Student guide FOR EXCHANGE PROGRAM STUDENTS
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student guide FOR EXCHANGE PROGRAM STUDENTS
st u
contents dy a
t the university
> basics
• LMD system 46
d uction
intro • Campuses 47
• How courses are organized 50
• How to select courses 51
> welcome to Tours 6 • Exams 51
• Administrative referents 52
> the city of Tours & the University : an overview 8 • Improve my French language level 53
> academic calendar 10
> campuses map 12 > my student life
• Orientation week for new students 54
• Information meeting at the beginning of the year 54
• My academic tools 54
• European Student Card 56
• Libraries 57
• Sport & Culture 58
• Meet new people 60
plan my arrival
> deal with consular prodedures 16 live in tours
> find my accommodation 18
> estimate my financial plan 24
> ORGANIZE my traveL 26
> my checklist 29 > french culture
• Habits & Social codes 64
• Legal system : a few things 67
• Safety tips 68
• Culture shock 69
> everyday life
rived
once ar • Food 70
• Shopping 72
• Communication 74
• Transportation 75
> move in 32 • Health 78
• Work in France 81
> finalize my university registration 36
pr e
> manage my health insurance 38 pare
my departure
> open a bank account 40
> subscribe to my insurances 41
> my checklist 43 > checklist 85
bonus ! useful apps 86
INTRODUCTION
> welcome to Tours
> the city of Tours & the University :
an overview
> academic Calendar
> campus map
INTRODUCTION
E LC OME TO TOURS !
W
PARIS
Dear student, 1h from Paris by high-speed train
230 kms
We are excited to welcome you for an exchange program at the University of Tours (UT) !
You have chosen Tours for your studies and you have made the right choice ! TOURS
Located one hour away from Paris by TGV (High-speed train), Tours is at the heart of the
“Région Centre”, in the Indre-et-Loire “departement”.
The city itself is located at the confluence of the Loire and Cher rivers and spreads from the
north of the Loire river (Tours Nord, Saint-Symphorien, Sainte-Radegonde) to the south of the
Cher river (districts of Les Deux Lions, Les Fontaines, Parc Grandmont).
On an imaginary line, it is located in the middle of France, right on the border between North Région
and South and therefore has a mild climate. It is warm in summer (the weather is usually Centre-Val de Loire
warm and relatively dry) and not too cold in winter (just a few days of snow), spring is mild
and fall is balmy.
Loire River
Tours has a reputation for being one of the towns in France where the purest and most
unblemished French is spoken. It is also the main town in a region renowned for its cultural,
historical and gastronomic heritage.
Many great authors in the French literature, many kings and many important religious
characters spent some time here and each of them depicted this region or left his/her mark.
The Châteaux of the Loire, the vineyards, the gastronomy, Balzac, Ronsard, Rabelais, Leonardo
da Vinci, Saint Martin and many others will soon be names that will bring back to you many
good times spent here with us !
We have gathered in this booklet every useful and practical information to help you prepare
your stay at its best, and to benefit from it on every level : academic and personal.
We hope you have an excellent experience in Tours ! We are here to help you before, during
and even after your stay !
See you soon !
The International Relations Office
60 rue du Plat d’Etain, building A, ground floor (right hand corner) !
6 7
INTRODUCTION
y of tours & the university : an o
the cit vervie
w
THE CITY OF TOURS
AT A GLANCE
THE UNIVERSITY OF TOURS
AT A GLANCE
140.000 inhabitants
named « tourangeaux-tourangelles »
a dynamic human-sized city
Creation of the university of Tours
in 1970
(initially named after A city renowned for
François Rabelais) its gastronomy,
its wines
36 research labs
Life & Health Sciences located 1 hour from Paris and its « art de vivre »
by high-speed train (TGV),
Public multidisciplinary university Sciences & Technology
in the heart of the Loire Valley
Human & Social Sciences
home to great minds
30.000 students François Rabelais,
Temperate oceanic climate Leonardo Da Vinci,
7 Faculties summers are hot (~30°C max) Pierre de Ronsard,
Literature & Languages and winters are mild (~0°C min) René Descartes,
Arts & Humanities Honoré de Balzac...
3200 international students Law, Economics & Social Sciences
standing for 130 nationalities
including 500 exchange students Sciences & Technology
330 Erasmus agreements Pharmaceutical Sciences
in 29 European countries
with 200 partners
Medicine The capital of the Touraine area, Surrounded by some of the most
where the River Loire - listed as
More than 160 agreements
Centre for Renaissance Studies important castles of French history
UNESCO world heritage - flows
out of Europe Chenonceau,
+ 1 Engineering School Chambord,
« Polytech Tours » Amboise,
Azay-le-Rideau,
1200 teaching & research staff + 2 Institutes of Technology (IUT) Blois,
1300 technical & administrative staff Chinon...
Considered as the historical cradle
of French language
8 9
INTRODUCTION
NATIONAL HOLIDAYS
CAD EMIC CALENDAR November 1st All Saints’ Day May 8th 1945 Victory
A November 11th
December 25th
1918 Armistice
Christmas
May 13th
May 23rd
Ascension
Sunday Pentecost
January 1st New Year’s Day May 24th Monday Pentecost
April 4th Easter Sunday July 14th National Day
1st semester : From September 7th to December 18th 2020 April 5th Easter Monday August 15th Assumption
2nd semester : From January 11th to May 21st 2021 May 1st Labor Day
AUGUST SEPTEMBER OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH APRIL MAY JUNE
1 ALL SAINTS’ DAY NEW YEARS’ DAY 1 LABOR DAY
2 Welcome week 2
/ Registrations
3 for 1st semester 3 Holidays
4 4 EASTER SUNDAY
5 Registrations 5 EASTER MONDAY Holidays
6 for 2nd 6
7 semester 7
8 Start of 8 1945 VICTORY
9 Semester 1 9 Retake Exams
10 classes 10
11 1918 ARMISTICE 11
12 Start of 12
13 Semester 2 13 ASCENSION
14 classes 14
15 15
16 16 Retake Exams
17 17
18 18
19 19
20 20
21 21
22 22
Holidays
23 23 SUNDAY PENTECOST Retake Exams
24 24 MONDAY PENTECOST
25 CHRISTMAS 25
Reopening of
26 26
the University Holidays
27 (except
27
28 Medicine & 28 Holidays
Pharmaceutical
29 29
Sciences) Holidays
30 30
31 31
Weekends Holidays National holidays
10 11
Résidence universitaire
ST SYMPHORIEN
Résidence universitaire
CROIX MONTOIRE
Résidence universitaire
TANNEURS
Résidence universitaire
RABELAIS
Résidence universitaire
HÉLÈNE BOUCHER
Résidence universitaire
TONNELLÉ
campuses MAP
Résidence universitaire SANITAS
Résidence universitaire EUROPA
Résidence universitaire
CHRISTOPHE COLOMB
Résidence universitaire TECHNOPOLE
/
/
Résidence universitaire LES GARENNES
Résidence universitaire GRANDMONT
PLAN
MY ARRIVAL
> DEAL WITH CONSULAR PROCEDURES
> FIND MY ACCOMMODATION
> ESTIMATE MY financial plan
> ORGANIZE MY TRAVEL
> MY checklist
PLAN
MY ARRIVAL
PLAN MY ARRIVAL
ITH CONSULAR PROCEDURES
D EA L W
THE «OFFICE FRANÇAIS DE L’IMMIGRATION ET DE L’INTÉGRATION»
(OFII) PROCEDURE
APPLY FOR A VISA
ONCE ARRIVED
When applying for a visa in your country, you will need to attach an OFII (French Agency in
charge of immigration and welcoming foreigners) request form. You will then be issued a
You are not from a European Union country ? stamped certificate.
