All international students must be covered in order to study in France and register to have a social security number (mandatory).
If you are planning on staying for less than three months in France, you don’t need to register for social security; however, you will need to have at least travel insurance during your stay.
The national student health-care plan ("Sécurité sociale") and supplem
French health-care coverage, provided under the social security system ("Sécurité sociale"), is known for its high quality. Covered students are reimbursed for a portion of their medical expenses after making a basic payment. You can add to the Sécurité sociale a supplemental group plan called Mutuelle which is covers higher medical expenses.
CVEC (Contribution Vie Etudiante et Campus)
French and foreign students admitted to a French public or private institution of higher education are subject since September 2019 to a new fee known as the CVEC which helps to finance on-campus programs that enhance the student experience and services in the areas of social life, health, culture, and athletics.
Before attempting to register in your university or institution, you must complete the payment (91€ for the academic year 2019/2020) and obtain a proof of payment.
It must be paid once and only once each academic year and may be done online or in cash by registering at messervices.etudiant.gouv.fr. and connecting to the dedicated CVEC site
