ESSEC Trip Log (Spring 2021)

University of South Carolina → ESSEC Business School

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French Student Visa Through VFS

I had a lot of problems finding the information I needed. Hopefully this will give you a more clear introduction that what I had. Everything must be in printed hard copy. Don’t bring digital copies. In-depth checklist under the cut. 

0) Passport

As soon as you know you’re going abroad, please check your passport. You’ll need valid at least three months after departure from host country.

1) Get appropriate documents from school and accommodation

In particular, you will need a letter of acceptance from host university and proof of accommodation for first three months. Nothing else gets done without these, so I would advise collecting them as soon as possible. +Bonus: Have proof of registration in your home university, for example a transcript. It’s not necessary but will make the process go faster.

2) Apply for Etudes en France and Campus France 

I’ve attached a link below which explains the process very well. You’ll be asked to pay 250$ for 3 week service or 360$ for 3 days. Doing this first will keep your prices down. https://www.usa.campusfrance.org/application-overview

3) Fill out France-Visas Application

This step can be done before step three, but the sooner 3) is set into motion the better. You essentially fill in information about your trip. I don’t recall having to get any special information other than that which I already had. Also, it’s 3 AM where I am - message me and I’ll make a more descriptive version of this. Get all documents listed in the checklist, including bank statements. 

4) Set up a VFS Account and In-Person Appointment

Especially with the pandemic, this needs to be carefully done. Using your EEF ID, you’ll be able to set up an appointment with VFS. The location will determine the hours, but give yourself plenty of time to arrive and be calm. You’ll likely be scanned for metal and signed in before you can actually attend the appointment. Print out proof of your appointment  - you can’t go in without it. I’ve attached a link to the VFS website.   https://www.vfsglobal.com/en/individuals/index.html

5) Attend the Interview

It’s not very stressful - more than anything, your documents are checked for accuracy and your fingerprints are taken. Use the checklist included in your France-Visas Application. So long as you have everything on that list, you should be fine. After the interview, it’s out of your hands. You’ll be given a tracking number, and if there’s anything wrong you will be contacted, but it should be smooth sailing. 

+ Bonus documents

If you have a guarantor - Have your parents send in a copy of their licenses and proof of sponsorship. An emailing stating this will be enough. If you’re a minor, your parents will be in attendance anyway. 

Receipt of EEF payment. You can’t get your EEF without it, so it’s assumed. Still, having the actual document on hand makes the process so much faster. 

That transcript I mentioned earlier! It just helps to corroborate that you’re really a student. :P 

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One Month Out

I’ll be making another post regarding getting one’s Visa using VFS and Campus France. I had my in-person interview on 28/12/2020 and received it on 11/1/2021, only two weeks afterwards. 

Admittedly, I’ve been swamped with a winter course and auditioning for drum major at my college, so I haven’t been giving very much thought to my trip. 

That said, I purchased my ticket with my mom a few days ago and will be registering for classes in a week. I hope I get a schedule with all the classes in a matter of a few days, but we’ll have to see. Registration started at 11:30 Paris time, which is 5:30 AM EST :/

I need to be packing. With housing being set up with Alegessec, there’s not much more to be done on that front. I recently rewatched the Hobbit and LOTR trilogies with my mom, so I’m excited to see Mont San Michel (the city they based Minas Tirirth on!)

I had my audition today, and only when the first auditioner started playing did it fully hit me. I think that’s what this will be like - I’ll be slightly stressed but only fully realize what’s going seconds before takeoff. 

I’m going to go conditional in my fraternity since juggling that would be hard on me. I’ll be missing my friends and my family. I keep getting told that this will be an excellent opportunity for me, and I believe them, but I can’t help but think of what I’ll be losing. Still, I look to the future with bright hopes and no small amount of planning to do. Still haven’t learned any French yet. 

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Registering for Housing at ESSEC

It’s first-come-first-serve, so be sure to plan and act as early as possible. More under the cut. 

ESSEC will send you a Housing Pack through Allegessec. There are three residences that exchange students can stay at: Linandes, Hauts de Cergy, and Port. 

The Allegessec site has virtual tours of all of the available rooms. I’d highly recommend looking at these, as well as talking to anyone who previously stayed at a residence. There is also a map showing their locations across campus as well as their prices. I will be staying in a single studio at the Linandes Residence in Spring. 

After picking residence and room style you like, fill out the provided Housing Application, available in early December for the Spring semester. You’ll be asked to pick your top three residence/room style combinations. This is first-come-first-serve; do your research and apply as soon as possible. 

One big thing to note: you will need to pay a down of  €1187, or about $1500.  €590/$730 will be for a refundable security deposit. You’ll be asked for a credit card once you complete the application and will be charged a few days after you receive your placement. 

(12/18/2020)