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Study at the University of Burgundy as a Degree-Seeking Student
This page is primarily aimed at candidates who wish to study at the University of Burgundy outside of a short-term exchange programme and are of foreign nationality.
Last update: July, 19, 2024.
The majority of study programmes at the University of Burgundy are taught in French, however we do offer some English-taught programmes, of which the majority are at Master's level. This website provides instructions on how to apply to all of our programmes, at all levels and for both English- and French-taught programmes. You may find that some documents are only available in French, this is because these particular documents are only relevant to those applying for French-taught programmes.
APPLICATIONS
Information for the 2024/2025 academic year.
Have a look at the website Formation to find out about the range of French-taught study programmes that we offer. Please read the information sheets of every programme you are interested in carefully: you will find each programme's entry conditions, content, subjects etc. This information should help you to determine your eligibility for the study programme. If this is the case, start writing your cover letter and assemble all the required documents, translated into French if necessary: diplomas, transcripts of records...
English-taught programmes are available at our English-taught programmes rubric.
Please note that if you are accepted to study at uB you will not be able to change your programme nor campus.The application deadline for the academic year 2024-2025 is closed for the majority of candidates. Candidates who would like to apply to study at the University of Burgundy for the 2025-2026 academic year will find all information about the International office application procedures on this website, end September 2024.
The way you will submit your application will depend of your personal situation: your citizenship, your country of residence and level of the study programme you are applying for. Some international and French candidates do not need to apply via the International office procedures and will must contact other offices/organisms.
Who can still apply for 2024/2025 academic year?
Applications are still open for the 1st year of Bachelor studies for:
- all candidates with citizenship from the European Union, European Economic Area or the Swiss Confederation;
- candidates who do not have citizenship from the European Union, European Economic Area or the Swiss Confederation: ONLY candidates who have French baccalaureate diploma.
To apply you must submit your demand at Parcoursup website during the extra application period open from 11 June to 12 September 2024.
When you obtain the acceptance letter from the Parcoursup, you will then need to send us:
- a copy of your Parcoursup acceptance letter;
- a copy of proof of identity (including nationality);
- a copy of certificate of French language if you are not part of the exemption cases (more information about language requirements here below at Step 3: I obtain the required language test);
- a photocopy of your secondary school leaver's certificate allowing you access to higher education. This must be officially translated into French.
You should send us these documents:
- by Email to Cette adresse e-mail est protégée contre les robots spammeurs. Vous devez activer le JavaScript pour la visualiser. or
- by post:
Université de Bourgogne - Pôle International
Maison de l'Université - Esplanade Erasme - BP 27877
21078 DIJON cedex
France
Translating your documents
If you need to have your documents translated, you can do it in your country or in France (consult the Court of Appeal lists where you will find the lists of translators on French territory).Please read below the information about the 2024/2025 language requirements. This information may change: in October 2024 we will publish here language requirements for the 2025/2026 academic year.
I apply for a French-taught programme
A level of C2 is required for master Recherche et Veille Internationale at the Faculty of Languages and Communication (UFR Langues et communication).
A level of C1 is required for study programmes in:
- Law;
- Administration (administration économique et sociale - AES);
- Economics / Business / Management ;
- Biological and environmental sciences (Sciences de la Vie, de la Terre et de l'Environnement - UFR SVTE) ;
- Health sciences ;
- Faculty of Literature and Philosophy (UFR Lettres et philosophie): all master-level programmes in Literature (letters) and linguistic sciences (Sciences du language master and FLE et aires linguistiques master);
- Faculty of Languages and Communication (UFR Langues et communication) : only Commerce et Affaires marchés de la gastronomie et de l’agroalimentaire master programme.
- all study programmes in Humanities (except Musicology).
A level of B2 is required for study programmes in:
- Faculty of Literature and Philosophy (UFR Lettres et philosophie): all bachelor level programmes, as well as master-level programmes in Philosophy and Information and Communication Sciences;
- musicology;
- all other study programmes at the University of Burgundy.
To prove your language level, you must provide us with a French language certificate. Only TCF, DELF or DALF certificates tout public are accepted. You only need to complete the mandatory parts of the test.
Applicants outside of the European Union, the European Economic Area and the Swiss Confederation wishing to enrol in licence 1 must submit the TCF DAP (except for those in the exemption cases listed below).