CAMPUS FRANCE PROCEDURE
You don’t come from a country which is part You must validate your Visa within 3 months of arriving in France. The process is entirely
of the European Economic Area ? digital, you will need to visit the following website :
If you are an exchange student from a country
Then you will need to apply for a Visa if you outside of the European Union and which
come to study at the UT. country is listed below, please follow the https://administration-etrangers-en-france.interieur.gouv.fr
STUDY AT THE UNIVERSITY
procedure on the « Etudes en France » web
This request will have to be done before platform.
your mobility program, through the French This simple procedure enables you to lawfully remain in France for your visa’s entire
Embassy in your home country (nothing can The file you will create will enable you to validity period. You will need :
be done once you are in France). prepare your visa request.
• a valid email address,
You will need to ask a long-stay Visa valid Your Visa application will be automatically
as a residence permit for students : VLS-TS sent to the French consular authorities of • information on your visa,
«étudiant ». your country of residence throught this online
platform. • your date of arrival in France,
This Visa will enable you to stay and study in
France from 4 months to 1 year in France. Countries concerned by the procedure : • your address in France,
LIVE IN TOURS
It also entitles the holder to :
Algeria, India South Korea • a bank card to pay for the fee online for issuing the residence permit (cost=60€)
• travel freely in all the countries of the Argentina Indonesia, Taiwan
Schengen Area; Benin Iran Tchad
Brazil Japon Togo If you don’t validate it within 3 months after your arrival, your Visa won’t be valid anymore
• work 964 hours per year, i.e. 20 hours per Burkina Faso Kuwait Tunisia and your status will not be legal anymore : should you travel out of the Schengen area , you
week, to supplement their financial resources; Burundi Lebanon Turkey would be obliged to apply for a new Visa to return to France !
Cameroon Madagascar United States
PREPARE MY DEPARTURE
• use the VISALE, the free security deposit Chile Mali Vietnam
service for students; China Morocco
Colombia Mauritius You can find more information about the procedure on this link :
• receive a rental subsidy from the CAF, the Comores Mauritania
family allowance fund (caisse d’allocations Congo Mexico https://www.campusfrance.org/fr/comment-valider-votre-visa-long-sejour-a-votre-
familiales); Côte d’Ivoire Nigeria arrivee-en-france
Djibouti Peru
• extend their stay beyond the period of Egypt D.R. of Congo
validity of the issued residence permit. Gabon Russia
Guinea Senegal
Haïti Singapour
https://france-visas.gouv.fr/web/france-
visas/etudiants
https://www.campusfrance.org/fr
16 17
PLAN
MY ARRIVAL
PLAN MY ARRIVAL
IN D A N ACCOMMODATION
F
Standard university room
UNIVERSITY RESIDENCE HALLS
Type of accommodation - Budget required
ONCE ARRIVED
Rents ( based on 2019-2020 rates) :
There are 12 university residence halls spread
accross the city’s various neighbourhoods. • 9 m² individual room
(from 224€ to 255€ per month)
You will find their description, pictures • 12 m² individual room
and videos on the website of the «CROUS- (around 267€ per month)
Centre Régional des Oeuvres Universitaires • 18 m² individual studio apartment
et Scolaires» : CROUS is the public French (from 355€ to 399€ per month)
organization that helps students with • 30 à 40 m² apartment with cotenants
STUDY AT THE UNIVERSITY
accommodations, catering, scholarships and (from 246€ to 276€ per person)
much more.
https://www.crous-orleans-tours.fr/ Deposit : 1 month’s rent
logements/nos-residences/tours/
Guarantor :
The guarantor is the person who would be paying My university accommodation’s equipment
Who is entitled to these ? your rent if you were not able to do so yourself.
You must be : It is mandatory to have a guarantor who lives - There are no kitchenettes in rooms (studio
- either in an international program or in the European Union. apartments have one), but students living
agreement (intergovernmental program which For further details, refer to page 22, «What you on the same floor share a kitchen to prepare
entitles you to a scholarship from the need to know». their meals. Rooms include a small fridge. GOOD TO KNOW !
French government or a foreign country,
LIVE IN TOURS
interuniversity program). - A room includes at least a single bed with Things you will (usually) need to bring
- or in 2nd year Master or Doctorate, as an Duration of stay : a mattress, a desk and a chair, a book shelf, a with you
individual student A 9-to-12-month contract is compulsory closet or cupboard.
depending on the type of accommodation, - Bed linen, continental quilts and
except for Erasmus students and exchange - Most of them also have a shower room with pillows (but you may rent these from
program students who are not subject to such toilet and sink or at least a bathroom sink (in your residence, it’s called a «kit literie»
an obligation. that case, there are showers on each floor). and it costs around 25€)
PREPARE MY DEPARTURE
- Residence halls provide Laundromats, - Bath towels
cleaning gear (broom, dustpan), computer
rooms with Internet access, working rooms - Dishes, kitchen utensils (but you
HOW TO APPLY TO A UNIVERSITY ACCOMMODATION ? and TV rooms (please check specifics for each may rent these from your residence,
residence hall). it’s called a «kit vaisselle» and it costs
Caution ! Vacancies are limited. It is therefore highly recommended that you apply for a room around 15€)
as soon as possible. To do so, contact Frédéric Soreau, who gathers all the exchange program - All of them can be reached by the bus service
students’ applications : incoming.mobility@univ-tours.fr of the town of Tours. - Household appliances such as kettles,
coffee makers, radio alarm clock, desk
Applications for university accommodation need to be filled, at the latest, by : - In compliance with regulations, smoking is lamp...
- Mid June 2020 for students staying in Tours over the 1st semester2020-2021 prohibited inside residence halls.
or for the whole year 2020-2021; - Television
- End of November 2020 for students staying in Tours over the 2nd semester 2020-2021.
- Telephone
18 19PLAN > PRIVATE RESIDENCES FOR STUDENTS
MY ARRIVAL
PLAN MY ARRIVAL
There are also several private residences for
students in Tours :
IN D A N ACCOMMODATION • Les Estudines
F https://www.estudines.com/
• Odalys Campus TEMPORARY
https://www.odalys-campus.com/ ACCOMMODATION
PRIVATE RENTALS
• Nexity Studea A temporary accommodation could be
ONCE ARRIVED
https://www.nexity-studea.com/ useful to you :
You can also choose to rent rooms or - If you arrive too late in Tours to pick up
apartments, furnished or not, from private your keys from the university residence
individuals. > STUDAPART > REAL ESTATE AGENCIES hall office (refer page 32) ;
- If you do not wish to stay in a university
For this type of accommodation, you will need The University provides you with its own You may choose to use a real estate agency residence hall and have not yet found a
to be autonomous and talk to the landlord online accommodation platform to help you which will help you find an accommodation place to stay.
directly. The University can’t guarantee the find a private room, apartment or flatshares. that matches your expectations.
quality of a private accommodation. from applying to booking, take all your steps Here are some options you may consider
STUDY AT THE UNIVERSITY
online on the platform. There are always agency fees. They usually for 1 night or even some days.
Search for an accommodation which is called amount to 1 month’s rent.
«meublé/furnished» : this means that basic The platform’s asset ? All offers are checked You have several options :
equipment is included so that the tenant can and certified by Studapart so that you can Agencies always request a guarantor for • A brand new youth hostel has
sleep, eat and live in a decent way. avoid potential troubles ! renting a private accommodation from their opened in Tours on last September
base. 2019. It is located at 84 avenue de
https://univ-tours.studapart.com/en/ Grammont. It’s named «The People
Hostel», and it mainly addresses to
Once you sign up, if you are not a student of > CLASSIFIED ADS 20-35 people with low-cost rooms.
the University of Tours yet, enter the following The youth hostel possesses its own
code : «HOUSINGUNIVTOURS» You can also search for an accommodation bar-restaurant, and is 10 minutes
by looking at ads in the local newspaper walk from the train station.
LIVE IN TOURS
The name of the provider is « Studapart » and “La Nouvelle République” or on specialized
they have their own system of guarantor for websites. Be careful of scams because • https://en.tphtours.fr/
the students. these ads are not checked !
• Many hotels can welcome you.
Here are some websites dedicated to Rates for a standard single room
classified ads : vary according to period and
comfort but the average rate
www.lanouvellerepublique.fr stands between 60€ and 90€ per
PREPARE MY DEPARTURE
night, breakfast not included. You
www.lokaviz.fr also need to add the tourist tax of
0,99 € to 1.10 € a night per person.
www.housinganywhere.com
• Air BnB is a website where you
https://logement.studyrama.com/ will find accommodation offers
for a few days. These offers are
www.paruvendu.fr published by private owners, for a
short stay. When compared with
www.leboncoin.fr real estate agencies, you can often
find good quality offers with lower
www.pap.fr prices
www.appartager.com www.airbnb.com
20 (apartment share ads)
21PLAN
MY ARRIVAL
PLAN MY ARRIVAL
INSURANCE
IN D A N ACCOMMODATION
F In France, it is mandatory to have your
accommodation insured. As a renter,
you have to take out a comprehensive
home insurance policy called in French
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW... GUARANTOR “Multirisques habitation”. LOCAL RESIDENCE TAX
(does not apply to university residence
ONCE ARRIVED
In most cases, the landlord, whether private This insurance covers fire, water damage, halls)
LEASE (OR RENTAL CONTRACT) or institutional, will require a guarantor, i.e. a theft and so on, and includes civil liability
person (a relative or friend) or a legal entity (see «Subscribe to my insurances», page 41). This is a tax the renter is required to pay if
This is an official document that both you (organization, association, etc) who commits he/she was staying in the accommodation
and the landlord will need to sign. A lease in writing to pay the rent should you fail to on Jan. 1st of the current year. It is payable
lasts for 1 year. do so. SERVICE CHARGES once a year to the Tax Office.
However, if you want to leave your rented (does not apply to university residence halls)
apartment before the end of the contract, If you don’t have a physical guarantor in You should ask the owner about the
you will need to give a notice to the landlord France : Usually include cold water, cleaning of amount before moving in the flat. You
STUDY AT THE UNIVERSITY
1 to 3 months before leaving : • the Visale system enables students common parts, caretaking fees and heating should be able to arrange some monthly
> Furnished flat = 1 month aged under 31 to have a legal entity as a when it’s collective. payment included to your rent with the
> Non-furnished flat = 3 months guarantor. In order to get access to Visale, Service charges are added to the rent, except owner.
the tenant has to obtain, before he signs when they are said « comprises/included » :
Should you not meet this requirement, the the lease, a « visa » certified by « Action in this case, the mention «loyer charges N.B : A small aside on the 2020 local
landlord may retain all or part of your deposit Logement » and offering the guarantee to comprises» will be precised in the ad. residence tax... The French government
the landlord that the tenant is eligible. is gradually removing the local residence
h tt p s : //w w w. a c t i o n l o g e m e n t .f r/ l a- Enquiring about heating costs and insulation tax. Therefore, it is highly possible that
garantie-visale/ quality is really important : if the place is not you will be exempted because this tax
well insulated, heating invoices can be very should be totally cancelled for 80% of
INVENTORY OF FIXTURES • If you choose to rent a private expensive (above all if it’s an electric heating !). homes in 2020.
accommodation via STUDAPART, you can
LIVE IN TOURS
This document describes the state of the suscribe to the option that enables you to
accommodation and its equipment when the use Studapart as your official guarantor.
tenant enters the premises. https://www.studapart.com/en/our-
There will be 2 copies of it, both signed on the tips/finding-accommodation/guarantor/ STANDING CHARGES
premises by yourself and the landlord upon what-guarantor
receipt of the keys : it’s the entry inventory Electricity, gas, water, phone, Internet are to be paid by the renter.
of fixtures. There are several electricity and gas providers, you are free to choose whichever.
DEPOSIT Here are the most important national suppliers :
PREPARE MY DEPARTURE
Another inventory of fixtures is made when
the tenant is leaving the accommodation and This is 1 month’s rent amount that you • Electricity provider contact (EDF) :
gives the keys back : it’s the exit inventory of will need to pay upon signing the rental Call an EDF advisor 09 69 32 15 15 www.edf-bleuciel.fr
fixtures. contract. It will be returned to you within
In the event of a dispute, the comparison 2 months at the latest after you leave the • Gas provider contact (ENGIE) :
between these 2 documents will enable to accommodation, unless things have been Call an ENGIE advisor 09 69 39 99 93 www.dolcevita.gazdefrance.fr
establish the responsabilities of each side. damaged or you forgot about the 1 or 3
months’ notice. • Water provider contact (Véolia-Compagnie générale des eaux) :
Therefore, you must pay attention to everything 0 969 323 529 www.service-client.veoliaeau.fr
and list the potential flaws or malfunctions of In university residence halls, you must set
your accommodation (even the small ones) on an appointment 1 week before you leave in Upon arrival and departure, remember to take note of your energy consumptions by
the entry inventory of fixtures ! order to do the inventory of fixtures. Precise checking meters. At the end of your stay and before leaving France, don’t forget to
that you want to get back your security terminate all your contracts.
deposit by cash the day of your departure.
22 23PLAN
MY ARRIVAL
PLAN MY ARRIVAL
TE MY FINANCIAL PLAN
ESTIMA AN EXAMPLE OF A MONTHLY BUDGET
Estimated My real
costs costs
ACCOMMODATION
ONCE ARRIVED
As for a typical monthly budget in Tours, > Room in a university residence hall around 300€ ..................
you should anticipate to spend at least 700-
> Private studio appartment around 550€ ..................
800€ on average : it includes rent and cost
of transportation, food, outings and leisure GOOD TO KNOW !
activities, as well as upkeep costs. FOOD
On the 1st month, this budget is double Should you face financial difficulties during > Meals at the University Restaurant (RU) 75€ ..................
(1/day)
because you will face extra costs related your stay in Tours, feel free to contact the
to your settlement : deposit, additional social worker of the University.
STUDY AT THE UNIVERSITY
> Grocery shopping 150€ ..................
equipment for your accommodation,
insurances, OFII tax, etc... A professional social worker welcomes you
by appointment at the University Office for TRANSPORT
You will find on the next page an example of Health/« Service de Santé Universitaire »
a montly budget so that you can have in mind (S.S.U.), located on the Plat d’Etain campus : > Bus/tramway suscription 23€ ..................
most of the expenses to be expected.
60 rue du Plat d’Etain - Building H
MISCELLANEOUS
Phone : 02 47 36 77 08
> Telephone & internet 30€ ..................
Email : ssu@univ-tours.fr
> Laundromats 30€ ..................
LIVE IN TOURS
> Leisure (restaurant, excursions...) 60€ ..................
GOOD TO KNOW !
Remember to have Euros if you come from a country outside the Euro zone. It is clearly much
easier to have some money from the country in which you are if you just need to buy a coffee
or a sandwich (foreign exchange offices are not open 24/7).
EXTRA COSTS ON THE 1ST MONTH
• You can exchange your money at your bank before leaving or upon arrival at the airport. > Deposit equivalent to 1 month’s rent
PREPARE MY DEPARTURE
> Home insurance around 30€
• However, if you arrive in Tours without any euros, you will find an exchange office near
to the train station (60 rue Bernard-Palissy) and another one at the central post office > OFII tax 60€
(boulevard Béranger).
> Books around 50-80€
You can also withdraw some money from an ATM (Distributeur Automatique de Billets or DAB), > Passeport Culturel Etudiant 8€
if you hold an international credit card.
> Pack’Sport 25€
For security reasons, do not carry too much money in cash with you (watch out for pickpockets
in stations or in airports ! )
24 25PLAN FROM TOURS AIRPORT TO TOURS
MY ARRIVAL
PLAN MY ARRIVAL
> From Beauvais airport TRAIN STATION (CENTER TOWN)
You can take a shuttle to Paris. The journey > By tram : walk about 15 minutes until
E MY TRAVEL
RGANIZ
lasts about 1h15 and the shuttle takes you to « Terminus Vaucanson » stop and take
O Porte Maillot. It costs 15.90€ online or 17€
inside the bus.
the tram until « Gare Vinci ».
Then you can take a subway to reach > By taxi : you can take a taxi directly
Montparnasse train station or Austerlitz train outside the terminal. Usually, there are
Car, train, plane, bus... station. You can check the itinerary in Paris taxis waiting after each flight arrival.
Depending on your budget, here are several on the website of the « RATP » (Paris public It costs from 15 to 30€ to go to Tours
ONCE ARRIVED
options to reach Tours... transport network) city center.
> BY TRAIN € €
https://www.ratp.fr/en/titres-et-tarifs/
FROM PARIS... > From Roissy-Charles de Gaulle airport airport-tickets GOOD TO KNOW !
The TGV train station is located in terminal 2, Another option would be to take a bus or a The name of the French railway network is
> BY BUS € inside the airport. There are direct trains for cab from the airport to Beauvais train station « Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer »
Saint-Pierre-des-Corps only (and not to Tours and then a train to Tours. There will be a (SNCF). You can check the website to look at
Low cost bus lines run from Paris to Tours station). connection in Paris (you will need to change
STUDY AT THE UNIVERSITY
the timetables and book your ticket directly
coach station located in the city center of You can book a train for Tours station and from train and train station). online.
Tours. when you get to Saint-Pierre-des-Corps you
You can check out Flixbus or OuiBus companies. will take the shuttle (train). The fee with the You can also download the app OUI.sncf to
It takes about 5 hours between the 2 cities and SNCF « Carte Jeune » is between 30 and 70€. > From Paris-Montparnasse train station check the timetable and buy your e-ticket
it costs less than 20€. The journey takes about 2 hours. without having to print it.
In Tours, all these buses’ departures and arrivals You can take a train from Paris-Montparnasse
take place at 168 rue Edouard Vaillant, which There is another possibility if there is no train to Tours : rates vary from 15€ to 60€ with the We advise you to buy the card « Carte Jeune »
is 5 minutes walking from Tours train station. which suits you : from the Roissy-Charles de SNCF «Carte Jeune». The journey lasts about (for people between 12 and 27 years old) so
Gaulle station in terminal 2, you can take a 1 hour. you can have interesting rates all along your
www.flixbus.fr RER* and then a subway to Paris Montparnasse stay in France.
station or Paris Austerlitz station. From these The card costs 49€ (please note that it does
www.ouibus.com stations, there are also trains to Tours. > From Paris-Austerlitz train station not replace the train ticket that you will
LIVE IN TOURS
A RER B ticket to enter inner Paris costs still have to buy) and is quickly profitable
10,30€. You can take a train from Paris-Austerlitz to if you take the train during your exchange
Tours : rates vary from 20€ to 100€ with the semester/year.
> BY CARPOOLING € * RER = suburban trains in the Parisian area, SNCF «Carte Jeune». The journey lasts about
«Réseau Express Régional» 1,5 hour. There are 2 train stations in Tours :
There is a popular carpooling website in France • Saint-Pierre-des-Corps station
called « Blablacar » It’s located in the suburb of Tours and
> From Orly airport most of the TGVs (hig-speed trains) go
PREPARE MY DEPARTURE
You can find a carpooling from the airport, or through this train station.
from Paris to Tours for about 20€. You can take the bus 91.10 (one ticket costs 2€) > BY SHUTTLES € € € • Tours station
either at Orly 1-2 exit 22 stop 8, or at Orly 4 exit Located in the very center of Tours, it’s
www.blablacar.fr 47, stop 3. It runs every 30 to 60 minutes and Lots of companies offer a shuttle service from a terminal.
take you to Massy-TGV train station. the various airports to Tours (Pickmecab,
Transpers, etc…). Shuttles (trains) connect the 2 stations every
At Massy-TGV train station, there are direct Count more than 200€ for 1 person. 10 minutes approximately. The platform
Caution ! Many public transports trains for Saint-Pierre-des-Corps or Tours. It number is indicated on screens when you get
now demand that passengers wear costs from 30 to 70€. www.pickmecab.fr out of the train in Saint-Pierre-des-Corps.
masks (bus, trains, planes). Find out It’s a small train station, you will have the
about these measures on your travel www.transpers.fr time to catch the shuttle.
companies’ websites ! Find all practical information about Roissy-
Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports : www.evasion-transport.fr https://en.oui.sncf/en/
https://www.parisaeroport.fr/en/homepage
26 27PLAN
MY ARRIVAL
PLAN MY ARRIVAL
KLIST
MY CHEC
I checked the website of the University of Tours, especially the part dedicated to
the exchange students and I read every point mentionned.
ONCE ARRIVED
I finalized my online pre registration (Mobility Online).
I completed and sent my accommodation request form in a residence hall
or I found my own accommodation if I want a private one.
If I am a non european student, I applied for a visa at the French embassy of my
STUDY AT THE UNIVERSITY
country.
I checked the list of the courses available at UT in order to prepare my learning
agreement.
I have sent an email to my future pedagogical coordinator to define my learning
agreement.
I have made an appointment with Frédéric SOREAU (International Relations
Office) for my final registration upon my arrival: incoming.mobility@univ-tours.fr
LIVE IN TOURS
I scanned all my official documents and uploaded them onto a cloud
so that I can have access to them from anywhere in case of a situation :
• Passport/ID card
• Health insurance & medical documents (vaccinations…)
• Copy of your birth certificate translated in French by an official translator
(the list can be found on your embassy website)
• Copy of your last diploma
• Copy of your registration certificate in your home university (current year)
• ID photo (face picture) …
PREPARE MY DEPARTURE
I bought my travel ticket and I prepared my trip. I checked the itinerary and how
I can reach Tours easily.
If I want to use my phone, I have checked that it will be working in France.
I talked to my family and friends and told them that I love them
and that I will give them some news regularly
I smile as I am impatient to come and study in Tours.
I keep positive vibes as I know everything will be fine
28 29ONCE ARRIVED
> move in
> finalize my university
registration
> manage my health insurance
> open a bank account
> subscribe to my insurances
> my checklistONCE ARRIVED
PLAN MY ARRIVAL
N
MOVE I
HOW TO REACH MY UNIVERSITY RESIDENCE HALL
St Symphorien Hall Croix Montoire Hall Tanneurs Hall
ONCE ARRIVED
Once you’ve reached Tours train station, you can walk, take a bus, 25 rue du pont volant 8 place choiseul 5 rue Bretonneau
or take a taxi. 02 18 69 60 70 02 47 42 57 68 02 18 69 60 70
symphorien@ croix-montoire@ symphorien@
Taxis are parked right in front of the train station. crous-orleans-tours.fr crous-orleans-tours.fr crous-orleans-tours.fr
www.taxis-tours.fr
Bus : Lines 2A ou 2B Bus : Lines 1A – 1B – 7 -9A – Bus :
The bus company in Tours is called « Fil Bleu ».
STUDY AT THE UNIVERSITY
Stop « IUT » 9B – 10 – 11 + Tramway Stop « Tanneurs»
The fare is 1.60€ + 0.10€ for the creation of the reusable ticket. Stop « Place Choiseul »
Tickets can be purchased from the driver and can be used for 1
hour whatever bus or tram line you take. Retrieve keys directly from > Until August 30, retrieve keys
Fil Bleu website and app enable you to get bus/tramway real-time St Symphorien’s office Retrieve keys from at St Symphorien’s office
schedules and also to create your itinerary depending on your own St Symphorien’s office
points of departure and arrival ! (refer to page 75 for more info) > After August 30, retrieve keys
directly at Tanneurs’ office
www.filbleu.fr
LIVE IN TOURS
HOW TO GET THE KEYS OF MY UNIVERSITY ACCOMMODATION ?
You must make an appointment on messervices.com
• If your arrive before 4:00pm, you will need to retrieve your keys from the office
administering your residence hall.
PREPARE MY DEPARTURE
• If you arrive after 4:00pm, you will need to go directly to a hotel to spend the night there Tonnellé Hall Hélène Boucher Hall Sanitas Hall
(refer to “ Temporary accommodation” page 21). It will be impossible for you to get your
hall keys after office hours. University residence halls’ offices are usually open during 49 boulevard Tonnellé 9 rue Hélène Boucher Boulevard de Lattre de Tassigny
these hours : 9:00am to 12:00am / 2:00pm to 4:00pm. 02 47 60 17 60 02 47 60 17 60 02 47 60 17 60
tours.centre-ville@ tours.centre-ville@ tours.centre-ville@
Please also note that the residence halls do not have a welcome desk on weekends ! crous-orleans-tours.fr crous-orleans-tours.fr crous-orleans-tours.fr
!
Pay attention, some university residence halls require you to retrieve your keys from a Bus : Lines 3B – 4 Bus : Liges 3B – 4 Bus : Lignes 7 – 10
different office. We indicate in the next pages the name and address of the residence hall Stop « Tonnellé » Stop « Saint François » Stop « Sanitas »
where you have to take the keys.
Retrieve keys from Retrieve keys from Retrieve keys from
Rabelais’ office Rabelais’ office Rabelais’ office
32 33ONCE ARRIVED
PLAN MY ARRIVAL
N
MOVE I
ONCE ARRIVED
Technopole Hall Christophe Colomb Hall Les Garennes Hall
7 Allée Guy Charff 21 rue Christophe Colomb Rue Gaspard Coriolis
02 47 25 46 03 02 47 60 17 60 02 38 22 70 16
technopole@ tours.centre-ville@ residence.grandmont@
crous-orleans-tours.fr crous-orleans-tours.fr crous-orleans-tours.fr
STUDY AT THE UNIVERSITY
Tramway : Line A Bus : Line Bus : Lines 5-14-16
Stop « Fac 2 lions » Stops « Boulevard de Chinon »
Bus : 1A – 1B – 5 – 6 and « Arsonval »
Stop « 2 Lions » Retrieve keys from
Rabelais’ office
Retrieve keys from
Grandmont Hall Retrieve keys directly from Grandmont’s office, Building A
Technopole’s office
Europa Hall Parc de Grandmont Rabelais Hall
02 38 22 70 16
5 – 7 – 9 – 11 allée Thierry residence.grandmont@ 11 rue du Plat d’Étain APPLY FOR A HOUSING SUBSIDY (CAF)
d’Argenlieu crous-orleans-tours.fr 02.47.60.17.60
02 47 60 17 60 tours.centre-ville@ The « Caisse d’Allocations Familiales » (CAF=French Welfare
LIVE IN TOURS
tours.centre-ville@ crous-orleans-tours.fr Office) may provide you with a monthly housing subsidy to
crous-orleans-tours.fr Bus : pay a part of your rent.
