Housing

Foreign exchange students can obtain a room in a hall of residence, if they fill in the housing request form by the deadline. Be careful: there are not enough university halls for all students in Grenoble, thus you have to prepare your arrival well in advance!
It is also possible to rent a private flat in the city, on your own or sharing, but again there are not that many offers, thus you should look for a flat in advance. Moreover renting agencies usually ask for a financial guarantor living in France for the rental contract.
Housing information: it is available on the Grenoble Institute of Technology website, and is reserved for exchange students.

Deadline: an on-line application has to be done by:

• July 10 if you arrive in September (but it is recommended to do it well in advance if you do not wish to be on a waiting list...),
• November 15 for an arrival for the second semester,
• For other periods, at least 2 months before your arrival

If these deadlines are not met, CROUS cannot guarantee an accommodation.

Regular students can ask for information at CROUS.

Each year Université de Grenoble and its numerous partners organize a housing event, from August till October in order to ease foreign students' settling down in Grenoble. You will find there information on housing of course, but also information on insurances, opening of a bank account, health, telephone and electricity subscriptions which will prove quite useful if you choose to live in a private flat.

Insurances

• Health insurance: European students (from the EC) benefit from the French social security system through their European health card (which they have to collect in their home country prior to their arrival in France). All other students must subscribe to the French health scheme upon arrival.
  Students coming for one semester can either subscribe to the French health scheme or submit proof of private coverage.
  Students staying for 3 months or less must submit proof of private health insurance.
• Compulsory insurances:
• Housing insurance covering for the tenant's risks (fire risk, water damage...). This insurance is calculated for the year (whatever the length of your stay) according to the size of the flat. Its costs around 20/30 € for a room in a hall of residence.
• Car insurance
• Civil liability (for material or corporal damages done to another person)

Formalities

Before you leave: some formalities are to be dealt with in Grenoble, but others in your home country Before departure contact the local Consulate or French Embassy, for eventual visa procedures.
To enter in France: according to your country of origin, an identity card or a passport, and a student visa can be required. These documents have to be valid for the entire length of your stay.
Carte de séjour (residence permit): for stays of over 3 months in France, it is necessary to obtain a residence permit from the local authorities (Préfecture de l'Isère). Except for Europeans students who are exempted from obtaining this document.

Useful links

• Université de Grenoble
• AEPI (agency for economic development of the Isère area)
• Grenoble Tourist office
• Local Authorities: Préfecture de l'Isère
• CROUS - Grenoble
  
• Espace Vie Etudiante (student activities)
• CampusFrance
  
• BEST (European engineering student's organization)
• Ensimag Student association
• "Guide API" des démarches administratives (French, English, Chinese)