Welcome Guide for International Students Esc
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WELCOME GUIDE FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS ESC Rennes School of Business 2010/2011 ESCR/RI/ PFL 1/25 April 2010 Welcome to France Bienvenue à Rennes! Hello and welcome to the ESC Rennes School of Business! We are sure you will be very happy here and we will do our utmost to help you settle in and fully enjoy your experience in France, be it for one semester or a full year. We have compiled this guide to help you prepare your stay in Rennes, but also to accompany you throughout your studies here. It is divided into 4 different chapters: I. General information II. Prepare your journey to Rennes (A to Z) III. What happens when I arrive in Rennes? IV. Useful information for your stay in Rennes (A to Z) This is obviously not exhaustive. It is to be read in conjunction with the Information sheets and is to be kept at hand for reference. In addition, each student will be given on arrival the detailed student handbook concerning his or her particular programme. Happy reading and please feel free to contact us if you feel unsure about anything before you come to France. Disclaimer Although ESC Rennes School of Business does its utmost to ensure that the information contained in this document is updated and correct, it cannot be held responsible for any errors or changes that occur. ESCR/RI/ PFL 2/25 April 2010 Table of Contents I. GENERAL INFORMATION .........................................................................................................5 France...............................................................................................................................................5 Brittany.............................................................................................................................................5 Rennes..............................................................................................................................................5 Language ..........................................................................................................................................5 II. PREPARE YOUR STAY IN RENNES ............................................................................................6 Checklist ...........................................................................................................................................6 Accommodation...............................................................................................................................7 Admissions at ESC Rennes...............................................................................................................7 Arrival in Rennes ..............................................................................................................................7 Arrival documents to send before your journey .............................................................................8 Budget..............................................................................................................................................8 Computers........................................................................................................................................9 Documents to prepare for arrival in France ....................................................................................9 Insurance..........................................................................................................................................9 Integration “fresher’s” weekend “WEI” .....................................................................................9 Missing Documents..........................................................................................................................9 Semester dates & recommended arrival.......................................................................................10 Survival French for Beginners ........................................................................................................10 Travelling to Rennes.......................................................................................................................10 Visa.................................................................................................................................................12 Weather .........................................................................................................................................12 What to bring with you..................................................................................................................12 Whom to contact at ESC Rennes School of Business.....................................................................13 III. WHAT HAPPENS ON ARRIVAL IN RENNES?...........................................................................14 Arrival.............................................................................................................................................14 Accommodation.............................................................................................................................14 Meeting other students .................................................................................................................14 Official programme ........................................................................................................................14 Ofii Form ........................................................................................................................................15 Choice of classes ............................................................................................................................15 Exchange student documents........................................................................................................15 Register with your Embassy...........................................................................................................15 ESCR/RI/ PFL 3/25 April 2010 IV. USEFUL INFORMATION FOR YOUR STAY IN RENNES (A TO Z)...............................................16 Business hours ...............................................................................................................................16 Bank holidays .................................................................................................................................16 Bureau de Tabac ............................................................................................................................16 Childcare ........................................................................................................................................16 Cinemas..........................................................................................................................................16 Conversion charts ..........................................................................................................................16 Dates ..............................................................................................................................................17 Decimal point .................................................................................................................................17 Disability.........................................................................................................................................17 Driving in France ............................................................................................................................17 Educational System........................................................................................................................18 Electricity........................................................................................................................................18 Food ...............................................................................................................................................18 France and the French people .......................................................................................................19 Housing Allowance (CAF) ...............................................................................................................19 Housing tax.....................................................................................................................................19 Laundry...........................................................................................................................................19 Money matters...............................................................................................................................20 Museums........................................................................................................................................20 Post.................................................................................................................................................20 Religion...........................................................................................................................................21 Residence permit ...........................................................................................................................21 Safety..............................................................................................................................................21 Settling into your new home .........................................................................................................21 Shopping ........................................................................................................................................21