C.V. Starr - Middlebury School in France

C.V. Starr - Middlebury School in France

Centre Madeleine

5, rue de Surène - 75008 Paris

Tel: 011.33.1.43.20.70.57 ; From Within France: 01.43.20.70.57

Fax: 011.33.1.43.22.73.89

Office Hours:

Monday – Thursday: 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Friday: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Director, Graduate Advisor, and Bordeaux/Poitiers Program Advisor

David Paoli

Assistant Director and Paris Undergraduate Program Advisor

Amy Tondu

Student Life Coordinator

Danielle Lacarrière

Administrative Assistant

Patricia Lemeunier

Paris Program Assistant

Enyi Koene

Bordeaux & Poitiers Program Assistant

Sandra Gaborit

Coordinator for the School in France,

International Programs and
Off-Campus Study

Susan Parsons

French School Coordinator

Sheila Schwaneflugel

Please note: Information in this handbook is subject to change.

Copyright 2012 by MiddleburyCollege.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photographic or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Middlebury College.

LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR

PRE-DEPARTURE INFORMATION

4Approximate Program Costs

4Expenses

4Student Visas

5Registering with the U.S. Embassy

6Pre-Departure Orientation

TRAVEL TO FRANCE

7TSA Regulations

7Luggage Restrictions

7Travel/Luggage Insurance

7Medical Insurance

8Important Things to Bring Abroad

8General Packing Suggestions

11Customs

11International Students

ARRIVAL IN FRANCE

12How to get to Downtown Paris from
the Airport

13Getting Settled

13Temporary Lodging

ACADEMIC MATTERS

16 M.A. in French Distribution

Requirements

16 Distribution of units

17 MA Research Project

17 M.A. Specializations

18 General Limitations

18 Course Options

18 Selection of Courses

18 Registration

18 M.A. Thesis

18 French-Style Education

21 Tutorials and Academic Support

21 Conversion of Grades

21 Learning Outside of the Classroom

LIVING IN FRANCE

23 Permit of Stay

23 Medical Care

24 Housing in Paris

27 Renter’s Insurance

27 Meeting the French

28 Eating in France

28 Transportation in Paris

29 Traveling within France

30 Traveling in Europe

ON-SITE MONEY MATTERS

31Banking in France

32Credit/Debit Cards

33Travelers’ Cheques

33Emergency Cash

33Working in France

COMMUNICATION WITH HOME & FRIENDS

34Communication and Immersion

34Mail

34E-Mail

35Telephone

35Cell phone

35Fax

35Photocopying

LOCAL INFORMATION

36 Paris

2012-13 TENTATIVE CALENDAR

Bienvenue à l’Ecole en France de Middlebury College !

The School in France staff has prepared this Handbook to assist you as you make preliminary preparations for study in France. You should find answers to many of your basic questions in the material presented here, and so we ask that you review it very carefully and bring it along.

Along with its benefits, life abroad can present challenges. It requires independence, maturity, and a sense of humor that will enable you to accept the inevitable difficulties and frustrations that go along with living in a different culture. Honoring Middlebury’s Language Pledge is essential for you to take full advantage of your experience in France.

You should not expect to find at the School in France the same academic nor social environment you have on U.S. campuses. For instance, be prepared to change some of your study habits, and to adjust to an environment that will seem less structured than the one you are used to.

Your experience in France will test you in new ways and will reward you beyond your expectations, but again it will require concerted effort, determined independence, and extreme flexibility on your part. We stress the importance of “informed participation” throughout the study abroad experience, and, beginning with this Handbook, we will do all that we can to help you with this approach.

As you prepare for your experience abroad, please remember that our offices always welcome your emails, phone calls, and inquiries. Likewise, our staff is always available to talk to your parents and answer any questions they may have regarding your time in France.

Best wishes as you head out on this exciting adventure! We look forward to meeting you in France soon!

Sincerely,

David Paoli

Associate Professor and Director

School in France

Pre-departure Information

Approximate program costs

The following is an estimate of program costs as of February 2012. Please remember that Middlebury College only bills you for tuition only; the remaining expenses will be out-of-pocket. Amounts that you will pay in the U.S. are given in dollars; expenses you will incur while in France are given in euros. For financial aid purposes an exchange rate of €1 = $1.40 is used. Costs may vary depending on individual lifestyles and situations. Please note that the “personal” figure covers only some basic necessities and does not and is not intended to include students’ discretionary spending (e.g., entertainment and travel).

Fluctuating exchange rates make advanced planning of costs challenging. We advise that you overestimate your costs to accommodate these fluctuations. Please be sure to confirm the exchange rate shortly before your departure so that you budget accordingly.

