What costs are involved?

Cost
Below is a general description of costs included and excluded in the program tuition and fees. For the most recently updated actual cost figures please visit the ISO website (www.virginia.edu/iso) and click on "Study Abroad." Then click on "Find a Program". Enter "Lyon". Then choose the program you are interested in. A page will be displayed with a link to "Budget Sheets."

Price includes:

• Tuition
• Participation in the on-site Intensive Language and Culture course prior to the start of classes (required)
  During the fall semester, this course is 3 credits. During the spring semester, this course is 2 credits.
• One week stay in a residence hotel upon arrival at the program start date.
• 6 hours of individual tutoring in writing skills for French university course assignments 
• Monthly group cultural activities
• Monthly bread and cheese gatherings hosted by the UVA program on-site coordinators
• MedEx insurance

Price excludes:

• International Airfare
• French Student Visa
• Local transportation
• Housing
• Insurance (mandatory French, see below)
• Personal travel
• Laundry and food expenses
• ISIC card (not required, but recommended)

Students are responsible for booking and paying for their international airfare as well as researching and obtaining the necessary visa.

PLEASE NOTE: New French Social Security law!
The law now requires that all international students under the age of 28 who will be staying in France for longer than three months pay the full year of social security insurance. The total cost for the 2009-2010 academic year is 198 Euros. Students must pay this fee upon official registration at Lyon II at the beginning of the semester. Students will also purchase "responsabilite civile" insurance (13 Euros) prior to or at the beginning of the orientation program.

N.B.: Students taking all their courses at the C.I.E.F. must pay an additional fee of approx. 770 Euros. Please check CIEF brochure for details.

 INSURANCE

Medical
Health insurance is required of anyone applying for student status in France. The purchase of French national health insurance --"la sécurité sociale"--is required by law of all student who will spend the entire academic year in France, at a cost of approximately $160 per year (2002-2003). (Students spending only one semester in France are prohibited from purchasing this insurance.) Students should verify that their personal health insurance policy cover them while in Europe. Please realize that health care providers in France will expect immediate payment for services. You must then make arrangements with your insurance provider for reiumbursement. If your personal or family insurance policy will not cover you in France, health insurance may be purchased for the month from the CIEE - see www.ciee.org for details.
For Fall semester students only: Students should make sure that they have personal insurance coverage for the month of September since the French sécurité sociale may only become operative near the end of the month.

Responsabilité civile
Additionally, UVA students are required by the French government to contract "civil liability insurance" ("assurance de responsabilité civile") at a cost of approximately $20 (a one-time fee). This insurance covers you in case of any damage you may inflict by accident on another person or his/her property. This type of insurance is usually required when you rent an apartment and is mandatory for internships and even certain courses with labs, field trips etc. Details will be provided in Lyon.

Repatriation insurance
All UVA students who study abroad are encouraged to obtain an International Student ID card -- known as the ISIC card -- prior to departure, at an approximate cost of $25. (See STA in Newcomb Hall for details.) This card comes with repatriation insurance in case you need to return to the United States for medical attention.

 HOUSING:

Students will select their own housing in Lyon with the help of the on-site manager Barbara Michelot. Housing costs in Lyon are cheaper than in Paris and slightly higher than in Charlottesville. Housing costs will depend on the type of housing selected by the student. It can range from 350-600€/month for an individual studio apartment, a private student residential hall, or staying with a host family. (The intermediary range --i.e. sharing an apartment--is approx 350-400€/month) Students should plan on bringing three months rent (the first month plus a two-month deposit, refundable at the end of the stay if the condition of the apartment is in its original state). It is possible to apply for a French government housing subsidy for students. Inquire about this upon arrival in France. Barbara Michelot can help you with this. Once you have selected your living arrangement, please continue to speak directly to Barbara Michelot (rather than the landlord) about any modifications to your situation.

Total Housing Cost: 350-600€/month

In order to help you budget appropriately for your academic experience in France, please see the ISO Lyon Study Abroad Handbook (.pdf file) for a more detailed cost list.

Transportation:
Public transportation in Lyon is safe and easy to use. The TCL (Transports en Commun de Lyon) network runs from 5 am until midnight daily. More detailed information on how to obtain tickets and passes is also included in the study abroad handbook.

There are two main train stations in Lyon: Perrache and Part-Dieu. All of the high speed trains (TGV) stop at Part-Dieu. A shuttle bus links the airport to both railway stations.