60-Day Checklist Before Arriving in France

Why You Must Start 60 Days Before Your Arrival

Moving to France as an international student is not something you can improvise. Between administrative deadlines, documents to gather, housing applications, and banking procedures, the two months before your departure are the most critical. A delay in one step creates a domino effect: no confirmed housing means no bank account, no bank account means no CAF housing benefit, and missing CAF means losing hundreds of euros in the first months.

This checklist is organized week by week, from Day -60 to Day -1, so you can arrive in France calm, organized, and with all your administrative groundwork already in place.

Days -60 to -45: Visa, Official Documents, and University Enrollment

Verify Your Visa Status

If your long-stay student visa (type D or VLS-TS) has not been approved by Day -60, immediately alert your university's international affairs office. Average processing times for French student visas range from 3 to 8 weeks depending on the consulate.

The busiest consulates (Abidjan, Dakar, Casablanca, Algiers, Tunis, Beijing) sometimes see processing times exceeding 6 weeks during the pre-enrollment period (June–August). If you are applying from one of these countries, build in extra time.

Finalize Your Document File

Gather and certify the following documents:

• Passport valid for at least 12 months past your intended arrival date
• Official admission letter from your French university (with student number if available)
• Proof of financial resources: 3 months of bank statements, scholarship certificate, notarized parental support declaration, or sponsorship letter
• Birth certificate translated into French by a sworn translator AND apostilled by the competent authority in your country
• Diplomas and transcripts translated and apostilled if your university requires them for enrollment
• International health insurance certificate covering at least €30,000 in medical expenses
• Biometric ID photos (French format: 35x45mm, white or light grey background)

Practical tip: Make 4 to 6 copies of each original document. Keep one set in your carry-on luggage, one in your checked bag, and scan everything to a secure cloud. The préfecture, your university, CAF, and your landlord will each ask for copies.

Confirm Your University Enrollment

Contact your university's admissions office (or international affairs office) to:

1. Confirm your administrative enrollment file is complete
2. Obtain your conditional enrollment certificate (required for certain visa procedures)
3. Find out the date for academic registration (course selection) and any placement tests
4. Check the dates for the international student welcome events (often 1 to 2 weeks before the official start)
5. Register for orientation days (Welcome Week) if they exist

Days -45 to -30: Housing, Insurance, and Banking

Secure Your Housing

Finding housing from abroad is often the most stressful step. Here are your options, ranked by reliability:

Option 1: CROUS University Residence University residences managed by CROUS are accessible via the platform Messervices.etudiant.gouv.fr. A CROUS room costs between €150 and €450/month depending on the city and type. Applications open in January for the September intake — if you are reading this at Day -60 of enrollment, the waiting list is your only option, but it is still worth registering.

Option 2: Private Student Residences Operators like Nexity Studéa, Les Estudines, and Réside Études offer furnished studios with 9-month or 12-month leases. Rents are higher (€400 to €700/month depending on the city), but online reservations from abroad are possible, and applications are simpler.

Option 3: Specialized Student Platforms

Option 4: Temporary Housing for the First Weeks If you have not found permanent housing before arrival, plan for 2 to 3 weeks of temporary accommodation:

• HI France youth hostels (€15 to €30/night)
• Student residences with short-stay rooms (some CROUS)
• Host families recommended by your university
• Airbnb with hosts experienced with international students

Subscribe to Health Insurance

In France, international students are enrolled in the general Social Security system as soon as they register at university. Enrollment is free and automatic. However, the Carte Vitale (health card) and reimbursements only begin after a processing delay of 4 to 8 weeks.

During this transition period, you need supplementary coverage. Options:

• LMDE (La Mutuelle des Étudiants): specialized student complementary health insurance, starting from €8/month
• HEYME: student mutual insurance with optional phone/computer coverage, from €11/month
• Private international insurance: if your home country offers global coverage (some bank or travel insurance policies cover 3 to 12 months abroad)

Important: Health insurance is separate from rental insurance (renters' insurance or MRH), which is mandatory in any rental. Subscribe to both separately.

Open a French Bank Account From Abroad

Having a French bank account (and thus a RIB/IBAN) is essential for receiving CAF housing benefits, paying rent, and receiving your scholarship. The good news: some banks allow remote account opening.

