FRA9 · 31.08.2026 · Higher education
France student arrival checklist for the 2026 rentrée
Registration, visa, housing, banking and healthcare: the right order for a smoother arrival.
Registration, visa, housing, banking and healthcare: the right order for a smoother arrival.
Before departure
Keep your final admission letter, passport and visa, first address, financial evidence, required insurance and offline digital copies together. Confirm the enrolment date, exact amount due and original documents directly with the institution.
The first 72 hours
First secure accommodation and a working phone connection, then tell the institution you have arrived. Never hand a passport to a landlord or pay a deposit without an identifiable contract or receipt. International student services can route you to local procedures.
Enrolment and VLS-TS
Complete administrative enrolment on the institution’s timetable. If your visa is a VLS-TS requiring validation, validate it online within the stated period after arrival, keep the confirmation and prepare the next residence step well before expiry.
Banking, healthcare and longer-term housing
A French account can simplify rent, reimbursements and subscriptions, but compare fees and conditions. Start healthcare registration when eligible and keep interim cover until activation. For longer-term housing, verify the landlord, lease, inventory, charges, guarantor and any possible housing support.
The one-minute order
1. Confirm enrolment and fees. 2. Secure an address and phone. 3. Validate the VLS-TS when required. 4. Start bank and health steps. 5. Build a complete housing file. 6. Keep every receipt and deadline in one calendar.
Sources
Campus France, 2026 rentrée and arrival checklist; France-Visas, arrival in France and student visa; Service-Public.fr, international-student procedures. Accessed 31 August 2026.
