Glossary

Courses held in lecture halls with note-taking and morelimited interaction with the teacher.

Centre national de la recherche scientifique. Research organization whose researchers can work in university research units.

A shared rental or a roommate. In a shared rental, several people lease a rental property, each having the same rights and responsibilities.

Consult the 'Logement' page.

Component. All French universities are made up of components such as UFRs (unités de formation et de recherche, or academic departments), IUTs (instituts universitaires de technologie, university based institutes of technology), and various types of centers and institutes.
 

CERFA document drawn up and signed by the host organization for a non-EU researcher on contract, as a guest (employed by his/her home institution), or receiving a grant of over €1650 net per month. The hosting agreement is essential for obtaining a Passeport Talent - Chercheur visa or residence permit.

Carpooling. By sharing a car, two or more passengers can save on fuel, reduce the fatigue of driving, and cultivate new contacts.

Consult the page 'Get around in Strasbourg'
 

Caisse Primaire d’Assurance Maladie (primary health insurance fund). A government agency that processes claims for reimbursement of health-care costs for participants in the French social security system. New participants in the system are given the address of the CPAM office serving their area.

It is to that address that you will send your claims (feuilles de maladie) for reimbursement of health-care costs.

Consult the 'Healthcare coverage for students and researchers' page.

Convention de séjour de recherche. Document drawn up and signed by the host organization (university or research organization) for researchers, PhD students or post-doctoral fellows, funded by a research grant from a foreign institution or the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs.

Contribution de vie étudiante et de campus. Contribution payable annually by all students enrolled in initial training.

More information: https://cvec.etudiant.gouv.fr

Document de Circulation pour Étranger Mineur. Document allowing foreign minors to travel outside France.

Overdraft. When one opens an account, the bank sets the maximum negative balance (or overdraft) that it will permit before starting to return your checks and decline your bankcard charges. Even if the bank pays an overdraft, it will charge you a fee (agio) for the privilege.

Supplemental charge. An additional amount charged for medical services and procedures above and beyond the base rate set by the social security system

Security or damage deposit. At the beginning of a lease or rental contract, tenants leave a sum of money with the property owner to pay for any damage they may do to the property. At the end of the lease, if no damage has occurred, the deposit is returned to the tenants.

Alsace CNRS delegation.

'University diploma'. It is unique to the institution that confers it and has no national recognition.

In France, children between the ages of 3 and 10 attend :

• primary school, which begins with 3 years of preschool,
• followed by 5 years of elementary school.

European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System. A system of academic credit common to all members of the European Union. One academic year is equivalent to 60 ECTS credits.

Property condition checklist. A document that attests to the condition of a rental property at the beginning of a new lease. The condition of the premises at the end of the lease will be assessed with reference to this document to determine whether the tenant is entitled to receive a full refund of his or her damage deposit.

Consult the 'Housing' page.

A European Commission initiative launched in 2004, the Euraxess network is helping to build the European Research Area in 43 countries. Its mission is to support mobile researchers, whether from the European Union or third countries.

Health insurance claim form. A form that details health-related expenses (doctor’s office visit, prescriptions, medical tests) for purposes of obtaining partial reimbursement from the national health service. 

Paper claim forms are being replaced by electronic claims processing based on the carte Vitale.