Please note that the information listed on this site is subject
to change without notice and that only the governing body websites (the French
Consulate, Passport Canada, CROUS, U of Nice, etc.) can be considered as
definitive sources of information regarding specific documentation
requirements. Click here for a checklist of the things that need to be done before departure. We
suggest you plan to arrive in Nice between September 3rd and 5th or, at the
latest, by September 8. The Coordinator's contact information in Nice, as well
as instructions for travelling by bus form the airport, will be provided to all
participating students well in advance of arrival. Students will be contacted by
the Undergraduate Program Assistant at the Department of French Studies in the summer and will
be asked to provide their flight information (airline, flight number, date and
time of arrival in Nice) so the Coordinator can plan to meet with all students
within a short time after they arrive in Nice. The Program Coordinator will
reserve temporary accommodations in a reasonably priced hotel so students have a
place to stay when they arrive in Nice while they look for, or prepare to move
into, their room or apartment. Students are responsible for the costs of this
accommodation. Specific information about these arrangements will be sent to
participants early in the summer. When booking your flight, you will in all likelihood have to specify a return
date. We advise participants that they need to plan to stay in Nice until the
end of May. If you are
travelling on a European passport, you do not need a visa, but you will need to
obtain a Carte de séjour when you arrive. For this, you will need Cost of your year in
Nice As is the case for most students going away to university in
Canada, budgeting will be an important consideration for your year in France.
In general, the cost of living there is somewhat higher than that of
Southwestern Ontario (but remember you are living on the Côte d'Azur). The cost
of the year will be greatly influenced by your travel and entertainment
preferences. According to reports of recent participants, about $1,300 per month
would be sufficient (not including tuition fees paid to your home
university). Money you will need upon arrival You will need to bring
money for expenses which you will incur when you arrive in France (taxis, bus,
meals). It would be a good idea to convert about $200 - $300 into Euros before
leaving Canada and to bring this cash with you as well as having an easy way of
accessing another $2000 or so in the first few days (traveler’s cheques, bank
card, credit card). If you are living off campus, you will need to pay your
first month's rent plus a refundable deposit (une caution),
which is usually the equivalent of one or two months' rent. Managing your money throughout the year Most bank machines in Nice and elsewhere in Europe are connected to networks
such as Interac and Plus, and will allow you to withdraw money from your account
at a Canadian financial institution. This can actually be a convenient way to
transfer sums of money in the $200 to $500 range from a Canadian account to a
French account (go right from the bank machine to a teller at your bank to
deposit the cash!). The service charges for this are usually too high for it to
be worthwhile to do it for small amounts, while banks set a maximum amount which
can be withdrawn in an ATM transaction. It would be imprudent to rely on this as
your sole means of accessing your money, especially at the beginning of your
stay, but it can be one way of getting your hands on cash from Canada quite
quickly. Be sure to check with your bank in Canada before you leave to make sure
that your bank card will allow you to access your account through ATMs
abroad. Opening a bank account in France is not always straightforward. Make
inquiries at the individual banks as to the procedures for opening an account.
The following results of an informal survey of recent participants can be useful
in your choice of bank: Banking hours are generally: 9:00 am to 12:00 pm and 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm; Very
few branches (such as the Crédit Agricole on Bd. de la Madeleine) are open
Saturday mornings. ATMs can be found in many locations in Nice. You need to deal
only with the branch where you open your account, so be sure to find the one
closest to home. The Magnan branch of the Crédit Lyonnais is reportedly better
than the Jean Médecin one. Tellers are not always helpful. If you are an OSAP
recipient, inform your university's Financial Aid office of your participation
in the Nice Exchange. Make sure you apply/reapply early so that you can receive
a portion of your loan in the fall before you leave. After you have received the
portion of your loan in September, you will probably be told to make
arrangements with your bank so that someone else will have power of attorney
over your loan account and will therefore be able to receive the second (winter)
portion of your OSAP for you. It is assumed that all students are
enrolled in the Ontario Health Plan or in the health plan of another province.
