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Living & studying

Study, applications, housing, work and daily life for building a realistic future in France.59 guides to explore

Half-timbered buildings in Strasbourg’s Petite France — FRA9 · Finding a home in France

A USEFUL STARTING POINT

Find the guide you need first

Choose the dossier that answers your next question. Background and the complete directory are just below.

Half-timbered buildings in Strasbourg’s Petite France

01

Find accommodation

Prepare a credible application and avoid rental traps.

Students working together in a library

02

Study in France

Parcoursup 2026 closed on 10 September; this guide covers enrolment or support next steps as well as applications, costs, funding, housing and the student visa.

03

Plan employment in France

A complete route connecting a genuine offer, employer work authorisation, visa, contract, pay, qualifications and arrival in France.

UNDERSTAND BEFORE YOU CHOOSE

Build daily life in a workable order

Study, work and relocation combine several procedures. The right sequence depends on status, housing and time available.

Separate linked decisions

Admission, employment, residence status and renting are connected but do not substitute for one another. List the documents, dates and authorities for your profile. A housing offer or contract does not automatically resolve every other requirement. Confirm the official sequence before making irreversible commitments.

Look beyond the housing advert

Check the address, term, charges, condition record and everyday commute. Compare the full budget, not just rent. Before sending personal documents or money, verify the recipient and the basis of the request through a reliable source.

Prepare documents without exposing your private life

Moving involves several files, not sending every personal document to every contact. For a private rental, compare the request with the official list and distinguish tenant evidence from guarantor evidence. For study, check the programme and application procedure’s actual requirements. Keep correspondence and verify the recipient before sharing. The DGFiP dossier explains why someone knowing a tax detail is not proof of identity; it does not establish that your own account was compromised. Use the housing and application guides to decide which evidence belongs in which file.

FRA9 · PORTAL SELECTION

01—09

Half-timbered buildings in Strasbourg’s Petite France

01 · Study & live in France

Finding a home in France

Prepare a credible application and avoid rental traps.

Students working together in a library

02 · Higher education

Study in France 2026-27: Parcoursup, costs and visa

Parcoursup 2026 closed on 10 September; this guide covers enrolment or support next steps as well as applications, costs, funding, housing and the student visa.

Working in France as a foreign national: permits, visas and jobs

03 · Business & work

Working in France as a foreign national: permits, visas and jobs

A complete route connecting a genuine offer, employer work authorisation, visa, contract, pay, qualifications and arrival in France.

Sorbonne courtyard in Paris in September 2026; university context, not a Campus France office

04 · Study & live in France

Campus France application

Understand the steps and verify every official deadline.

Aligre market in Paris in April 2007; one local scene, not all of French society

05 · France today

French society

A guide to the major conversations in French society.

Cups of coffee on a wooden café table

06 · Study & live in France

French universities

Compare institutions, cities, teaching languages and outcomes.

Wooden cabin beside a mountain lake

07 · Study & live in France

Scholarships and funding

Find possible funding and build a realistic financial plan.

Eiffel Tower above the Seine at dusk

08 · Study & live in France

Student accommodation

Start early, compare guarantees and avoid suspicious listings.

Students working together in a library

09 · Study & live in France

Best student cities

Choose by programme, rent, transport and quality of life.

FRA9 · INDEX

All guides

French tax-system breach: what users should watch

The CNIL’s 18 August notice confirmed DGFiP breach notifications. September’s follow-up states that impots.gouv.fr and users’ personal and professional spaces were not compromised. · 2026-08-18↗11

France autumn school holiday 2026: dates to plan around

For school zones A, B and C, the break starts after classes on 17 October, with lessons resuming on 2 November. · 2026-10-09↗12

Pope Leo XIV in France: dates, route and Paris travel impact

The 25–28 September 2026 official journey connects Paris, Saint-Denis, Lourdes and Metz. Notre-Dame, Île de la Cité, Concorde and several stations will face closures or restrictions. · 2026-09-11↗13

