For citizens of Azerbaijan the route starts months ahead: the Études en France procedure and an interview at Campus France in Baku, then the visa at Capago. In France, almost everything runs online and asks for a French IBAN (a RIB): rent, phone plans and health refunds, so the first week is about getting the account, the address and the health insurance registration in place.
Money
Euro (€)
Language
French
Time
UTC+1; UTC+2 from the last Sunday of March to the last Sunday of October
Plugs
Type C and E; 230 V
Tipping
Service is included (service compris); rounding up is optional
112 works from any phone and routes you to the right service. 114 is for people who cannot speak or hear, by SMS, chat, video or the Urgence 114 app. Emergency services call back from 0 800 112 112.
Set these up before you fly
The essentials that take days to arrange or have to work the moment you land.
Places, programmes and the minimum cGPA are from ADA’s list. Confirm them with the Office of Global Outreach and Partners before you apply: exchange@ada.edu.az
Payments & banking4
Cards and contactless work almost everywhere; a French IBAN (RIB) is what rent, phone contracts and health refunds ask for.
FB
French bank account (RIB)Essential
A French IBAN for rent, phone, CAF and health refunds
On arrival
Why you need it: Assurance Maladie, landlords and phone operators pay or debit a French account, and the bank’s RIB sheet is asked for constantly.
Ask your host school which banks it works with: many have student offers and come to campus at the start of term
Book an appointment with passport, visa, enrolment certificate and proof of address
Download the RIB from the bank’s app as soon as the account opens
Before you rely on itBanks can refuse you. Anyone domiciled in France then has a legal right to a basic account: send the refusal letter to the Banque de France, which names a bank that must open one. The procedure is free.
Source: banque-france.fr · the provider or a government body · Checked
Re
Revolut
App account with a euro IBAN and a card
Optional
Why you need it: Once your main home is in France it can give you an IBAN starting FR and a card from the app, useful while a traditional bank appointment is pending. The Standard plan is free.
Free, paid extrasVaries by nationalityVaries by residence status
Wait until you have a French address and your visa
Sign up in the app with your passport and a selfie
Upload proof of residence if asked
Before you rely on itFor citizens of Azerbaijan: sign up only once you live in France, with France as your country of residence; approval is not guaranteed. Some landlords prefer a traditional French bank, so ask before relying on it alone.
Source: revolut.com · the provider or a government body · Not yet confirmed at the source; check before relying on it
We
Wero
Send money to friends with just a phone number
Optional
Why you need it: Friends settle up for dinners and shared groceries through Wero, built into the apps of many French banks.
Activate Wero in your bank’s app, or in the Wero app if your bank uses it
Send or request money with a phone number or a QR code
Before you rely on itIt moves money only between accounts at participating banks, within France and to Belgium and Germany (2026); an Azerbaijani card cannot be linked. Lydia is another app students use.
Source: wero-wallet.eu · the provider or a government body · Checked
Iz
Izly
Campus wallet for Crous canteens, cafés and laundries
On arrival
Why you need it: You show an active Izly account to get the €1 Crous meal, and it pays at Crous cafés and canteens, so it is the way to eat cheaply on and near campus.
Wait for the Izly activation email after enrolment
Activate the account with the temporary password and install the app
Top up from €5 and pay with the QR code or your student card
Before you rely on itThe activation email comes through your school, which must be linked to the Crous; private schools vary, so ask the international office.
Source: izly.fr · the provider or a government body · Checked
Essential apps4
French daily life runs through a handful of apps: trains, doctors, the health insurance account and second-hand listings.
SC
SNCF Connect
Tickets for TGV, TER regional trains and discount cards
Before departure
Why you need it: From the airport to Nantes or Lille and every weekend trip after, this is where French train tickets and the youth card are bought.
Install the app and create an account with your French number
Search by specialty and city, and check the languages on the doctor’s profile
Bring your carte Vitale or ameli certificate to the appointment
Before you rely on itThe doctor sets the fee; check whether they are secteur 1 (standard state rate). Without a social security number yet, you pay in full and claim back later.
Source: doctolib.fr · the provider or a government body · Not yet confirmed at the source; check before relying on it
CA
Compte ameli
Your health insurance account: refunds, certificates, carte Vitale
On arrival
Why you need it: Once registered, this is where you download the attestation de droits a doctor or school asks for, track refunds and order the carte Vitale.
Before you rely on itFake room listings are common: never pay a deposit for a flat you have not seen, and keep payments inside the app where it offers it.
Source: apps.apple.com · the provider or a government body · Not yet confirmed at the source; check before relying on it
Transport4
Nantes and Lille have their own tram, metro and bus networks with youth passes; regional TER and high-speed trains link them to Paris, and Lille to Brussels and London.
Na
Naolib
Nantes trams, buses, Busway and Navibus river shuttles
On arrival
Why you need it: Audencia students cross Nantes by tram and bus daily, and the whole network is free on Saturdays and Sundays.
For daily travel, get a Naolib card with a monthly ticket or the Formule sur mesure (pay per use)
Validate every time you board; on the Formule sur mesure that includes trams
Before you rely on itWeekend travel is free on the urban network, but the airport shuttle always needs its own €10 ticket, sold in the app and at ticket machines (2026). The Formule Illimitée is a 12-month subscription, so it rarely suits one semester; ask Audencia whether it helps with a pass.
Source: naolib.fr · the provider or a government body · Checked
Il
Ilévia
Lille metro, trams and buses
On arrival
Why you need it: The automated metro links the Lille Flandres and Lille Europe stations with the city centre, and with trams and buses it reaches the campuses of IÉSEG, Sciences Po Lille and the Catholic University.
Paid · Monthly pass for ages 4–25 living in the Lille metropolitan area: about €33.40, or about €28.65 a month on the direct-debit subscription (2026)Varies by city
Buy single tickets in the Ilévia app or at metro machines
Get a personal Pass Pass card for a monthly pass
Load the 4–25 monthly pass if you are under 26
Before you rely on itUnder-26s pay much less than adults. The bus network was redrawn on 31 August 2026, so use the current route planner on ilevia.fr rather than older maps.
Source: ilevia.fr · the provider or a government body · Not yet confirmed at the source; check before relying on it
TR
TER regional trains
Regional trains around Nantes and Lille
Optional
Why you need it: TER gets you to the coast from Nantes or to Arras and the Belgian border from Lille, and each region sells an under-26 card that halves the fare.
Paid · Under-26 card: €15 a year in Hauts-de-France, €20 a year in Pays de la Loire, each for 50% off (2026)Varies by city
Lille: buy Ma Carte TER Hauts-de-France -26 ans; Nantes: buy the Carte Aléop Jeune -50% (-26 ans)
Add the card to your account before buying tickets so the discount applies
Before you rely on itFor regional trips these cards beat the national Carte Avantage Jeune, whose TER discount varies by region. Each is valid only on its own region’s trains.
Source: ter.sncf.com · the provider or a government body · Not yet confirmed at the source; check before relying on it
Eu
Eurostar
High-speed trains from Lille to London and Brussels
Optional
Why you need it: Lille Europe is a stop on the line between London and Brussels, so weekend trips from Lille are short and simple.
Before you rely on itFor citizens of Azerbaijan: London needs a UK visitor visa, applied for separately. The UK is outside Schengen, so passport checks happen at Lille Europe before boarding; other nationals may need a UK visa or an ETA.
Source: eurostar.com · the provider or a government body · Not yet confirmed at the source; check before relying on it
SIM, eSIM & internet2
Mobile plans are cheap and contract-free (sans engagement); expect to pay monthly by direct debit from a euro account.
FM
Free MobileEssential
Cheap no-contract SIM with large data and EU roaming
On arrival
Why you need it: You need a French number for the bank, Doctolib and landlords, and no-contract plans fit a five-month stay.
Paid · Série Free: €12.99 a month for the first year, 110 GB in France plus 30 GB in Europe (2026)
Order online or get a SIM from a Free store kiosk with your passport
Choose a plan sans engagement
Set up the monthly payment
Cancel online before you leave France
Before you rely on itMonthly plans are paid by direct debit, so expect to need a euro IBAN; open the bank account first or start with a prepaid SIM. RED by SFR, Sosh (Orange) and B&You (Bouygues) offer similar no-contract plans.
Source: mobile.free.fr · the provider or a government body · Checked
Ed
eduroam
Campus wi-fi at French universities and schools
On arrival
Why you need it: Many French campuses offer eduroam through the RENATER network, and the same login then works at other universities you visit.
Get your host school account and password from the international office
Ask its IT service whether the campus offers eduroam or its own wi-fi
For eduroam, install the school’s profile from cat.eduroam.org or follow its IT guide
Before you rely on itADA University was not listed on eduroam CAT (October 2026), so expect to use your host school account rather than your ADA one. Not every school offers eduroam; some run their own network.
Source: eduroam.fr · the provider or a government body · Checked
Visa, registration & legal5
Campus France in Baku, the visa at Capago, then, for a VLS-TS, online validation within three months of arrival and free health insurance registration.
ÉE
Études en France (Campus France Azerbaijan)Essential
Compulsory pre-visa procedure and interview, run from Baku
Before departure
Why you need it: Azerbaijan is an Études en France country: the consulate will not take a study visa application until Campus France in Baku has processed your file and interviewed you.
Paid · 100 AZN file-processing fee (2026)Varies by nationality
Once the French school accepts you, create an account on the Études en France platform
Choose “Je suis étudiant à l’étranger / étudiant en échange / double diplôme” and Campus France Azerbaïdjan
Upload passport, photo, a one-page CV, transcripts for the last three years and the host’s acceptance
Pay the fee to the Institut français d’Azerbaïdjan’s bank account and attend the compulsory interview, in person or by video
Before you rely on itFor citizens of Azerbaijan: Campus France sits within the Institut français in Baku. Residents of Azerbaijan with another passport may also be able to apply here with a residence card; ask Campus France Baku. It does not issue visas: the French consulate decides separately, and an acceptance letter does not guarantee one. Start as soon as the host school accepts you.
Fill in the application on France-Visas once Campus France has cleared your file
Book an appointment at Capago in Baku (Globus Center, 14th floor, 609 Jafar Jabbarli street) straight away, and pay its fee within 72 hours or the slot is released
Bring proof of means (at least €877.50 a month), accommodation and the host’s acceptance
Check which visa is on the sticker when you collect your passport
Before you rely on itTwo student visas exist. A VLS-TS (4 months to a year) must be validated online within three months of arrival and allows part-time work and the Visale guarantee. A VLS-T (4 to 12 months) needs no validation, but allows no work, no Visale and no CAF housing aid, and cannot be renewed. Check France-Visas for how early you may lodge the application.
Source: service-public.gouv.fr · the provider or a government body · Not yet confirmed at the source; check before relying on it
VT
VLS-TS validation (ANEF)Essential
Validate the student visa online within 3 months of arrival
On arrival
Why you need it: A VLS-TS only counts as your residence permit once validated online. Without it you cannot stay lawfully beyond your first three months, or come back into France after a trip abroad once those three months have passed.
Paid · €100 tax, paid online at validation (2026)Varies by residence status
Open the ANEF site, choose the VLS-TS validation and enter your visa number, entry date and address
Pay the €100 tax online by card, or with an electronic stamp (timbre fiscal) bought at a tobacconist
Download the confirmation and keep it with your passport
Before you rely on itOnly for a VLS-TS; a VLS-T needs no validation. The deadline is three months from arrival. Do it as soon as you have an address, so the confirmation is ready before any trip outside France.
Source: campusfrance.org · the provider or a government body · Checked
AM
Assurance Maladie (French health insurance)Essential
Free state health cover for students staying over 3 months
On arrival
Why you need it: Registration is free and compulsory for non-EU students staying longer than three months, and it is what refunds your doctor and pharmacy costs.
FreeVaries by nationalityVaries by residence status
Get your enrolment certificate (attestation d’inscription) from the host school
Register on etudiant-etranger.ameli.fr and upload passport, visa, enrolment certificate, birth certificate and your French RIB
Wait for your provisional, then permanent, social security number
Then open the Compte ameli app and order a carte Vitale
Before you rely on itIt refunds part of the cost, not all of it; a mutuelle covers the rest. It takes weeks to come through, so carry travel insurance for the first month. Your birth certificate needs a French translation; check the site for whether it must be a certified one.
Top-up insurance for what the state does not refund
Optional
Why you need it: The state scheme refunds only part of a visit or a hospital stay; a mutuelle pays the rest, and some landlords and schools ask whether you have one.
Before you rely on itOptional by law. Compare a monthly student mutuelle with any travel or health insurance you already hold; for one semester you rarely need both.
Ask your host school first whether it reserves Crous rooms for exchange students
Otherwise search the remaining rooms on trouverunlogement.lescrous.fr
Prepare a guarantor: Visale is accepted
Before you rely on itMost rooms are allocated in summer; for a February start, few are left, so act as soon as you are nominated. Bed&Crous offers short stays for the first nights.
Monthly state help towards rent, now closed to most non-EU students
Optional
Why you need it: Older guides tell every student to claim it. Since 1 July 2026, a student from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland with a study permit qualifies only with a Crous need-based grant, a job, or an apprenticeship or professionalisation contract, so most exchange students cannot.
