Future student in Châlons-en-Champagne ?
Make sure you’re fully prepared for the start of the academic year at the CNAC and your arrival in Châlons-en-Champagne!
Student Life Welcome Guide (printable version)
Visa application
International students must apply for a visa as soon as they are notified of their admission to the CNAC, as this process can take some time. It is advisable to arrive in France as early as possible in order to complete all the administrative procedures and find accommodation.
Cost of living
The figures given below are approximate. They are based on the practices and experiences of former students and are intended to give an idea of the minimum amount required to complete a full course of study under the best possible conditions.
Accommodation and housing assistance
The CNAC does not provide student accommodation. Most students opt to share flats. They organise themselves and swap vacant flats amongst themselves. You should expect to pay between €250 and €500 per month for accommodation arranged in this way.
A limited number of caravan sites are also available from private individuals a few kilometres from Châlons.
It is possible to claim housing benefit (APL or ALS). To do so, you must submit an application to the Family Allowances Fund (CAF), 2, rue la Rochefoucauld Liancourt, Châlons-en-Champagne.
To make your search for accommodation easier, we advise students to contact local estate agents or the following social housing providers:
Renaissance Immobilière Châlonnaise (RIC)
55, boulevard Hippolyte Faure - 51005 Châlons-en-Champagne Cedex
Tél. +33 (0)3 26 68 37 11
Châlons en Champagne Habitat
7, Cours d’Ormesson - 51008 Châlons-en-Champagne
Tél. +33 (0)3 26 68 68 68
Plurial Novilia
5, quai Barbat - 51000 Châlons-en-Champagne
Tél. +33 (0)3 26 70 18 23
Catering at the CROUS
The CNAC provides lunch for all students, Monday to Friday, excluding school holidays. These meals are served at the CROUS canteen, 2 rue Saint-Dominique, Châlons-en-Champagne, between 11.30 am and 1.30 pm.
The university canteen is also open in the evenings, with students paying for their own meals (€3.25).
Transport
To make getting around the city easier, it is advisable to have a bicycle.
Bicycles can be hired for 3, 10 or 12 months from SITAC. To make an appointment: Allô Sitac Tel. +33 (0)3 26 69 59 00.
Studying in France
To help students settle in quickly, the CNAC provides French language courses during the first year of study at the CNAC. An aptitude test is held at the start of the academic year to assess each student’s existing knowledge.
The DELF (Diplôme d’Etude de Langue Française) exam is offered to all students who have attended the French language courses. The CNAC covers half the cost of the exam registration fee.
Student grants
Students may be eligible, based on means-tested criteria, for two types of grant:
Means-tested grant based on the student’s social circumstances (DSE)
Applications for the grant must be made via the Crous de Reims website.
They must be submitted before sitting the CNAC entrance examination (before the end of April), via the online student social circumstances form, which allows applicants to list four choices across four different education authorities. Each student may submit only one application, even if they are applying to several institutions or seeking multiple forms of financial support, regardless of the academic region.
Grants not covered by the DSE (National Emergency Aid Fund, FNAU)
This personalised financial assistance may be applied for by students in financial difficulty from the European Economic Area who find themselves in one of the following situations:
- a breakdown in family ties with their parents,
- proven independence (subject to conditions),
- or resuming their studies beyond the age limit set for the award of a higher education grant based on social criteria.
The student must provide evidence of their own tax return, showing no maintenance payments from their parents, a tenancy agreement in their own name, and regular employment from which they have earned €3,000 over the 12 months preceding the application.
Emergency financial assistance may take two forms, depending on the situation:
- either a one-off payment, if the student is experiencing temporary serious financial difficulties,
- or annual support, if the student is facing long-term financial difficulties and is not in receipt of a means-tested grant.
Enquiries by email: dve@crous-reims.fr
Detailed information on grants: crous-reims.fr
Contacts in case of difficulties:
The Students’ Union
13, rue Saint Dominique - 51000 Châlons-en-Champagne
Tel: 03 26 26 32 14
Staff who are used to dealing with students of all nationalities can assist you in the following areas
- finding accommodation,
- applying for grants and financial support,
- healthcare,
- joining a private health insurance scheme,
- catering,
- booking an appointment with a social worker (03 26 50 52 96),
- finding jobs.
For food aid
The French Red Cross
45 bis avenue du Général de Gaulle - Espace Gabriel Rigot - 51000 Châlons-en-Champagne
03 26 68 08 16
Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 9.00 am to 12.00 pm and 2.00 pm to 5.00 pm
Les Restos du Cœur
57, rue Faubourg Saint Antoine - 51000 CHALONS EN CHAMPAGNE