Student SIM for France: land with a French number and 30GB already working, ₹2,999 ($35.99)
A French local number in your name before you fly, 30GB for your first 30 days on Orange, SFR and Bouygues networks, 100 minutes to India, then ₹1,699 a month with the same number.
France student SIM at a glance
The Universal eSIMs France student SIM (Arrive Connected France) costs ₹2,999 ($35.99) for 30 days with 30GB on Orange, SFR and Bouygues networks, a French local number active before departure and 100 India minutes. Monthly continuation costs ₹1,699. Local prepaid plans in France cost €10 to €20 a month, approx.
Prices checked on 25 October 2026 · Hotspot allowed on every plan · Full refund if your phone cannot install the eSIM
Arrive Connected France: plans and prices
Prices include GST. Pay by UPI, card or PayPal; parents can pay from India. A consultant code takes 10% off the starter.
Starter kit 30GB, 30 days
₹2,999 ($35.99)
- French local number in your name, live within 48 hours
- 100 minutes to India
- Hotspot allowed
- Orange, SFR and Bouygues networks
Monthly continuation 30GB, 30 days
₹1,699 ($19.99)
- Same French local number
- 100 India minutes a month
- Renews only when you confirm
- Or hand off to a local carrier partner
Parent calling pack 30 days
₹999 ($11.99)
- 300 minutes India to your French number
- 3GB in France for a parent travelling with you
- Installs on the parent's phone
- Buy any time from your account
Arrive Connected France pricing, launch pricing
What you need a French number for in France
Each of these verifies a local mobile by SMS or calls you back on it. With the French local number active before departure you can start most of them from India.
Week-one tasks in France that need a local number
How Arrive Connected France works: the pre-departure timeline
Visa approved: order the kit (2 to 8 weeks before you fly)
Choose Arrive Connected France, enter your passport details and travel date, add a consultant code if you have one for 10% off. Pay by UPI or card.
Within 48 hours: your local number is assigned
We email the France number, the eSIM QR code and a one-page setup sheet. The number is yours from this point; give it to your university and bank.
One week before departure: install on Wi-Fi
Scan the QR on your phone at home. Takes two minutes. The data plan stays dormant until the eSIM first connects abroad, so nothing is used in India.
Departure day: switch it on at the gate
Turn on the Universal eSIM line and data roaming for that line only. France networks connect automatically on landing and your 30 days start then.
Day 25: choose how to continue
Renew the monthly plan in the app, or take the hand-off to a local carrier partner. Your number stays the same either way.
iPhone install guide · Android install guide · eSIM not connecting?
France student SIM vs local prepaid carriers vs Indian roaming
Carrier prices are approximate list prices for prepaid plans, indicative for October 2026, converted at indicative rates, and exclude activation fees and taxes where carriers add them. They change often; check the carrier before you decide.
Getting connected in France: the options
The case for the kit is not that it is always the cheapest line item. Local prepaid can be cheaper per month once you are settled, and the day-25 hand-off exists for exactly that reason. The kit wins on the first two weeks: the number exists before you land, the identity check is done, and India calling is included.
Your first 7 days in France: checklist
- Day 1Switch on the eSIM at the gate and message home. CDG to the city is by RER B; buy tickets in the IDF Mobilités app.
- Day 2Enrol at the university, get your student card and set up the ENT portal with your French number.
- Day 3Open a bank account with passport, admission letter and proof of address; online banks are faster.
- Day 4Validate your VLS-TS visa online if your visa requires it; confirm current rules with ANEF.
- Day 5Register for social security on the Ameli student site.
- Day 6Apply for CAF housing aid once you have your lease and bank details.
- Day 7Set up Navigo or your local transit pass with the student discount.
Timings are typical, not fixed. Immigration, university and bank rules change; confirm current requirements with your university's international office.
Universities and cities covered
Universities where Indian students commonly enrol
- Sorbonne University
- PSL University
- Université Paris-Saclay
- Sciences Po
- HEC Paris
- ESSEC Business School
- INSEAD
- Université Grenoble Alpes
- Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1
- Université de Toulouse
- EDHEC Business School
- emlyon business school
Coverage is on the same national networks local students use. University-specific pages follow after launch.
