Our mission

Science Accueil is a lever for international attractiveness in the Ile-de-France Region, and aims at making French hospitality shine.

Our mission is to offer secure and personalized support for researchers, professor-researchers, and employees in professional mobility while also training for mobility management of doctoral students, post-doctoral students, interns for Master’s degrees, and Bachelor students.

These goals follow two different stages:

During the first stage: it is important to take into account some of these steps before moving to France.

Our “receptionist” role often starts before the mobility itself: from the country of origin. This phase consists in accompanying future incomers in the preparation of their arrival: adress all the procedures allowing for physical installation (housing research, opening of a bank account, insurance subscription, visa, children’s schooling…)

• Our arrangements with insurance and banking partners can facilitate these procedures.

This initial step continues after arrival in France with the residence permit application and a connection with all the French operators and other agencies (Direccte, Caisse Primaire d’Assurance Maladie, Caisse d’Allocations Familiales, RATP…) involved in social services.

• Science Accueil has an information booth “Point d’Information Science Accueil” (PISA) and an agreement with the Essonne Prefecture which allows scientists to access to the “Guichet d’Accueil des Talents Etrangers” (G.A.T.E.), in the Palaiseau Sub-Prefecture throughout the start of the university year.

Science Accueil’s housing department focuses on providing personalized help for accomodation research. Our organization has a portfolio of 4000 homes in Ile-de-France and intramural Paris, owned both by private owners and residences, and ranging from the modest bedroom or studio to the luxurious villa.

• Drafting of leases, entry and exit visits, check-ins and check-outs, linen supply, and private transportation from airports, train stations, or other facilities are available thanks to the conciergerie services linked to Science Accueil.

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As soon as the settlement is done, a second stage of durable integration starts with the goal of speeding up the integration of incomers in the French community.

The first factor of integration is the language of the host country: French. Science Accueil puts in place an original way of learning French: tiny groups of students, classes in immersion, personalized goal setting (conversational French, scientific French, informal French).

One of the major objectives of Science Accueil consists in helping to understand French culture and civilization. Our cultural program both offers friendly social events and explores French architectural, musical, and gastronomic heritage in the form of “cultural trips” animated by our partnered bilingual guides.

Understanding culture includes many aspects of life dear to the French, such as the art of the table and gastronomy. Science Accueil gathers locals ready to be hosts for a day  and little groups of international guests.

Communication, exchange of gastronomical cultures, and hospitality are the soul of this program.

Science Accueil is committed to upholding the regional charter of the values of the republic and secularism..