Full Year

Paris

Tuition / $21,200
Room/Board / $16,625
Books/Supplies / $865
Personal / $5,320
Travel from NY / $1,100
Visa/Residency Permit / $255

Total

/ $45,365

Expenses

Keep in mind that the amount of money you spend ultimately depends on the lifestyle you choose. Remember to budget extra for first month’s expenses in France (e.g., first month’s rent, communication, transportation, museum passes, personal items), and if you are planning to travel before or after your program. Several airlines now offer low fares for specific travel periods. Train travel has remained relatively inexpensive. If you are under 26 you can buy the “12-25 youth pass for reduction on train tickets, valid for a year. If you are a big spender in the U.S., bringing more money would be a good idea. Students who plan on regularly sampling the nightlife should budget extra money for taxis. Public transportation usually stops operating at 1:00 a.m.

Student Visas

All students are required to obtain a student visa before they enter France (except those with European Union passports). Additionally, all students are required to register with CampusFrance prior to applying for a student visa for France. Please note: International students who are applying for their visa outside the U.S. may or may not have to register with CampusFrance -- check the CampusFrance website for your home country. After you register online and submit all necessary fees and documentation, CampusFrance will send you an “attestation” that you must take (+ your CampusFrance ID number and proof of payment) to the French Consulate when you apply for your student visa.

For more information about CampusFrance, please visit:

Visas are affixed into passports and must be obtained at a French Embassy or Consulate. Students should apply for a long stay (over 90 days) student visa. Do not apply for a regular long stay visa; follow the student requirements instead.

All students studying in France for one semester or a full academic year must apply for a Long Stay student visa; you will then be required to apply for a residency permit upon your arrival. Students will receive assistance with the application to validate their long stay student visas from the School in France during orientation.

The French Consulate in Boston knows our program and is prepared to handle applications expeditiously provided the dossier is complete. You must apply for your student visa in-person, and you must schedule a visa appointment online. Be sure not to leave this until the last minute. Given past visa application delays, we recommend that you begin the process at least 2 months prior to departure. In any event, be sure to find out well ahead of time what documentation you will be required to provide to the consulate in question. Important: It is impossible to obtain a student visa in France.

In general, you will be required to submit the following in order to obtain the long stay student visa from the French consulate:

(1) 1 legible photocopy of identification pages of passport

(2) 1 French-format photos [3,5cm x 4,5cm; no head accessories or eyeglasses. Scanned photos will not be accepted)

(3) Financial guarantee letter signed by a notary public

(4) Proof of insurance from HTH Worldwide [letter from HTH + insurance card]

(5) Letter of acceptance to a French university from Middlebury

(6) Proof of residence/housing in France

(7) Some consulates ask for a flight ticket or photocopy (NY)

(8) Campus France ID number and proof of payment

(9) Residence form for OFII

*** Please do not forget to bring with you the questionnaire entitled “Visa de long séjour – Demande d’Attestation OFII” that the consulate gives you when you receive your visa. You will need to submit this questionnaire to French immigration authorities when you arrive in France.

If it is not convenient for you to obtain your visa through the French Consulate in Boston, you should contact the consulate office located closest to your permanent address to find out what the requirements are and how to proceed.

For a listing of French consulates in the U.S., please visit

Registering with the U.S. Embassy

In addition to securing a visa, all students who are U.S. citizens are required to register themselves with the U.S. Embassy in their host country before departure from the U.S. In the event of international, political, or family emergencies, or in the event that a passport is lost or stolen, the U.S. Embassy will be much better able to assist registered students. All program participants will be registered by the School in France staff soon after arrival in France.

Please visit the Department of State’s website for your information:

Non US nationals should check to see if it is possible to register with their own embassy in France.

Pre-departure Orientation

The director of the School in France and his staff will hold pre-departure orientation meetings during the summer session at the French School in Middlebury, Vermont. If you are not on campus the summer prior to your year in France you will receive the materials distributed in those meetings by mail and should feel free to contact International Programs and Off-Campus Study with questions. ORIENTATION SESSIONS ARE MANDATORY FOR ALL STUDENTS IN VERMONT FOR THE SUMMER.

Travel to France

Students are responsible for their own travel arrangements. We recommend using a student travel agency for flexibility and the best rates:

STA Travel:

StudentUniverse:

Travel CUTS:

Please consult the School in France calendars in the back of this handbook or on the web at before planning your travel dates. We recommend that you arrive in Paris a few days before the first meeting in order to become familiar with and adjust to your new surroundings.

It is especially important that you not plan your return to the United States nor travel to another destination before the date of the last final exam. Exam dates cannot be changed to accommodate students’ travel plans. No exceptions will be made, so please don’t ask.

