Practical Information
Practical Information
Enrolment in higher education is an important step in your life, which you have probably been waiting for impatiently. However, it involves considerable changes in your life.
To help you face these changes and in desire to assist you in finding right answers to important questions concerning the start of a new term, we have collected some practical information you will need in your future life as an ESTACA student.
- Practical Information
- Housing
- Catering
- Access
- Funding
- School Life
- Extracurricular Activities
- Social security
- Practical Information
- Housing
- Catering
- Access
- Funding
- School Life
- Extracurricular Activities
- Social security
Practical Information
So, to prepare and start your school year successfully, please have a closer look at the following points concerning accommodation, catering, transportation, funding, school and social life.
Housing
Paris-Saclay Campus
Paris-Saclay Campus
Even though ESTACA does not provide on-campus housing, we can propose other solutions to find good accommodation deals via our partners such as, for example, online searching platforms.
IMMOJEUNE - A PLATFORM TO FIND YOUR NEXT student accomodation
It is a free and secure platform especially dedicated to the ESTACA students. It gives you many opportunities to find an accommodation not only near the school campus but also anywhere in France. The platform offers a wide range of accommodation options for long or short duration. New and existing students can access exclusive offers by following this link:
Website link: https://estaca.immojeune.com/
Public and private student residences, youth hostels, estate agencies, special offers from private landlords or rooms to rent in private homes at moderate rents in exchange for services, all this may be found on the Immojeune platform.
Additionally, a social media wall specifically for ESTACA students is available to find flatmates, exchange furniture or organise car sharing. Besides, feel free to profit from helpful guides.
HOUSING ANYWHEre (PARTNERSHIP)
It is a certified platform dedicated to both: ESTACA locals and international students. The local students going abroad can offer and rent their room for a short-term period or during their absence to international students. The platform includes a range of services including reservation, secured payment, and others. A wide range of housing offers may be found on this platform.
In addition, ESTACA students can profit from the especially created for them page to which they have an access after having created an account with their ESTACA email address:
Website link: https://housinganywhere.com/
Page dedicated to Estaca students: https://housinganywhere.com/Paris--France/estaca/sign-up
Student Residence ‘LES ESTUDINES’
Situated in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (Montignyle-Bretonneux), 10 min by foot from our Paris-Saclay Campus, the residence is ESTACA’s partner (special rental price: around 755€/month)
1, rue des Tritons - 78180 MONTIGNYLE - BRETONNEUX
Tel: +33 (0)9 69 39 22 00
Ensemble2générations
Intergenerational cohabitation for mutual benefit
Many international students take advantage of their studies in France to improve their French language skills and immerse into the French culture by living with seniors.
‘Two generations together’ is a way to value the relationships between two generations: seniors and youngsters, take advantage of senior’s great life experiences and pay reasonable or no price for accommodation. There are three formulas according to which you can be lodged by a senior. Please, check those on the official web site of the association.
Website link: https://ensemble2generations.fr/
Please, consult the web pages listed down to have more accommodation options.
Finding flat sharing solutions and roommates:
https://fr-fr.roomlala.com/
http://www.chez-l-habitant.com/
https://uvsq.studapart.com/fr/
Finding a host Family in Paris:
https://students-francestay.com/fr
http://www.chez-l-habitant.com/
Guarantor
Often to rent the accommodation and built up tenant’s application you will be asked to have a guarantor. If you do not have one, you can take advantage of VISALE.
VISALE is a no-cost solution to the problem of student security deposits. With VISALE, students find housing more quickly and property owners are assured that rent will be paid.
Website link: https://www.visale.fr/
West Campus
WEST Campus
1. ImmoJeune - A PLATFORM TO FIND YOUR NEXT DIGS
ESTACA students have exclusive access to a free and secure accommodation platform. This social and collaborative platform can be used to easily find student housing near the school, but also throughout France and around the world. New and existing students can access exclusive offers using a code : Estaca2019
To see what’s on offer, go to https://estaca.immojeune.com/
This site proposes a wide selection of short, medium and long-term housing, to meet all your needs, for occasional stays or for the duration of your time at the school.
