ECOLE POLYTECHNIQUE

International Office

Phone : + 33 1 69 33 39 45 or 42 99

Fax : + 33 1 69 33 30 53

E-Mails : pascale.fuseau@polytechnique.fr and myriam.cloarec@polytechnique.fr

Contacts : Mrs. Pascale FUSEAU and Ms. Myriam CLOAREC

 

 

 

INFORMATION FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

 

 

 

ENTRY REGULATIONS (only for non-members of the European Economic Community)

 

A Student Visa must be issued in your home country by the French Embassy/Consulate before you arrive in France. Students from EEC and AELE nations are exempt from this regulation.

The documents required for obtaining the visa are provided by the Ecole polytechnique.

Once the admission is confirmed into the programme, The International Office of the Ecole polytechnique sends, via the postal mail, a statement confirming :

-         the admission at the Ecole Polytechnique

-         the confirmation of the scholarship given by the Fondation de l’Ecole polytechnique.

The students who do not receive this scholarship will be asked to show a proof of their own resources (Certificate of scholarship from the home institution or government or a bank certificate. Proof must be be given of at least 4.200 euros/year)

-         certificate of accommodation.

 

ACCOMMODATION

 

Housing cannot be guaranted on the campus of the Ecole polytechnique because of lack of rooms.

Therefore, an agreement has been signed with the Residence “La Pacaterie” for 25 rooms.

It is situated at the University of Orsay. It is reminded that the students who agree to be accommodated at the Residence must fulfill their committment until the end of their stay.

 

Accommodation at the Residence “La Pacaterie”

 

The Residence “La Pacaterie” is situated at two train stations from the Ecole.

It is on the west side of the University of Orsay, in the building 499. It is within 10 minutes ‘ walk from the RER B train station “Orsay Ville”and within 10 minutes’ walk from the town centre of Orsay.

It is composed of a building divided into two wings with 5 floors and a total of 320 bedrooms.

Its postal address :

Residence Universitaire “La Pacaterie

Bâtiment 499

91400 ORSAY

 

 

 

All rooms are single and measure 10m2. They are equipped with a bed, a desk, a cupboard,

a telephone plug and a computer plug which gives access to the net pac@net.

 

Many services are available :

 

-         Bed linen is provided but not the towels

-         One washing-machine and one drying-machine. They work with tokens in sale at the welcome desk.

-         Many leisure rooms are at the students’ disposal : You can watch television, play the piano, video games, a game of billiards, table tennis. A photo studio and a painting studio are also available.

 

The rent for the room is 172 euro per month (rate for 2003/2004).

Upon your arrival, you will be asked to pay an extra 180 euro as a guarantee (you will get this money back at the end of your stay providing you leave the room in a correct state).

You will also have to give a statement certifying your financial support and 2 photographs.

 

Special insurance :

Upon your arrival at “La Pacaterie”, you will be asked to purchase a special insurance for the room to be covered in case of water or fire damages.

There is a special office at the University of Orsay which handles this service.

 

Allowance :

Students make the request directly to « la Caisse d'Allocations Familiales » (CAF) (http://www.caf.fr) when they are already in France and when they have received their residence permit (see the paragraph “Residence permit”).

 

Transportation :

The best way to come from “La Pacaterie” to the Ecole is by the “RER B”. Students admitted for a year are advised to purchase the card “Imagine R” at the cost of 250 euro (for 2002/2003) and valid for the year. Students admitted for shorter periods can buy a monthly card at the cost of 46 euro (Carte Orange).

 

 

Accommodation on the campus

 

The fee for the room is 122 euro per month (2002/2003). Upon your arrival, you will be asked to pay an extra 150 euro as a guarantee.

All rooms are single and measure 10 m2. They are equipped with a bed, a desk, a cupboard,

a telephone plug and a computer plug which gives access to the internet.

Bed linen is provided but not the towels.

Students accommodated on the campus cannot apply for the allowance of the CAF because the rooms are not registered as hall residence accommodations.

 

 

CAMPUS RESTAURANT

The restaurant is open all the year round and serves the three meals.

The price of a meal is about 6 euro per meal depending on your personal needs.

All the students including those accommodated at “La Pacaterie” can have their meals at the campus restaurant.

 

WHEN YOU ARRIVE IN FRANCE, HOW TO GET FROM PARIS OR FROM ROISSY-CHARLES DE GAULLE AIRPORT TO THE RESIDENCE “LA PACATERIE”

 

It is recommended to go first  to “La Pacaterie” to leave the luggage and then come to the Ecole polytechnique

 

-         Take the train called RER B, direction Saint-Remy-les- Chevreuse.

Before getting on the train, watch out for the sign on the platform and make sure that it stops at "Orsay Ville" station.

- Get off at "Orsay ville" station, it takes about one hour to get there from the airport.

- When getting off the train, turn left and go down the stairs.

- Follow the direction "Centre universitaire". You will see a main entrance (a big gate). Do not enter through this gate. Take the road, on your right which leads to the "Piscine" (swimming-pool). Then take the road on your left called "Rue La Pacaterie". Then the road called "rue du General Duchene".

The entrance to La Pacaterie bears the sign "Acces N° 8 au campus".

 

 

WHEN YOU ARRIVE IN FRANCE, HOW TO GET FROM PARIS OR FROM ROISSY-CHARLES DE GAULLE AIRPORT TO THE ECOLE POLYTECHNIQUE

 

Same instructions as above but get off at the station “MASSY-PALAISEAU”.

Catch the bus 91.06 which runs during the week to the Ecole polytechnique.

You can also get off at the station “LOZERE” but you will have to climb up the way from the station to the Ecole polytechnique (20 minutes’s walk and more than 300 steps....).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our French website : http://www.polytechnique.fr

(Click on “Informations” and “Plans d’accès”)

provides you with the access maps.

(The Ecole polytechnique is also called “X”)

 

 


 

 

INSURANCE AND MEDICAL BENEFITS

 

1)    You have been admitted for one academic year, Non-EEC students

 

The health insurance and the civil liability guarantee (indemnity covering possible and accidental damages which students might be responsible for during study or private activities) are compulsory in France.

Unless you have already purchased such an insurance in your home country, you will have to get one in France at the following costs :

 

-         Health insurance : Foreign students can benefit of the French Health Service (Sécurité sociale) at the cost of 174 euro (2002/2003), valid one year and including the civil liability guarantee. Students register at the Ecole polytechnique and present a certificate of birth translated into French.

-         Supplementary insurance : The French Health Service only  reimburses part of the expenses (60%). That is the reason why it is highly recommended to purchase a supplementary insurance at the cost of 69 euro (2002/2003) for the year.

-         Civil Liability guarantee : Only in the case you have purchased your own health insurance and that this guarantee is not included in your contract : 13 euro per month for one year.

 

2)    You have been admitted for less than 10 months, Non-EEC students

 

In this case, the French Health Service does not apply. Students will be asked to purchase a private insurance at the cost of 35 euro (2002/2003) per month.

 

3)  EEC students, whatever the lenght of stay

EEC students should bring with them the E128 or E111 medical treatment form, in order to be entitled to the service offered by the French Health Service (Sécurité Sociale).

This form is available at the health centre of your home country.

 

OR, students take out a personal insurance (including civil liability) in their home country : Please, ask your insurance company for a certificate.

 

 

The International office of the Ecole polytechnique provides all the assistance for the above and will make sure that all the students are properly insured.

 

 

 

COMPULSORY VACCINATION IN FRANCE

 

Please make sure to be vaccinated against the following before your departure :

·        DT-Polio (Diphtheria-Tetanus-Poliomyelitis) : the injection must have to be done less than 10 years ago.

·        Test of the BCG : the intradermal reaction must not be older than 6 months.

 

 

 

BEFORE LEAVING YOUR HOME COUNTRY :

 

Do not forget to bring with you

-         valid passport or personal Identity Card

-         6-8 passport-size photographs  (clear background)

-         Birth certificate translated into French mentioning your parents' names (2 originals : 1 for the one-year health insurance, 1 for the residence permit).

-         The health form « E128 » or “E111” (ONLY for the EEC students)

-         Certification showing you have a suitable health and civil liability insurance, valid abroad.

-         A medical certificate with the dates of your last vaccinations. This certificate can be in English or in French. Otherwise, a translation into French is required.

 

 

RESIDENCE PERMIT

 

All international students, except the EEC citizens, who wish to stay more than three months in France need a valid Residence Permit (Permis de séjour).

On your arrival at the Ecole polytechnique, you will fill in the residence permit application form provided by the International Office. It takes two months to get the permit back from the French administrative authorities.