Paris

Different measures are in place in your city to welcome you.

In partnerships with different institutions, the University of Paris supports you in your procedures and guides you upon your arrival.

Welcome structure

Cité internationale Universitaire de Paris (CiuP)

Public

Multi-service reception open to all international students and researchers moving to Paris and Ile-de-France

Proposed services

• Multilingual reception, information and support on :
• Residence rights (in liaison with the Préfecture de Police de Paris)
• Health insurance
• Housing (housing benefit - CAF, tips on finding accommodation)
• Career development (guidance for finding a job, a work-study placement, or an internship)
• Issues relating to mobility in the Paris region (daily life, learning French, etc.)

Personalised support on : 

• The dematerialised procedure for validating the Long Stay Visa with Residence Permit (VLS-TS)
• Dematerialised procedures for first applications and renewals of student residence permits and researcher talent passports
• Housing benefit applications (CAF offices)
• Health insurance registration procedures (Health Insurance/CPAM offices)

Partners

• CAF
• CPAM
• France Travail
• Préfecture de Police de Paris
• ADIL 75
• ABG

Dates and times

From September 8, 2025, to October 31, 2025
Monday to Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Address

Welcome Desk Paris - Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris
Maison Internationale
17, boulevard Jourdan 75014 Paris

Transport: RER B Cité Universitaire / Tram T3a
Website: http://welcomedeskparis.fr 

Contact

The Welcome Desk team welcomes you on site without appointment or remotely (access to a chat on http://welcomedeskparis.fr , dedicated mailbox, etc.).

The CAF, CPAM, France Travail and ABG partners welcome you by appointment at http://welcomedeskparis.fr 

During the Welcome Desk Paris, you can contact the acc&ss team by email: welcomedeskparis@ciup.fr

Back-to-school events

Visit http://welcomedeskparis.fr to stay informed about the events organized during the Welcome Desk Paris or follow acc&ss on Twitter/X: @accessparisidf.

Further information

In addition to the back-to-school period, students and researchers are welcome all year round!

Are you a student?
The acc&ss Paris Centre service welcomes students all year round, from Monday to Friday, by email, by videoconference (by appointment) or on its premises (without appointment) at the Cité internationale universitaire de Paris.
For full contact and access details, visit: https://access.ciup.fr/access-paris-centre/contact/ 

Are you a doctoral student or researcher?
The acc&ss Paris Ile-de-France network, supported by the Île-de-France Region, links 4 centres and over 7 welcome offices, all members of the Euraxess network specialising in welcoming international doctoral students and researchers. 
To learn more and/or contact us, visit https://access.ciup.fr under the "Your centers" tab.

Welcome structure

INTERNATIONAL WELCOME DESK CERGY CAMPUS

Paris-Seine University

Proposed services

• residence permit and renewal with an agent of the prefecture present on the device
• online validation of the long-stay visa equivalent to a residence permit (VLS-TS)
• registration process for Health Insurance
• housing allowance application process
• accommodation information
• tax Information
• youth information

Address and opening hours

Centre Information Jeunesse
1 place des Arts
95000 Cergy
Phone: 01 34 41 67 67
Open from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday to Friday

Welcome structure

WELCOME DESK - PARIS SCIENCES & LETTRES

Public

Are you an international student or researcher and do you have a multitude of questions about Parisian life, the functioning of Université PSL and the administrative formalities? The PSL Welcome Desk is there to guide you, advise you and support you throughout your stay at PSL University. 

Proposed services

The PSL University Welcome Desk welcomes and supports all international PSL students and researchers.

Although each public has specificities, the general missions of the Welcome Desk are:

    Help, advise and guide you through administrative procedures to facilitate arrival and life in Paris and PSL.
    Contribute to socio-cultural integration.
    Listen and refer to the relevant departments when the Welcome Desk cannot respond to requests suche as:

•    The necessary administrative procedures before arrival in France and during the stay;
•  Validation and renewal of the residence permit;
•  Registration with the French Health Insurance;
•  Finding accommodation;
•  Insurance and opening a bank account;
•  The file to apply for CAF allowances (such as housing assistance);
•  Access to the offer of French as a foreign language (FLE);
•  Integration into Parisian and university life (associative life, sponsorship program, language exchange, cultural activities, support for family members in the case of researchers);
•  Putting you in touch with the other services of the University - transport, etc.

