Lyon

Different support systems are in place in your city to welcome you properly.

These systems, set up within the framework of partnerships, support you in your procedures and guide you on your arrival.

Structure of welcome

STUDENTS WELCOME DESK 2025

The ComUE Université de Lyon and its partners are working together to support international students upon their arrival in Lyon and Saint-Étienne, to help them start the academic year in the best possible conditions and to ease their integration into the local community.

Every year, the Students Welcome Desk teams provide information and guidance to students regarding all administrative procedures at the start of the academic year, particularly concerning residence permits, as well as all assistance and support systems available in the Lyon metropolitan area.

Since 2020, all procedures related to residence permits have been fully digitized for international students.

Target Audience

All international students (all categories combined) and these services are shared.

Services offered

Multilingual telephone support to inform, guide and assist international students with administrative procedures related to residence permits and other available support services on the Université de Lyon website.

In-person support for international students is available by appointment only, by contacting the Hotline at the ComUE Université de Lyon.

Partners

Préfecture du Rhône, Métropole de Lyon, CROUS, Campus France

Dates and times

From August 25 to December 19, 2025, Monday to Friday from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm

Hotline phone number: 04 37 37 43 00

www.universite-lyon.fr/swd

Address

92 rue Pasteur, 69007 Lyon

Contact

swd@universite-lyon.fr

Back-to-school events

Welcoming international students by appointment in the digital space. A space dedicated to assisting and guiding international students regarding structures and services available to them.

Buddy system

In certain schools, a student buddy system has also been set up. Contact the international relations office of your institution.

Structure of welcome

Université Lumière Lyon 2

Target Audience

Students in structured mobility programs and individually mobile students at Université Lumière Lyon 2. The services listed below are only available to international students enrolled at Université Lumière Lyon 2.

Services offered

• The International Student Office (BEI) team supports international students throughout their stay at Université Lumière Lyon 2, in particular through:
• Personalized support with administrative procedures in France and student life via reception offices located on each campus;
• Two guides (the international student guide and the housing guide) in French and English. These two guides list all necessary information before and during the mobility period.
• A social and cultural integration program called "Alter Ego" offering numerous activities for both international and French students.
• A website in French and another in English.
• A campus guide presenting all available services for students at Université Lumière Lyon 2, available in English and French.
• A multilingual mobile app to easily navigate the various campuses.
• Guided tours of Lyon and the Berges du Rhône and Portes des Alpes campuses.
• Free French as a Foreign Language (FLE) courses and intensive French language workshops offered by CIEF for exchange students.
• Health mediation available to international students by appointment or during reception office hours (see schedule below).

Partners

CROUS de Lyon

Students Welcome Desk

Jeunes Ambassadeurs Association

Association Coup de Pouce

Association "LYON INTERNATIONAL" 

ESN CosmoLyon

Dates and times

Reception of exchange students: 9:00 am - 12:00 pm then 2:00 pm - 4:30 pm on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday at the Berges du Rhône campus.

Reception of non-exchange students: 9:00 am - 12:00 pm then 2:00 pm - 4:30 pm on Tuesday at the Berges du Rhône campus and Thursday at the Portes des Alpes campus.

Appointments must be made via the “Affluence” application: Bureau Étudiants Internationaux — Affluences

Address

Reception of international students on both campuses:

Berges du Rhône Campus: Bélénos Building, 2nd floor, Office 224, 5 rue Chevreul Lyon 7

Portes des Alpes Campus: Maison de l’étudiant.e, 1st floor, M.107, 5 avenue Pierre Mendès France Bron

Contact

Non-exchange students: international-hors-echange@univ-lyon2.fr

Exchange students: incoming-europe@univ-lyon2.fr and incoming-monde@univ-lyon2.fr

Back-to-school events

• Online info session before departure to France
• Information meeting: September 4 (afternoon) for exchange students, and September 26 (afternoon) for non-exchange students.
• Welcome days on both main campuses (September 9 and 11, 2025)
• Welcome evening for all students on September 11 in the evening at Portes des Alpes campus (also open to international students).
• Welcome evening for exchange students on September 18 and for non-exchange students on October 1.
• Guided tours of the Berges du Rhône and Portes des Alpes campuses during the first weeks of September.

Buddy system

We offer the “buddy system” program twice a year, once per semester. This buddy system is open to all international and French students.