France Sport Pass 2026–27: €50, eligibility and code date

France’s Sport Pass returns at €50 and again covers children aged 6–13. For ages 6–17, the CAF or MSA family quotient must be €699 or less; codes are due in mid-September. · 2026-09-03↗14

Prix Goncourt 2026: original list, withdrawal and key dates

The original 16-book announcement remains as a historical record, with the Académie’s 25 September withdrawal noted. The 6 October checkpoint has passed; the next calendar dates are 27 October and 3 November. · 2026-09-02↗15

Bayeux Tapestry in London: dates, tickets and visitor guide

The work is at the British Museum from 10 September 2026 to 11 July 2027. Charles III and Emmanuel Macron viewed it on 2 September; 2026 tickets are already sold out. · 2026-09-02↗16

France CAF payment in September 2026: date, bank delay and checks

CAF sends banks the payment for August entitlements on Friday 4 September. Depending on the institution, the credit may appear up to three working days later. · 2026-09-02↗17

Gaël Monfils marks his 40th birthday with a US Open win

After losing the opening set, the Frenchman beat Adolfo Daniel Vallejo 2-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-0 in New York. His announced 18th and final US Open continues against Learner Tien. · 2026-09-02↗18

Parc Astérix 2026: tickets, transport, rides and a one-day plan

Thirty-five kilometres north of Paris, the park advertises 50 rides and shows. This guide brings together prices checked on 2 September, the Roissypôle shuttle, parking, height limits, the 2026 Egypt additions and a realistic one-day plan. · 2026-09-02↗19

France’s 2027 presidential election: dates, candidates and voting

The first round will be held on 18 April 2027 and the run-off on 2 May. As of 2 September 2026 several figures are declared or expected to run, but none is yet an official candidate: the final list depends on the Constitutional Council’s validation of 500 endorsements. · 2026-09-02↗20

OUIGO flash sale: 200,000 tickets capped at €19 on 2–3 September

OUIGO has opened a two-day flash sale for 200,000 one-way tickets capped at €19 including tax on 2–3 September 2026. The allocation covers eligible services in France and Belgium for travel from 8 September through 12 December inclusive, subject to availability. · 2026-09-02↗21

France school bursaries 2026–27: amounts, application and deadline

France’s national application window opened on 1 September 2026. Families that did not choose automatic assessment can apply for a collège or lycée bursary through 15 October inclusive; CNED pupils have until 31 October. · 2026-09-02↗22

France e-invoicing 2026: duties, platforms and implementation dates

France’s e-invoicing rollout began on 1 September 2026. Every business established in France must be able to receive the new flows, while large companies and intermediate-sized businesses must also issue them. More than four million businesses had designated a receiving address at launch. · 2026-09-02↗23

France launches new CEE support for used electric cars

Since 1 September 2026, buying or taking a long-term lease on a used electric car may qualify for support funded through France’s energy-saving certificates. There is no income test, but both the vehicle and transaction must meet precise conditions. · 2026-09-01↗24

ENT and ÉduConnect: France’s 2026 back-to-school login guide

At the start of term, ÉduConnect provides the digital identity families use to reach the ENT and several national school services. · 2026-09-01↗25

France’s 2026 school year opens with 161,000 fewer pupils

The 1 September return covers 11.6 million pupils and 1.2 million staff across more than 55,000 sites, with pupil numbers down by 161,000 in one year. · 2026-08-25↗26

Phone use at school and lycée: the 2026 rules

The ministry’s 25 August announcement covers phone use from nursery school through lycée in 2026, with exceptions and local arrangements to check. · 2026-08-25↗27

France’s 2026 back-to-school allowance: amounts and dates

The allowance ranges from €426.87 to €466.02 by age; mainland payments were made on 18 August. · 2026-08-18↗28

France’s 2026–27 school holiday calendar by zone

The official calendar now makes it possible to plan leave, trains and trips across the whole school year. · 2026-08-28↗29

