Preparing to Go: Strasbourg

Syracuse Strasbourg Center Address

Université de Syracuse
19 Quai Rouget de Lisle
67000 Strasbourg, France

Syracuse Strasbourg Staff Contact Information

Social media

Instagram: @syracuseabroad or @syracuseustrasbourg

Traveling to Strasbourg

Visa

Fall 2023 and Spring 2024: All non-EU citizens participating in the Strasbourg Center semester programs will need to obtain a French student visa. Obtaining a French student visa is a multi-step process, so it is important that you begin early and follow all instructions given to you by your program advisor.

Summer 2024: Most U.S. citizens do not need a visa to study on a short-term or summer program. However, France requires a visa for citizens from some countries.  Check with your Program Advisor to see if you will need a visa.

Syracuse Strasbourg Center Programs

For all programs, you must make your own travel arrangements and meet the group upon arrival. Admitted students will receive a travel memo email detailing a suggested itinerary, as well as arrival information, including dates and locations. 

Living in Strasbourg

Orientation

Prior to your arrival in Strasbourg, you will complete a required Digital Orientation on Blackboard. This is prepared by Syracuse Strasbourg staff and is separate from the pre-departure orientation you complete through Syracuse Abroad. You will receive the link and instructions several weeks before departure.

After arrival, you will have a mandatory on-site orientation in Strasbourg. During this orientation you will meet the Strasbourg staff, familiarize yourself with the Syracuse Strasbourg Center and the city of Strasbourg, and connect with other students on the program. You will also register for classes and receive your housing placement.

Housing

Living with French Hosts

Most students live with a French host family either within the city or in the immediate outskirts along a bus or tram line. This will allow you to practice the French you’ve learned in class and develop insights into French culture and daily life. Host families welcome students of all levels of French, even beginners (that’s often the most fun!).

Each student has a private room and access to WiFi. Breakfast is provided daily, and evening meals are provided Sunday through Thursday. You will need to budget additional funds to cover the rest of your meals. The Syracuse Strasbourg Housing Coordinator makes host family placements based on extensive experience with all the hosts as well as, information you provide on your housing form. We ask that you complete the housing form in a timely manner and take the time to respond to the questions. If anything changes about your situation (for example dietary needs), please contact your program advisor.

IMPORTANT: Students are responsible for their housing and meals during the weeklong mid-semester break and will need to cover the costs from their personal funds. 

Studio Apartments

Students have the additional housing option to live in a private furnished studio apartment called La Canopée Student Residence. Please note there is highly limited capacity in this housing option. 

Individual studios are located in an apartment building near the Strasbourg city center and the Syracuse Strasbourg Center, where students will have the opportunity to live like local French students in a quiet student residence.  

La Canopée is a 15-minute walk or a 10-minute commute (combination of public transportation and walking) from the Syracuse Strasbourg Center. Meals are not included in this housing option. 

Students can review further housing details on our Living in Strasbourg page. 

Transportation

As part of your program fee, you will receive an unlimited bus/tram pass for the CTS. Buses and trams run frequently Monday to Saturday, starting early in the morning until 12:30 a.m.

On Sundays and holidays, trams and buses run on a more limited schedule, and for late-night travel there are special bus lines. You are responsible for any travel costs after public transportation ceases to run (e.g., taxi or Uber fare to return home after a late social activity). Students may choose to rent bicycles for the semester with Velhop; Strasbourg has the most extensive system of bike paths of any city in France.

Mail

Mail, including packages, should be sent to the Syracuse Strasbourg Center address below at the student’s attention and not to the host family’s address. Students will have a mailbox at the Syracuse Strasbourg Center, and the staff will notify students when they receive a package.

Student’s Name
Université de Syracuse
19 Quai Rouget de Lisle
67000 Strasbourg, France

Note: An import tax or customs duty is assigned to packages based on the declared value and often ranges from 50 to 100€. However, you should not have to pay the customs tax for personal effects such as clothes. More information will be provided during orientation.  Please advise family and friends not to send items of high value as you will be required to pay duty before your package is released.

Cultural Adjustment

Living in a new culture can be both exciting and challenging, and when studying abroad it is common to go through a period of cultural adjustment. Understanding the process of adjustment and reaching out for support can help you cope with the transition. More information will be provided during orientation.

Technology

Computers and Personal Laptops

Wifi is available in the Syracuse Strasbourg Center during its regular hours:

  • Monday to Thursday: 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
  • Friday: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

You must ensure that your laptop will work on a 220/240-volt, 50-cycle current. Since nearly all laptops work on a 100- to 240-volts, 50/60-cycle current, the only accessory that you will likely need is a Type C plug adapter, which is available at most electronics stores.

