Meet people and student community in Paris
The networks, associations and welcome desks that turn a big anonymous city into a place where you know people.
Updated 2026-06-20
Paris can feel huge and impersonal in the first weeks, but there is a whole system designed to help international students land softly and make friends. The trick is to plug into it early: join the Erasmus Student Network, show up to your university welcome events, register at a city welcome desk, and try a free language exchange. This page maps the real organisations, each with its official link, and shows you how to plug in.
ESN Paris - the Erasmus Student Network
The Erasmus Student Network (ESN) is the biggest student organisation in Europe, run by volunteers on the principle of students helping students. The ESN Paris section welcomes international and exchange students with city tours, a welcome week, trips around France, sports and parties, and a welcome desk for practical help with housing and admin. It also runs a weekly meetup and offers the ESNcard for discounts. If you do one thing to meet people, start here. Use the official section finder to confirm the section covering your university.
Your university: associations, BDE and welcome offices
Every French university has a bureau de la vie etudiante and dozens of student associations and BDE (bureaux des etudiants) covering culture, sport, solidarity and nationality groups. Universite Paris Cite alone brings together more than 120 associations, plus welcome activities for new students. Many institutions hold the Bienvenue en France quality label for the way they welcome international students. Find your university's international office and student-life page, and go to the association fair during welcome week.
Welcome desks: Campus France and the Cite internationale
Two official welcome routes are worth registering with. Campus France is the national agency for international students; at the start of the year it helps set up guichets uniques (one-stop service desks) for arrival formalities. In Paris, the Welcome Desk Paris run through the Cite internationale universitaire de Paris (acc&ss) supports you before, during and after arrival with visa and residence permits, health insurance, housing (CAF/APL) and daily life, with walk-in hours and video appointments. Both are free.
La Maison etudiante and CIDJ - free city services
The City of Paris runs La Maison etudiante, a free public service for students with two centres (3rd and 6th arrondissements) offering information, events, meeting and rehearsal spaces, and support including for international students, in several languages. The CIDJ (the public youth-information network) is another free, walk-in resource covering studies, jobs, housing and an events agenda. Both are good neutral first stops if you are not sure who to ask.
Language exchanges and the Nuit des Etudiants du Monde
To meet locals and other internationals fast, try a free language exchange (cafe des langues / tandem). Several run regularly in Paris, including one hosted by Universite Paris Cite where you practise your oral skills in a relaxed setting, and the ESN Paris weekly Cafe des Langues. Once a year, the Nuit des Etudiants du Monde is a dedicated free welcome night for international students, organised with the CROUS, Campus France and universities between September and November. Watch your university and ESN channels for the date.
Questions
What is ESN and should I join?
ESN (Erasmus Student Network) is Europe's largest volunteer student organisation, welcoming international and exchange students. ESN Paris runs welcome events, trips, a weekly meetup and a discount card. It is the single best way to meet people quickly, so yes - join in your first week.
I am not an Erasmus student. Can I still take part?
Generally yes. ESN focuses on international and exchange students broadly, not only Erasmus participants, and many events are open. University associations, La Maison etudiante and language exchanges welcome all students.
Where do I get official help with visa, housing and health cover?
Register with the Welcome Desk Paris (Cite internationale universitaire de Paris) for residence permits, health insurance, housing and daily life, and check Campus France, which helps set up one-stop service desks at the start of the year. Both are free.
How do I find my university's student associations?
Look for your university's student-life or bureau de la vie etudiante page and go to the association fair during welcome week. Universite Paris Cite, for example, lists more than 120 associations online.
What is a good way to meet locals, not just other internationals?
Free language exchanges (cafe des langues) are ideal: you pair up to practise languages in a relaxed bar or campus setting. Universite Paris Cite and ESN Paris both run regular sessions.
Is there a single welcome event for international students?
The Nuit des Etudiants du Monde is a free national welcome night held in many cities, including Paris, between September and November, organised with the CROUS, Campus France and universities. Check your university and ESN for the date.
Sources
- ESN Paris - international studentsofficial · 2026-06-20
- ESN - find your local sectionofficial · 2026-06-20
- Student Associations - Universite Paris Citeofficial · 2026-06-20
- International students - Universite Paris Citeofficial · 2026-06-20
- Campus France - official agency for international studentsofficial · 2026-06-20
- Welcome Desk Paris - Cite internationale (acc&ss)official · 2026-06-20
- La Maison etudiante - City of Parisofficial · 2026-06-20
- CIDJ - youth information networkofficial · 2026-06-20
Join one network in week one
Pick ESN Paris, your university association fair, or a city welcome desk and show up early. The students who plug in during the first fortnight are the ones who feel at home by November.