How much does it cost to study in France? Please reply from someone with experience, not from an agency. I need real data, thank you~~

I will post a diary of mine for you:

1. About the procedures

I remember that I was at the school with the procedures for the procedures, between several buildings. I traveled here and there, mainly to issue some certificates and files, and later to apply for additional grades and graduation certificates.

It should be noted that you must set aside one month and several thousand RMB!

To apply for a file, if you have a Beijing household registration, you can just deposit it directly in the school in Beijing. If I remember correctly, I paid a filing fee of more than 1,000 yuan, which seems to be deposited for 5 years. However, if you have a registered residence in other places, it is best to go to Beiyu first (a small building near the southwest gate of Beiyu), otherwise it will be troublesome to handle the files.

It seems that the grades, graduation certificates and degree certificates need to be notarized, but I saw that there were seals on them, so they were not notarized. (It turns out that it was useless later. If you have an admission notice from a French school, you will not need a certificate from a domestic school for future procedures.)

There is another thing, very important, that is, the recent application for housing in France To start the process, you are required to submit your medical insurance number and birth certificate, and the current method of French translation of birth notarization in China is not recognized here. When I went to CAF a few months ago, they asked me to reapply, but they were not in a hurry, so I always thought it was troublesome and ignored the matter. Because it was just required, it is not a mandatory requirement yet. I can’t remember the details clearly, I’ll make up for it in a couple of days. . .

2. About luggage

Some things are available here, but they are very expensive; some things are not available here; you need to bring these two types!

Clothing: France has autumn all year round, so bring a few sets of autumn clothes and a winter coat is enough. Because July and February are sale months, the price of clothes is not expensive, so there is no need to bring too much. Especially the so-called famous brands in China are slightly cheaper here.

Daily necessities: If you go to Paris, everything is sold in the 13th arrondissement. But in ordinary cities, some are still not easy to buy. For example, kitchen knives here are all small knives. Only when I came here did I realize that large kitchen knives are "Chinese characteristics". Pots and bowls are a little more expensive here, but you can also find them cheaply in supermarkets. Chopsticks are a must. There are all kinds of toiletries here, just bring a few for the first few days. Study supplies are relatively expensive here. Folders, pens, refills, and rulers are very cheap in China, so bring some here if you can. Just sign up for a mobile phone here, pay two years of phone bills, and get a mobile phone for free, which is pretty good. Unless I have to use the Chinese system, my mobile phone cannot send and receive Chinese text messages. This has pros and cons. Computer prices are not much different, but computer accessories are very expensive here. It is best to bring your own adapters, network cables, headphones, microphones, hard drives, mice, flash drives, etc. There are also electronic dictionaries, which are necessities in life.

** Come to think of it, pressure cookers and rice cookers are still very useful. If you like to cook your own food, it’s best to bring them with you!

Food: Speaking of which, the hardest thing to buy is food. Whether there are many or close supermarkets in China depends entirely on character. It is very inconvenient for me to buy Chinese materials here. Strongly recommended: It is best to bring your own seaweed, kelp, fungus, shiitake mushrooms, and vermicelli. If it is convenient, you can also bring some pickled mustard, hot sauce, dried shrimps, instant noodles, etc. to satisfy your cravings within half a year. It’s best to bring more condiments, such as peppercorns, aniseed, cinnamon, dried chili peppers, and five-spice powder. Sugar, salt, pepper, cumin, etc. are all sold in ordinary supermarkets here. Soy sauce, vinegar, MSG, sesame oil, hot pot ingredients, vermicelli, etc., you have to go to the Chinese Super League~

Books and materials: if convenient , it is best to bring some old textbooks, such as advanced mathematics, material skills, etc., which are still useful. We have brought a dozen or so books separately. When necessary, we can compare them with Chinese and French, which will help our understanding.

Money: It is said that it is related to long-term residence. I don’t know the specific amount. How can I bring four to five thousand euros with me, or I can send it later. But be careful.

