Prepare your stay

Prepare your stay

Updated on

France: love, gastronomy, haute-couture and… paperwork !

It is easy to get lost in the many administrative steps to take before and after your arrival at UNICAEN.

To enjoy your stay as serenely as possible, follow this guide :

Before your arrival

Application

There are three options to come and study at University of Caen Normandie :

Degree-seeking students (independent students)

Études en France, Espaces Campus France, Parcoursup, E-candidat, prodécure DAP… There are many ways to apply to UNICAEN, depending on your country of origin and your prior level of studies.
To find out which procedure applies to your personal situation, you can have a look at the dedicated page (in French).

Application for master’s degrees

Contact the registration office : deve.inscriptions@unicaen.fr

Exchange students (Erasmus+, OFNEC, ISEP, …)

Contact your university’s International relations department to find out if you are eligible for an international mobility program with UNICAEN.

Study French

Find out how to register for the University Diploma of French Studies (DUEF) on the course page.

Scholarship/Financial aid

UNICAEN does not offer scholarships to international students. However, you may be eligible for other types of funding.

Applications for scholarships should be made prior to your arrival and not once in France.

Crous grants : Only international students who have been living in France for at least 2 years and who can prove that they have had a tax household in France for at least 2 years are eligible for Crous grants based on social criteria.

Student visa and residence permit

Once you have received your nominative letter of admission (which can be downloaded on your online profile for students following the Études en France procedure), you must apply for a student visa, using your online Études en France profile.

If your country of residence is not connected to the Campus France network, you must then contact the French consular authorities of your country of residence to submit your visa application.

The France-Visas simulator “Do I need a visa?” helps you find out if you need a visa, what type, and the procedure you need to follow to apply.

Long Stay Student Visa valid as residence permit (VLS-TS étudiant)

This visa allows you to study in France for a period of four months to a year. When it expires, you must apply for a residence permit to stay in France.

It gives you the right to :

  • travel freely in all countries of the Schengen area
  • work 964 hours a year
  • receive housing benefits (VISALE) and social security
  • extend your stay beyond the validity of your visa by applying for a residence permit at the local Préfecture

As a visa cannot be amended once in France, it is important to apply for a visa that matches your projects in France (studies, internship, competition etc.) before your departure.

If your programme involves compulsory mobility within the European Union, you must present a mobility certificate from the university to the consular services in order to obtain a student mobility visa. This visa will allow you to study in the European Union without having to apply for a visa for the country where you will be studying.

Final registration to the University of Caen Normandie

Face-to-face registration only* as of July 6th 2026. 

First-time international students cannot register online; they must make an appointment to register in person :

Make an appointment

On the day of the appointment, do not forget to bring along the necessary documents, including the CVEC certificate !

*The terms of your registration at the University of Caen Normandy may vary according to your status and the application process you follow. In you have any doubts, contact the registration office : deve.inscriptions@unicaen.fr

Registration fees

Students from the European Union

Registration fees applied to EU students are as follow, per year : bachelor’s degree 178€, master’s degree 255€, doctorate: 398€, and engineering degree: 630€ (2026/2027 rates). Students are also required to pay the CVEC of €105.

Students from outside the European Union

Differentiated tuition fees and exemptions 2026/2027

To register, you must previously apply for and receive an authorisation of registration.

Students in a supervised mobility programme (Erasmus +, inter-university partnerships, OFNEC, etc.) and DUEF students are not concerned by these registration procedures. 

Methods of payment for registration fees

Online, by credit card

  • when you complete your registration online – not open to first-year students

For payment in three instalments, your credit card must be valid beyond the date on which the third instalment is due to be debited. Otherwise, the debit will be declined and your enrolment will be ‘suspended’.

Important – Information on payment by bank card: The following cards are not accepted: Maestro, Electron, ‘Jeunes’, cash withdrawal cards such as Cirrus, credit cards, foreign cards, cards without a chip, and corporate cards.

On site

Registration office opening hours

  • In cash, a maximum of 300 euros; the exact amount must be paid (see Article 1680 of the General Tax Code)
  • By debit or credit card (payment in three instalments is not available at the counter)

Contact

Support for international audiences (Pôle accueil et attractivité)

Caen, Campus 1, Building i (Monday to Friday)
Espace AAPI, 2nd floor, room li242

Caen, Campus 2, Tiers-Lieu (Tuesdays only)
Tél. +33 (0)2 31 56 61 75 / +33 (0)2 61 56 59 54
intl.welcome@unicaen.fr

Open from 9am to 5:00pm
Outside these times, please contact us by email.