You will find public and private student residences, youth hostels, estate agencies, special offers from private landlords or rooms to rent in private homes at moderate rents in exchange for services rendered.
A social media wall specifically for ESTACA students can also be used to find flatmates, exchange furniture or organise car-sharing.
Free helpful guides are available to answer any questions you may have about housing, housing grants, flat-sharing, rental guarantees, as well as plenty of other advice and tips.
Near the WEST campus
VIA PRIVATE LANDLORDS
Résidences Estudialis par l’agence MARIMO
Tel. : 02 43 49 26 09 -
UNIVERSITY RESIDENCES ON SOCIAL CRITERIA
La Dormerie
54, rue des Docteurs Calmette et Guérin, 53000 Laval
Tél. : 02 43 49 25 85
http://www.crous-nantes.fr/logement/residence-la-dormerie/
SOCIAL HOUSING GRANT
- F.J.T Pierre de Coubertin (le plus proche du campus), 104, avenue Pierre de Coubertin - 53000 Laval - Tél. : 02 43 53 17 98
- F.J.T du Pont de Mayenne - 8 bis, rue de Paradis - 53000 Laval - Tél. : 02 43 59 72 80 -
- F.J.T de la Meslerie - Rue Emile Sinoir - 53000 Laval - Tél. : 02 43 68 06 00
Housing Grant
1. PERSONAL HOUSING GRANT (APL) AND SOCIAL HOUSING GRANT (ALS)
There are different types of housing grants:
- APL or ALS: all students renting, sub-letting or flat sharing can receive grants of from €30 to €300 per month depending on their situation. The housing must be your main residence and the lease signed in your name.
All the information and methods and a simulator can be found on the site: www.caf.fr, and you can download the forms online.
- CLé is a French State guarantee enabling students without personal guarantors to access housing. The CLE is managed by the CROUS. Requests can be made on the website: www.lokaviz.fr
- The FSL offers general assistance to people in difficulty, in the form of loans or grants. For more information: www.service-public.fr
- The advance and guarantee LOCA-PASS®: this aid offers an interest-free loan repayable in small monthly instalments to fund your rental deposit and a guarantee in the event of unpaid rent to be given to landlords. https://locapass.actionlogement.fr
- Mobili-Jeune is rental assistance which pays part of your rent during your sandwich course. The aid is aimed at young students in training. See this page for more information. Remember also to check your eligibility for the deposit with the Action Logement guarantee.
- Visale is a free guarantee service for all students under 30 looking for housing in the private sector or in some university residences: www.visale.fr
Note: These grants cannot be combined with the family allowance. If you decide to benefit from the APL or ALS, you will no longer be considered as part of your parents’ household for family allowance. However, it is not necessary to be separated from your parents’ household to receive these grants, your parents may continue to declare you on their tax return. Information, simulation and form on: www.caf.fr
Catering
EStaca-Paris Saclay
-
Available on Campus:
- Cafeteria with microwaves available
- Food truck
- Picard Food Machine
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Outside ESTACA:
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“Brasserie Leclerc”
Student’s cafeteria within the UVSQ (University of Versailles-Saint Quentin) situated 15 minutes by foot from ESTACA campus. Students profit from a various meals for reasonable prices and may get a full menu from 3.50€ to 10€. To access it you will need a CROUS card that school orders for students.
