture / lectrice' in French. You will be granted a 'salarié / travailleur temporaire' type of titre de séjour if you are hired for this type of position. You will be an English-language assistant in a French university. Some universities require you to enrolled in a Master's or doctoral program to qualify and others do not. Also some universities require you to have a Master's degree and others do not. You will need to inquire with the university where you apply if they do not specify in the job posting these requirements. You should expect to create and prepare your own English-language lessons plans, including graded assignments, and to teach 15-20 hours per week. You will earn the monthly minimum wage in France, known as SMIC. SMIC evolves, sometimes annually, so you should search to see what the current amount is. This type of titre de séjour for this position can only be renewed twice, three times with exceptions. 

● Please use your preferred search engine to locate what universities around France are hiring for this type of position. 

TAPIF TITRE DE SÉJOUR:

The TAPIF program is reserved for anglophone citizens who can demonstrate a B1 or higher level in French. You will be an English-language assistant in either a French elementary school, middle school or high school. Generally you work with another professor in the school. You will receive a monthly salary of around 800 euros and work on average 15-20 hours per week. This titre de séjour is not guaranteed to permit you to be employed somewhere else besides the school where you teach. That decision is made by the French government when your titre de séjour application is reviewed and processed. You will provide the top locations where you want to be located in France in your application, however you are not guaranteed your top choice. Some locations have subsidized housing options for the language assistants and others do not. You will be granted a 'travailleur temporaire', or ‘temporary worker’ titre de séjour. This type of titre de séjour, when granted through the TAPIF program, can generally only be renewed twice.

● Here you can read about this program for US citizens.

● Here you can read about this program for UK citizens.

● Here you can read about this program for Canadian citizens.

● Here you can read about this program for Australian citizens.

● Here you can read about this program for New Zealand citizens.

AU PAIR TITRE DE SÉJOUR

This type of titre de séjour permits you to au pair, or nanny, for a family in France. There are several au pair websites (none endorsed by Parsons Paris) that allow you to explore, communicate and match with a family seeking a non-French au pair. You can search for those sites using your preferred web browser. This type of titre de séjour can generally only be renewed twice. 

● Here you can read more about this titre de séjour.