Summer Welcome Information

Currently NO visa required to be in France for up to 90 days. However, you MUST have a passport that is valid for three months past your proposed stay.

Please note: while US citizens are normally not required to obtain a visa for short summer study abroad in France there has been some discussion of this regulation changing. Please check with your local French consulate.

Verify with the French Consulate of your home country. If you do need a visa, we recommend you start the visa application as soon as possible, as it may take several weeks to process. If you need an official letter of admission for visa purposes, please email [email protected].

Please do NOT apply for a student visa as a 2 weeks course is not considered for a student visa. 

Taxi stands are located at most airport exits. A taxi from Charles de Gaulle Airport costs approximately 50-70 €, tip included, and will take about 45 minutes to get to Paris. If you are arriving to Orly Airport (south of Paris), a taxi will cost approximately 40 € with a tip, and take about 30 minutes.

If you have internet access on your smartphone, you also have the option of calling an Uber.

Public transportation is the most inexpensive option. The Paris public transport site: www.ratp.fr has information in English, Spanish, Italian, Japanese, and German.

Taking the train

The blue RER B train goes from either airport directly into the center of the city, for about 11,80 € from CDG and 14,10 € from Orly. Follow the signs for trains into Paris, and purchase your ticket before boarding. Exits are available at Gare du Nord (closest to the PCA campus), Chatelet-Les Halles, St. Michel and Luxembourg, among others.

Taking the bus

From Charles de Gaulle Airport to Paris, the Roissybus costs 14,50 euros and stops near Opéra (4 metro stops from the PCA campus). From Orly Airport, the Orlybus to Paris costs 10 € and stops at Denfert-Rochereau. The Air France bus costs 15 € from CDG and 12 € from Orly to the metro. More information is available at www.lescarsairfrance.com.
Find out more about public transportation via suburban train, direct bus and public bus to and from either airport on www.ratp.fr.

We advise that students bring spending money in the form of an ATM or debit card because past experience has shown that ATM or debit cards are the most convenient option by far. Bank machines are widely available in Paris, and they accept most major credit and debit cards (especially Visa or MasterCard) and can often be used in English. Check with your credit/debit card company about their card compatibility with ATMs overseas. ATMs are available throughout France, including at the airport, though you may want to arrive with a small amount of European currency (~50 € cash) in case you need to make a purchase before finding an ATM. We strongly advise against bringing travelers checks, as it can be difficult to find merchants willing to cash them.

While it is not necessary to have a credit card, you may want to bring one as a safeguard in case of emergency. All major cards are accepted in France, especially Visa or MasterCard.

Wiring money should only be considered as a last resort. It can take over 24 hours to accomplish and typically involves a transaction fee. Thomas Cook, Western Union and American Express offer the fastest and most reliable wiring services if you do not have a French bank account.

All students must be reachable by cell phone while in Paris. Students may choose to use their home cell phone (check with your provider for international use and charges) or purchase a local French SIM card and/or phone.

Cell phones

Check with your home cell phone provider to find out if your phone would work while abroad and learn about any applicable charges or international plans. You may also consider purchasing a pre-paid cell phone once in France (for around 40€) plus use charges. Prepaid minutes are available for sale at phone stores, groceries stores and tabacs. Students are not allowed cell phones during class or in group activities.

Calling cards

Alternatively, you may wish to bring calling cards supplied by your home carrier. Cards issued by major U.S. carriers such as AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint work easily in France. Please note that pre-paid 1-800 cards from the US are unsuitable for France. You should therefore make sure that any pre-paid card you bring with you is designed for international use.

eSIMS

You can also consider purchasing an e-sim before your arrival to Paris, check providers such as Holafly or Airalo. Make sure your cellphone is compatible with e-sims before buying them.