Clermont-Ferrand

Different measures are in place in your city to welcome you.
These systems, set up within the framework of partnerships, support you in your procedures and guide you on your arrival.

Université Clermont Auvergne

Born of the common desire of the Auvergne higher education institutions, Crous Clermont Auvergne, the City of Clermont-Ferrand, and the Prefecture, to improve the welcome of students, especially newcomers and foreign students, the Espace d'Accueil Étudiants welcomes you from the beginning of the academic year to help you discover your new university life.

Hosting structure

• Digital Welcome Desk: an online platform for new-coming international students, PhD students, and researchers (including UCA and Euraxess) to guide them in the administrative procedures that need to be done before, during, and after their arrival in France. Useful information concerning their stay in Clermont-Ferrand and in France are available on the platform (uca.studynco.com).

• UCA International Welcome Desk: A physical welcome desk for PhD students, researchers, their families (Euraxess Auvergne), and specific student cohorts: international excellence scholarship holders and students from off-site locations of the Université Clermont Auvergne.

• Espace Accueil Etudiants: A physical reception desk for French and international students in Auvergne.

Target audience

International exchange students, international students in individual mobility, PhD students, researchers and their families.

The Students Welcome Desk is a shared service at the heart of the CROUS campus for a close support and welcome to all French and international students in Auvergne.
 

Proposed services

The 3 hosting structures offer you a French and an English welcome.

• Informing and accompanying for the procedures pertaining to:
  • Visa validation
  • The first application and renewal of residency permits
  • The CAF
  • Healthcare
  • Social Security affiliation
  • Accommodation
  • Learning French
  • Transportation
  • Opening a bank account
  • Insurance
  • The culture
  • Sports
  • Catering
  • Scholarships
  • The schooling of our demographic’s children
  • Indicative expected expenses
  • Useful addresses
  • Other administrative procedures.

Partners

• Higher education establishments in Auvergne.
• The Clermont Auvergne CROUS.
• The City of Clermont Ferrand
• The Puy de Dôme préfecture.
• Study&Co (UCA Digital Welcome Desk)
• Accommodation:
  • Studapart: the UCA exclusive verified housing platform.

Dates and times

Hotline: email and phone shifts during the summer closure of the UCA International Welcome Desk and the Students Welcome Desk (CROUS).

UCA International Welcome Desk: No appointment necessary during Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 8:30am to 12:00pm shifts and Friday afternoon from 1:30pm to 3:00pm. And with an appointment outside of those hours.

Students Welcome Desk: from August 19th to December 19th, 2025: Monday to Friday from 10am to 7pm with or without appointments. From January 5th to July 30th, 2026: Monday to Thursday from 10am to 4pm with or without appointments.

Address

UCA International Welcome Desk: Maison Internationale Universitaire - 9 rue Kessler 63000 Clermont-Ferrand – 2nd floor  

Students Welcome Desk: 30 rue Etienne-Dolet 63037 Clermont-Ferrand Cedex 1

Contact

UCA International Welcome Desk: phone 04 73 40 63 57  accueil-international@uca.fr

Students Welcome Desk (CROUS): phone 04 73 34 95 71  espace.accueil.etudiant@crous-clermont.fr 

Buddy System

The International Buddy Program aims to put an international student/PhD student about to arrive in France in contact with a local student/PhD student who has been registered at the Clermont Auvergne University for at least 1 year. 

Objectives: 

• Facilitate the reception and integration of international students and PhD students about to arrive in France;

• Create lasting links;

• Promote intercultural exchanges and mutual support.

https://www.uca.fr/international/preparer-sa-venue-en-france/doctorant-ou-enseignant-chercheur/buddy-program 

Back-to-school events

UCA International Welcome Desk:

• Welcome Day Thursday, September 4th, 2025
• Visit and discovery of the city centre
• Cheese Tasting
• Puy de dôme hike
• Various administrative procedures workshops.

For further information, please contact this email address: accueil-international@uca.fr

Further information

The EURAXESS Auvergne Centre offers a personalized and free support to the international researchers and their families in order to:

• Prepare their stay: entry, stay, and work formalities in France (visas, work permits, residency permits).
• Facilitate their installation in Auvergne: housing, healthcare coverage.
• Facilitate their daily administrative procedures: social security, unemployment, family allocations, taxes.
• Facilitate their integration: French courses, cultural and recreational activities, schooling, nursery…

Contact : EURAXESS Auvergne Centre - (0)4-73-40-63-21 euraxess-auvergne@uca.fr