Any British or EU citizen who has been signing on for
job-seeker's allowance
for a minimum period of four to six weeks at home, and intends to
continue doing so in France, needs a letter of introduction from their
own Social Security office, plus an €303 certificate of authorization
(be sure to give them plenty of warning to prepare this). You must
register within seven days with the ANPE (Agence Nationale pour
l'Emploi), whose offices are listed under "Administration du Travail et
de l'Emploi" in the Yellow Pages or ANPE in the White Pages.
It's possible to claim benefit for up to three months while
you look for work, but it can often take that amount of time for the
paperwork to be processed
.
Pensioners can arrange for their
pensions
to be paid in France, but not, unfortunately, to receive French state pensions.
Studying in France
It's relatively easy to be a
student
in France. Foreigners pay no more than French nationals to enrol for a
course, and the only problem then is to support yourself. Your carte de séjour and - if you're an EU citizen - social
security will be assured, and you'll be eligible for subsidized
accommodation, meals and all the student reductions. In general, French
universities are much less formal than British ones and many people
perfect their fluency in the language while studying. There are strict
entry requirements, including an exam in French, for undergraduate
degrees, but not for postgraduate courses. For full details and prospectuses
, contact the Cultural Service of any French embassy or consulate
. In Britain, the embassy will refer you to the French Institute, 17
Queensbury Place, London SW7 2DT (tel 020/7838 2148), a cultural centre
which has a cinema and a library where you can go to pick up a list of
language courses in France (library hours Tues-Fri noon-7pm & Sat
noon-6pm); otherwise send a letter requesting the list accompanied by a
self-addressed envelope. The embassies and consulates can also give
details of language courses at French universities and colleges,
which are often combined with lectures on French "civilization" and
usually very costly. You'll find ads for lesser language courses
advertised all over the place.
It's also worth noting that if you're a full-time non-EU student in France
, you can get a non-EU
work permit
for the following summer so long as your visa is still valid.
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