Pre-Departure Checklist for Students Going to France 2026

Your Pre-Departure Checklist for France 2026

Everything to Do Before You Board That Flight 

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Your visa is in your passport. Your university offer is confirmed. Your accommodation is sorted. Now comes the part that most students underestimate, actually getting ready to leave. 

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The pre-departure period is when small oversights become expensive problems. A document left at home. A bank card was blocked because you forgot to notify your bank. A SIM card you needed from day one that you did not organise in advance. This checklist covers everything in the right order, so that your arrival in France is smooth, organised, and stress-free from the first hour. 

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‍1. Documents: Carry These in Your Hand Luggage

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Never put your essential documents in checked luggage. All of the following must travel with you in your hand luggage, in a folder organised in the order you will need them at immigration.

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Organise Your File Before You Leave

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Create a physical folder with dividers: Identity Documents, Financial Documents, Accommodation Documents, Academic Documents. Bring originals and two copies of everything. Keep the folder in your hand luggage at all times during travel. French administrative offices often keep originals, always have a spare set. 

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2. Booking Your Flight: What to Know in 2026 

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France is served by major international airports in Paris (Charles de Gaulle and Orly), Lyon (Saint-Exupery), Bordeaux, Toulouse, and Nice. Most international students fly into Paris CDG. 

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• Book at least 6 to 8 weeks in advance: direct routes from South Asia, West Africa, and North Africa sell out fast in late July and August. The closer to September, the more expensive. 

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• Choose Paris CDG over Orly for your first arrival: CDG has more international connections, better transport links to Paris, and a dedicated student welcome area during peak intake months. 

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• Book a one-way ticket for your visa application, then finalise return later: French consulates accept one-way tickets or tentative travel plans for the visa. Lock in your actual departure date once your visa is confirmed. 

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• Check baggage allowances carefully: most airlines allow 23kg checked + 7kg hand luggage for economy. Paying for extra baggage in advance is always cheaper than at the airport. 

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• Download your airline app and check in online: French airports are large and can have long queues. Online check-in opens 24 to 48 hours before departure. 

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• Arrive at the airport at least 3 hours before an international flight: immigration, security, and check-in for international routes require more time than domestic flights. Do not underestimate this. 

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At Immigration on Arrival in France 

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French immigration officers may ask you to show your acceptance letter, proof of accommodation, and proof of financial resources. Have these in your hand luggage, not buried in your checked bag. Be calm, accurate, and direct. If asked about the purpose of your visit, state clearly that you are here to study and show your university letter.

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3. Money and Banking: Sort This Before You Land 

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Your financial setup is one of the most important things to organise before departure. Without a French bank account and RIB (bank account details), you cannot receive CAF housing aid, receive a salary from a part-time job, or pay rent by direct debit. 

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• Notify your home bank before you travel: tell them the dates you will be in France and that you will be making transactions there. If you do not, your card may be blocked as a fraud precaution the first time you use it at a French ATM or shop. 

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• Open a French bank account before or immediately after arrival: Boursorama, N26, and Revolut can be opened entirely online before you arrive and used immediately. Physical banks like BNP Paribas, Societe Generale, and Credit Agricole have dedicated student accounts but require an in person visit and may take 1 to 2 weeks to process. For students who need a French RIB quickly for CAF and rent, an online account is the fastest option. 

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• Bring a forex card in addition to your debit card: forex cards (Niyo, BookMyForex, and similar) offer competitive exchange rates for daily spending in France and avoid the 3 to 5% international transaction fees that most home country cards charge. 

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• Carry €200 to €300 in cash euros for your first 48 hours: for airport transport, a first grocery run, and any immediate needs before your card is activated in France. Do not rely entirely on card payments on day one. 

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• Understand the CAF application process: as soon as you have a signed lease and a French bank RIB, apply for CAF at caf.fr. This is the monthly housing aid of €100 to €250 that almost every student qualifies for. Applications are not retroactive, every week you delay is money you do not recover.

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4. Phone and SIM Card: Do Not Arrive Without This Sorted 

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Your phone number is required for almost every administrative step in France. Banking apps send login codes to your number. ANEF registration requires it. CAF contacts you by SMS. Your landlord needs it. Your university needs it. Arriving without a working French or international SIM card means being locked out of systems from day one. 

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• Option 1: Buy a French SIM card on arrival: available at the airport or any tabac (newsagent) in France. Free Mobile, Bouygues, and SFR are the three main providers. Free Mobile offers a student SIM from €2 to €8/month with unlimited calls and 80GB to 300GB data. This is the recommended option for most students. 

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• Option 2: Activate international roaming before you leave: useful for the first 24 to 48 hours while you get set up in France. Check your home provider's international roaming rates, they vary significantly. 

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• Option 3: Buy a French eSIM online before departure providers like Airalo and Ubigi offer France eSIMs that can be activated before you board. These work well for the first few days until you get a physical SIM. 

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• Keep your home SIM active if possible: your home number may be needed for two factor authentication on accounts you set up before leaving. A dual SIM phone or a phone with eSIM capability gives you flexibility. 

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5. What to Pack and What to Leave Behind 

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France is a fully developed country. You do not need to bring everything from home. The rule is: pack light, buy smart.

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6. Apps to Download Before You Board 

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Download these before your flight. Many require a working SIM to set up and will be harder to configure on arrival without data.

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7. Your First Week in France: What to Do in Order 

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The first week in France is administrative, not academic. Every task below must be completed in roughly this order because many of them depend on each other.

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The Most Common First-Week Mistake 

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Most students delay the ANEF validation because they are tired from traveling and settling in. Do it within the first three days. The ANEF process involves uploading a scan of your passport, your visa sticker, and your French address proof. It takes about 20 minutes online. Once validated, your residence permit is active and your right to work begins. Without it, you are technically not compliant with your visa conditions.

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Final Thoughts 

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The students who have a smooth first month in France are almost always the ones who prepared before they left. Not the ones who were most excited or most academically prepared, the ones who had their documents organised, their money sorted, and their first week tasks planned before they boarded the flight.

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France is very manageable once you understand the sequence of what needs to happen and in what order. Start with your documents. Sort your banking. Get your SIM card. Validate your visa on ANEF within the first three days. Apply for CAF the moment you have your lease and RIB. After that, France takes care of itself. 

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