Welcoming international exchange students to ISC Paris

We will help you with your housing search, by providing lists of websites where you can look for a place to live.
CosmoPol is the Student Enterprise that focuses on international students. They are available to help you.

Be aware that it’s very difficult to find any accommodation in September in Paris. A room (around 19m2) costs more than 600 euros per month. You should search for it before arriving.

Paris has excellent public transportation: metro, bus, RER (suburban commuter rail), trams, trains. All of these options allow you to get wherever you need to go in Paris or the greater Paris area.

Transportation costs

• If you are a student and under 26 years old and coing to study in France, or a student on a one-year exchange, buy a IMAGINE-R Pass. It is valid for 12 months at a discounted price of 365 euros per year.
• If you are coming for one semester, buy a full-price monthly Navigo Pass, 86.40  euros.

For more information, visit the RATP website.

In France, health insurance is required for ALL students.

1/ If you are a student from an EU country, Norway, Liechtenstein, Iceland, or Switzerland: Bring your European health insurance card (CEAM).

2/ If you are a student from outside Europe: health insurance depends on your situation:

• If you are staying in France for more than three months, you must enroll online in the general Social Security system: https://etudiant-etranger.ameli.fr/
  Note: It may take up to three months to enroll. You must enroll in private health insurance during that time.
• If you are staying in France for less than three months: you must purchase private health insurance. You may also join a “mutuelle” (supplemental health insurance program) to receive additional coverage.

To cover all health-related expenses, a student health insurance plan is highly recommended. ISC Paris has a partnership with HEYME. Discover the terms and conditions of the mutual insurance according to your profile by clicking here. Take advantage of our promotional code.

If you are from a European country, you do not need to open a bank account in France. If you are from outside the EU, we recommend that you open a French account to avoid banking fees.

Note: There may be a fee to open an account. Some banks have special offers for students: HSBC (partners with Cosmopol), Boursorama (Société Générale) or Hello Bank (BNP Paribas).

If you live outside the European Union, you will need a visa to enter France. You can obtain this from the French Embassy or the Campus France office in your country.

Note: this process can take some time. We recommend that you start the process at least two months in advance.

Association life at ISC Paris is rich and varied, and focuses on 14 Student Enterprises.

CosmoPol welcomes and supports international students and helps them integrate into the campus community, with events throughout the school year. They help international students find housing, open a bank account, obtain public transportation passes and complete all of the administrative formalities that are required.

The aim of the buddy program is to promote cultural exchanges and international comprehension !

The main goal of this program is to connect the international students with local students from ISC. The first one will then discover Paris. The Parisians can create or cultivate an international link. For both, it will improve their experience at ISC Paris. It’s simple : to facilitate the integration of the international students at ISC Paris, we connect local buddies (french students) with international buddies (international students newly arrived admitted to the same ISC course). The local buddies will guide them during their first classes in Paris, will show them the place for lunch and will share good moments together as the best places to see in Paris. ISC encourage the local students to plan activities with the international students during all academic year. They both will be invited to international events organized by ISC Paris such as afterworks, museum visits… In order to be really useful, one local buddy can only have one « godson » or international student. It’s a good way to practise your english or another common language.

For more information: