Prepare your departure

tuile programmes echanges partir

You have been selected for a study abroad placement or you have already declared your placement abroad?

Before going on a mobility abroad, it is important to prepare your stay and to find out about your destination.

Reading this page will give you an overview of the risks and recommendations for your destination country.

In all circumstances, use common sense, be careful and vigilant, observe and respect the customs and laws of the country where you are going.

Find out how to prepare your departure:

Entry requirements

Mobilities outside the European Economic Area must all be submitted to Aix-Marseille University's Defense Security Officer. This request must be made between 3 months and 15 days before your departure. To do so, you must contact your mobility manager in the SRI or DRI Campus who will request it. An unfavorable opinion from the manager will result in the cancellation of your mobility.

Metropolitan France, DROM-COM and the European Economic Area (EEA ) are exempt from FSD notification except for the following countries*:

  • Hungary
  • Lithuania
  • Poland
  • Romania
  • Slovakia

*This list is subject to change at any time depending on current events. If in doubt, it is important to contact your mobility manager.

In view of the specific security risks in Ukraine, mobility to neighboring EEA countries will also be subject to FSD's opinion in order to analyze the risks according to the distance between the mobility location and the Ukrainian border. This rule also applies to the rest of the world (including the United Kingdom and Switzerland)


In the case of internships, this request to the SDF must be made before the internship agreement is signed by the component.

Registration on the Ariane website

Before your departure and for your own safety, we recommend that you register on the Ariane website.

Ariane allows you to register easily and free of charge with the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs when you are on a trip or on an assignment.


This registration does not replace the registration in the register of French nationals living outside of France when the stay is longer than 6 months.

Once you have entered your data in Ariane :

  • You will receive security recommendations by email or SMS if the situation in the country warrants it
  • You will be contacted in case of a crisis in your destination country
  • The contact person you have designated will also be notified in case of need.

Please note: between booking your trip and departure, the situation in a country may change. Therefore, check the conditions of cancellation of your trip by the travel insurance companies.

Consular procedures : entry formalities

  • For a stay in the member countries of the European Union as well as in Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Turkey and Switzerland: an identity card or a valid passport is sufficient.
  • For other destinations, a passport valid for 6 months after the end of the mobility and a student visa are required. To obtain a study permit/visa, contact the embassy and/or consulate of the foreign country in France.
  • For a study stay in Quebec, it is recommended to obtain a study permit* even if your mobility is less than or equal to six months, and the Certificate of Acceptance of Quebec.

*Normally, a student on mobility for less than 6 months is not required to apply for a study permit. A study permit may be sufficient, but if you have the possibility of extending your mobility, or if you wish to do an internship afterwards, the study permit will allow you to obtain an AVE (Autorisation de Voyage Electronique).
For more information, consult the websites of the Quebec and Canadian immigration authorities.

Registration in the register of French citizens established outside of France

The Consulate General of France is in charge of ensuring the defense and protection of French citizens abroad.
It also offers services at the Town Hall or the Prefecture during your stay abroad. It is strongly recommended that you register with the register of French citizens established outside of France and apply for a consular card.


This step is free, voluntary and not compulsory and can beuseful (for example, to obtain a passport renewal or in the case of the implementation of a security plan in the country).
Moreover, this registration is the only way for the consular post to be aware of your presence in the country.


To register, you must bring your identity card, proof of French nationality and a certificate of residence in the consular district.
For more information about the registration procedure, consult the website of the Embassy or Consulate of the country in which you will be staying or the website of the Maison des Français de l'Etranger.
For students of a nationality other than French, it is recommended to contact the Consulate of the country of origin in the host country.

Social protection, insurance and vaccinations

Social Security


In Europe:
For a temporary stay, the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC ) certifies your right to health insurance.
During a temporary stay in a member state of the European Economic Area (EEA) or in Switzerland, it allows you to benefit from the coverage of medically necessary care. Contact your student mutual insurance company to obtain it. For more information, visit theAméli website


In Quebec
Under the terms of the "Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of Quebec and the Government of the French Republic on the Social Protection of Students and Cooperation Participants", French nationals studying in Quebec are eligible for health and hospitalization insurance benefits in effect in Quebec; they benefit under the same conditions as Quebec students.

  • Before you leave :

Ask your health insurance company for form SE 401-Q-106 "Attestation of affiliation to their social security system for participants in exchanges between higher education institutions"and have it completed by your university in France. This form certifies that you are insured under the social security system in France. You therefore do not need to join the student social security system in Quebec.

  • When you arrive in Quebec :

Register with the Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ) by submitting this form. This will allow you to have your medical care covered by the RAMQ on behalf of France, without having to send claims to France during your stay.

In the event of a work-related accident or illness, you will be covered by the Commission de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CSST). In a country without a social security agreement with France or with an agreement that does not specifically mention the case of students, you must register with the student social security system of the country.

For more precise information, contact your health insurance fund or the embassy or consulate of your future host country.

Elsewhere in the world


For a stay in other countries, it is mandatory to have valid medical insurance coverage in the country. Some universities offer social security coverage at advantageous conditions.
Otherwise, contact your student health insurance company to arrange for appropriate health coverage. If you need medical care during your stay, you will have to pay for it locally. Remember to keep all invoices and proof of payment and present them to your student health insurance company when you return to France.
They may be able to reimburse you according to the terms of your insurance contract.

Insurance


Check the validity of your civil liability insurance for the host country.
Take out additional insurance if necessary, especially for medical repatriation.
If you are traveling by car, remember to take out an insurance extension for the countries in transit and the host country and make sure that the vehicle's equipment complies with current regulations (safety vest, warning triangle, fire extinguisher, breathalyser, etc.)


Vaccinations


Check the need for vaccinations and advice on the state of hygiene for your host country with the official organizations:

  • The CIMED to know the sanitary and medical state in more than 200 cities throughout the world and to have a qualified appreciation on the local medical structures:
  • The Pasteur Institute

This will also be an opportunity to check that your vaccination record is up to date.


Accommodation


Except in the case of a specific exchange agreement providing for housing between AMU and the student's host university, it is the student's responsibility to find local housing.
It is strongly recommended that you do this as early as possible before you leave on your international exchange. Some destinations tend to be overcrowded very quickly and booking accommodation at the last minute can lead to many costs.

Disabilities

Students with disabilities who wish to go on an international exchange can benefit from a certain number of specific aids in addition to those granted to all students.


These aids vary according to the funding organization:

  • The PACA region grants students with disabilities an additional 400 € through the PRAME program;
  • The Erasmus+ program offers students the following measures (extract from the Erasmus+ contract)

- You will keep your disability compensation benefit during your international mobility period.


Be careful! You will have to anticipate all your needs abroad in order to be able to request additional hours if necessary. You will also have to anticipate a recruitment on the spot. All the times that the usual auxiliary has made the trip, this has led to both financial and legal problems.)


- If you are receiving theAllocation aux Adultes Handicapés (AAH), you will also continue to receive your allowance since the residence conditions include stays of less than three months. The same applies to stays of more than three months for the purpose of continuing your studies, learning a foreign language or professional training. However, remember to inform your CAF.


- If you are going on anERASMUS+ program, you may be eligible for an additional grant from the Agence Europe Education Formation France. For this, you must contact your mobility manager at Aix-Marseille University.


- You will have to fill in an "Erasmus +" file for severely disabled students where you will have to detail all your needs and provide estimates so that the Agency can make a comparison between the needs already financially covered and the additional costs: you have to evaluate all your needs related to daily life (life assistant, transport...) and those related to educational accessibility (adaptations of the timetable, tools at your disposal, computer...) It is very important not to forget anything because you will not be able to ask for a "supplement" when you return!


- To find out what assistance and support is available at your future host institution, contact the international relations department of your current institution, which should help you with these procedures.


Please note that at the end of your stay, you will have to justify all your expenses by means of invoices. Your social security organization must issue you a European health card for countries where this is necessary.


Please note that in other countries, there are other systems in place. Given the specific costs, you should take out complementary health insurance before your departure to avoid excessive health expenses.


In any case, contact your student mutual insurance company or the social security payment center where you live, in order to consider your needs in this area.
The student must contact the International Relations Department or the International Relations Service of his or her component to obtain the "Erasmus+ for severely disabled students" file to be filled out.
For students who receive an AMI - MENESR grant, there is no specific assistance.

Contact information
Keywords
International mobility
Prepare your departure