Support for international students
For international students who have completed their enrollment.
Below you will find all the information you need to settle in Montpellier:
your main contact
The International Student/Researcher Welcome Service (SAIEC) assists students and researchers with a wide range of administrative procedures, such as:
- Verification and/or filing residence permit applications online
- Entering your CAF and CPAM computer files
- Housing search (PHARE), including in emergency situations
To prepare for your stay in advance, visit https://www.saiec.fr/
housing
CROUS
Annual housing procedure: international students on mobility programs (excluding exchange programs)
1: Create an account at: https://www.messervices.etudiant.gouv.fr
2: Submit your application at: Home —Find housing in a university residence (lescrous.fr)
See form "student academic history": student-academic-history-form-1
3: Admission is for one academic year and is subject to availability. Once you have received the decision e-mail, you have 48 hours to pay your reservation online. You will be asked for proof of payment when you sign your contract.
Other Useful Websites
Interactive SAIEC map to help you locate places of interest more easily.
Bank Account
We strongly advise you to open a bank account as soon as you arrive in France. This will allow you to pay your bills, receive your internship bonus, housing subsidies and healthcare reimbursements, and to obtain a bank card and/or checkbook. Ask your usual bank if it is associated with a French network, as this may facilitate your operations.
To open a bank account in France, you will need to provide the following documents:
- A photocopy of your school certificate or student ID card
- A photocopy of your passport or identity card
- A copy of your visa for non-European students
- Proof of residence in France (CROUS residence certificate for students living in university accommodation, utility bill, rent receipt, etc.)
If you are not yet in a position to provide these documents, you can open a Nickel bank account with one of the 4,600 approved tobacconists in France (the account gives you a Mastercard for withdraw money (€1/withdrawal), make free transactions, and make and receive online payments).
Documents to be provided for the Nickel account:
- ID card
- A cell phone number
- 20€ as a one-time payment.
14 best banks for international students in France!
Bank for beginners: How do I open a French bank account?
Health / Disability
It is mandatory to register on the ameli website to be affiliated with the French social security system (free registration): https://etudiant-etranger.ameli.fr/#/
- The starting date of your health insurance rights the 1st day on which you meet the following 3 conditions:
- You have arrived in France
- You have validated your residence permit.
- You have obtained your school certificate.
- Documents to provide: national identity card or passport; residence permit; school certificate for the current year; parental authorization certificate (if student under 16); IBAN (bank account number) for your reimbursements; civil status document needed to create your identification number (full copy of birth certificate or birth certificate with filiation (or any document issued by a consulate) or family record book or marriage certificate).
Studying in France : your rights and procedures | ameli.fr | Insured
The preventive medicine service is open to all students at the University of Montpellier. Visits and consultations are free, confidential, and subject to medical confidentiality. You will meet reception and appointment staff, nurses, doctors, clinical psychologists, a dietitian-nutritionist, and social workers from the CROUS.
The preventive medicine doctor does not replace your primary care physician and does not issue prescriptions or treatments, except for emergency contraception for female students. He or she can advise you and refer you to the services best suited to your situation. This service also assists students with disabilities in conjunction with the Handiversité service.
The center offers consultations for general medicine, gynecology, psychological support, etc. It offers full third-party payment on presentation of the health insurance card "carte vitale" and certificate of complementary French health insurance.
The preventive medicine service and the Handiversité service work closely together to support you in successfully completing your studies at UM.
Do you need adjustments to your studies and/or exams and competitive examinations?
On the registration form, fill in the section entitled "declare a disability."
First-time registration at UM: complete the online formDisabilityDisability – University of Montpellier (umontpellier.fr)
Re-registration at the UM: go to your ENT, "Handy" tab, to make your request.
Take an appointment for an interview with the preventive medicine service and the handiversity service.
Assistance and mobility
TaM – Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole Transportation: Home page (tam-voyages.com)
Free access to the TaM network, free access to P+Tram parking lots, free access to bike parks to park your bike near tram lines.
Subscription prices in euros
Required parts for "31 days" options:
-ID Photocopy , ID Picture
-a photocopy of the payer's ID, if the payer is not the pass holder
Required for "annual" options :
-photocopy of ID,
-Bank details, a SEPA direct debit mandate completed and signed by the bank account holder if you choose to pay by direct debit,
-payment of your subscription or the first monthly payment if you have chosen to pay by direct debit, as well as the amount of the €5 card if you have created one, and a photocopy of the payer's ID if the payer is not the subscription holder.
The Pass Métropole card, which is free, personalized, and intended for all residents of the metropolitan area, offers its holders numerous "special deals" or preferential rates in the areas of sports, culture, and leisure activities.
Documents to provide: ID card, proof of address dated within the last three months, and a passport photo
To create the card: go to the one-stop shops in your municipality and at public events such as the Antigone des Associations or the welcome event for new residents of Montpellier.