About us

The GATE is a multi-service platform that welcomes students, researchers or employees of R&D centers and higher education establishments in the Paris-Saclay area.
It is open during the academic year, to help with your administrative procedures and settle in France, in all serenity.

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A one-stop shop: why, for whom and how ?

The implementation of this multiservice platform was officially confirmed on March 3, 2017, by the official signature of an agreement with the State.

Download the framework agreement

This platform is dedicated to welcoming students, researchers, employees and international collaborators of the scientific institutions that signed the convention, and their families.
In a single location, it allows you to complete most of the installation formalities while receiving assistance through physical presence or the provision of digital tools by the main actors:

  • Personnel from Science Accueil, Université Paris-Saclay, and Institut Polytechnique de Paris, who provide comprehensive information on procedures and verify the application documents.
  • Key operators such as CAF (Family Allowance Fund), CPAM (Health Insurance), CROUS (Regional Center for University and School Services), RATP (Parisian Public Transportation), and Pôle Emploi (Employment Agency).
  • Digitized applications designed to assist the scientific community in preparing for their stay in France.
  • Ongoing collaboration between the experts at GATE and the Sub-Prefecture of Palaiseau behind the scenes.
  • Collaboration with banks to facilitate the opening of bank accounts.
  • Availability of information about the Paris-Saclay territory provided by the Paris-Saclay Agglomeration Community (CPS).

 

Fifteen higher education institutions and research centers have joined our program.  You will also most likely have a referent in your establishment, a person who is in the referent network in link with the sub-prefecture and will be able to help you to prepare your file to complete your residence formalities.

The GATE and Paris-Saclay’s international influence

Welcoming internationals is a major challenge for the academic and scientific influence of all universities, higher education institutions and research centres in the Paris-Saclay Cluster territory.

This is an essential condition for the successful creation of a world-class campus. International students and researchers now represent 23% of the total population of the Paris-Saclay Cluster. Currently around 20,000 people, their number should change considerably in the coming years with the development of the Cluster.

The Guichet d’Accueil des Talents Étrangers (GATE), was inaugurated on the Orsay campus of the Université Paris-Saclay (former Paris-Sud) on 6 September 2018 by the Essonne’s Prefet, Jean-Benoît ALBERTINI, the President of the Université Paris-Sud, Sylvie RETAILLEAU, today Minister of Higher Education and Research, the President of Science Accueil, Jean BERTSCH, and in presence of the President of the Paris-Saclay urban community, Michel BOURNAT and all the GATE partners (CPAM, CAF, RATP, CROUS, Pôle Emploi, Campus France, POLVI…).

Students, scientists and international employees who join the Paris-Saclay cluster can now complete, in one place, the main administrative and practical steps related to their installation and stay in France.

 

The GATE co-pilots

In the booming Paris-Saclay region, the Palaiseau Sub-Prefecture, the Paris-Saclay University and the Science Accueil association have joined forces to set up an effective system for welcoming students, researchers and employees from R&D centres, and to make the hospitality of this scientific cluster attractive and visible on a global scale. The Institut Polytechnique de Paris joined in 2022 the management of the program.

The Coordinators of the GATE system are as follows:

  • L’Université Paris-Saclay, through its Pôle d’Accueil International and its role as the coordinator of the representatives from all its components and associated institutions (faculties, IUTs, schools, affiliated universities, a total of 15 institutions)
  • Science Accueil, an organization specialized for over 25 years in assisting national and international scientists coming to the Île-de-France region, along with their families. It is a Euraxess-labeled mobility center accredited by the European Commission.
  • L’Institut Polytechnique de Paris, which brings together 5 prestigious engineering schools.
  • The Sub-Prefecture of Palaiseau, responsible for issuing residence permits and informing partners about the legal framework developments related to this mission.

Together, they manage the Guichet d’Accueil des Talents Etrangers, which brings together multiple administrations and operators under a single banner.

At GATE I was able to see different organizations to help me settle in France. I was able to make an appointment with CAF and associations to help me in my housing search.

I was quickly received by the services of the Sub-Prefecture. They helped me in the completeness of my file and answered my questions.

The motto of GATE

Its motto, “Ex pluribus, unum“, in English “Out of many, one“, clearly illustrates the platform’s primary objective, which is to bring together the strengths of the various players for the same cause: to reduce the mobility itinerary and provide, in a single place and with a minimum of time, all the solutions needed to obtain the different sesames necessary for life in France.

The GATE in a few figures: what does it look like?

GATE is much more than just a few figures, but if we had to summarize it, it would give that.

Le GATE
10773 Visits and consultation since 2018
3 Coordinators who work full time to improve the system each year
91.8 Our percentage of user satisfaction (2018 survey)
93 Different nationalities have been welcomed through GATE
8 Partners present to help you in your efforts
3000 Welcome Box distributed to users