Getting started as a student!

Comfortably installed in his Paris studio, Sam feels privileged compared to his colleagues at the Sorbonne, where he has been accepted for his first year of law studies. Sam walks home from class because strolling through the alleys and lanes of Paris has become a source of inspiration. The support of his parents, financial aid and his state-guaranteed student loan mean that he can concentrate 100% on his studies. Find out more about his approach and the new digital solutions that make student life easier.

Share on Linkedin

Sam has parents who support him financially and he also benefits from the scholarship, as well as the state guaranteed student loan (formerly CEDIES), meaning he can focus entirely on his studies. He will only start repaying his loan after he has graduated, or up to two years later, if he prefers. He feels really fortunate to be able to make the most of being a student!

Sam took to student life straight away by following these five steps:

1. Prepare for university well in advance

Sam has wanted to become a lawyer since he was 15. Maybe because his favourite uncle is a lawyer, or because he loves watching TV series featuring lawyers and investigations, like Ally Mc Beal, The Good Wife, Suits and Capitani. Sam is very good at solving all sorts of cases.

Quatre étudiants qui échangent sur la problématique de l'argent

When applying for a place at university, he chose the best law schools in France. He went to student fairs two years running, picking up tonnes of brochures and prospectuses and poring over them on arriving home.

His first choice was to go to the south of France, because going to the beach after class seemed like a great way to make the most of student life! He was on the waiting list at Montpellier University, as Paris offered him a place straight away, and let’s be honest, his parents wouldn’t have let him miss the opportunity of studying at the Sorbonne.

2. Choose where you live carefully

Once he had shared his news with all the family, Sam and his mum went to see some apartments in the best parts of Paris. Prices have gone up a lot since his mum studied there! Sam is quite happy to be on his own so he began by looking for a studio apartment he could make his own instead of a flatshare.

But after phoning several numbers from student housing websites and visiting several apartments, Sam realised he wasn’t going to find what he was looking for in Paris! All the apartments he applied for were either already taken or too far from the university. It was time to compromise.

A few weeks before the start of term, Sam and his mum visited the university campus. A notice board in the entrance hall had dozens of ads for flatshares. Sam didn’t want to share a bathroom with a stranger, but in the end he found a few places that looked good. He phoned one number and after a quick chat he arranged to visit the apartment.

After viewing it he took it straight away! The apartment is just 15 minutes’ walk from the university - what a great location!

3. Manage your money

With rent to pay every month, Internet, telephone and electricity bills, food, and train tickets to come back home every now and then, Sam had to learn how to manage the money he received each month.

He obtained a scholarship and opted for the state-guaranteed student loan (formerly CEDIES), which he will start to reimburse later, even up to two years after graduating if he wants. This will at least leave him the time to find a job first.

Apply for financial aid from the Financial Aid Department

To keep on top of his budget, Sam has set a monthly spending limit. His parents will help out if necessary, but they are pleased to see their son take control of his finances.

A 100% digital process via S-Net Mobile, no need to visit a branch.

Sam is able to obtain his loan straight from his mobile.

Obtain your loan via S-Net Mobile in just a few minutes:

1. Check you have the latest version of S-Net Mobile installed on your phone

2. Select “student loan” in the S-Net Store

3. Scan the QR code on the letter of approval of the Financial Aid Department or upload the letter of approval to S-Net Mobile

4. Confirm your request and the money will immediately be paid into your Spuerkeess current account

5. Sign the contract

4. Stay healthy

Mum might not be cooking for you anymore, but that’s no excuse to let yourself go. Sam’s parents have always had a healthy lifestyle – his mother has always cooked fresh food, and he used to cycle over 40 km with his dad every weekend.

To keep up these good habits, the location of Sam’s flat means he can walk to university, so he gets around 30 minutes of exercise every day (there and back).

For his meals, Sam buys fresh food at the local grocery store two or three times a week to avoid waste.

5. Take out a banking package

Sam always pays with his Axxess Visa Debit card, meaning he has a record of what he spends, which he can check at any time on the S-Net Mobile app. MIA, the personal financial assistant in S-Net classifies Sam’s spending by category (Food & Home, Restaurants & Leisure, Health & Well-being), giving him a clear overview of how he spends his money.

Download the S-Net app for free

Take your bank with you, and do your main banking 24/7, anywhere in the world.

Sam doesn’t just have a debit card – with his Axxess Study package, he enjoys many other benefits:

Axxess Study The banking offer for students up to 30

Free Visa Classic credit card*
Free Axxess Visa Debit card
Preferential rate on Personal Loan*
State-guaranteed student loan and/or UNIF loan*
Axxess savings account at preferential rate

* subject to acceptance of your application

Learn more about Axxess Study

Sam has all he needs to manage his money and has even kept a little aside to pay for Netflix and PlayStation Plus, because since he couldn’t go study to the south of France, he spends rainy afternoons on his screen. At least this way there is no risk for him to get sunburned!