Others: If it is convenient, bring some bedding. Some accommodations do not provide these. Bring some cheap and exquisite gifts to give away. A simple pendant here sells for several euros. Something else. . . Still thinking~

3. Long-term residence, housing allowance, etc.

House allowance: Most of the French university towns have single rooms of 9 square meters (one bed, one sink, tables, chairs, cabinets), if you look for it outside, it will be a large house shared by several people. The amount of rent and housing subsidy has a lot to do with the city. In general, the original price in medium-sized cities is one or two hundred euros per person per month. After the housing subsidy, it is about 100 euros per person per month. However, in big cities, the original price is four hundred or five hundred euros, and after the housing subsidy, it will cost More than 300 euros/month or more. If a couple lives together or has a scholarship, the housing subsidy will be higher. House types are divided into T1, T1 bis, T2, and larger. T1 is for one person. It is about 20 square meters and has better conditions than a 9-square-meter single room. It has a bathroom and a stove. T1 bis is a suite for singles or couples. It is larger than T1, usually thirty to forty square meters. T2 is generally shared by same-sex tenants, with a standard two-bedroom apartment.

There is an organization called CAF. Fill out a form online, and it will automatically calculate the housing subsidy (related to family background and living situation). Bring your long-term residence permit and other documents, and it will be available after a while. Received housing allowance. The housing subsidy will be extended three months from the date of obtaining the long-term residence permit, but there will be no housing subsidy in the first month of moving.

If you have a formal scholarship certificate, you must use it. Not only will the housing subsidy be increased by dozens of euros, but you will also be given an additional 300 euros.

Long-term residence: When you come to France, you need to bring a proof of deposit (if you have a scholarship certificate, you don’t need a proof of deposit), passport, visa, birth certificate, school admission notice, and four ID photos (available in supermarkets and subways) The camera costs 4 euros for 4 photos. It’s very expensive anyway. It’s best to bring it with you in China, because it will be used later when applying for permanent residence.) and apply for a waiting list for long-term residence (long-term residence permit, 1 year). . If you don't move during this period, forget it. If you change cities, you will have to change the order again. Within 1-3 months after getting the order, you will get the long-term residence permit, and then pay a 55 euro handling fee. After that, you must take a physical examination, and then you can get free vaccinations, etc., but I didn’t go~ Then Just do it after a year. In order to survive a year of permanent residence, some people will apply to continue studying. However, I heard that international students can now stay in France for half a year to find a job after graduation, but I’m not sure yet.

4. Daily life in France

Signing for mobile phones: France has three major telecommunications companies, and mobile phones are generally signed with those three companies. The so-called mobile phone signing is to choose a 12 or 24-month phone plan, and then spend a small amount of money to get a mobile phone (there are many options). For example, my mobile phone is a Sony Ericsson 580i, which only costs 1 euro, and then I pay a monthly phone bill of 25 euros (including one hour and three unlimited calls) for one to two years. If you want to contact China, you can only sign up with Orange company, but it seems to be a little more expensive, and I heard that the phone bill is better. The disadvantage is that the system is all in French, so you either need to change the system or bring your own mobile phone.

Transportation fees: Bus or subway tickets are generally more than 1 euro each. There are monthly passes, daily passes, etc. to choose from, but they are also quite expensive. It will be a little cheaper if you buy a package ticket, which is still about 1 euro per ticket. However, France seems to promote tourism and gathering activities, because on some religious festivals, cultural festivals or visiting days, transportation fees will be reduced or reduced, making it easier for everyone to travel. To take the train, it’s best to get a Youth Card, which costs about 50 euros, and will give you a discount on future train tickets. There are travel passes during holidays. For example, during our summer vacation, we can take a regional train for 15 euros for a week, so we can travel everywhere. It should be noted that strikes in France are a culture, and the transportation department is the leader of strike activities, so there may be no cars from time to time.

Supermarkets: On Sundays, except for monoprix (usually in the city center, the price is a bit expensive), basically other supermarkets are closed. If you forget to buy something, you will be miserable if you have nothing to eat on Sunday.

Cheap supermarkets are generally Ed and LIDL, especially Ed. I like it very much. There are a lot of food there and they are cheap! LIDL seems to have something to do with the railway department. There are such supermarkets next to railways throughout Europe. However, the supermarket that French people go to more often seems to be CASINO, and I don’t know why. The shopping cart at the entrance of the supermarket usually requires a 1-euro coin to open the chain lock. In France, a 1-euro coin is still necessary. The 10 yuan RMB is just a handy tool. Many supermarkets in France do not provide plastic bags, so if you go shopping empty-handed, you may not be able to carry them back. It is necessary to have a large shopping bag to carry or drag! ! ! It’s very expensive to buy shopping bags here. If you go shopping with a backpack on your back, you have to be inspected, which is very troublesome. We also have SuperU here, which is cheap, large, and provides plastic bags, but it is rare in other cities. There are many other supermarkets, so I won’t go into details here.