TSA REGULATIONS

The Transportation Security Administration regulates what items may be carried aboard aircrafts and these regulations are subject to change. Therefore, you should consult their website close to your date of departure:

N.B. Possessing certain items while going through security may result in fines of $250 - $1500 or, in the case of firearms, may be considered a criminal offense.

Luggage Restrictions

You should contact your airline to confirm exact luggage allowances. We strongly suggest you stick to these guidelines, or be prepared to pay excess baggage fees, which can be quite expensive. Check whether your luggage is limited by weight or by piece.

Travel/Luggage Insurance

We also suggest that you consider insuring your luggage through a comprehensive travel insurance policy. Some travel insurance is included under the HTH Worldwide policy. Furthermore, it is possible that you may be covered under a policy held by your parents, so investigate this prior to departure. Travel insurance options can be researched at:

Medical Insurance

Students studying at the Middlebury School in France are automatically enrolled in a study abroad health insurance plan for the duration of the program through HTH Worldwide. This coverage is mandatory and cannot be waived. You will receive an insurance card and proof of insurance letter (required for your visa application) from HTH. Dependent coverage is available and can be purchased directly from HTH Worldwide.

Checklist of important things to bring abroad

Schools Abroad General Handbook:

School in France Handbook

Passport and Student Visa [+ 3 copies]

Airline ticket/itinerary [+ copies)

International Student Identity Card (optional):

Calling card for emergencies. It is easy to buy cheap pre-paid calling cards when you get to Paris. Please inquire.

Debit/Credit cards

Medications in original containers [we recommend packing a copy of your prescription(s) with your medication in case you’re asked for them by customs officials]

General Packing Suggestions

Plan carefully what to bring, keeping in mind that you will have to carry your luggage while traveling. This means, as the saying goes, “TRAVEL LIGHT.” We cannot emphasize this strongly enough! Choose each item carefully and avoid duplication.

As you pack for the flight over, keep in mind that you will be carrying this same luggage by yourself, sometimes over great distances, up and down sets of stairs, or on crowded trains. Avoid using extra large or oversized bags. Take things that are easy to manage and avoid over-packing. One rule of thumb is to pack your bags and walk around the block three times with your bags; then re-pack. Do not pack a lot of books in your luggage. You can buy them in France and send them home after the term ends.

Consider sending excess luggage (e.g., winter clothing) by air freight. If you have clothing sent to you, be sure to indicate on the customs slip that you are a student and that you are sending used clothing (vêtements usagés). Otherwise, you will be charged a stiff customs fee as though you were importing new clothing. Likewise, if you are sending other objects, include a photocopy of the receipt, showing that it is not a new article. We DO NOT recommend shipping laptop computers and/or printers. Bring these with you!

After your year abroad in France, you may be able to take advantage of group airfreight rates to send boxes back to the U.S. (see appendix on “Local Information”). La Poste also has low fees for sending books (5kg per box).

Clothing

In Paris the weather is humid and damp. Temperatures occasionally get down to 20-25 degrees Fahrenheit. Lodgings will usually maintain a temperature of 65-68 degrees in the winter. Bring a good winter coat and/or warm raincoat, an umbrella, sweaters, good walking shoes, and possibly a sleeping bag which folds out into a quilt, especially if you get cold easily. Try not to bring too many clothes as closet space is limited and dry cleaning and laundries are expensive. You should also bring — or expect to buy — some dressier items.

Bed and Bath Linens

Bed linens and towels are generally provided for students staying with host families as well as those renting a studio or an apartment. If upon arrival you notice that sheets and towels were not provided for you, please notify the Student Life Coordinator, who will make the necessary arrangements. You may want to consider bringing a face and body towel with you, which should suffice until you are able to purchase more. Some foyers (the Oasis, Société Philanthropique for example) will ask students to bring their own towels and a set of sheets for their bed (twin extra long). You can always buy these items upon arrival (recommended).

Computers

We highly recommend that you bring a laptop computer with you. In the past, this has proven to be extremely convenient for students writing their M.A. thesis or dissertation.

You should be aware that computer resources in France are more limited than in the U.S. and the hours during which the computers are available are necessarily limited. A laptop that can function on 220 volts is an excellent solution if you prefer to do your work at night or on weekends. However, you should also be aware of the risk of theft associated with this option.

There are several computers (Macs and PCs), internet hook-ups, and a laser printer for academic use at the Centre Madeleine in Paris. If your laptop has a Wi-Fi card, you will be able to connect to the Internet from the Centre Madeleine. If it doesn’t, you may buy an external Wi-Fi card in France. Please note that there is an 802.11g type wireless network at the Centre Madeleine. If you decide to obtain an external wireless access card, make sure that it is compatible with this network. It is also possible to have internet connection using an Ethernet cable at the Center.