INCOMING STUDENTS Q&A - FOLLOW UP Sciences Po Campus Contacts Reims Campus Address: 1 Place Museux, 51100 Reims Olivier Chopin, Director: olivier.chopin@sciencespo.fr Johanna Magin; Academic Advisor, Euro-American Program: Johanna.magin@sciencespo.fr Delphine N’Dion, Academic Advisor, Euro-African Program: delphine.ndion@sciencespo.fr Rachel Skowronski, Student Life Advisor: Rachel.skowronski@sciencespo.fr Rebeca Romero, Assistant for International Relations (Housing): rebeca.romero@sciencespo.fr Menton Campus Address: 11 Place St. Julien 06500 Menton Lamiss Azab, Academic Manager: lamiss.azab@sciencespo.fr Jeremy Dumont, Enrollment Assistant: jeremy.dumont@sciencespo.fr Le Havre Campus Address: 77 rue Bellot 76600 Le Havre Vincent Fertey, Academic Advisor: vincent.fertey@sciencespo.fr Alexandra Gravier, Administrative Manager: alexandra.gravier@sciencespo.fr
Transportation, Housing, and Daily Life Q: What is the most convenient way to get to each campus from the airport, using public transportation? A: Please see below for various arrival options: To Le Havre from Orly airport (Paris) Take a taxi to the Gare St. Lazare, where you can take an SNCF train to Le Havre. To Le Havre from Charles de Gaulle airport Take a taxi or the RER commuter train service to the Gare du Nord in Paris and then take a taxi or the Paris metro to Gare St. Lazare to catch the train to Le Havre. To Menton from Nice airport Take Bus 110, which goes directly into Menton, the last stop. The trip costs approximately €20. To Reims from Orly airport (Paris) Take a taxi or the RER commuter train service to the Gare de l’Est, and from there take the train to Reims. To Reims from Charles de Gaulle airport Take a train directly from CDG Terminal 2 to Reims. To book train tickets ahead of time, visit http://www.scnf.fr.
Q: When should I open a bank account? A: Each campus recommends opening a bank account during orientation week when they have set aside time to help students with the process. Q: Is it preferable to carry belongings on the plane or ship items to the student housing? A: Depending on the size and quantity; it may be cheaper and easier to carry belongings in-hand rather than shipping them. For more suggestions on items that are worth packing (and ones that may be better off left at home), please consult the suggested packing list on the Dual BA Program website. For medications, if possible we recommend taking enough to last the first semester to allow students to get acclimated to life in France before ordering prescriptions. Q. Is there a recommended type of laptop/computer that students should bring to Sciences Po? A: There is no recommendation for the type of laptop students should buy, but be aware that if you purchase a laptop in France your laptop will have the French keyboard, which is different from the English keyboard. Q: Are students charged for printing at Sciences Po? A: Students may print the first 600 pages for free, and are charged for any printing beyond that. Q: Where is the best place to purchase dorm room essentials close to each campus? A: There are several small magasins de bricolage close to each campus, as well as larger department stores that have locations throughout France (all websites below are in French): - Ikea - Conforama - Bricorama - Fly - But - Mr. Bricolage Q: When will a more complete version of the academic calendar become available? A: A full academic calendar for the 2018-2019 academic year is available by visiting the Sciences Po website. Remember that each campus requires you to arrive by a specific date: Le Havre & Reims: August 24 (Friday) Menton: August 27 (Monday)
Academics Q: Do I need to submit final transcripts to both Sciences Po and Columbia? A: Yes. If your transcript is in French or English, you do not need to provide an official translation to Sciences Po and you can simply upload it to your Espace Étudiant. For Columbia, if your transcript is in a language other than English, you will need to provide an official translation. Please mail your transcripts (with translation if necessary) to: Dual BA Program Between Columbia University and Sciences Po Office of Admissions 408 Lewisohn Hall MC 4101
2970 Broadway New York, NY 10027 Alternatively, an administrator from your school may email your final transcript as an attachment to spo-dualba@columbia.edu.
Legal Documents & Administrative Processes Q: Do I need an official translation of my high school transcript if it is in English? A: Sciences Po is able to accept high school transcripts without a translation if they are in French or English. If your transcript is in a language besides French or English, you will need an official translation. Q: Are students able to leave France with their student visa? A: Yes, students are able to travel anywhere their passports allow them, including other European countries or to their home countries during breaks. Q: Will students who receive the Visa Long-Séjour-Titre de Séjour (VLS-TS) have to renew it next year or is the Carte de Séjour considered a valid document to live in and travel throughout Europe after this visa expires? A: Students who receive a one-year visa must renew their Carte de Séjour before they begin their second year of classes at Sciences Po, and the renewal process can be completed either in France or abroad. If a student chooses to renew his/her Carte de Séjour in France, they will do so through their local préfecture. If a student chooses to renew his/her Carte de Séjour outside of France, they must go through the Campus France visa application process once again (for those students within the CEF countries serviced by Campus France), or through the French consulate for their country. Q: Please advise on power of attorney for a son/daughter while in France. In the US, for example, there are two types. A: (Please note that this information is completely anecdotal and non-legally binding; students and their families should consult with their family lawyers for any additional questions.) Should an emergency situation arise while a student is in France, their closest family member would be contacted to make any necessary decisions on their behalf. For unmarried students, the closest family would be their parents, even if they are over 18 years old. Living outside of France would not change this, and the only reason that parents would not be contacted in case of emergency would be if the student (above 18) specifically requested in writing that someone other than his/her parents held power of attorney on his/her behalf. In addition, in cases of routine hospitalization, students would be asked to authorize a specific person to act on their behalf, if necessary. However, if an emergency were to occur and a student was incapacitated and unable to speak on his/her own behalf, the clarity of a translated POA would be particularly useful. It should also be noted that students should always carry their parents' names and phone numbers if there is a concern about hospitalization. Students and their families who wish to complete POA paperwork for their time in France should contact their family lawyer for more information.
Q: Is an Apostille for birth certificate, etc. necessary? A: (Please note that this information is completely anecdotal and non-legally binding; students and their families should consult with their family lawyers for any additional questions.) While not absolutely necessary, having an Apostille can be helpful in official situations where a student may need to show legal paperwork or documentation that has been drafted outside of France. The United States and France (and 103 other countries around the world) are both covered by something called the Apostille Convention of the Hague Convention, which ensures that public documents (such as a birth certificate or POA) that are certified within the country in which they were originally issued can also be recognized and accepted as valid within the member countries when accompanied by a one-page Apostille document. For students and families within the US, more information on issuing an Apostille document may be found by visiting the website for the Secretary of State for the US state in which you live. For those wanting to be completely thorough, it may also be worth obtaining a translation of their birth certificate or POA in addition to the Apostille once they have been drafted and issued. Q: Is there someone on campus or someone who is recommended by the campus who can help translate legal documents when students set up their bank and mobile phone accounts? A: Should official, notarized translations be required for students moving forward, there are several translation agencies near Le Havre, Reims, and Menton.
Health Q: What medical forms, if any, are needed to sign up to play a sport? A: To play a sport and validate credits, students need a medical certificate provided by a doctor. The OFII medical certificate cannot fulfill this requirement. Each campus offers various medical services. In Menton and Le Havre, there is a doctor, nurse, and psychiatrist who visit the campuses every two weeks and can speak to students in English and French. In Reims, there is a doctor and a nurse who visit twice a week as well as a psychologist and psychiatrist on campus. In all cases, students are also able to see doctors off campus if they wish. Though some doctors in the cities speak English, students will have to call and make appointments in French.