Welcome at ULHN
Updated on: 08/12/2023
My Buddy@Le Havre
A single information point providing help and information for international students
Committed to a national strategy “Bienvenue en France”, the ULHN has set up a single information point to facilitate welcoming and support of international students as soon as they arrive in Le Havre. Student tutors, staff members of the International office and la Direction de la scolarité et de la vie étudiante help international students who have arrived in Le Havre to study whether through an exchange programme or not.
It gives all the information necessary for a successful integration at the ULHN : application to the university, residence permit, CAF, accommodation, insurance, health, student life, cultural life, transport…
Mon Buddy@Le Havre
In order to encourage exchanges between students, an online platform matching international students and local students for a buddy programme was launched in October 2019 : Mon Buddy@Le Havre.
Tutors
Student tutors, staff of the International Office and of the Student Life department inform international students who have come to study at the university individually or as part of an exchange program.
A custom welcoming system is reserved for exchange students where student tutors help to prepare for their arrival, come and pick them up at the train station and accompany them in their administrative procedures (housing, insurance, banking, etc.).
Residence permit
Students from the following countries do not need a residence permit to study in France: Member states of the European Union,
Member states of the European Economic Area: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland
Most students from countries outside the European Union have to obtain a residence permit on their passport. In order to do so they will have to register at the French immigration authorities (OFII) and will need to buy a fiscal stamp once they arrive. Some student coming from a country outside the European Union do not need a residence permit, you will find a note in your passport.
OFII registrations are handled by the “service de la vie étudiante” situated one the first floor of the Maison de l’étudiant.
Housing
The CROUS residences : CROUS is the institution that runs student residences. To request student housing at CROUS, international students will be requiered to complete an online student social file (DES) on the CROUS website.
More informations on CROUS housing : http://www.crous-normandie.fr/logements/
AHLOET (Association Havraise pour le Logement Etudiant) : AHLOET is an association in Le Havre which lists furnished and unfurnished flats, rooms and shared flats offered by private individuals for students of the member institutions. On AHLOET’s website, you can find a student housing guide for more information : https://www.ahloet.fr/accueil.html
VISALE : guarantee certificate. When you have obtained your study visa, you will have to go to : https://www.visale.fr/ in order to have a free guarantee for the accomodation (procedure to make before your arrival in Le Havre – it is necessary to have the keys of your accomodation).
House insurance : In France, you must subscribe to a house insurance to rent a place. You will have to take a house insurance as soon as you arrive in Le Havre.
Housing aids : If you stay at the same place for more than three months, you can apply for the French housing benefit Allocation de logement à caractère social (ALS), or Aide personnalisée au logement (APL). The amount of money you will be allocated depends on your rent, the type of accommodation and your personal resources. You need to have your residence permit before you can apply for housing benefit. You can do a simulation on the CAF’s website : http://www.caf.fr/
Health
The Social Health Insurance
If you come from a country that is not part of the European Union, you must imperatively register on this website : https://etudiant-etranger.ameli.fr/ so that you can be associated with the French general scheme of social security (Sécurité Sociale). This procedure is free and compilsury It will have to be done immediately after the administrative registration at the Université Le Havre Normandie.
For more information you can visit this website :
https://www.ameli.fr/assure/droits-…
Complementary Insurance Plans
As this social security system only reimburses up to 70% of medical fees, students are strongly advised to take a complementary health insurance for the duration of their stay, either in their own country or in France (mutuelle).
Exchange students
ULHN University Presentation