If you haven't taken the required French language test, all information about where and how to take the test can be found on the France Éducation International website.
Exemption cases
In certain cases, applicants are not required to take a French language test. If any of the following categories apply to you, you do not need to provide us with a French language certificate:
- nationals of countries where French is the only official language, as well as applicants residing in those countries if they have obtained a high school diploma delivered by that country;
- for countries where French is not the only official language, applicants who have completed their secondary school level education at a French-speaking institution;
- applicants from Mauritius who are in possession of a bilingual baccalaureate;
- applicants who have obtained the Test d'Evaluation du Français (TEF), administered by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Paris (Chambre du Commerce et de l'Industrie de Paris) with at least 14/20 in the written expression section;
- applicants who studied within the French bilingual department of one of these institutions listed by the French ministry or on the Le fil plurilingue website. Did you study in a bilingual French programme in an EU or EEA country and can't find your institution on the Le Fil plurilingue site? Email the Cette adresse e-mail est protégée contre les robots spammeurs. Vous devez activer le JavaScript pour la visualiser. to see if this exemption category applies to you.
How to improve my French level?
Take a look at the Learning about French culture and improving your French level rubric here below where you will find useful advice on how to improve your language level before and after coming to France.
I apply for an English-taught master programme
- International Master in Business studies (IMBS) : good level of English. No test required. B2 French test recommended.
- International management and sustainability (Global and Sustainable Management): B2 level. No test required.
- Intercultural management (ICM): a C1 level is required. No compulsory test - language level will be assessed during online interviews.
- Projects in International and European Cultural Engineering (PIECE): C2. No compulsory test - language level will be assessed during online interviews.
- ForTheMicrobes: B2. No test required. Language level will be assessed during online interviews. However, if you already have a test proving your level, the testing date may not be more than three years old at the time of application.
- Transition Metals in Molecular Chemistry (T2MC): very good knowledge of English. No compulsory test.
- Innovative Drugs: B2. No test required.
- Control and Durability of Materials: a B2 level is required. Tests accepted: internationally recognised tests (TOEIC, TOEFL...) and tests recognised at the national level of each country. For information, this master is partially taught in French, therefore you will also have to provide proof of French language skills (see all details here above in the paragraph I apply for a French-taught programme).
- Health-AI: no compulsory test.
- Advanced Electronic Systems Engineering: a B2 level is required. Tests accepted: internationally recognised tests (TOEIC, TOEFL...) and tests recognised at the national level of each country;
- Physics, Photonics and Nanotechnology (PPN): very good knowledge of English. No test required.
- Mathematical Physics (Math4phys): sufficient fluency in English. No compulsory test, but language level can be assessed during online interviews.
Applicants in the following categories are exempt from English language tests:
- citizens of countries where English is the only official language, as well as applicants residing in those countries if they have obtained a high school diploma delivered by that country;
- for countries where English is not the only official language, applicants who have completed their secondary school level education at an English-speaking institution.
Good to know: if you do not have yet your language certificate you can still start your application procedure and add it later but remember that your application file must be complete (language certificate included) before the application official deadline.
You will receive the answer to your application several weeks or months after the completion of your application file. The majority of students receive a response between April and June.
If your application is accepted you must respect all the following steps in order to organize your arrival and enrolment at the University of Burgundy.
ENROLMENT
Information for the 2024/2025 academic year.
In order to register at the University of Burgundy (year 2024/2025) you must prepare the following documents:
- this enrolment file: filled and signed;
- one passport-size photo;
- one copy of your identity card or passport, and if applicable, one copy of your D-visa or long stay visa with the "Etudiant" (student) mention (if you do not have citizenship of a country within the European Union, the European Economic Area or the Swiss Confederation);
- one copy of a French civil liability insurance certificate (obtained at a French bank or a French insurance agency when you arrive in France). The cost is around 20 euros;
- one copy of your admission letter from the University of Burgundy;
- proof of payment of the Student and Campus Life Contribution fee (Contribution à la vie étudiante et de campus - CVEC) - cost is 103 euros (more information here below in Step 2: I pay fees);
- if enrolling in a Bachelor programme: the original and one copy of your secondary education diploma (Baccalauréat, A-Level, High School Diploma, Abitur, etc.) or certificate of achievement of your last successfully credited year of study with its official translation in French ;
- if enrolling in a Master programme: the original and one copy of your most recently obtained higher education diploma (Bachelor degree, Master degree, etc.) with an official translation in French or English;
- if you have already been enrolled in a French higher education institution in the past: please attach a copy of former student card or enrolment certificate;
- if you receive a scholarship: please attach a copy of scholarship notification;
- ONLY for students who live in one of the countries from THIS list:
- vaccination record (vaccination recommendations) ;
- a lung X-ray exam (translated in French if possible) less than 3 months old. You must undergo this exam before your arrival in France. This request is part of tuberculosis screening.