FreeVaries by nationalityVaries by residence status
Check whether you fall into one of the three cases (grant, job, apprenticeship)
If you do, validate your VLS-TS, then apply online on caf.fr after moving in
Before you rely on itNever with a VLS-T. Processing takes weeks, so in a one-semester stay it may cover only a few months. Do not count on it when budgeting rent.
Ask your bank or a student insurer for a policy covering rental risks (risques locatifs)
Get the certificate (attestation) the same day
Hand it over at check-in
Before you rely on itRequired for an ordinary lease and for a bail mobilité, the short furnished lease of 1–10 months many students sign (under a bail mobilité the landlord may not ask for a deposit). Some residences include the insurance; ask.
A student card opens €1 Crous meals, youth train fares and ESN events; most discounts are for under-26s or under-28s.
CS
CVEC (student life contribution)
The yearly student fee most enrolments ask proof of
Before departure
Why you need it: Degree students must pay it before enrolling; exchange students under a partnership agreement are usually exempt, so check before paying.
Cost varies · €105 for 2026–27Varies by universityVaries by residence status
Before you rely on itIncoming exchange students under an agreement between their home university and the French school are not subject to the CVEC; ask your host whether it wants a certificate. If you paid by mistake, a refund request is open until 31 May 2027.
Source: univ-lyon1.fr · the provider or a government body · Checked
CR
Crous restaurants (€1 meal)
University canteens: a full meal for €1
On arrival
Why you need it: Since May 2026 every student pays €1 for a main dish and up to two sides at Crous canteens, the cheapest hot meal in France.
Before you rely on itUsable until the day before your 28th birthday. For regional TER trips only, the region’s own under-26 card is cheaper and gives more.
Source: sncf-voyageurs.com · the provider or a government body · Checked
Note the hours: documents Monday to Friday 09:30–13:00; consular phone line 09:30–11:00
Keep a scan of your passport and visa in your email
Before you rely on itNot from Azerbaijan? Your own embassy’s page is the one to save. Lille is about an hour and Nantes about two hours from Paris by TGV.
Source: paris.mfa.gov.az · the provider or a government body · Checked
MS
Ma Sécurité
Police chat 24/7, online complaints, nearest station
Optional
Why you need it: For a stolen phone or wallet you need a police report (plainte) for insurance and a new passport, and this site files it or books the station.
Greetings, Sunday closures and strikes shape the week; learning them early saves time and awkward moments.
01Bonjour comes first
Start every exchange, in a shop, a bus or an office, with “Bonjour, madame” or “Bonjour, monsieur” before your question. Skipping it reads as rude and gets you slower service.
02Sundays are closed
Most shops shut on Sunday and many small ones close at lunchtime. Many city-centre supermarkets open on Sunday mornings; plan the big shop for Saturday.
03Strikes are announced ahead
Transport strikes (grèves) are common and published in advance on SNCF Connect and the city network’s site. Check before travel days and exams.
04Keep a justificatif de domicile
Banks, phone operators and Assurance Maladie all ask for proof of address: a recent bill, a Crous certificate or a letter from your host (attestation d’hébergement). Ask your landlord for one on day one.
05Tap water is free
Ask for “une carafe d’eau” in a restaurant and you get tap water at no cost. Service is already in the bill; leaving a few coins is a kindness, not an obligation.
06Lunch is a proper meal
Lunch runs from about 12:00 to 14:00, and many restaurants stop serving after that; dinner starts around 19:30–20:00. Crous canteens serve lunch in much the same window.
07La bise among friends
Friends and classmates greet with light cheek kisses (la bise), the number varying by region. A handshake or a “salut” is always fine if you are unsure.
08Tu and vous are not the same
Use “vous” with staff, professors and anyone older; “tu” is for friends and fellow students. Professors will tell you if they prefer otherwise.
09Paperwork comes by post
Assurance Maladie, banks and the tax office still send letters. Put your name on the letterbox (boîte aux lettres) on the first day, or the post will not arrive.
Your checklist.
Tick things off as you go. Your ticks stay in this browser; nothing is sent anywhere.
0 of 18 done
Where this guide comes from
31 of 31 entries were read from the provider itself or a government or university body. Each links its source and the date it was checked.
Know a resource we’re missing? A person checks every suggestion before it’s listed.
The guides point to official sources and are not legal or immigration advice. How entries are chosen and what each check does and does not cover are set out in the Terms. What Telebem collects is in the Privacy policy.