Cities
- Paris
- Lyon
- Toulouse
- Grenoble
- Lille
- Bordeaux
- Nice
- Montpellier
Intakes
- Rentrée: early to mid September
- Spring: January to February, some masters
Most Indian students fly between 25 August and 15 September. French carriers want a French IBAN for the cheapest offers, which you only get after the bank account, which wants a French number. The kit breaks that loop.
France tips from the setup sheet
- French carriers ask for a French bank account before the cheapest monthly plans; the student kit gives you a working French number for the two to three weeks it takes to open the account.
- Paris mobile coverage is strong, including most of the Métro; university towns like Grenoble and Toulouse are well covered on Orange and Bouygues partners.
- Keep your Indian SIM on a low plan for Indian bank OTPs, data roaming off.
Registration and regulation. French prepaid SIMs require an identity document on activation. We complete this against your passport before departure. Confirm current rules with ARCEP.
Policies that apply to this plan
Reviews from students in France
Verified reviews from students, filtered by country and university, appear here after our launch beta. They come from Trustpilot and our own post-arrival survey. We do not show placeholder or purchased reviews. Read the review policy.
France student SIM questions
What does the France student SIM include?
Arrive Connected France includes a French local number in your name that is live before you fly, 30GB of data for 30 days on Orange, SFR and Bouygues networks, 100 minutes of calls to India, hotspot, and a setup sheet with the France first-week checklist. It costs ₹2,999 ($35.99) including GST.
Why do I need a French number before I land in France?
International students can claim APL housing aid from the CAF. The account and every follow-up message use a French mobile. BNP Paribas, Société Générale, LCL and online banks like Boursorama verify a French mobile for the app and for 3-D Secure card payments. With the number already on your phone you complete these from India or on day one.
How much does the France student SIM cost per month after the first 30 days?
The monthly continuation costs ₹1,699 ($19.99) for 30GB a month with the same number and 100 India minutes. A full first year, starter plus 11 months, comes to ₹21,688. Local carrier prepaid plans cost €10 to €20 a month (approx. ₹910 to ₹1,820) and charge extra for India calls.
Which networks does the France student SIM use?
Orange, SFR and Bouygues networks. Your phone picks the strongest signal in Paris, Lyon, Toulouse and across the country. Campus coverage at Sorbonne University, PSL University, Université Paris-Saclay is on the same national networks that local students use.
Is 30GB enough for a student in France?
For most students, yes. Campus and accommodation Wi-Fi carry most video and downloads; mobile data covers maps, messaging, video calls home and hotspot for a laptop. Students typically use 15GB to 35GB a month. If you expect more, the Global eSIM 20GB top-up can be added from the app.
Does the France student SIM need identity registration?
French prepaid SIMs require an identity document on activation. We complete this against your passport before departure. Confirm current rules with ARCEP.
When are the France intakes and when should I order?
Rentrée: early to mid September. Spring: January to February, some masters. Most Indian students fly between 25 August and 15 September. French carriers want a French IBAN for the cheapest offers, which you only get after the bank account, which wants a French number. The kit breaks that loop.
Can my parents call me on the French number?
Yes. Any Indian phone can call the French local number at that operator's international rate, or use the parent calling pack: ₹999 for 300 minutes to your number plus 3GB of data valid in France for 30 days, for parents who travel with you.
How do I use a consultant code for the France student SIM?
Enter the code at checkout. It takes 10% off the starter, so ₹2,999 becomes ₹2,699. Your consultant earns 15% commission. If your consultant does not have a code yet, send them the education consultants page.
What if my phone does not support eSIM?
We post a physical student SIM with the same French local number and plan to any address in India in 1 to 3 days, with KYC completed online under DoT rules. See delivery and KYC. Check your phone first with the compatibility checker.
Related pages
• All student SIM countries
· • Arrive Connected kit explained
· • For education consultants
· • France travel eSIM for short visits
· • eSIM compatibility checker
· • Physical SIM delivery and KYC
· • Student connectivity checklist
· • USA student SIM
· • UK student SIM
· • Canada student SIM
· • Australia student SIM
Land in France with your number already working
Order after your visa is approved. French local number within 48 hours, 30GB from the moment you land, 100 minutes home. Full refund before the number is assigned.
Arrive Connected France student SIM
Student SIM for France with a French local number before departure, 30GB starter data on Orange, SFR and Bouygues networks, and 100 India minutes.
Product Brand: Universal eSIMs