Once you have arrived at the University of Burgundy, we will direct you to the University Health Centre where you will get an appointment for a free medical consultation.
Translating your documents
If you need to have your documents translated, you can do it in your country or in France (consult the Court of Appeal lists where you will find the lists of translators on French territory).Student and Campus Life Contribution fee
Before registering at the University of Burgundy, you must pay the Student and Campus Life contribution fee (Contribution à la vie étudiante et de campus - CVEC).
- Cost: 103 euros.
- The payment is possible online via card payment OR in cash at a French post office starting from July 2024.
- Find all information:
- at MesServices.etudiant.gouv.fr website;
- in this instruction in English;
- in this video tutorial in English.
- Good to know: someone else can pay this fee in your name.
- Students receiving French government grant are exempted of this payment.
Do not forget to give your proof of payment of the Student and Campus Life Contribution fee to the International Office when you enrol.
University of Burgundy enrolment feeThe enrolment fees for 2024/2025 academic year:
- basic national fees for Bachelor level: 170 euros;
- basic national fees for Master level: 243 euros;
- basic national fees for engineer's diploma: 601 euros;
- basic national fees for students with a scholarship from the French government: 0 euros;
- specific fees for certain English-taught programmes (added to basic national fees):
- 3.500 euros/year for:
- International Master in Business Studies,
- International management and sustainability (Global and Sustainable Management).
- 4.000 euros/year for:
You will be able to make the payment either by credit card or by French bank check.
Good to know: for the 2024/2025 academic year, the University of Burgundy will not charge separate fees for students coming from countries outside of the European Union, the European Economic Area, or Switzerland.
If you applied via Parcoursup, Mon master or eCandidat procedure, please follow the online registration procedure.
If you applied via Etudes en France, DAP or Mobility-Online procedure, the administrative registration (year 2024/2025) will take place on the Dijon campus in Pôle AAFE building (point 20 on the campus plan) in room R03 from 28 August to 13 September 2024 from 1.30 p.m. to 5 p.m. according to the following phases.
1. You must come with all the documents requested respecting the schedule here below corresponding to the faculty where you have been admitted.
- Wednesdays August 28, September 4 and 11: all masters taught in English (except the AESM, Computer vision and MaIA masters which are not taught on the Dijon campus).
- 29 and 30 August: Faculty of Health Sciences (Sciences de santé), Jules Guyot Institute of Vine and Wine Sciences (Institut universitaire de la vigne et du vin - IUVV), School of Management (Institut d’administration des entreprises - IAE).
- From 3 to 6 September: Polytech Dijon engineering school, Faculty of Law, Economics and Political Sciences (Droit, sciences économique et politique), Faculty of Life, Earth and Environmental Sciences (Sciences de la vie, de la terre et de l’environnement), Faculty of Languages and Communication (Langues et communication).
- From 10 to 13 September: Faculty of Science and Technology (Sciences et techniques), Faculty of Sports (STAPS), Faculty of Humanities (Sciences humaines), Faculty of Arts and Philosophy (Lettres et philosophie), Institute of Teacher Education (INSPÉ).
2. International office checks your documents and proceeds with your registration.
3. You pay the registration fee by credit card or French bank check.
4. You receive your student card and a welcome pack offered by the International office and the European Union's Erasmus+ programme.
5. Students WITHOUT health insurance from one of the EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland must apply for French social security (more information here below in Social security – Health paragraph).
If your study programme is not on the Dijon Campus or if you are enrolling in IUT Dijon please contact the administrative office of your study programme to find about the administrative and pedagogical registration there.
We cannot give you a certificate of late enrolment. Please note that if you haven't enrolled within the two weeks following your programme's start date, your admission into the university will no longer be valid, and you will no longer be able to enrol at the University of Burgundy.