See our dedicated article "Opening a Bank Account Without Fixed Address" for the complete guide. In summary:

Days -30 to -15: Logistics and Digital Setup

Plan Your Journey

• Plane ticket: if not already booked, buy now. Prices rise significantly in the 3 weeks before major enrollment dates (September 1, January 15).
• Excess luggage: budget for at least 30 to 40 kg total. Some airlines offer preferential student baggage rates (Air France has student baggage packages for student card holders).
• Airport transfer: research airport-to-city connections. The RER B train links CDG to Paris in 30 minutes (€11.80 in 2026). For other regions, Flixbus and Ouibus offer connections from regional airports.

Set Up Your Digital Access

Before leaving, make sure you have:

• FranceConnect: create your account at franceconnect.gouv.fr. It is your master key for all French online administrative procedures (taxes, CAF, Ameli, ANEF).
• ANEF (Digital Administration for Foreigners in France): create your account at administration-etrangers-en-france.interieur.gouv.fr. You will validate your VLS-TS here within 3 months of arrival.
• University email: activate your student email address as soon as it is communicated to you. Convocations, grades, and critical information all flow through it.
• University digital portal (ENT): log in to check your schedule and access online library resources.

Practical Arrival Preparations

• Phone and SIM: if you do not yet have a French SIM card, get a temporary eSIM (Airalo, Holafly) for the first 48 hours, until you can visit an operator's store. See our best SIM card for students 2026 comparison.
• Cash and international card: have at least €200 to €300 in cash for the first expenses (transport, groceries, small purchases), as some merchants do not accept foreign cards.
• Electrical adapters: France uses the European standard Type E (round 2-pin plug, 230V). If you are coming from the Americas, Asia, or Sub-Saharan Africa, you will need a universal adapter.
• Medication: bring a 3-month supply of any regular medication and a translated French prescription. Medications that are freely available in other countries may require a prescription in France.

Days -15 to -7: Administrative Procedures From Abroad

Start Your CAF Application Early

The Caisse d'Allocations Familiales (CAF) pays the APL housing benefit to student tenants. Applications are made online at caf.fr. You can initiate your file before you even arrive if you already have a housing address in France.

Documents needed for the CAF application:

• Passport number
• Housing address in France
• French bank account RIB
• Copy of lease or landlord's certificate
• Student number
• Proof of financial resources

Processing time is 4 to 6 weeks. APL is paid with a one-month delay. The earlier you apply, the fewer months of payments you lose.

Prepare Your VLS-TS Validation

If you hold a long-stay visa that serves as a residence permit (VLS-TS), you must validate it with OFII within 3 months of arriving in France. Validation is done online on the ANEF platform.

To validate your VLS-TS, you will need:

• Your visa number (on the visa sticker in your passport)
• The exact date and port of entry into France
• Your address in France
• A dematerialized tax stamp of €75 (purchasable at timbre.impots.gouv.fr)

Note: VLS-TS validation sometimes leads to an OFII convocation for a medical appointment. See our full article on the OFII convocation.

Days -7 to -1: Final Preparations

Final Pre-Departure Checklist

The day before departure, verify each item on this list:

Documents to keep in carry-on luggage (immediate access):

• Passport + original visa
• University admission letter
• International health insurance certificate
• Address and contact for your first nights' accommodation
• Phone number for your university's international office
• International bank card access + cash (€200 to €300)
• Phone charger + electrical adapter in carry-on
• Essential medication for 1 week

To confirm before departure:

• Your host/landlord has confirmed your arrival and provided keys or access instructions
• Your online bank account is active and your card is unlocked for use abroad
• You have your travel insurance emergency number
• You know the route from the airport to your accommodation
• A trusted person in your home country has copies of your important documents

What You Will Do in the First 72 Hours After Arrival

1. Buy your French SIM card (or activate your plan) — see our comparison guide.
2. Activate your FranceConnect account and create your ANEF account.
3. Meet your landlord, sign the lease, and do the move-in inspection.
4. Register at your university's international affairs office.
5. Submit your CAF application if not yet done — one day's delay equals one month of missed payments.

Official Resources

• Service-Public.fr — Coming to study in France: https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/N19562
• Campus France — Pre-departure steps: https://www.campusfrance.org/fr/avant-le-depart
• Etudiant.gouv.fr — Housing: https://www.etudiant.gouv.fr/fr/logement-166
• ANEF — VLS-TS validation: https://administration-etrangers-en-france.interieur.gouv.fr
• CAF.fr — APL application: https://www.caf.fr
• Messervices.etudiant.gouv.fr — CROUS and student housing: https://www.messervices.etudiant.gouv.fr