Opening hours: from 11.30am to 1.45pm
Address: 3 rue de la division Leclerc, 78280 Guyancourt
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“Cafétéria Vauban” - university restaurant à Saint Quentin-en-Yvelines
Opening hours: from 8.30am to 3.30pm
Address: 1 rue d’Alembert, 78280 Guyancourt
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More restaurants are situated in the shopping mall 10 min by foot from Estaca
Address: 5 Rue Colbert, 78180 Montigny-le-Bretonneux
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Baker’s shop “O Pain du Lac”
Address: 13 Place de Wicklow, 78180 Montigny-le-Bretonneux
Opening hours: from 6.30 am to 8pm
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Please, find more restaurants by following the link below:
http://www.crous-versailles.fr/restauration/nos-restaurants/
Estaca – West Laval Campus
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“L’Aubepin”
University CROUS restaurant in front of ESTACA. The cost per meal for students is €3.25.
Opening hours: from 10am to 2.15pm.
Address: Parc Tertiaire 4 Rue Georges Charpak - Changé
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“Paparazzi Pizzeria” - student’s office partner
Adresse: 36 rue du Pont de Mayenne – Laval
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“Le Fournil de Pierre” bakery
Is situated at a walking distance from the campus
Menu: Sandwich + drink + dessert is €4.20
Address: 111 boulevard de Buffon – Changé 6
-
“Ange Boulangerie” baker’s shop
Situated at a walking distance from the campus, special rates provided if you show your ESTACA student card.
Address: 58 avenue de Mayenne – Laval
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Les Restos du Cœur
Contact: Odile Leclercq on 02 43 01 46 41 for budget assistance
Opening hours: from 9 am to 3.30 pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, registration by appointment possible on 02 43 69 54 41
Address: 44 Rue Henri Bâtard, 53000 Laval
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“Camion du Cœur” - hot meals in the evening (no registration), hairdresser, clothes, etc.
Contact: Jean-Louis Pommier on 06 44 30 87 23
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“Galerie Carrefour”
Opening hours: from 9 am to 9 pm
Adresse: 46, Avenue du Maréchal Delattre De Tassigny – Laval
Access
Access, Transports Campus Paris-Saclay
12 avenue Paul Delouvrier (RD10)
78180 Montigny-le-Bretonneux
applications :
SNCF
Departure stations: La Défense (Ligne U), Montparnasse (Ligne N), Austerlitz (RER C)
Arrival stations: Saint-Quentin-en-Yvenlines - Montigny-le-Bretonneux
Bus
Bus terminal Paul Delouvrier line 16 and 475, Bus terminal Les Près line 91-06, 10
RATP
The Imagine R card is available to students under 26 in the Paris region. It offers 50% savings on the NaviGO card. You can travel on all Paris region transport on the Métro, Bus, Tram, Train, RER (except Orlyval and Allobus CDG).
Information on RATP Imagine R - Information about the public transport network in the Paris region and journey times on www.ratp.f
CAR
Highway access: N10, N12, A12, A86 with direct access to La Défense via the A14.
Note: parking at the school is reserved for associations and permanent staff. We recommend the use of soft mobility and public transport for all other students.
AccEsS, Transport WEST Campus - Laval
Parc Universitaire Laval-Changé
Rue Georges Charpak - BP 76121
53061 Laval Cedex 9
Les Transports Urbains Lavallois - TUL
Laval has a bus network, with one stop on the University Campus.
Subscriptions are available to students. About €16 / month
SNCF
The discount card Jeune 18 - 27 offers up to 60% off trains and 25% guaranteed even at the last moment.
Laval to Paris takes 1½ hours by TGV, with 10 return trains daily. There are direct links from Laval to Lyon and Marseilles
BICYCLE
Vélitul is a self-service bike-hire system offered by Laval Agglomération.
Vélitul can be used with a Vélitul card or a credit card for occasional use.
Funding
THERE ARE MANY WAYS OF FUNDING YOUR STUDIES DEPENDING ON YOUR SITUATION
ESTACA BURSARIES
To help students, the school reserves part of the Taxe d’Apprentissage paid by companies for students. Last year, 164 bursaries were allocated based on the student’s school grades and the parents’ tax bracket.
