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Rich heritage, divine gastronomy, a poetic language, and a world of opportunities – some of the few things that attract over 250,000 international students to study in France each year. Now, while one benefits from high quality of education at an affordable tuition fee, let’s not forget that being a student abroad involves a hundred other costs.
Imagine yourself as an international student in France. You’ll be making weekend trips to other European destinations, enjoy soirées with your friends in the evening, and will have to learn to budget your miscellaneous expenses while taking care of additional costs like transportation, the daily croissant, and many more! This can be overwhelming. Such financial cutbacks can be a hurdle in your urge to live that French way of life fully! Let Movido help you with that. Here are five ways to find a part-time job as an international student in France. This all-inclusive guide contains everything from rules and regulations to platforms hiring international students in France.
1. Work at your own university
There is a high probability that the institution you are studying at has part-time job openings. For example, you can apply to be an assistant in the international office, a research assistant, or even help the university’s social media team with marketing. These positions are often offered on a semester-based rolling system, and not to mention, working at your university could have many benefits! For example, it will help you network with your administrative department. In addition, the job’s tasks will be scheduled according to your classes, and you will not have to worry about the commute to work after classes as you will be working on the campus itself.
2. Attend Job Fairs
One stone, many birds. Job fairs offer an exciting opportunity for you to meet many employers under one roof and increase your chances of being hired in one go. Always be on the lookout for such career fairs, conferences, and engaging events in your area. From updating your resume to wearing appropriate formal clothes, make sure you always prepare yourself well in advance to attend these events.
3. Explore your University’s Career Centre
Surprisingly, a large percentage of International students in France are not even aware of the fact that their university offers career services. On the other hand, even if they do, they are unaware of the many opportunities and do not reap the benefits of having a university career centre. Let’s just say the guidance counsellors will be your new best friends! Take initiative and dedicate time to schedule meetings with these counsellors that will help you explore part-time job opportunities based on your interests and university schedule. The best-part? The university’s career centre is the point of contact for corporates hiring fresh graduates. With the right stroke of luck, preparation, and dedication, such opportunities can also pave the way for your career post graduation.
4. Show up at work!
Have a weekday off from classes? Grab several copies of your resume, put on a nice outfit, and head straight to town. Show up at touristy cafés, local bars, hotels, or even souvenir shops, and ask whether they have openings for part-time positions. You would be surprised how many of these would be eager to hire English-speaking students. It can be a daunting task to show up at someone’s workplace and ask for a job contrasted to the off-beaten Linked-in interview approach. Try not to shy away, remind yourself of the benefits, and keep it very straightforward.
5. Widen your professional network
From being an active member on Linkedin to be in touch with your university’s alumni network, there are several ways to widen your professional network to land a part-time in France. Moreover, word-of-mouth goes a long way. Most of the other students on these platforms, too, are looking for job opportunities. Do not hesitate to drop a message to your institute’s ex-attendees; they understand the exact curriculum you’re studying and your work flexibility as they were once in your shoes. Finally, use these networks smartly; a great idea could be simply leaving a message to ask what your alumni members have been up to!
FAQ's - salary, regulations, and more
International students in France need to know that they have every right to work while studying in France, as long as the following eligibility criteria are met:
- The university or French institute should be listed in the national student health-care plan (Sécurité sociale)
- Any non-EU international student must also possess a valid residency permit
- The maximum working hours can be only 964 hours annually, which is about 20 hours per week. In case you are enrolled in a 6 month program, then this is restricted to 472 total work hours.
- As an international student working part-time in France, you need not possess an authorisation for temporary employment (known as APT, Autorisation Provisoire de Travail) which was a previous norm.
- Your part-time work schedule must not interfere with your academic and program plan.
A minimum wage is guaranteed by law while working in France, whether you are a student or not. This sanctioned wage rate is referred to as the SMIC (salaire minimum interprofessionnel de croissance or guaranteed minimum wage). As of 2021, the SMIC is €10.25.
However, this amount is gross; compensated social security funds have to be deducted (around 20%) to determine final earnings (i.e. €8.20/hour). All being said, a student working 10 hours a week at minimum wage will earn approximately €82 net.
Some undergraduate and master programs necessitate a student to fulfil an internship position as a part of the course. In such cases, French and foreign students are subject to paralleled rules:
- The work placement requires an agreement (signed between both parties, the educational institute and the workplace);
- If the internship’s duration is over two months, the student must be compensated €600.60 per month (as of January 1, 2021).
- If the internship is completed as part of any program, it does not count towards the 964 hours limit of allowed work each year.
1. Restaurant Jobs
As a student, restaurants offer jobs as an apprentice under the head chef if you like cooking or sitting at the cash counter and taking care of transactions.
2. Jobs at universities
As discussed in the article above, most universities will offer part-time positions in their international office/social media team. One must note that these jobs cannot be extended through summer as this is when educational institutes do not operate.
3. Babysitting / Housesitting jobs
Taking care of young children after their school hours is a great job option particularly if you’re looking to polish your French verbal skills. Increasingly, French families are now eager to hire English-speaking nannies/ babysitters so their kids can benefit from good English.
Such part-time jobs can be found on agencies like Repertoire de Gaspard or websites like www.newaupair.com or www.greataupair.com through which one can earn approximately 10-20 Euros per hour
4. English teaching jobs
If you possess strong english skills and a good TOEFL score, you can land great tutoring opportunities. Simply search local or online English teaching academies and offer your services to them,
Many universities in France also have English tutoring requirements. You could also offer private teaching classes. The average income can range between 900 – 1300 Euros per month.