Cell Phones

It is very important that students have a working cell phone while in Strasbourg and maintain continuous phone service while abroad. In most cases, students should plan to get a local, French SIM card.  Members of the Syracuse Strasbourg staff will accompany students to the phone store in Strasbourg during orientation. Another option is to purchase an international cell phone plan.

Before you leave the U.S., you should verify that your phone is “unlocked” or you will need to buy a phone in France. Local  SIM cards cost approx. 10 €.  Plans start at 9€ per month and typically include calls, texting, and data.

Note: Phones using an e-SIM card may not be able to obtain a French e-SIM due to banking regulations. Therefore, if you are using a phone with an e-SIM card it is best to purchase an international plan or consider brining a phone with a traditional SIM card slot.

Opt-in to Two-Factor Authentication Now, Before You Go Abroad

Information Technology Services (ITS) has enabled two-factor authentication (2FA) for student email and other Office 365 services. It is important that you opt-in to the service before you go abroad. Visit NetID.syr.edu and click Two-Factor Opt-in to get started. See the Microsoft Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) page in the Answers.syr.edu knowledge base for complete information.

Finances

Syracuse Strasbourg Program Cost

Banking and Cash

Do not bring a large amount of cash with you. If needed you can order Euros from your bank prior to departure (no more than 100 €) and then plan to withdraw Euros from an ATM when you arrive. You may need cash for smaller purchases (less than 10 €), so we suggest making regular ATM withdrawals and having access to cash during your semester abroad.

You will need an ATM card that allows you to withdraw cash internationally, as you cannot exchange currency in Strasbourg or open a French bank account when abroad for only one semester. International ATM and debit cards are widely accepted in France and throughout Europe. Check with your bank to be sure your ATM card can be used in foreign countries and to get information on your bank’s service fees for international ATM transactions.

Transferring Funds

If family members need to send money during the semester, they can deposit it in a bank account accessible through ATMs. In case of an emergency, money can also be wired via Western Union. For advice on transferring money overseas, check with your bank before you leave.

Credit Cards

Visa and MasterCard are widely accepted in Europe, while most businesses do not accept American Express or Discover Card. Chip cards are the standard in Europe and non-chip cards may not always work. Let your bank and credit card companies know you will be living abroad so they do not suspect fraudulent activity on your accounts. Make copies of both sides of your credit and ATM cards and keep them in a safe place, this way if a card is lost or stolen, you will still have access to important card information.

Academic Information

Enrollment Policies

All students are required to enroll on a full-time basis, with a minimum of 12 credits and a maximum of 19 credits. All students must register for a French language course or a course taught in French – no exceptions.

Some courses may not be audited, including required French courses and courses offered at affiliated Strasbourg universities.

Registration

You will register online for your Strasbourg Center courses prior to departure. Note: Class meeting days and times may be subject to change. There is a schedule adjustment period during (drop/add) the first week of classes.  

Partner university programs: All class offerings and schedules at local partner universities are not available until the start of the semester. The French academic university calendar works on this timeline.   

Once abroad, students taking courses at the partner institutions will finalize their schedules by selecting courses from these local institutions, typically in combination with Center courses. 

Textbooks

Students in the French classes must purchase their French textbooks at a local bookstore during the first week of class. All other classes will receive information about purchasing their textbooks during the first class meeting. Students may need to pay cash for certain textbooks.

Partner University Programs

Students enrolled at Université de Strasbourg (UdS, IIEF, and Sciences Po Strasbourg), and the Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Strasbourg (INSA) should note that these institutions have classes Monday through Friday. Students at these institutions may need to remain in Strasbourg longer than those students who are only taking classes at the Syracuse Strasbourg Center, based on the French institutions’ academic calendars. Your program fee will be adjusted to reflect any additional housing expense. Final grades for courses taken at a partner institution may not be received and posted to Syracuse University’s student records system until March for the fall semester and September for the spring semester.

Internships

Internships for credit (1-3 credits possible) are available in various organizations in the Strasbourg area. Openings vary according to the needs of the organizations and the students’ interests. In the past, students have worked in such areas as community service, teaching, business and media, and government. Most internships require an intermediate level of French, though in some cases English is sufficient. Requests for other placements can be explored with the Internship Coordinator at the Syracuse Strasbourg Center.

Council of Europe Internships

If you applied for a Council internship, you will be contacted by email for an interview and may not receive a decision until you are onsite in Strasbourg. If you are selected for a Council of Europe internship, an organizational meeting will be held during Orientation.

Excursions and Study Tours

Regular excursions are available to all students in the Syracuse Strasbourg program, to explore more of France and the surrounding regions during the semester. Select courses have study tours (one day or one weekend). You will receive the dates during orientation. For courses with study tours, you should not plan weekend travel until you have confirmed the study tour dates.