Parsons Paris

The Admin of moving to Paris

Araz Tapeh, Parsons Paris class of 2022, talks about some of the first things to tackle when moving to Paris.

Moving to Paris can seem like a daunting process, but it really isn’t that bad. There are some “grown-up” things that you need to get done but there are also things that you can do that can make your life in Paris easier and safer. Here are some of the first things I tackled when moving in!

• Get an ImagineR/ Navigo
  An ImagineR/Navigo is a transportation card that you can sign up for online. The process is very quick and easy and once the correct documents have been uploaded and verified, it gets delivered to the given location with in 10 days. You can use you’re transportation card for bicycles, buses, metros, and RER’s, you may also download the RATP app which will give you information on the lines and timings which makes moving around in Paris very easy and convenient.
• Health Insurance
  All students who will be studying in Paris for over three months, need to be covered by French Health Insurance. This is one of many things that the Student Success office at Parsons Paris will assist you with. The process is not at all hard or long and Student Success will let you know all the documents you need and will give you a detailed tutorial via email.
• SIM Card
  Getting a French SIM card is important and necessary as many official things you apply for will need contact details including a phone number. The process is easy and you’ll need the same few documents. If you want to get a phone plan it’ll be necessary to have a bank account as they’ll usually automatically charge you monthly so make sure to get your bank account before going for a phone plan. A couple of very popular French phone providers include Orange and SFR, you can also find branches of both within walking distance of Parsons Paris.
• Bank Account
  While studying and living in Paris you’ll come to a point that you need a French bank account, for example for your ImagineR/Navigo, phone plan, a job/paid internship, health insurance etc… Some banks that you can start looking at now are Societé Generale, BNP Paribas, CIC etc. During Orientation Week at Parsons Paris, several banks will visit and present themselves and what they have to offer, this makes it easier for you to get it out of the way ASAP. Also, during Orientation last year, the bank I chose offered students at Parsons Paris an option where you could open a bank account and get a phone plan with 3G, so keep an eye out for options which can be convenient.

Tip: You’ll find that with most of the “boring adult” things that you need to get done, you’ll need most of the same documents, including a copy of your passport , Enrollment letter, a copy of your Visa, etc. It’s always best to have a file with all these on hand, both digitally and physically.