TO DO LIST

There are many things to do when settling in France!  The whole process may take some time, but once you have everything in place, you should find life in France to be a lot of fun and even easy. Here is a non-exhaustive "to do" list:

✔Find housing. If you do not find housing before arriving in France, you should plan on arranging temporary housing for approximately the first month of your stay (for example, an Airbnb rental). See our page on Housing.

✔Purchase housing insurance (assurance habitation). The insurance plan should include assurance responsabilité civile (personal liability insurance), which is also required by many host institutions when conducting research on-site. See the section on insurance in Housing.

✔Validate your visa. Follow the ANEF procedure to validate your visa online and pay the corresponding fees. To be done within 90 days of your arrival. See our page on Visas.

✔Open a bank account. Make sure that you are able to receive mail at the address you indicate, as the bank will likely send you a physical ATM card by mail. To open an account at a bricks and mortar bank, you will need proof of housing. See our page on Banking.

✔Get a French SIM card for your phone. See our page on Phone services.

✔Sign up for the French healthcare system, if eligible. For degree-seeking students, ETAs, EHESS postdoctoral fellows, and Fulbright-Tocqueville Distinguished Chairs, you may do so right away. For other eligible grantees, you will need to wait 3 months after you arrive. See our page on Health insurance.

✔Purchase a public transportation pass. If you use public transportation on a regular basis, a pass can save you a lot of money. There are particularly good deals for students. See our page on Public transportation.

✔For degree-seeking students, pay the CVEC fees and register at your institution of higher education.

✔For doctoral candidates and researchers, register with your local Euraxess center.