Mental health remains France’s national cause in autumn 2026

Prevention, early identification and access to care shape the national campaign this autumn. · 2026-08-31↗30

French inflation reached 2.4% in August 2026

INSEE’s preliminary estimate puts consumer inflation at 2.4% and the EU-harmonised measure at 2.7%. · 2026-08-28↗31

French household goods spending rose 0.5% in July

July’s rise offsets some spring weakness without removing pressure on household budgets. · 2026-08-28↗32

Septembre Bouge aims to get France moving for a month

From 1 to 30 September 2026, the first edition combines a free 18-city tour, more than 150 online sessions and a daily 30-minute challenge. · 2026-08-31↗33

Marseille hosts France’s Fête du Sport on 14 September

The national event combines taster sessions, demonstrations and encounters around sport for all. · 2026-08-31↗34

Sorbonne University: programmes and admission

How to choose a programme, check teaching language and prepare an international application to Sorbonne University.↗35

Paris-Saclay University: programmes and admission

Understand the Paris-Saclay ecosystem, choose the right constituent institution and prepare an international application.↗36

PSL University: programmes and admission

A practical guide to PSL’s institutions, English-taught programmes and application routes.↗37

Sciences Po: campuses, programmes and admission

Compare Sciences Po’s seven campuses, undergraduate college, graduate schools and admission routes.↗38

Institut Polytechnique de Paris: programmes and admission

Choose among IP Paris schools and prepare an international application in science and engineering.↗39

Université Paris Cité: programmes and admission

Choose a health, science, social science or humanities programme and its application route at Université Paris Cité.↗40

Université Grenoble Alpes: programmes and admission

Choose a Grenoble degree in science, technology, health or environment and prepare an international application.↗41

HEC Paris: programmes, selection and admission

Compare Grande École, master’s, MBA and bachelor routes and prepare an international application to HEC Paris.↗42

ENS de Lyon: programmes, competitive routes and admission

Distinguish competitive exams, file-based admission, master’s and PhD routes at ENS de Lyon.↗43

Salaries and minimum wage in France in 2026

2026 minimum wage, average and median pay, gross-to-net conversion, collective agreements and job-offer checks.↗44

The French labour market in 2026

Unemployment, recruitment projects, sectors, regions and a method for assessing an offer without confusing intention, vacancy and hire.↗45

Mutual termination and unemployment benefits in France in 2026

The new ARE duration after mutual termination, eligibility, calculation, waiting periods and France Travail registration. · 2026-09-01↗46

French language and the Francophone world

A global, diverse language that never stops changing.↗47

Healthcare in France

Understand coverage, care pathways and costs without confusion.↗48

Cost of living in France

Build a realistic budget by city and lifestyle.↗49

Opening a bank account in France

Documents, refusals and alternatives for residents and newcomers.↗50

Tax and fiscal residence in France

Questions to ask before moving your life or business.↗51

French language schools in France

Compare quality, pace, city and recognition of programmes.↗52

Retirement in France: age, quarters and pension

A verified guide to legal age, required quarters, pension calculations, international careers and moving to France.↗53

Living in France as a family

School, housing, childcare and daily life in one family plan.↗54

What changes in France in September 2026

Pensions, unemployment, sick leave, e-invoicing, renovation, gas, medicines and schools: the practical 1 September briefing. · 2026-08-31↗55

Student housing in France for 2026: what to do without a CROUS room

Demand for CROUS housing is still rising. Here are the alternatives to activate now, the file to prepare and the traps to avoid before paying anything. · 2026-08-31↗56

France university fees for international students in 2026

What changes on 1 September, who may be affected and how to rebuild the budget before enrolment. · 2026-08-31↗57

Residence permits in France

Study, work, talent, visitor, business and family routes: choose the right basis and timeline.↗58

Becoming French: citizenship and naturalisation

Routes to citizenship, habitual residence, language, integration, the civic exam and evidence.↗59

Family reunification and family residence

Family reunification, family of a French citizen and family of an EU citizen are distinct routes.↗