Partners

Partner@PSL is a platform managed by the PSL Welcome Desk to help students, researchers, professors and PSL staff get in touch with each other via two programmes: the Buddy Program and the Tandem Program. https://partner.psl.eu/ 

Dates and times

The service is open all year round. It welcomes from Monday to Friday preferentially by appointment.

A “hotline” service (online meeting) is available during the University’s annual closure (early August).

Address

5 rue André Mazet

75006 Paris

Contact: welcomedesk@psl.eu 

Back-to-school events

You will find all our events and news on our web page: https://psl.eu/welcome-desk
Sponsorship

https://partner.psl.eu/

Welcome structure

SCIENCE HOME

Public

Students, doctoral students and researchers, hosted in member establishments of the association (more than 60 establishments in Ile-de-France south and west). Science Accueil is a Euraxess center.

Proposed services

Personalized support and information for students and researchers from member establishments (list on the site)

•     right of residence procedures
•  health coverage procedures
•  benefit requests
•  search for accommodation and insurance
•  bank account opening
•  schooling of children
•  transport, practical life…
•  French classes
•  cultural discoveries
•  reinsurance and solidarity: possible aid in the event of difficulties

Partners

    CPAM 91
    CIF 91
    CROUS
    Employment center
    RATP
    banks
    insurance
    mutual…

Dates and times

The head office (Gif-sur-Yvette) is open all year round, Monday to Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

4 addresses

• Gif-sur-Yvette: 18 Mail Pierre Potier 91190 Gif-sur-Yvette
• Evry: On-site consultations are held on the first Thursday of each month from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the Telecom SudParis and IMT-BS campus, 9 rue Charles Fourier, Honor Court (Infirmary).
• Massy/Palaiseau: ECLA Campus, 16 rue Emile Baudot, 91120 Palaiseau
• Villejuif: 20 rue Marcel Paul (inside the ECLA residence): Tuesday to Thursday
• Noisy-le-Grand: 15 rue du Centre (inside the ECLA residence): Friday

Contact

www.science-accueil.org  - contact@science-accueil.org 
tel: 01 70 26 41 40

Buddy System

Alumni program: possible contact with one of the “Science Accueil alumni” of the same nationality.

Further information

Geographical locations : all south and west IDF sectors (Essonne, Yvelines, Hauts-de-Seine, Val-de-Marne).

Welcome Structure

GATE Paris-Saclay

Co-led by Université Paris-Saclay, Institut Polytechnique de Paris, Science Accueil, and the Palaiseau sub-prefecture.

Target Audience

All international students, PhD candidates, researchers, and staff living, working, or studying in the Paris-Saclay area.

Services Offered

Personalized support and information for students and researchers:

• Assistance with online residence permit applications
• Residence permit issuance (for residents of the Palaiseau district only)
• Health insurance registration with Assurance Maladie
• Assistance with housing benefit applications (CAF)
• Help opening a bank account
• Information on housing and insurance
• Information on transport and daily life
• Job search and student job assistance
• Information on French language courses
• Information on cultural and leisure activities

Partners

• Palaiseau Sub-prefecture
• Science Accueil
• Université Paris-Saclay
• Institut Polytechnique de Paris
• CPAM 91
• CAF 91
• CROUS
• France Travail
• Campus France
• Paris-Saclay Urban Community (CPS)

Dates and Times

From August 29, 2025, to December 17, 2025, from 9 AM to 1 PM

Address

GATE, Building 407, rue du Doyen Georges Poitou,
University Library, Université Paris-Saclay, 91400 ORSAY

Contact

https://gate.paris-saclay.fr
contact@gateparissaclay.fr

Welcome Events

Université Paris-Saclay welcomes international students upon arrival with “Arrival Days”: an on-campus reception tour in Orsay, Gif-sur-Yvette, Sceaux, Guyancourt, and Evry on September 1, 3, 5, 9, and 10, 2025. Information stands and staff will help guide you through first administrative steps!

See all dates and register here for the Arrival Day of your choice:
https://www.universite-paris-saclay.fr/arrival-days-2025

Contact: international.welcomedesk@universite-paris-saclay.fr

Mentoring

International Mentoring Programme / Buddy Programme