Once you have enrolled within the International office, you must contact the scolarité (administrative office for your study programme) in order to find out about your pedagogical enrolment; for example, to choose subjects, etc.
If your courses start before your administrative enrolment, don't worry: you can (and should!) still go to class. The fact that you haven't yet been enrolled administratively does not prevent you from attending class.USEFUL INFORMATION
Students with citizenship of a country within the European Union, European Economic Area, or Swiss Confederation
- You do not have to have a student visa or residence permit to study or live in France.
- Make sure you have valid ID card or a valid passport.
Students with citizenship of a country OUTSIDE the European Union, European Economic Area, or Swiss Confederation
- Contact Cultural Services of the French Embassy in your country of residence in order to find out the procedure for obtaining a study visa.
- Keep in mind that for your visa request you will also need to submit:
- your admission letter from the University of Burgundy. We do not issue any pre-enrolment documents so please use your admission letter because we cannot provide you with any other document;
- a proof of housing so be sure you booked a housing before submitting your visa request;
- a proof of financial resources.
The official website for French visas contain helpful details about validating and renewing your visa/residence permit.
Good to know: The International Office can provide answers to certain questions about extending your student residence permit once in France. There will be someone available to guide you as you prepare the necessary documents for requesting an extension before submitting them at the Prefecture. This service is routinely available from mid-April to mid-July.
- For all details about residence permit application visit the Foreign nationals in France website and also take a look at this Campus France tutorial video.
To study in France, you must be sure you possess enough financial resources for living and to pay the University's tuition fees. To get a rough idea about life expenses in France you can check the Campus France website, rubric Preparing your budget.
To find out the difference between the cost of living in your country of origin and in France, you can consult the following comparison sites: Numbeo or Expatistan.
Students who are required to obtain a visa for their stay in France must provide to the French authority delivering visas a proof of their financial resources.
There is no specific financial aids you could apply for once you arrived in France so be aware you must have a reliable solution of financing your studies in France.
Depending of your situation and country of origin you may be eligible for scholarships:- French government grants;
- Eiffel scholarship programme of excellence;
- France Excellence Europa;
- Campus France grant search engine can be useful;
- Agence universitaire de la francophonie grants;
- Fulbright Grants for US Citizens;
- Jean Monnet Scholarship Programme Turkey;
- Excellence-Major grants;
- German BAföG grants;
- Columbian Crédito Beca programme;
- your home country government grants;
- ...
Please note that the University of Burgundy does not offer any grants.
Good to know: in the Student life paragraph here below you can find useful information on different types of help for students with social difficulties (food donation associations, state financial assistance for housing, etc.).
Once you have received your admission notification at the University of Burgundy you must search for a housing solution. University of Burgundy cannot do it for you but we give you possible solutions.
- Room in a student centre CROUS residence. To apply you must create your dossier social étudiant - DSE (student social file) and be in possession of your admission letter to the University of Burgundy. For more information, visit the MesServices.etudiant.gouv.fr website and the CROUS website. For any questions related to your CROUS housing application, please contact the CROUS at Cette adresse e-mail est protégée contre les robots spammeurs. Vous devez activer le JavaScript pour la visualiser.. If your CROUS housing application was refused, you will need to find another solution;
- You have not obtained a room in student residences on campus and/or you are looking for another reliable housing solution? You can use the Studapart platform with which the University of Burgundy has a partnership. Special offers for University of Burgundy students, accommodation offers are verified and payment is secure. Rentals from 1 to 24 months in studios apartments, shared accommodation, private rooms, etc. If you do not have a guarantor living in France, Studapart can offer you the guarantee contract. For any questions, write to Studapart multilingual team at Cette adresse e-mail est protégée contre les robots spammeurs. Vous devez activer le JavaScript pour la visualiser. or Cette adresse e-mail est protégée contre les robots spammeurs. Vous devez activer le JavaScript pour la visualiser..
- See Studapart's flyer and Housing Guide.
Other housing possibilities:
- list of accommodation listed by Campus France;
- flats to rent: Leboncoin, Pap, Fnaim, Se loger, Top annonces, Paru Vendu;
- flat sharing: La carte des colocs, Appartager;
- furnished rooms in someone's home: Roomlala, Airbnb shared rentals, Cohébergement;
- furnished student residences: International Students Residence in Dijon, Nexity studéa, Immo jeune, Résidence étudiante, Fac Habitat, Les Estudines, Lokaviz ;
- International House : a residential hotel on the Dijon campus;
- the practical housing guide for accommodation in Burgundy (in French only) also contains resources for finding housing options as well as useful advice.
Good to know
- Do you need a garant (guarantor) in order to obtain housing? On the Visale website, find out how you can obtain a guarantor at no cost to make it easier for you to access student housing. See also this explanatory video from Campus France.
- Did you know that you are potentially eligible to obtain financial aid from the French state to finance part of your accommodation costs? Once you have settled into your accommodation in France, check the CAF (Family Allowance Fund) website for more information.
Please be sure you arrive on the campus before your programme's start date.
The academic calendar for 2024/2025 academic year is available here.
We cannot give you a certificate of late enrolment. Please note that if you haven't enrolled within the two weeks following your programme's start date, your admission into the university will no longer be valid, and you will no longer be able to enrol at the University of Burgundy.
Reminder: if your courses start before your administrative enrolment, don't worry: you can (and should!) still go to class. The fact that you haven't yet been enrolled administratively does not prevent you from attending class.
Student card
Once you enrol, you will receive your student card which you can use to eat at the student restaurants, borrow books at the University's libraries, and get discounts at the cinema as well as other cultural institutions or events (theatre, museums, athletic events, etc.).
You can also load your card with money so that you can use it to pay at university restaurants.- In order to use this feature, you must activate your card.
Electronic student account and digital services
48 hours after your administrative enrolment, you must activate your University of Burgundy student account, which will enable you to access several features, such as:- uB student webmail, secured sharing of large files, event planning software...;
- administrative services, such as exam calendar, transcripts and grades, course enrolment, downloading your certificate of enrolment;
- online courses;
- informational resources;
- obtaining for free Microsoft Office which will also allow you to use TEAMS platform from which you may take some online courses. On TEAMS you can also join the conversation group of international students and easily be in touch with International office;
- and more.
You can activate your account on the University's website under the Espace numérique de travail (ENT) tab - Mon compte - Étudiant - Activer mon compte.
Your account will also grant you access to the many Wi-Fi hotspots around campus, as well as to computers in the self-service labs.
To learn more, take a look at the Mes services numériques page.
You can find plenty of useful information about student life on the uB-link student portal.
In particular, you will find information on:
- free access to the university health centre, where you can consult a general practitioner, a psychiatrist, a gynaecologist, nurses, a psychologist, a marriage counsellor, and staff from the Diagnosis and Testing Centre for sexually transmitted infections (Centre Gratuit d'Information de Diagnostic et de Dépistage des infections sexuellement transmissibles);
- free access to sporting activities;
- disability services;
- day-care for students with children;
- student restaurants operated by the CROUS student centre.
To succeed in your studies and your professional insertion, you can access:- libraries;
- Language Centre;
- career counselling (job and internship search, free CV and cover letter writing workshops, etc.) and entrepreneurship counselling.
If you encounter social difficulties, you can benefit from food aid for students in need: Epicerie solidaire, Febia and Campus comestible (community groceries) and consult a social worker, among several CROUS Social Services. Cette adresse e-mail est protégée contre les robots spammeurs. Vous devez activer le JavaScript pour la visualiser. of the University of Burgundy also can help you with the issues related to housing, free food, administrative steps, loan of computers, finding student job… You may be eligible to receive financial aid from the French government through the CAF (Family Allowance Fund) to finance a portion of your rent or housing fees.
Dijon's cultural life is rich. The campus even has its own cultural centre Atheneum and its radio station Radio Dijon Campus in which you can participate. Also take a look at the Mansart theatre's programme, managed by CROUS. You can also get the city of Dijon's Carte culture (Culture Card) which offers discounts on numerous cultural events happening in the greater Dijon area.Divia, the public transport service in Dijon, offers a variety of subscription passes and means of transport. Companies for traveling around Burgundy, France, and internationally: Mobigo, FlixBus, BlaBlaCar, SNCF discount rail cards.
Also take a look at the:- City of Dijon information sheet;
- Campus France website where you will find numerous information useful to your stay in France.
General contacts at uB
- International Office (Pôle International): Cette adresse e-mail est protégée contre les robots spammeurs. Vous devez activer le JavaScript pour la visualiser.. Our staff is multilingual – we can converse with you in French and English, and potentially in other languages (German, Spanish, Romanian, Croatian...).
- Office of Student Life (Pôle formation et vie universitaire): guidance, career advising, workshops on searching for jobs and internships, assistance for those with disabilities, and more: Cette adresse e-mail est protégée contre les robots spammeurs. Vous devez activer le JavaScript pour la visualiser..
Contacts within your faculty, school or institute
- The professors in charge of your programme – if you don't know the name of the person in charge, you can find it in your programme's directory on the Formation page.
- Your programme's administrative office or secretary.
The Contacts page, as well as the ENT directory, contains the contact information of anyone at uB whom you wish to contact. All agents of the University of Burgundy are also present on the TEAMS platform.
In case of emergency, you must contact national services outside the University by dialling the following numbers according to your situation:
- 15: emergency medical services (SAMU);
- 17: emergency police number in cases of violence, theft, or burglary;
- 18: Fire department in cases of fire, gas leaks, water damage, natural disasters, or traffic accidents;
- 112: European emergency number, free and accessible anywhere throughout the European Union, in addition to national emergency numbers;
- 114: general emergency number centralising text and fax emergency messages for all situation types (police, fire department, and paramedics). It is particularly suited to those who have difficulty hearing or speaking, as well as to those in situations where it's impossible to speak (for example, during a terrorist attack where you must stay hidden and silent).
Social security - Health
You must come in France with your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) valid throughout your stay abroad. This is a free card issued by your health insurance organization which allows you to benefit from the French public health care that you would need during a temporary stay abroad under the same conditions and at the same price as people insured in France. Find more information on the EHIC on the European Commission website.
When you receive health care in France, you must present your European Health Insurance Card (or provisional certificate).
If you are obliged to pay in advance for health care that is usually free of charge in France, you have two options for reimbursement:
- make a reimbursement request to your health insurance organization in your country over presentation of the documents obtained in France (normally you will not need to have these documents translated into the language of your country as the European health systems are linked and reimburse without difficulty) OR
- contact the French health insurance system (Caisse primaire d'assurance maladie - CPAM)
If you wish to be reimbursed in France you must present the following documents to the CPAM:
- documents proving health care you received,
- a photocopy of your European Health Insurance Card (or photocopy of provisional certificate),
- your uB enrolment certificate (to be downloaded from your student digital account - ENT),
- your RIB (bank account details - the account can be in a foreign bank but it must be in your name),
- a written declaration on honour stating that you remain financially dependent on your parents.
Are you officially financially independent from your parents or are you working in France or working online from France for a company abroad? In this case you must register with the French social security system in order to benefit from French health insurance. How do you register? Once your administrative registration at the University of Burgundy is complete, follow the necessary steps by registering on the Etudiant-etranger.ameli.fr website. We also recommend that you take out additional health insurance, called "mutuelle", which can cover the part of the cost of care that is not covered by basic health insurance. Do you have a modest income and cannot afford to subscribe to a "mutuelle"? Check if you are eligible for the state complementary health insurance (complémentaire santé solidaire) which will cost you nothing or less than 1 euro/day.
Good to know: in the case of hospitalisation, in general you will not be obliged to advance the costs because your European Health Insurance Card is sufficient (except in specific establishments not covered by the French health insurance system in cities like Paris).
French social security (Health Insurance)
Once your administrative enrolment has taken place, you must apply for social security online through the etudiant-etranger.ameli.fr website in order to be covered in case of health problems (illness, hospitalization, etc.).- Read these instructions carefully on how to enrol for social security.
- Take a look at Campus France videos:
- Find more information about French social security system on their website.
Complementary health insurance (mutuelle)
Social security allows you to receive care in case of health problems and covers the majority of the cost (up to 70% on average), after which you must pay the remaining cost. To cover the expenses not covered by social security, we strongly advise you to obtain a complementary health insurance plan, called a mutuelle. This insurance is not mandatory, but can be very useful because it can cover one part or all (depending on the option you have chosen) of the costs that are not covered by social security. If you wish to enrol in a complementary health insurance plan, you can contact one of many organisations to find the offer that suits you best:
- student agencies: SMERRA or LMDE;
- general agencies: MGEN, AÉSIO, MAAF, AG2R, MAIF, MATMUT, MACIF, ...
Do you have a modest income and cannot afford to subscribe to a "mutuelle"? Check if you are eligible for the state complementary health insurance (complémentaire santé solidaire) which will cost you nothing or less than 1 euro/day.
As a student at the University of Burgundy, you have access to the University Health Centre, where you can consult a general practitioner, a psychiatrist, a gynaecologist, nurses, a psychologist, a marriage counsellor, and staff from the Diagnosis and Testing Centre for sexually transmitted infections.
SETTLING IN
All year long, there are a wide variety of events happening at the University, in Dijon, and around the Burgundy region: cultural, sporting events, scientific events, etc. Many events, especially those at the University, are free and open to all. It's a great way to meet other people and learn more about the environment around you.
To find out what's coming up, take a look at the various event calendars:- University of Burgundy events’ calendar;
- City of Dijon events’ calendar;
- Côte-d'Or department events’ calendar;
- Burgundy region events’ calendar.
Events of particular interest to international students
International Student Welcome Days are hosted by the International Office, City of Dijon and the ESN InsiDijon student association at the beginning of every semester. This event is a great opportunity to get acquainted with both the campus environment and the city of Dijon, and to meet other students, both French and international.
- The programme for the next welcome days taking place in September and October 2024 will be published here at latest end of August 2024.
Erasmus Days take place in October.
CROUS events Invitez le monde à votre table (Invite the World to Your Table).
Campus Days: all uB students are invited to join in various fun activities at the beginning of each academic year in September.
- Your faculty, school or institute may also host events for its students, sometimes specifically for international students.
- The International Office organises and provides information about different international events on uB's campus, in Burgundy, in France, and abroad. Feel free to like the International Office's Facebook page and join the conversation group of international students on TEAMS to stay up to date with all our upcoming events!
There are more than 140 student organisations at the University of Burgundy, across all campuses. They are great opportunities for meeting people and making friends, and many of them were created specifically for students of different origins to help you get settled into university life.
Erasmus Student Network (ESN) InsiDijon
The international students' association, ESN InsiDijon, offers to pair international students with a "buddy". This means that you will be paired with a University of Burgundy student who will be able to help you discover French culture and life in Burgundy. They will offer you support when you need it, and will be there for you as a helpful guide during your stay in Dijon.
Sign up here to get in contact with your buddy!
Once you arrive in Dijon, you can also become a member of the association and participate in different activities by:
- being actively involved in the association: organising events for students, administration, creating and managing local, regional, and international partnerships OR
- simply participating in the association's events and projects aimed at both French and international students, such as language cafés, excursions, cultural outings, international parties, aperitifs, and more!
You can also join the WhatsApp group of international students who will be at our university in 2024/2025 academic year.
Co-funded by the European Union
Other international student organisations
- Amicale des scolaires et universitaires des Burkinabés en Bourgogne-Franche-Comté (Association of Burkinabés school and university students and stuff in Burgundy-Franche-Comté region)
- ARAM (refugee students association)
- Association Bourgogne Brésil (Burgundy-Brazil association)
- Association Étudiants et amis du Congo (association Students and friends of the Congo)
- Association des jeunes et étudiants guinéens de Dijon (Association of students and young Guineans of Dijon)
- Association des étudiants et stagiaires sénégalais de Dijon (Association of Senegalese students and interns in Dijon)
- Association du Cursus Dijon Mayence (Association of Cursus intégrés Dijon-Mainz programme)
- Fédération des étudiants africains de Bourgogne (Federation of African students of Burgundy)
- InterCultural Association
- La Luna del Oriente (dance organisation)
All athletic, cultural, and academic organisations are listed in the Associations directory.
Keeping up with what uB alumni are doing can be very useful.
- University of Burgundy LinkedIn page.
- France Alumni: network of international students in France.
- Your faculty, school or institute may also have an association of alumni of your study programme, which could be of use to you (career advice, events, mentoring, etc.). Master ICM, IAE Dijon and Alumni d'ISAT are some of the examples of alumni networks. You can check your faculty's website to find out if there is an alumni network for your study programme.
CULTURAL ADAPTATION
Since you will be spending several months or years in France, there are many resources available to you that can help speed up the adaptation period and avoid culture shock.