Ontario Health requires that you notify them if you are going out of the
province for more than 3 months because they will issue you another card which
must be renewed when you return. Ontario Health will want to know the reason
for your absence from Ontario, when you intend to leave, and when you intend to
return. You should use your Ontario Health card in order to declare this
information formally. When you notify Ontario Health you should ask for written
confirmation of the coverage which they will be providing you when you are
absent (ask for this information to be in both French and English). This
confirmation is useful both to transmit to whatever insurance company you deal
with to arrange extended medical coverage, and to present to authorities in
France as evidence of basic medical insurance. For information on
OHIP and contact information for the local office, see their website:
http://www.health.gov.on.ca/english/public/program/ohip/ohip_mn.html. For
the Newfoundland and Labrador Medical Care program: http://www.gov.nf.ca/mcp/ Medical insurance for expenses beyond those that are covered by your own
personal Ontario Health policy should be considered an absolute
necessity. Medical expenses outside Canada generally exceed
what we are accustomed to. Inquire into what out-of-country coverage you have
through your University or student council sponsored health plan to make sure it
will cover all possible health expenses abroad. Travel Cuts provides an
affordable plan for students to cover additional health/medical expenses. Shop
around to find the best rate though. Check with Blue Cross (http://www.bluecross.ca), the
health plan offered by your university or students council (it may provide the
coverage you need), or another provider (Google "Travel insurance Canada", for
example). John Ingle Travel Insurance (tel. 1-800-360-3234) has also been
recommended in the past. Clothing and
Footwear It seldom gets very cold in Nice, but it does happen
occasionally. It also rains sometimes (especially in the winter months). Hence,
don't pack only warm-weather clothes, but be prepared for some cool weather,
particularly if you decide to travel or go skiing into the mountainous regions
outside Nice itself. Generally, during the winter months clothes for Canadian
autumn weather are suitable, worn with a warm coat in the evening. Because of
the many hills in Nice it is advisable to have comfortable walking shoes. Make
sure you have an umbrella or a rain coat. Keep in mind when packing that you can
buy clothes in Nice. Electrical Appliances Before deciding to take electrical
appliances with you, bear in mind that the normal electrical current in Europe
is 220-230 volts at 50 cycles per second (as opposed to the North American
standard). Consult the manufacturer's specifications to determine whether a
particular appliance is truly adaptable for European use. Most laptop computers
are, but printers often are not (and a convertor might not work with a printer).
Check, too, that the appliance has a round-pronged plug of the size used in
France. If a Canadian appliance says “110-220” on it this means it will adapt in
France and all you will need is the correct “prong” for France and not a whole
voltage converter!- available at electronics stores such as The Source or Future
Shop (Canada) or Bricorama (r. de France) in Nice. Most electric shavers,
curling irons, straightners and laptops have “110-220” convertibility. In some
cases, it may be better to buy small appliances such as hair dryers and small
radios in France. If you need to buy bedding, small cooking utensils or
stationery supplies, you might try Prisunic or Carrefour (which are Zellers type
stores. International Student Identity Card (ISIC) An
International Student Identity Card (ISIC) is handy to obtain reduced rates and
prices for train fares, movie tickets, museums, etc. University of Western
Ontario students can buy one before you leave France through Travel Cuts ($16 +
$1.50 for postage and handling in ordering by mail) or at the Université de Nice
travel agency, OTU, (underneath the Resto-U at the Fac. des lettres), for about
15 euros. This card is available free of charge for students from Guelph,
Windsor and Memorial -- a benefit of membership in the Canadian Federation of
Students (CFS). The Third Year in Nice Program
Useful information
Travel arrangements and accommodations upon arrival
Documents required for European citizens
Financial Considerations
Please note that we cannot guarantee the current accuracy of
information provided regarding costs. Prices charged by institutions external to
The University of Western Ontario are subject to change without notice, and the
cost of studying abroad is greatly influenced by fluctuations in exchange rates.
There are a
number of administrative fees which you will need to pay shortly after your
arrival (see the “Upon your arrival page” for more details). You will need to
pay the Carte de séjour fee (65 Euros in 2009-10). There used to be a fee for
the obligatory medical examination for the Carte de séjour, but it was free in
recent year.
You will almost certainly need to open a bank account in France,
since you need a bank information in the form of a document called a RIB
(Relevé d'identité bancaire usually pronounced "reeb") to get a phone
line with France Telecom and to apply for rent reimbursement.
OSAP (for Ontario participants)
Health Insurance
What to Bring
Menu
Also of interest:
