Study in France

France offers public universities, engineering schools, business schools, arts institutions and other specialist providers. Your choice should begin with the exact qualification and its recognition, followed by the teaching language, admission route and complete cost. Students who need long-term immigration permission must complete the appropriate study visa process separately from admission.

French higher education offers both broad academic study and highly specialised programs. Public universities provide extensive subject and research options, while specialist schools may focus on engineering, management, design, arts or other disciplines. Teaching can include lectures, seminars, tutorials, laboratories, group projects and a dissertation.

English-taught options are available, particularly at postgraduate level, but the language of each compulsory component needs checking. Compare academic support, research facilities, class structure and assessment at the institution you will attend. A well-matched course matters more than choosing a destination based only on the reputation of one city or university.

The main university structure is Licence, Master and Doctorat, often called the LMD system:

Licence: Normally three years and 180 ECTS credits. It is the standard undergraduate university degree.

Master: Normally two further years and 120 additional ECTS credits, often organised as Master 1 and Master 2. Direct entry to the second year depends on the institution's assessment of previous study.

Doctorat: Original research under supervision, commonly planned over three years, although actual duration varies by discipline and project.

Engineering and specialist qualifications: Can follow different entry and duration structures. Verify the recognised status of the exact award and the total route from your current qualification.

Institution-specific MSc, MBA and other programs: Titles, duration and recognition vary. Do not assume that every program using the word master awards the French national master's degree or the academic grade of master.

ECTS credits describe academic workload. When comparing programs, check the credits, final award, entry level and whether the qualification supports the further academic study you intend.

Technology and engineering options include computer science, artificial intelligence, data science, cybersecurity, aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and environmental engineering. Admission can depend on specific previous modules in mathematics, sciences or computing.

Business programs include management, finance, business analytics, marketing, international business, luxury management, supply chain management and MBA degrees. An MBA may require professional experience; a master's in management or specialised MSc may target a different applicant profile.

Other fields include public health, biotechnology, environmental science, architecture, design, fashion, humanities, social sciences and education. Portfolios, auditions, writing samples or additional subject preparation may be required for specialist programs.

For a research degree, investigate supervision, laboratory or research-unit affiliation, project approval and funding. For a taught course, compare compulsory modules, electives, assessment and the dissertation or capstone. Check whether the program is a complete two-year master's or a shorter route with different entry expectations.

Examples include Sorbonne University in Paris, Université Paris-Saclay in the Paris region, Université Grenoble Alpes, the University of Strasbourg, the University of Bordeaux and the University of Montpellier. Specialist business schools include HEC Paris and INSEAD, with distinct admissions, qualifications and fee structures.

These examples are not a ranking or a list of eCampus Buddy partners. A university can offer both French-taught and English-taught programs, and the same institution can charge different fees for national degrees and institution-specific courses. Research the actual program and campus.

Ask whether the award is a national degree, an institution-specific qualification or a professionally registered title. For master's-level study, distinguish a national master's degree and the academic grade de master from a program that merely uses a similar marketing title.

An RNCP level 7 registration describes a professional qualification level; it does not by itself mean that the course awards the national master's degree or the academic grade de master. For an engineering qualification, check the relevant Commission des titres d'ingénieur, or CTI, recognition where applicable.

Ask the institution to explain the awarding body, recognition status and progression options in writing. This is particularly useful when comparing a public-university Master with an MSc, MBA or specialist school diploma. Admission to one of these programs does not make all of them academically interchangeable.

September or October is the main start period for many degrees. Some institutions offer January or other intakes for selected courses. Research admission may depend on supervision, project selection and funding.

Begin planning approximately twelve months ahead. First-year undergraduate procedures, national application platforms, institutional deadlines and scholarship nominations can follow different calendars. Some applications close many months before classes begin.

Build a timeline that includes academic admission, language testing, any Campus France procedure, fee payments, the France-Visas application and the visa appointment. Do not assume that completing one online platform automatically completes all stages.

Licence applicants need a recognised school qualification providing the appropriate higher education access, together with required subjects and language proficiency. Some programs use additional selection, portfolios or interviews.

Master's applicants need an accepted higher education qualification and suitable subject preparation. A three-year bachelor's degree may be considered for Master 1, but the institution decides equivalence and eligibility. Entry directly to Master 2 is a separate academic decision and should never be assumed from the number of years already studied.

Business schools may request a CV, motivation essays, references, GMAT, GRE or another accepted assessment, and an interview. Not every business or master's course requires the same test. Research applicants may need a proposal, supervisor agreement and evidence of funding or research preparation.

If your previous discipline differs, check whether the course accepts conversion applicants. Missing prerequisite subjects may prevent admission even where your overall grades are strong.

French-taught programs commonly require evidence through an accepted test or qualification such as TCF, DELF or DALF, subject to the institution's rules. Many courses expect a level around B2 or above, while some require C1 or another specified standard. These are common academic patterns, not a universal requirement for every course.

English-taught programs may accept IELTS Academic, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic or other stated evidence. Overall scores, skill scores, test formats and waiver policies are course-specific. Previous English-medium education may support a waiver only where the institution allows it.

An English-taught degree does not automatically require a French test for admission, but confirm whether any compulsory component uses French. The visa process may also ask how you will follow the intended studies. Keep the university's accepted language evidence or written waiver with your application records.

The correct application route depends on your nationality, country of residence, qualification level and course. Students covered by the Études en France procedure use the relevant Campus France process. Some applications are submitted through that system, while others begin directly with an institution and still require a later pre-consular procedure.

Certain first-year Licence applicants use a preliminary admission procedure, often called DAP. Parcoursup applies to some undergraduate applications, while Mon Master is used for eligible first-year master's applications. None of these platforms should be treated as the universal route for every international applicant.

Ask the institution and the Campus France office responsible for your residence country which route applies. An academic interview or completion of the Campus France process is not a visa decision. France-Visas and the consular appointment remain separate stages where required.

Prepare your passport, academic transcripts, completion certificates, language results and any requested grading explanation. Depending on the course, include a CV, motivation letter, academic references, portfolio, research proposal or standardised test results.

Provide certified translations in the form required by the institution and application route. Keep names, qualification dates and study history consistent across the university, Campus France and visa applications. Do not omit a previous course simply because it is unrelated to the new subject.

After an offer, identify all conditions, the deposit, the fee category and the exact final award. Obtain the admission or pre-enrolment document needed for the visa. Ask for the refund and deferral policy before making a substantial payment.

For 2026–27, the differentiated annual registration fees at relevant public institutions are EUR 2,902 for Licence-level study and EUR 3,950 for Master-level study for students subject to those rates. They do not apply to every international student or every course. Nationality, status, program and approved exemptions can affect the amount.

For national doctoral registration, the 2026–27 annual fee is EUR 398. Private institutions, business schools and many institution-specific programs set their own tuition, which can be substantially higher than public national-degree fees.

Exemption arrangements changed in 2026. Do not assume that a university's older fee-waiver policy still applies to a new intake. Obtain written confirmation of the fee category and any exemption in your offer or registration documents.

The Contribution de vie étudiante et de campus, or CVEC, is EUR 105 for 2026–27 for students who must pay it. Eligible exemptions exist. Complete the required payment or exemption procedure and retain the certificate needed for enrolment.

Include application charges, language tests, document translation, Campus France processing where applicable, visa and application-centre charges, the applicable post-arrival validation payment, books, equipment, insurance where required and travel. The student maintenance requirement is separate from tuition.

Ask whether the quoted tuition is annual or for the complete program, whether a deposit is credited towards it and whether later-year increases apply. For a two-year master's, a first-year scholarship or fee exemption does not automatically cover Master 2.

Keep official payment receipts and scholarship letters. If you need to defer, obtain written confirmation of which payments transfer to the new intake and which charges are non-refundable.