> Lines 5-14-16 www.caf.fr
Stop « Arsonval » Bus : Line 5 To be entitled with housing subsidy, you need :
Bus : All lines > Lines 3A-3B-Tempo 2 Stop « Rabelais » - to have a valid residence permit
- to rent a housing yourself and your name needs to
Stop « Place de la Liberté » Stop « Bonamy »
appear on the lease
and Line 8, Stop « Sanitas » > Lines 5-13
- to have a French bank account
Stop « Parc Grandmont » Retrieve keys directly from (refer to «Open my bank account» page 40)
PREPARE MY DEPARTURE
Rabelais’ office
Retrieve keys from The CAF will also ask for some supporting documents :
Rabelais’ office Retrieve keys directly from - a university registration certificate
Grandmont’s office, Building A - a copy of your birth certicate translated in French by a
sworn translator.
Make a simulation and check your eligibility online on the
CAF website..
GOOD TO KNOW !
Apply to your housing subsidy as soon as possible !
CAF housing subsidy is available from the month which follows
your application. The 1st payment usually reaches your bank
account 2 months after your settlement.
34 35ONCE ARRIVED
PLAN MY ARRIVAL
YOUR CONTACTS
AT THE UNIVERSITY
INAL IZ E MY UNIVERSITY REGISTRATION • The administrative
F coordinator
YOUR DEDICATED CONTACTS
This is the person who will be in AT THE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
contact with you before, during OFFICE OF YOUR UNIVERSITY
and after your mobility. His name is
1. CONFIRM YOUR REGISTRATION M.Frédéric SOREAU. He will assist
AT THE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS OFFICE
ONCE ARRIVED
you in completing your online
pre registration and will be in Université de Tours
contact with the accommodation DIRECTION DES RELATIONS INTERNATIONALES
Before you arrive, we will send you a « SUPERSAAS » link on office. You will have to make an 60 rue du Plat d’Etain
which you will have to pick a time slot to come and meet us at appointment with him to finalize BP 12050 - 37020 Tours Cedex 1
the UT International Relations Service. your registration upon your arrival FRANCE
Our office is located at this address : 60 rue du plat d’Etain. in Tours. He will give you all the
Go to building A, our office is on the ground floor, on the right. information you need to start
STUDY AT THE UNIVERSITY
your mobility in the best way.
During the meeting, we will give you an administration file that Throughout your mobility, he will Tél. : (+33) (0) 2 47 36 67 04
you will have to fill. We will be there to help you complete it. send you more useful information,
You will need you bring : on a regular basis. After the end Email : international@univ-tours.fr
• 2 copies of your ID of your stay, he will still be your
• 1 copy of your health insurance certificate contact for administrative matters. Website : international.univ-tours.fr
This will enable the creation of your student card which will be
ready a few days later. • The pedagogical
coordinator
From Monday to Friday : 9h - 12h15 / 13h30 - 17h15
2. PICK UP THE MUST-HAVE AT THE ESN This a Professor of the University
FREE GARAGE SALE ! of Tours. You will receive his/
her contacts when your pre
LIVE IN TOURS
registration file is validated. Before Ms. Sylvie Crochet
At the start of each semester, the student organization your mobility, the coordinator can > Head of the International Relations Office
The COVID-19 won’t allow
“Erasmus Student Network Tours” (ESN Tours) offers the new advise you and help you elaborate
ESN Tours to organize this
students crockery, household appliance, bedding, decoration, your learning agreement. You will Mr. Frédéric Soreau
free garage sale at 1st
books... which were left by the former exchange students for semester. Let’s hope it will have to make an appointment > Support to international exchange
you ! Everything is for FREE. be possible at 2nd semester ! with him/her after the finalization students (Erasmus and on agreement)
of your registration. Your learning > University accommodation
You will receive more information about it after your arrival. agreement wil be signed at that > Buddy system
PREPARE MY DEPARTURE
moment. (+33) (0) 2 47 36 67 17
or incoming.mobility@univ-tours.fr
3. PEDAGOGICAL REGISTRATION • The administrative
referent Ms. Aurore Leroy
> Cultural program
You will need to contact your pedagogical coordinator and meet The administrative referent will (+33) (0) 2 47 36 66 65
him/her quickly in order to agree on a final learning agreement. be your contact on your campus. or aurore.leroy@univ-tours.fr
If you have an urgent question or
With his/her assistance, you will also fill out a “pedagogical issue (if you are lost, if you can’t Ms. Eun Jin Lee
contract” to register classes and exams. You will have to give find the classroom…) when you are > Reception
this document to your administrative referent. on campus, you can go to his/her (+33) (0) 2 47 36 67 04
office. Do not hesitate to ask for or international@univ-tours.fr
assistance to that person.
36 37ONCE ARRIVED HOW TO REGISTER TO THE «SÉCURITÉ SOCIALE» ON
PLAN MY ARRIVAL
1
THE WEBSITE ETUDIANT-ETRANGER.AMELI.FR
I FILL IN THE COMPULSORY DATAS
AON
VAEGIEN MY HEALTH INSURANCE • name/first name(s)
MM • birthdate/birthplace
• e-mail address
• mailing address
• phone number
REGISTER TO THE « SÉCURITÉ SOCIALE »
ONCE ARRIVED
I UPLOAD THE COMPULSORY DOCUMENTS
In France, being covered by a health insurance • ID card/passport
is mandatory. • valid residence permit
• university registration certificate
If you don’t possess a valid European Health • French bank datas (IBAN)
Insurance card or any private insurance, • full copy of birth certificate copy or extract of
then you must register to the French “Social birth certificate showing filiation (delivered
Security”. by a consulate)
STUDY AT THE UNIVERSITY
• Some international conventions and
The «Sécurité Sociale» system is ruled by the agreements can require other documents
2
public institution called « Caisse Primaire (Quebec or Andorre)
d’Assurance Maladie (CPAM) ».
You can register online using the CPAM website I DOWNLOAD MY TEMPORARY CERTIFICATE OF
dedicated to foreign students. SOCIAL SECURITY REGISTRATION
I have now access to the reimbursement of my
The registration is free. You must complete it healthcare costs by the French « Assurance
right after your university’s registration. Maladie ».
