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Welcome Week 2026: More Than Just an Introduction

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Moving to a new country to study means discovering many things at once. New surroundings, new routines, new people… Those first few days are important for finding your feet and beginning to feel at home.

That is precisely the purpose of the Welcome Week organised by CESI École d’Ingénieurs, which took place from 31 August to 4 September 2026. Over several days, international students joining CESI had the opportunity to explore their new surroundings, meet other students and receive practical information to help them settle into life in France.

Among them, Gracia BOUKAS MIENAZAMBI, a student at the Lille campus from the Republic of the Congo, and Camila DIAS JUSCELINO, a Brazilian exchange student on the Grande École Programme at the Nanterre campus, reflect on their first days in France and what the week brought them.

Building connections from day one

For Camila, coming to study in France is a major milestone. At 21, it is her first time truly leaving Brazil behind to experience life abroad.

When I arrived here, everything was different, everything was new, and I was terrified.

Yet just a few days later, the people she met during Welcome Week stood out as one of the most meaningful parts of her experience:

I loved meeting the other exchange students. We were together, and we no longer felt alone.

Gracia had already arrived in France before the week began and was particularly looking forward to meeting the other students.

I was really excited to meet the other students because I had arrived in France much earlier and was feeling a little lonely. For me, it was an opportunity to start making friends and get to know other people. So I couldn’t wait.

He initially expected Welcome Week to bring together a much larger group. In the end, the smaller format gave him time to get to know the other participants.

I expected to meet lots of people, but the smaller group turned out to be a really pleasant surprise. It gave me time to talk to everyone and build real connections. Ultimately, what stood out most was the quality of the encounters.

Getting to know a new environment

Welcome Week is also an opportunity to better understand a new environment.

When you arrive in a new country, everyday questions quickly arise. Administrative procedures, healthcare, student life and how the school operates can all differ from what you are used to at home.

I learned so many things that helped me feel more at ease. I appreciated the information we were given because it’s really important when you’ve just arrived and everything is new.

Even for students who had already been in France for a few days, the week provided an opportunity to build on the information they had gathered independently.

As I had arrived before some of the other students, I had already had time to complete a few administrative procedures, but I was still missing some information. The discussions were very useful and helped me build on what I already knew, particularly about accessing healthcare and how to see an ophthalmologist. That’s just one example.

Discovering through shared experiences

Because settling in also happens through shared moments, Welcome Week combines information sessions with group activities.

Board games, icebreakers and team sports challenges gave students time together in a more informal setting.

There were quite a few activities, including icebreakers that really helped us get to know one another. We also spent a day playing board games. I discovered games I hadn’t known before and found really interesting, perhaps even to play with my family. Then there was the sports day, with team challenges. I enjoyed those moments, especially as my team won.

For Camila, another experience from the week was particularly memorable: the visit to Versailles.

I will always remember visiting the Palace of Versailles and my first discoveries in France. I had never seen anything like it. For me, it was incredible.

These very different memories reflect the same shared experience: discovering, spending time together and beginning to build common reference points.

Connections that last

Part of Welcome Week’s value also lies in what happens afterwards.

Once classes begin, the connections formed during those few days can make it easier to start conversations on campus, work together on group projects and settle into a new cohort.

In Lille, Gracia found himself in the same class as several students he had met during Welcome Week.

Yes, it was an advantage for me because there are three students in my cohort whom I had already met. Classes have now started, and we’re in the same class. Knowing one another already makes it easier to collaborate on projects and during lessons. When we’re in class, things feel easier because we already know each other. We also share lots of memories from Welcome Week, and now we’re together again in class.

Camila is also gradually discovering her new learning environment, which is very different from the one she knew in Brazil.

Here, students are more independent in their studies, and that’s something I really appreciate. I also enjoy interacting with the other students, particularly French students.

These first encounters naturally become part of the wider experience as classes begin and everyone settles into their campus.

A first step that matters

Welcome Week offers a few days to understand a new environment, meet others and begin life in France with greater confidence.

For Gracia, just a few words capture that first week:

An unforgettable experience.

A simple phrase that reflects the encounters, practical information and connections that shaped the week.

Camila, who described her arrival as a time when “everything was different, everything was new”, also remembers above all the importance of taking that first step:

Don’t be afraid of a new experience, because everything will be fine, and you have to give it a try.

Welcome Week marks the opening days of a new adventure. A week to find your feet, meet new people and begin student life at CESI École d’Ingénieurs.