Housing, admin, student life: everything they don't tell you before you move abroad
Practical, sourced guides for Erasmus and international students: housing, paperwork, money and daily life in your new city.
Erasmus group in Bordeaux: WhatsApp, ESN, events, where to meet the other Erasmus students
Erasmus group Bordeaux: ESN, WhatsApp and Facebook groups, university buddy programmes, parties and the Studroof community. Where to find the other Erasmus.
Student residence permit in France: VLS-TS validation, renewal and the right to work
Student residence permit in France: validate your VLS-TS within 3 months, renew on ANEF 4 to 2 months before expiry, and work up to 964 hours a year.
Anmeldung in Göttingen: registering your address as an Erasmus or international student
Anmeldung Göttingen: the two-week deadline, the documents, the appointment, and why an Erasmus semester is not exempt. Step by step for students.
How to find a WG in Göttingen: platforms, the casting, and the traps to avoid
WG search in Göttingen: the platforms that work, how to pass a WG casting, the vocabulary to know and the traps to avoid before transferring a euro.
Kaution and Nebenkosten in Germany: legal limits, service charges and getting your deposit back
Kaution and Nebenkosten in Germany: the three-month legal cap, payment in instalments, the 12-month service-charge deadline and how to get your money back.
Rundfunkbeitrag for students: who pays in a flatshare, in a hall of residence, and how to declare it
Rundfunkbeitrag students: €18.36 a month per home in 2026, one payer per flatshare, one per room in halls. How to declare, share and stop paying.
Semesterticket in Göttingen: what the Deutschlandsemesterticket covers and what you actually pay
Semesterticket Göttingen: the nationwide semester ticket is included in your semester contribution. What it covers, what it excludes, how to get it.
Student health insurance in Germany: EHIC and exemption for EU students, statutory cover for everyone else
Health insurance to enrol in Germany: EU students use the EHIC plus an exemption, non-EU students join a statutory fund. Costs, steps and traps in 2026.
Student housing in Göttingen: Studentenwerk hall or private rental, and how to choose
Studentenwerk hall or private room in Göttingen: prices, waiting lists, deadlines and how exchange students get a place. An honest comparison.
Wohnungsgeberbestätigung: why your landlord must give you this paper, and what to do if they refuse
Wohnungsgeberbestätigung: what the landlord confirmation is, what it must contain, the legal deadline, and what to do if your landlord refuses to sign.
CROUS vs private student housing: how to choose as an international student in Bordeaux
CROUS vs private student housing: the honest comparison (price, availability, services, application, flexibility) to choose your accommodation in Bordeaux.
Eat cheap as a student in Bordeaux: uni canteens, markets and top tips
Eat cheap Bordeaux student guide: the CROUS university canteens at a low social rate, cafeterias, markets, anti-waste apps and every money-saving meal tip.
Furnished or unfurnished student France: which to pick for Erasmus (the practical view)
Furnished or unfurnished student France: what a furnished flat legally includes, what you'll still need to buy, and why furnished usually wins for Erasmus.
Getting around Bordeaux as a student: tram, bus, bikes and the TBM pass
Getting around Bordeaux student guide: the TBM network (tram, bus), the reduced-price youth pass, VCUB bikes and all the tips to move between campus and centre.
Healthcare for students in Bordeaux: doctor, pharmacy, emergencies and campus health
Healthcare student Bordeaux: how to see a doctor, register a médecin traitant, use the campus health centre, find a pharmacy and know the emergency numbers.
État des lieux France: the student check-in and check-out inventory (anti-dispute checklist)
État des lieux France: check-in vs check-out inventory, the contradictoire rule, wear-and-tear, and a checklist to protect your deposit.
Learn French in Bordeaux: courses, tandems and tips for international students
Learn French in Bordeaux: the DEFLE, FLE classes, free or community courses, language tandems and apps to make fast progress as an international student.
Rental application file: what documents you need to rent in France as an international student
Rental application France international student: the documents you need, how to rent without a French guarantor and stand out to secure your flat.
Rental deposit France for students: guarantor vs deposit, how much, getting it back
Rental deposit France student: the guarantor vs deposit mix-up cleared up, legal caps, return deadlines and how to get your security deposit back in full.
SIM card and mobile plan in France for international students: getting a French number
SIM card international student France: why a French number is essential, no-contract vs prepaid vs eSIM, and what you need to sign up.
Student budget in Bordeaux: how much life costs and how to manage it
Student budget Bordeaux: the spending categories (rent, food, transport, health), how to work out your monthly budget and the levers to spend less.
Student flatshare in Bordeaux: finding flatmates, choosing your lease and avoiding the traps
Student flatshare Bordeaux: how to find flatmates, single vs individual lease, the real perks, the traps and how it works for an international student.
Student job in Bordeaux: your right to work, hours allowed and where to look
Student job Bordeaux: your right to work (EU vs non-EU), the hours cap, where to find part-time work and how to get paid at least the minimum wage.
Student life in Bordeaux: societies, sport, going out and meeting people
Student life Bordeaux: student societies and the ESN network, university sport (SUAPS), nightlife and tips to meet people fast when you arrive.
Understanding the student tenancy lease in France: furnished, 9-month, mobility, and what to check before you sign
Student tenancy France: furnished vs unfurnished, 9-month lease, mobility lease, duration, notice, deposit and the clauses to check before signing.
Bordeaux student neighbourhoods: where to live by budget, campus and vibe
Bordeaux student neighbourhoods: where to live by budget, campus and vibe. Compare Victoire, Saint-Michel, Talence and Chartrons.
CVEC for international students in Bordeaux: 2026-2027 fee, exemptions and certificate
CVEC for international students in Bordeaux: the 2026-2027 amount, who's exempt (scholarship holders, refugees, some Erasmus) and how to get your certificate.
Opening a Bank Account as an International Student in Bordeaux: Documents, Timing and Smart Moves
International student bank account in Bordeaux: why you need one on day one, which documents to bring, traditional vs online bank, and the RIB.
Social Security and Health Insurance for International Students in Bordeaux: How to Register and Get Reimbursed
International student social security in France: EU with an EHIC or non-EU registering free on ameli, carte Vitale, reimbursements and the mutuelle.
Student home insurance in Bordeaux: mandatory, cheap and how to get it fast
Student home insurance Bordeaux: why it's mandatory to sign your lease, what it covers, and how to get your certificate online fast.
Student housing scams in Bordeaux: the 8 red flags every international student should know
Student housing scams Bordeaux: the 8 red flags, the golden rule that keeps you safe and how to report a fake listing before you lose money.
CAF and APL Housing Benefit for International Students in Bordeaux: 2026 Rules and How to Apply
Can you claim French housing benefit (APL) as an international student in Bordeaux? The 2026 rules and the change affecting non-EU non-scholarship students.
Visale: The Free State-Backed Guarantor for Erasmus Students in Bordeaux (2026 Guide)
No French guarantor to rent in Bordeaux? Visale is a free, state-backed rent guarantee open to Erasmus students. Here are the 2026 rules and how to apply.