The day you arrive in Paris

Students arrive on the day before orientation week starts. They are responsible for getting to their housing accommodations for the first week : FIE for fall semester (Foyer international des étudiantes) or FIAP for spring semester (Foyer International d’Accueil de Paris), from the airport. In the afternoon, staff organizes a welcome meeting at FIAP or FIE where students get their semester booklets and other important documents. The group then starts a tour of the neighborhood to see where nearby convenience shops and places of interest are located.

The next day, students have to get their public transportation passes before attending the first sessions of orientation week.

Typical orientation weeks consist of mandatory meetings on different topics related to academics, curriculum, making the best of housing options, culture shock, safety and many more, and optional meetings such as “traveling in France and in Europe” and “French for real Parisian life”. Staff also organizes a few tours, notably to the Great Mosque of Paris, a tour of the Sainte-Geneviève library, and a cruise on the Seine river. Orientation week ends with a dinner at “Le Petit Chatelet” restaurant.