These workshops, conducted mainly in English by students in the Intercultural Management master programme, allow uB students to learn more about different cultures and meet new people.
Discussion topics include:- sensitivity to cultural differences;
- cultural differences in the working world;
- how to overcome culture shock while abroad;
- different concepts in other cultures: values, humour, stereotypes, table etiquette, food, etc.
- group discussions about cultural experiences;
- and more.
Workshop structure:
- option of participating in workshops the first or second semester of the academic year;
- weekly hour-long meetings generally occurring during the midday break on the Dijon campus or online via Teams or Zoom;
- free and open to all uB students;
- registration via an online form sent by e-mail to your etu.u-bourgogne.fr inbox;
- students registered for the workshops will receive a statement from the Faculty of Languages and Communication (UFR Langues et communication) confirming their participation.
More information
- Contact: Cette adresse e-mail est protégée contre les robots spammeurs. Vous devez activer le JavaScript pour la visualiser..
- Watch the Culture Shock Workshops video directed by uB students.
This unité d'enseignement transversale (UET), or transversal course unit, is a supplementary one-semester course that makes it possible to learn or perfect your skills in a foreign language (French for example) and to gain professional experience while working, according to your availability, as a tutor at the University's Language Centre.
Additionally, it's a great opportunity to meet other students, both French and international.
The course unit is worth 5 additional ECTS credits, and can be added on to your primary curriculum in the majority of cases.- You can visit the Language Centre's website to learn more.
Ensemble en France (Together in France) is an online platform with interactive tools to help those who have recently settled in France better understand its customs, habits, and traditions.
Before and during your time at the University of Burgundy, there are several options available to you for learning or improving your French level.- The International Centre for French Studies (CIEF) in Dijon offers intensive French courses all year long. You can choose which arrangement best fits your needs: the Centre offers year-long, semester-long, and month-long courses, as well as a summer course. The CIEF programme is particularly tailored to students who wish to improve their French level before enrolling at the University of Burgundy and/or must pass a mandatory language test to study at university. Good to know: the CIEF also offers DELF and DALF certification.
- The Language Centre at the University of Burgundy offers evening courses. This arrangement, consisting of approximately 2 hours of class per week, is tailored to students already enrolled at the University. Remember that you can also apply for the Interculturalité course unit, which grants you free access to semester-long French courses.
- Are you a refugee, asylum seeker, or under subsidiary protection? The University of Burgundy offers a special programme designed for migrant students to help you improve your French level before beginning a degree programme.
- Remember that there are free online resources that can help you practice outside of a course! For example, on the France Éducation International website under the Services – Diplômes et tests de langues – DELF, DALF, TCF tabs, you will find examples of French practice tests.
- Participate in conversation groups organised by different associations. Practice French over drinks in a Dijon bar. Some examples of associations:
- ESN InsiDijon - Café des langues;
- Café Polyglotte Dijon.
- Before arriving in France, find out if similar conversational groups exist in your city of residence.
- There are a number of websites which offer language tandems: someone who can help you to learn or improve a foreign language in exchange for you helping them to learn your own native language. These conversations can take place online or face to face and can also be an opportunity to learn more about other cultures. Examples of tandem language websites: My language exchange, The Mixxer, Polyglot club, PenPal World, Inter Pals, Tandem linguistique.
- Think about reading in French, even if you don't understand everything. The aim is to successfully understand the text as a whole and to improve little by little. There are many editors who publish simplified works with simple phrases and a more limited vocabulary so that you can start. Download radio applications on your phone and listen to programmes and songs on French radio channels. When you watch TV and online content, try doing so in French.
Reading other international students' experiences and reactions, as well as those written by French students who went abroad, can help you better understand cultural differences and familiarise yourself with the country in which you will be studying.
Take a look at the many pages online featuring student testimonies:- Blogs E-ambassadeurs (E-Ambassador Blogs) written by international students in France who share their experiences and touch on multiple topics as told from their own perspective: studying, housing, the French language, traveling, entertainment, finances;
- testimonies of international students who came to study or intern at the University of Burgundy;
- uB student testimonies (French and international) who went abroad on an exchange programme or as an intern: interviews and photo slideshows with comments;
- Agitateurs de mobilité: experiences of young people who went abroad outside of France, as well as those who came to Burgundy via the regional international mobility programme.
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