Banking

If you plan to attend AUP for more than one semester, you must open a French bank account to guarantee easy access to funds, allow you to receive wire transfers and to deposit checks.We will assist you in opening your French bank account once you are on campus. More information will be available during Orientation.

Bank transfers from abroad

Funds can be transferred to France from abroad using one of two methods:

  • Bank transfers to your French bank account: once you have opened a bank account, anyone may transfer money to the account. This process normally takes 2-5 days.
  • Bank transfers to American Express, Thomas Cook, or Western Union: anyone with an American Express card or access to a Thomas Cook agency can have money transferred instantly to the American Express or Thomas Cook offices in Paris. Funds can also be sent through Western Union to selected post offices in Paris.

Note: Do not come to Paris with a check drawn on a foreign bank. The slowest way to receive money from abroad is to deposit a check in any currency (including Euros) that is drawn on a bank outside of France. This process can take from four to six weeks for these checks to be credited to your account, resulting in serious delays, as well as high service charges.

 

Automatic teller machines (ATMs)

Students frequently rely on bank or credit cards to withdraw cash from Automatic Teller Machines. This is very convenient, but be aware that there are often daily or weekly limits to the amount you can withdraw.

Before arriving in Paris, we recommend that you contact the company that issued your card to:

  • verify that your card is an international card and can be used in Paris
  • secure a 4-digit pin code (not letters) for your card. Only cards with 4-digit numerical codes can be used in French ATM machines.
  • determine whether or not there are daily or weekly limits
  • confirm whether your bank or credit card company charges for individual transactions at ATMs; if so, you will want to make fewer but larger withdrawals
  • inform your bank, before leaving your home country, that you will be using your ATM card in France