Welcome Desk - Researchers

The PSL Welcome Desk aims to provide information to facilitate your transition to Université PSL and life in France. We offer:

• practical checklists,
• individualized in-person or videocall appointments,
• email and phone assistance,
• social events,
• participation in pre-arrival and back-to-school events.

Our office can assist individuals affiliated with Université PSL. If you are going abroad to another country, we can help put you in touch with our counterparts at your welcoming institution abroad.

A word on our history:

Created in 2015 to help orientate international students, the PSL Welcome Desk expanded its services in the fall of 2021 to include support for international researchers and their families.

• Contact my PSL school for their hiring (if applicable) and arrival procedures.
• Complete this form to benefit from PSL Welcome Desk services for international researchers.
• Refer to the practical guides on the Euraxess France platform.
• Gather my documents.
  • List of certified translators in France (ex: for a birth certificate, if applicable)
• Find housing (even a temporary solution) before my arrival.
• Confirm my insurance coverage.
• Plan my budget.
• Plan ahead for my possible research activities in other European countries during my time at PSL. (Note:  Additional procedures may apply.)
• Consider joining YouR PSL, Young Researchers Society for events and peer support.

For more information, we invite you to review the ‘Pre-arrival Checklist for International Researchers.’ Note: if you hold a student visa, please consult the PSL Welcome Desk’s web page for international students. If you are a doctoral candidate and not sure if you are considered a student or a researcher in this context, please see the brochure: ‘International Doctoral Candidates.’

• Contact my PSL school to ask about administrative procedures.
• Validate my visa (VLS-TS) or apply for a first residence permit (‘titre de séjour’), depending on my entry document, using the online service ANEF (Foreigners in France).
• Open a bank account.
• Apply for a social security number.
• Take out mandatory insurance policies and consider the complimentary options.
• Gather information about medical care in France.
• Help my family settle in.
• Work on my French or join the Tandem Program, the PSL Welcome Desk language partner program!
• Renew my residence permit four to two months before the end of my current resident document’s validity. The fee for a late request is 180€.
• Contact the PSL Welcome Desk right away if you encounter a problem.

For more information, we invite you to review the ‘Post-arrival Checklist for International Researchers.’ Note: if you hold a student visa, please consult the PSL Welcome Desk’s web page for international students. If you are a doctoral candidate and not sure if you are considered a student or a researcher in this context, please see brochure: ‘International Doctoral Candidates.’

It is crucial that your arrival in France complies with the regulations according to your circumstances. Your initial status may impact your work authorization, your eligibility for certain benefits, and your future plans in France. It is recommended to discuss your situation with your PSL school and the PSL Welcome Desk before starting administrative processes.

The type of visa granted depends on the duration of your stay, funding, planned activity, and your nationality. If you are already in France, you may need to change your status according to your activity (example: student to “talent-chercheur” to start a PhD contract).

European Union, European Economic Area, and Swiss nationals do not need a visa to live or work in France.

• Use the Visa Wizard to check which visa is appropriate. Commonly seen visas for activity at Université PSL include, among others: ‘talent-chercheur,’ ‘scientifique-chercheur,’ ‘travailleur-temporaire,’ and ‘visiteur’.
• Verify visa requirements for my accompanying family members. The spouse and minor children of “talent-chercheur” holders may request a “talent-famille” visa at the same time as the researcher or later, after the researcher has already entered France.
• Gather my documents in accordance with consular office instructions.
• Upon arrival: depending on what is indicated on my visa sticker, either validate my visa (VLS-TS) or request a residence permit (‘titre de séjour’) on the Foreign Nationals in France (ANEF) website. For help with ANEF requests: FAQ

Finding housing in Paris can be complicated on account of availability, administrative processes, and cost of living. We encourage you to start looking early and contact us as soon as possible if you have any questions.

How do I find housing?

• Contact my PSL school to inquire about possible options offered to international researchers.
• Consult the Euraxess France Housing Guide for International Researchers for helpful links and to get a better understanding of the French system.