Engineering College: I have never been to other schools, but at least I know that they are all very small. Show them the Beihang campus, and they are all shocked. There are gardens, sports venues, and so many high-rise buildings. The College of Engineering is so exquisite. There are many small computer rooms and laboratories in one building. Large classes are held in lecture theaters, and most of the time I do exercises and experiments. There are 20 people in a class, 10 people in a large experimental group, and 1 or 2 people in a small group. Groups work on the computer, using various software to do small projects and write reports. The teacher is responsible for explaining and answering questions. I always feel that this is the real way of learning in the 21st century. Unlike in China, where students only learn theory, it is difficult for teachers to answer every experimenter's questions comprehensively. What makes me even more gratified is the cost. Public school tuition is free, and the registration fee is about 1,000 euros per year. Don’t underestimate the registration fee. You don’t need to buy any books. The teacher will distribute textbooks, handouts and exercises every time you attend class. There are also very good teachers. Seeing that I am not in the first grade (students of their engineering school, 2 years of preparatory courses + 3 years of engineering, which is equivalent to 5 years of continuous bachelor's and master's degrees, I graduated from university and went directly to the second grade of engineering), and they offered me I was so moved by the thick first-grade textbook~ The registration fee was so worth it!

About surfing the Internet and making phone calls: Most of the networks here are wireless WIFI, so the computer must have a wireless network card! ! ! However, wireless ones are not very stable, and some are wired, so you should at least bring a network cable as a backup. Network cables are very expensive here. We use the very cheap NEO, which costs 10 euros per month. The signal is average, not very good. Neuf, Livebox, Freebox, etc. are all connected with landline phones and TVs. If you use a landline phone or are unwilling to accept only 6 channels on the TV, you can use these for 20-60 euros per month.

When making calls, you will first use a phone card, which costs about 6 euros each. There are Latin cards, Chinese cards, Great Wall cards, etc. There is no guarantee whether the signal is good or bad, and whether the charging time is reasonable. The more cost-effective method is to sign up for the network first and then use the Internet phone. The one I use is called VoipDiscount. It is super cheap to make domestic landline and mobile phone calls. The signal effect is average. It is recommended to use it.

About cooking: I have written many times in my diary before. Potatoes, carrots, onions, and zucchini are cheaper here. Cabbage is available but more expensive (compared to domestic vegetables). (hard), Chinese cabbage, lettuce (there are many kinds!), cauliflower, eggplant, green peppers, peppers, mushrooms, cucumbers, tomatoes, beans, sausages, beef, pork, lamb chops, seafood, chicken, etc., beans, mushrooms and corn are canned foods. If you want to make Chinese food by yourself, you can first practice using these ingredients at home. As staple food, there are several kinds of rice here, including flour, cake flour, and various kinds of pasta. Cheese is a specialty of France and my favorite. Some of them are smelly and I dare not eat them. There are also some that are moldy on purpose. I have tasted some and they are saltier than other cheeses and have no special taste. Some normal cheese, pie-shaped and lumpy, I quite like it. Shredded cheese is used for cooking or pasta. It is always available at home. Red wine and white wine are very particular about what food to pair with them. They are not expensive, ranging from 1 euro to dozens of euros. The French like to mix their own drinks, and mixing high-alcohol liqueur into fruit juice is also my favorite.

Many people are concerned about the cost of meals. When going out to a restaurant, the base price is basically 10 euros per person, so if you want to save money, you might as well waive it. The meal in the canteen is about 2.8 euros per meal. It's a good meal. One main plate, three choices (salad or dessert, fruit), and a hard bread. I couldn't finish it anyway, so I brought it back every time. The cheapest thing is to make it yourself. You can eat well with only 1 euro of ingredients. I eat less staple food and more snacks. I make sure to eat fruits, yogurt and cheese. I often make delicious but inexpensive dishes to satisfy my cravings. I rarely go to restaurants or canteens, and I only eat about 60 euros a month. Those who can eat can survive on about 100 euros, those who are on a diet can survive on about 40 or 50 euros, and those who are extravagant can survive. Can everyone calculate the approximate cost?

Anything else you want to know? Leave me a message and I will continue to add more.