This basic health coverage provides
reimbursement up to roughly 70% of your
medical care (medical consultations, pharmacy
LIVE IN TOURS
bills, medical analysis fees, hospital fees...). ADDITIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE I DOWNLOAD MY FINAL CERTIFICATE OF SOCIAL
SECURITY REGISTRATION
etudiant-etranger.ameli.fr
3
To complement the reimbursements of the
« Sécurité Sociale », you can take out an
additional health insurance policy (called
“mutuelle” in French). I CREATE MY ONLINE «AMELI»
PERSONAL ACCOUNT
PREPARE MY DEPARTURE
This is not mandatory, but highly recommended, This is the personal space that will enable you
so that you can get the best reimbursement of to ckeck your reimbursements, download your
your health related expenses. certificates, contact an advisor by email...
The additional health insurance will reimburse
the last 30% of healthcare expenses which are
not covered by the «Sécurité Sociale». I APPLY FOR MY HEALTH INSURANCE CARD
(CARTE VITALE)
There is a large number of additional health I show it to my doctor or to my pharmacist : my
insurance companies and you are free to healthcare reimbursements are now automated
choose whichever you want !
For example, there are the SMERRA and I DECLARE MY PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN
the LMDE which stand as « student health («MÉDECIN TRAITANT»)
additional insurances » : they are known to during a first appointment with a doctor in France,
match students’ needs at low prices. in order to be well reimbursed (refer to page 78)
38 39ONCE ARRIVED
PLAN MY ARRIVAL
P E
OVNEAINBANK ACCOUNT SUBSCRIB
E TO MY INSURANCES
OM
Opening a bank account in France is highly
ONCE ARRIVED
rcommended and even requested in some
cases !
CIVIL LIABILITY
A French bank account will allow you to :
• easily pay for your regular expenses Subscribing to a civil liability is mandatory in
(rent, electricity, internet, phone or bus France : this is an insurance policy that enables GOOD TO KNOW !
suscriptions, etc...) HOW TO PROCEED TO OPEN A FRENCH you to compensate injuries or material damages
• receive your CAF housing subsidy BANK ACCOUNT? you could cause to another person. You can subscribe to a customized
• receive your healthcare reimbursements
STUDY AT THE UNIVERSITY
insurance contract with the company of
by the Social Security... 1. Schedule an appointment at the bank of Most of the time, it is included in the your choice.
your choice. Here are some banks located in accommodation insurance (refer below) but it Here are some insurance companies
Any foreigner residing for over 3 months in Tours : Banque Populaire, Caisse d’Epargne, can be a limited civil liability. that can be found in Tours : AXA, GMF,
France may open a bank account to get a CIC, Crédit Agricole, HSBC, Société Générale... Enquire to know what damages and repairs your MAAF, MACIF, MAIF, MATMUT...
checkbook and/or a bank card. insurance policy includes.
Banks’ rates are more or less identical
!
There are 2 types of bank cards : but they can have different offers and A civil liability certificate is requested to Banks can also provide insurance offers
- Debit cards used only to withdraw money options (type of bank card, online services, obtain your student card and practice a when opening a bank account : it can be
from your bank’s Automatic Teller Machines authorized overdrafts…). sport. time-saving to open your bank account
24/7 ; and to subscribe to your insurances at
- Credit cards used to withdraw money from Among the selection criteria to consider, once !
any ATM and to pay for your purchases in you can also choose a bank close to your Dont’ hesitate to ask the bank for more
LIVE IN TOURS
shops. home or campus. information. In all cases, pay attention
and carefully read the contracts before
2. Prepare the following documents : signing it !
Banks charge you around 30-40€ per year • an ID document (passport, Visa...) We recommend to use a physical bank
(student rate). • a proof of where you live HOME INSURANCE rather than an online bank for this kind
(phone or electricity bill, rent receipt…) of banking/insuring package.
• a university’s registration certificate In France, it is compulsory to subscribe to a home Here are some banks available in Tours :
or a student card insurance for any accommodation : you won’t be Banque Populaire, Caisse d’Epargne, CIC,
PREPARE MY DEPARTURE
• documents to show proof of your able to rent a flat without this insurance cover. Crédit Agricole, HSBC, Société Générale...
incomes
It covers domestics incidents or accidents such
At last, the bank will ask you a 20€ deposit as fires, flood, burglary, or vandalism.
to open your bank account. It costs around 30€ and can be bought online or
upon your arrival.
At the end of the semester/year, do not
forget to close your bank account before you
leave and get back the money eventually left.
40 41ONCE ARRIVED
PLAN MY ARRIVAL
KLIST
MY CHEC
I collected the keys from the residence hall office and moved in.
I subscribed to a housing insurance (mandatory).
ONCE ARRIVED
If needed, I opened my EDF/ENGIE account to that I can have the electricity in my
accommodation.
I completed my online CAF file (for a financial aid regarding the accommodation)
with the help of the staff at the residence hall.
If I don’t have a health insurance, I registered online on :
https://etudiant-etranger.ameli.fr/
STUDY AT THE UNIVERSITY
I finalized my registration at UT and met Frédéric SOREAU (I made an appointment
with him first) and I had him sign my arrival certificate if I have one.
I collected my student card.
After my registration, I made an appointment with my coordinator.
I met my coordinator and he/she signed my learning agreement.
If I want to take the French courses at the CUEFEE, I asked Frédéric SOREAU to
have me registered to the placement test.
I took the placement test and collected my results during the CUEFEE information
meeting.
LIVE IN TOURS
I attended the mandatory information meeting organised by the International
Relations Office.
I visited my campus prior the start of the courses to get used to it and I found the
office of my on-campus administrative referent who will help me in case I need it.
If I have a visa, I definitly validated it online, after my arrival in France, by following
the procedure that can be found here :
PREPARE MY DEPARTURE
https://administration-etrangers-en-france.interieur.gouv.fr
I started attending the courses (The attendance is mandatory !).
I participated to the first activity organized by ESN so that I can get to know the
other international exchange students.
If I wish to be part of the buddy system, I completed the online form sent by email
by Frédéric SOREAU.
I subscribed to a phone/internet offer.
I opened a bank account (I made sure I made an appointment first).
I breathe deeply and quietly, I am fine and I feel well surrounded in Tours.
42 43STUDY
AT THE UNIVERSITY
> basics
• LMD system
• Campuses
• How courses are organized
• How to select courses
• Exams
• Administrative referents
• Improve my French language level
> my student life
• Orientation week for new students
• Information meeting
at the beginning of the year
• My academic tools
• European Student Card
• Libraries
• Sport & Culture
• Meet new peopleSTUDY CAMPUSES
PLAN MY ARRIVAL
AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TOURS
The University of Tours owns different campuses spread accross the city of Tours.
