When you first arrive in an unfamiliar environment, you tend to look for landmarks. Indeed, these are the different ways that everyone must feel in their element. If you have just arrived at the University Paris-Saclay and at the Faculty Jean Monnet, well, WELCOME, our association proposes in this article to expose you to what it is essential to know so you can feel at home.
The University of Paris-Saclay is recognized worldwide for its excellent international welcome, by some systems like the label Welcome to France. It functions as a UFR (Unit of formation and research), it is divided into several campuses.
One of the first landmarks is located on the Orsay campus at the Plateau de Moulon, a platform called GATE. The GATE is open during the back-to-school period to help you with your administrative procedures and allow you to settle in France with peace of mind. The GATE is currently closed and will reopen on August 29, 2022. If you are arriving in January for a university exchange, you can contact international.welcomedesk@universite-paris-saclay.fr that takes care of the different steps that the GATE offers by providing virtual support. You can find more information about the GATE via this link: https://gate.paris-saclay.fr/.
When you arrive at the university, if you can’t go to the GATE to simplify the process, you can still be accompanied by a local student through a system called "the Buddy Program" https://buddysystem.eu/fr/ . This is a program that sets up a buddy system that helps you to integrate and respond to the needs of each person.
Having said that, being a foreign student myself, I think that when a student arrives in a university, of course we think about the different administrative steps, but we also want to know what to remember about the faculty, what are the events not to be missed and others. Thanks to the Buddy Program, it is possible to ask for a mentor who will be there to help you discover the student life at Jean Monnet University. There are many associations present on Instagram but all of them are grouped on Facebook on the Jean Monnet faculty students group: https://fr-fr.facebook.com/groups/581082348744568/ where everyone can exchange. If you need any information when you arrive, this group is the best way to get help.
Once the familiar aspect has been established and the administrative steps have been taken, we begin to ask ourselves more detailed questions.
How does the faculty work in general? The courses, the organization of tutorials, the grading. I'm afraid I'm going to disappoint you, but this article won't be able to gather all those information. I can only assume that when you chose the University of Paris-Saclay you did some research on its educational system, but the site is quite comprehensive on this subject. To orientate you enough, I can assure you that the planning of the year is available in advance, the examination periods vary between the different licenses but remain fairly synchronized. You will be able to consult your schedule before the first week of classes. Here is the link that will take you to the page dedicated to schedules and plans : https://www.jm.universite-paris-saclay.fr/vie-de-campus/plannings-et-examens/emplois-du-temps
Also, The Instagram page of the faculty and the university allows you to follow in real time the different events to orient yourself:
I finally invite you to look at the website of the university: https://www.universite-paris-saclay.fr/en/campus-life/international-welcome-desk where they explain more end details of each framework by arriving in France.
The Jean Monnet faculty, as you will have understood, is part of a great whole, the merger of the faculties of the University of Paris-Saclay, and this is what characterizes it as much on the national level as elsewhere.
From an infrastructure point of view, you can get information about the CROUS for food and lodging. Other articles concerning private life in Sceaux and some specific areas will also be available on the site.
We hope to have relieved your difficulties in joining the Jean Monnet faculty and that your stay will be as pleasant as possible !
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