Housing ideas for international researchers in Paris*:

• Cité internationale universitaire de Paris (CiuP)
• Résidence internationale d’enseignants-chercheurs Champollion
• Résidence les Carmes
• Maison Suger
• Bed & Crous
• Villa Pasteur
• Centre international des Récollets
• Espacil Habitat
  • Résidence Irène Joliot Curie-Paris 13e
  • Résidence Simone Veil-Paris 14e

*Not an exhaustive list, promotion, or guarantee of availability.

To submit a housing request, you often will be required to provide a ‘garant.’ If you do not have physical guarantor residing in France, you may be eligible for one of the following solutions:

• Visale
• Garantme

DossierFacile can help you assemble your digital file for rental requests.

Once you have found housing, you may also be eligible to receive housing aid from the Caisse d’allocations familiales (Caf).

French as a Foreign Language (FLE)

• Check with your PSL school.
• PSL Ecole interne
• PSL Language Resource Center
• PSL Welcome Desk Tandem Program (language exchange partner)
• Ask the PSL Welcome Desk about the possibility of a license for an online language learning platform.
• City of Paris

Sports

• PSL Sport Registration
• PSL Race at the Bois de Boulogne

Libraries

• PSL School libraries
• National Library of France (BnF)
• Public libraries

Taxes

• Tax season is in the spring of each year.
• General information about how to obtain a fiscal number and declare your revenue.
• If declaring for the first time, you must submit the form and supporting documents by paper. Find the form here.
• Contact your local tax service (SIP) for more information.

Transportation

• RATP - Public transportation in Paris and Ile-de-France
• Paris airports
• French train system - SNCF

Career Development

• Euraxess
• Student entrepreneurship with PSL-Pépite

Whether you are leaving France for good or planning to return, consider the following steps for closing out your current stay.

Activity at Université PSL

• Before leaving, contact my PSL school to request my school certificates, transcripts, and diplomas or arrange for the diploma to be sent by post or picked up by a friend (“procuration”). Contact the human resources department of my PSL school.
• Inform my employer about my departure within the required notice period (“délai de préavis”), request my end-of-contract paperwork, or inform the Unemployment Office (“Pôle emploi”).

Housing

• If renting: inform the landlord or agency in charge of housing of departure by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt (“lettre recommandée avec accusé de reception” or LRAR) within the required notice period as specified in the contract.          
• Carry out check out inspection with the landlord or his/her representative. Your deposit (“dépôt de garantie” ou “caution”) must be returned to you in the two months following your departure.
• Inform the utilities companies (electricity, water, phone, internet, home insurance) if you have a contract.  

Administrative Matters

• Mail can be forwarded (for a fee) by the post (“La Poste”).
• Taxes
• CAF
• CPAM, from your Ameli account, “my procedures” (“mes démarches”).
• NB: the social security number is kept for life.
• Inform multiple administrations (tax office, CPAM for primary health insurance, and retirement office) of departure or change of situation in a single online form. You will keep the same Ameli / CPAM personal account throughout your life.

Health

• Inform complementary health insurer (“mutuelle”) of my departure.
• Request European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) (“Carte européenne d'assurance maladie, CEAM”) if leaving France to stay temporarily in another European country.

Bank

• Check that all debts have been paid (health care fees, pending bills …).
• Contact bank to determine which procedure is necessary to close account (differed closure or not), and to assure the transfer of funds to a foreign account. Unless otherwise indicated you will be asked to send a letter requesting the close of your account including certain elements corresponding to your situation.
• NB: remember to take into account the return of your deposit, and other possible reimbursements.  

Keep certain documents.

Keep in touch with Université PSL!

• Alumni networks

International Researchers: Before My Arrival in France

International Researchers: Upon My Arrival in France

PSL Welcome Desk Brochure: International Researcher Services

PSL Welcome Desk Brochure: International Doctoral Candidates

These guides are indicative and are not contractually binding on Université PSL. The information has been taken from various governmental sites and the experiences of the PSL Welcome Desk. However, this information is subject to change according to the evolution of services or other reasons.  

Do not hesitate to contact us at welcomedesk@psl.eu for any questions or comments.