BASICS Tanneurs Campus
3 rue Tanneurs
LMD SYSTEM Faculties of Letters & Languages,
ONCE ARRIVED
Arts & Human Sciences,
Universities in France, also called “fac” (short for “faculty”), are governed by a system that Centre Universitaire d’Enseignement du Français
meets the European standards for higher education : it’s the «LMD system», standing for pour Etudiants Etrangers (CUEFEE)
Licence/Bachelor’s - Master/Master’s - Doctorat/PhD.
This system has been launched to standardize degree courses and organize a mutual recognition Bus : Line 4 or Tramway
of degrees and diplomas between member countries. It facilitates student mobility in Europe as Stop « Fac des Tanneurs »
well as in the rest of the world. or « Porte de Loire »,
STUDY AT THE UNIVERISTY
The LMD degree graduation is based upon the number of study semesters completed from the
entry to higher education. Each semester allows the validation of 30 ECTS (European Credits
Transfer System) credits which are recognized from one European country to another one.
A « Licence/Bachelor’s » requires the validation of 6 semesters, equivalent to 180 ECTS. Fromont Building
You need to add 4 semesters to complete a Master’s with 120 more ECTS. A PhD is completed 8 bis Fromont
with 16 semesters and the validation of a total of 480 ECTS, in 8 study years minimum.
9 Additional building to the Tanneurs Campus
8
LIVE IN TOURS
480 ECTS
Bus : Line 5
7
DOCTORAT
= Stop « Arago »
PhD
6 Medicine studies
5 300 ECTS MASTER
=
4
PREPARE MY DEPARTURE
MASTER’S Engineering
DEGREE studies
3 180 ECTS VOCATIONAL
BACHELOR LICENCE
Centre d’Etudes Supérieures de la Renaissance
(CESR)
2 120 ECTS DUT
(Diploma from
=
BACHELOR’S Preparation for 59 rue Néricault Destouches
DEGREE Engineering
Preparation for
1
University institute of studies
Technology) Medicine studies
YEAR DIPLOMAS Bus : Lines 11, 14, 15, 18 ou 50
Stop « Halles »
46 47ÉTUDIER
PLAN MY ARRIVAL
À L’UNIVERSITÉ DE TOURS Grandmont Campus
Avenue Monge, Parc Grandmont
BASICS Faculties of Sciences & Technology,
Pharmaceutical Sciences,
Department of Electrical Engineering
& industrial IT of the IUT
(University Institute of Technology),
University Sports Service (SUAPS)
ONCE ARRIVED
Tonnellé Campus and Maison de l’Etudiant.
10 boulevard Tonnellé
Bus : Line 2
Stop « Faculté de Grandmont »
Faculty of Medicine or Line 5
Stop «Arsonval»
STUDY AT THE UNIVERISTY
Bus : Line 4
Stops « Tonnellé » Jean Luthier Campus
or « Bretonneau » 29 rue du Pont Volant
Clouet Campus University Institute of Technology (IUT), Tours
5 rue François Clouet
Bus : Line 2
Faculty of Music Stop « IUT »
LIVE IN TOURS
& Musicology
Bus : Line 3, 4 or 17
Stop « Ursulines » Blois Campus
3 Place Jean Jaurès
PREPARE MY DEPARTURE
Portalis/2 Lions Campus University Institute of Technology (IUT), Blois
50 avenue Jean Portalis Department of Computer Sciences from the
Faculty of Sciences & Technology
Branch of the Faculty of Law
Faculties of Law, Economics, Social Sciences
& Management,
and Polytech Tours Train
Blois is a city located 60km away from Tours
Bus :
Line 5, Stop « 2 Lions »
Tramway :
Stop «Fac 2 Lions»
48 49STUDY
PLAN MY ARRIVAL
AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TOURS
HOW TO SELECT CLASSES
BASICS
You must prepare a learning agreement
before your arrival.
The course catalogue (CCES) lists the
most popular courses for exchange
EXAMS students.
You can access it by clicking on this link :
HOW COURSES ARE ORGANIZED
ONCE ARRIVED
The academic year starts from September http://cces.univ-tours.
and ends in May or June. It is divided in 2 fr/?language=EN
> LECTURES OR « COURS MAGISTRAUX » (CM) semesters of approximately 12 weeks (see the
calendar page 10). You can choose the classes you want
The lectures/« cours magistraux » in French, in any faculty (except in the faculty of
also shortened to « CM », take place in Each semester counts equally to obtain ECTS Medicine) from the moment that these
hall lectures/amphithéâtres so that a large credits and access to the following academic classes are validated by your home
number of students can attend it. During the level. university.
STUDY AT THE UNIVERISTY
CMs, the professor speaks non-stop before
the students. You need to wait for the end Contact your teachers The exams of the 1st semester take place in You can also contact directly your
of the course to ask your questions. The CMs December and the exams of the 2nd semester administrative referent to ask for more
usually last 2 hours but can go up to 4 hours. “Office hours” do not really exist in France are held in May. information about the subjects you are
in the same obligatory nature as in other interested in.
countries. There are 2 types of assessment : You can also download detailed pdf
> TUTORIALS OR « TRAVAUX DIRIGÉS » (TD) • continuous assessment (“contrôle documents available on our website.
However, teachers are generally happy to continu” or CC) throughout the whole
Unlike CMs, tutorials allow students to ask answer questions and to discuss problems semester At your arrival, you will be able to make
questions, to be questioned, to participate to before or immediately after class. Individual Credits may be awarded for your attendance, some adjustments, with the agreement
the debate and to do some practical exercices. appointments can also be made. participation, written tests and, most of of your home university referent and
Most of the time, students are required to give the time, for oral presentations to your TD your pedagogical coordinator in Tours.
LIVE IN TOURS
presentations in order to assess their work in Do not hesitate to email them if you need group and/or presentations handed in to the (see chapter « Finalize my university
terms of personal research, group interaction to. You can find their e-mail adress on the professor. registration » page 36)
and oral presentation. university directory :
TDs are held in classrooms with no more than • final assessment (“contrôle terminal” or
40 students. www.univ-tours.fr/annuaire/ CT), also called “ partiel” in French
As you can tell from its name, this test takes
place at the end of the semester (either in
> PRACTICAL WORK December, or in May and June).
PREPARE MY DEPARTURE
OR « TRAVAUX DIRIGÉS » (TP) First contact
In order to pass, you have to succeed both
In some courses, you will also have practical The first time you attend a class, at the end semesters. However, should you fail, there is
work/« travaux pratiques » (TP) in French. of it, you need to introduce yourself to your a “second session” of exams.
TPs are carried out in laboratories (research teachers. This second session, called “retakes” (“session
labs, language labs, computer labs) in small de rattrapage”) enables students to re-sit for
groups. Ask them for a signature on your pedagogical their failed exams at the beginning of January
contract to prove that they accept you in and in June.
their class. It consists either in written tests or oral tests,
depending on subjects.
If the student has already left to reach back
his/her country at the time of the retakes,
some alternative exam procedures may be
found (visioconference, research work...)
50 51You can also read
