All students, regardless of whether or not they are required to pay tuition fees, must be able to cover their personal living expenses while in France, including mandatory insurance. Students who need a residence permit must pay 60€ for the OFII (Office Français de l’Immigration et de l’Intégration) stamp.
All the degree seeking students, whether they come from a partner university or not, have to pay 90€ to the CROUS (Regional Student Welfare Office) as a contribution to student life (CVEC).
Insurance
Civil liability and medical evacuation/repatriation insurance are required for registration at Arts et Métiers.
You should expect to pay around 30€/year for the civil liability insurance.
Other costs
Like everywhere else, the cost of living in France depends on your lifestyle and where you live. With your student card you can have student discount for public transport, cinema, theaters, concerts, exhibitions, sports…
An average budget in euro for each campus is indicated below. This is an indicative minimum amount that you will require and living in France can be very costly. Also remember that this amount does not include expenses for course literature, socializing, household furnishings, extensive medical treatment or travel within or outside the country (which many students want to do during the university holidays).
Angers
Food: ~150€/month
Accommodation: 300€ to 400€/month (student halls)
Telephone: 10€/month
Internet: no monthly charge for students living in student halls, except for a 50€ subscription payed in the beginning of the year
Bordeaux
Food ~200€/month
Accommodation 350€/month
Local travel 20€/month
Telephone/Internet 20€/month
Clothing: 50€ safety equipment
Châlons
Food: ~150€/month
Accommodation: 250€/month
Local travel: no expenses, everything is accessible on foot
Telephone/Internet: ~15€/month
Cluny
Food (meals at a student restaurant “RU”): ~200€/month
Accommodation: 200€ to 270€/month + 250€ deposit
Housing insurance: ~60€/year
Telephone/Internet: ~20€/month
Lille
Food: 120€-200€/month
Accommodation: 300€ to 500€/month
Local travel: 25€/month
Telephone/Internet: ~20€/month
Paris
Food - a few prices: bread (la baguette): around 0.95€, 1l milk: around €0.95€, cup of coffee: between 2€ and 5€, 1 sandwich: between 3€ and 8€, 1 person lunch in a restaurant: at least 10€.
Food (meals at a student restaurant “RU”): ~330€/month
Accommodation: 450 to 1 000€/month + deposit (1 or 2 months’ rent) and administrative fees
Housing insurance: ~60€/month/year
Local travel: a bus/metro ticket in Paris: €1.90. You can buy a monthly ticket. If you stay for one year you can subscribe to a student transportation pass for ~40€/month.
Telephone/Internet: ~20€/month
Banking expenses: ~8€/month
Books, laundry...: ~120€/month