MEANS-TESTED CROUS/CNOUS BURSARIES
Aimed at students from families of limited means, they should be applied for between 15 January and 30 April from the current school Crous. More information on www.cnous.fr
LOCAL AUTHORITY ASSISTANCE
Regions, departments and towns offer financial assistance to Schools for students from their region. Any student tax domiciled in the Mayenne department choosing to attend ESTACA Campus Ouest may be entitled to means-tested financial aid in additional to higher education bursaries.
Passeport Mobilité
The Passeport Mobilité entitles students from the French Overseas Territories studying in France to one return journey per university year, when those studies do not exist in their department or territory of origin. Students wishing to do engineering studies at ESTACA can apply for this grant.
NEW GOVERNMENTAL FINANCIAL AID
The Aide au Mérite is in addition to the means-tested bursary. It is awarded to students who obtain very high marks in the Baccalaureate or a high-level Degree. It amounts to €1,800 per year. Information: http://www.cnous.fr/
For students in difficulty, specific aid can provide rapid financial assistance on a one-off basis or for the university year. This aid can come in two forms: either a one-off payment to a student in serious difficulties, or annual aid granted to students with lasting difficulties. To apply for the grant, get an application form from your CROUS. More information on Service public
EIFFEL SCHOLARSHIPS
Scholarships may be awarded to foreign students. For more information: https://www.campusfrance.org/fr/eiffel
MOBILITY GRANTS
Various schemes exist to provide financial assistance for travel to a foreign country for training. Reserved for bursary students, the mobility grant can be awarded for a minimum of 3 months up to 9 months for a university stay. When planning your trip, ESTACA’s international department will provide all the information about other possible aids such as Léonardo, Zellidja travel grants, etc.
LOANS
INFORMATION CONCERNING BANK LOANS
Student loans are consumer credit offered to finance your studies. Repayment can be deferred, meaning you only start to pay it back when you graduate and have a job. ESTACA has agreements with certain banks that offer attractive conditions for students at the school. Below is a list of people to contact in these banks. However, all banks offer loans at attractive rates for student engineers.
ESTACA PARTNER BANKS
DOCUMENTS TO PROVIDE BANKS FOR LOAN APPLICATIONS1. Proof of enrolment at ESTACA or
- Certificate of school attendance or Student card;
- Valid proof of identity (passport, identity card);
- Valid proof of guarantor’s / parents’ identity;
- Proof of address less than 3 months old (gas or electricity bill, telephone bill, tax statement, etc.);
- Last rent receipt (if renting) or certificate of accommodation + copy of landlord’s proof of identity;
- Tax statement of guarantor parents;
- Last 3 payslips of guarantor parents;
- Last 3 bank statements of guarantors;
- For loans in progress (property, consumer, etc.), the loan amortisation schedule.
STATE-GUARANTEED LOAN OSEO
A French-government “student loan” that is not means-tested and requires no guarantor, is available to all students under 28, of French nationality or from a European Union country, enrolled in higher education. The Ministry for Higher Education has created a fund for 20,000 loans of a maximum amount of €15,000. To apply for this loan, called the “Prêt Oséo”, you should contact one of the five partner banks directly: Banque Populaire, Crédit Mutuel, CIC, Caisses d’Epargne and Société Générale. The interest rate is fixed freely by each financial institution. For more information: www.etudiant.gouv.fr.
JOBS AND INTERNSHIPS
ESTACA students can earn money through student jobs. Numerous job offers are published by the Student Office, Junior Estaca and other school associations during the year.
Any internships during the school year may also be paid. The first-year internship may be subject to a temporary employment contract and a salary (usually the minimum wage or SMIC).
Engineering internships are usually paid (depending on the mission, the country and the company)
School Life
Assessments
Assessment includes two exam sessions per semester. It might be written reports combined with oral exams on projects, internships, practical works etc.