Funding can include university awards, French government scholarship programs, embassy-managed schemes, regional or institutional support and research funding. Eligibility depends on nationality, subject, academic level and the current competition.

The France Excellence Eiffel scholarship is a competitive route for eligible master's and doctoral candidates, with applications presented by French higher education institutions. Students should contact the institution about nomination and its internal deadline. Eiffel itself does not pay tuition fees; any tuition exemption or separate support must be confirmed independently.

Eligible Indian students can investigate the relevant France Excellence Charpak opportunities and their current award categories. Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters may provide another funding route for selected joint programs, with the application and scholarship process managed by the participating consortium.

Check whether the award covers tuition, a monthly allowance, insurance or other specified costs, and for how long. Use a formal award letter as financial evidence and plan for any amount or later study period that remains unfunded.

Confirm that a lender accepts the exact school, campus and qualification. This is particularly important for institution-specific MSc or MBA programs whose recognition and fee structure differ from national university degrees.

Compare the interest rate, charges, repayment period, security requirements and disbursement conditions. Establish whether the loan can fund the required tuition deposit and maintenance evidence before the visa appointment.

For sponsorship, prepare the requested undertaking, relationship evidence and financial records showing the source and availability of the money. A loan approval or sponsor promise must be supported in the form required by the visa checklist. Build the plan for the complete course, including any second-year funding needs.

Students who need immigration permission for study lasting more than three months generally apply for the appropriate long-stay student visa. A common route is the VLS-TS étudiant, a long-stay visa that also serves as residence permission after the required validation. The actual visa category and instructions depend on your course and circumstances.

EU, EEA and Swiss students generally do not need a French student visa. Other applicants should use the France-Visas process for their nationality and place of residence. A short-stay visitor visa should not be assumed to cover a full degree.

Complete the applicable Campus France procedure first where required, then submit the France-Visas application and follow the appointment instructions. Admission and Campus France processing do not guarantee visa approval.

The current student maintenance threshold is EUR 877.50 per month, effective from August 2026 under the published student residence requirements. Treat this as a minimum maintenance requirement, separate from tuition. Prepare the evidence for the period required by your application checklist.

Funding evidence may involve your own funds, an accepted scholarship, a properly documented sponsor or a loan supported by evidence of availability. The responsible office determines the required documents. Explain the source of funds and any large recent deposits clearly.

The visa file commonly includes a valid passport, the application and appointment documents, photographs, admission or pre-enrolment evidence, academic and language records, the required Campus France confirmation and financial evidence. The checklist can also require evidence of your initial address in France. Provide that document as requested even though it is separate from academic admission.

The standard student visa fee is generally EUR 50 for applicants covered by the Études en France procedure and EUR 99 for other applicants, subject to exemptions and the applicable category. Campus France processing and application-centre service charges are separate.

• Confirm the recognised course and obtain the appropriate admission document.
• Complete the applicable Campus France or Études en France steps.
• Prepare the financial, identity, academic and other documents specified by France-Visas.
• Complete the visa application and attend the required appointment for document submission and biometrics.
• Respond to further requests and check the issued visa before travelling.
• On arrival, complete university enrolment, the applicable CVEC procedure and student health-coverage formalities.
• Follow the validation or residence instructions for the visa actually issued.

If you receive a VLS-TS, validate it online within three months of arrival. The current student VLS-TS validation tax is EUR 100, separate from the visa application charge. Keep the validation confirmation with your study records.

A student VLS-TS is generally issued for a period from four months to one year. For a longer degree, organise the required continuation or renewal process in time using the university's international office. The initial visa should not be assumed to cover the entire degree automatically.

Indian applicants should align their institution application with the Campus France India procedure and prepare complete marksheets, qualification certificates and any requested translations. Confirm admission to the exact year of study rather than assuming that a previous degree automatically gives access to Master 2.

Use eCampus Buddy to compare recognised qualifications, organise your academic documents and plan the admission stages. Confirm the exact award, teaching language, fee category and application route before committing to a course.