Each course will allow you to accumulate ECTS (European Credit Transfer System). A jury comprised of members of the school board and professors decides passage to the following year. All students validating the required number of ECTS move on to the following year. In case of failure, a student may be asked to redo a year.
Organisation of study
From the start of the school year, a whole team is at your service:
- Department of studies
- In the department of studies, you will be able to meet your academic advisor, depending on the year you have enrolled. Academic advisor is the person who accompanies you in your courses and helps you during the entire academic year.
- Permanent professors who coordinate teaching and monitor students throughout their time at the school.
- Sector managers. You can always talk to a sector manager of your particular branch. They are competent to help you with all questions related to your speciality.
- Teacher researchers who work in the school’s science laboratories and provide student training.
- Part-time lecturers from the public higher education system from industries and research institutions.
- Administration advisors who will make sure you have all the necessary documents and papers to start and continue your year.
- International Department (in particularly for international student)
- Estaca has an International Department that takes care of students coming from abroad to accomplish their studies at Estaca. The department provides students with the assistance while their visa applications, housing research, arrival, administration procedures and others.
Before the beginning of an academic year, you will be contacted by any of these departments and receive all the information you need to start the year: timetable, list of classes, etc.
INTERNSHIPS
All students must complete one year of company internship during their training. There are four mandatory internships and two optional ones, including a possible full year immersion. Internships take place in France or abroad and are subject to an agreement between the school and the company.
At ESTACA, whether it is to find offers or help you with the formalities Corporate Relations Department is there to help you find the right place to apply your knowledge. Do not hesitate to get in touch with it at the beginning of academic year.
Every year, Corporate Relations Department organises a job-dating forum on the Paris-Saclay. All students are invited to participate. At this forum, you will meet potential recruiters and can prepare yourself to enter jobs market. The department also provides the Job Teaser platform to help students find internships
Extracurricular Activities
Extracurricular Activities
There are plenty of activities and events at ESTACA for students who are enthusiastic, dynamic and energetic or for ones who want to become one of those students.
- Clubs and associations
At ESTACA there are many clubs and student’s associations. The organisation that takes care of them is called Bureau des Elèves (BDE) that is our Student Office. BDE organises various events and parties throughout the academic year. For example, in January the BDE and Ski Club offer students a ski trip for a week. This event has been successful since it was created.
All the freshers can join ESTACA associations according to their interests and participate in student’s events and parties organised by BDE.
BUDDY PROGRAM
In order to help international students get settled in when they arrive in France or even before their departure International Department at ESTACA developed a Buddy Program together with the student government and other associations.
Buddy is a French local student who volunteers to help a foreign student when they arrive in France. He or she may in particular help you complete your first administrative procedures. With this person, you will also be able to quickly meet other students, become a part of the associations developed at ESTACA and become familiar with French culture.
International department assigns Buddies to international students before their arrival so that they are able to get additional answers concerning school life and integration in France in general from local ESTACA students.
Buddies are constantly present in life of our international students to help and support them. They are also eagerly participating in different events organised for International Students like Integration Days, Cultural Visits, Ice Breaker Activities and others.
Social security
SOCIAL SECURITY AND PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE
The Social Security (sécurité sociale) in France is free of charge and compulsory for all students in France: https://etudiant-etranger.ameli.fr/#/
For further reading (Campus France): https://www.campusfrance.org/fr/comment-s-affilier-a-la-securite-sociale
Note: The Social Security is free of charge. Please do not confuse this with the CVEC contribution. All international degree seeking students are requested to pay the CVEC contribution. It's collected by the CROUS to cover various on-campus actions such as social, cultural and sport actions, health education and prevention.
For further reading (Campus France): https://www.campusfrance.org/system/files/medias/documents/2018-08/Proc%C3%A9dure%20CVEC_EN.pdf
PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE
The Social Security does not cover 100% of health cost. Therefore, you may wish to subscribe to a complementary health insurance through the insurance provider of your choice.