Overview | Admission Process | Visa Information | FAQs

International study needs a year of advance planning and France is no different. The dates given below apply to all French institutions. Some schools may have somewhat more flexible admission deadlines.

A student is required to make his initial contact with institutions early in the year so that he’ll have time to complete the application forms and submit them to the institutions in the spring. April 30 is a common deadline. If the student is seeking admission to a program that begins in January, his application must be submitted by October 30.

The French Ministry of Education offers occasional grants to international students, subject to the availability of funds. Scholarship funds made available under bilateral assistance programs between France and foreign governments or under an annual scholarship program. Areas of study are identified in each agreement and generally correspond to the needs expressed by the foreign partner. Many grants are jointly financed. More than 80 percent of French government scholarships fall into this category. Scholarship information may be obtained from the cultural service of the French embassy or from the nearest French consulate. Another type of Scholarships made available is the scholarships for excellence. Scholarship programs have been set up to enable French institutions of higher education to attract the finest international students and, through them, to develop interuniversity co-operation.

No it is not The French government supports higher education to the tune of about 6,000 Euros per student per year. That high level of public support means that higher education in France is very affordable, for international as well as French students. University tuition is rarely more than 300 Euros per academic year. In public schools of engineering, the annual tuition is approximately 600 Euros.

You'll need to have about 1,000 Euros a month to live in France. Below that level, you are likely to have trouble living normally.

Tuition fees could be anywhere between Rs.6, 0000 and Rs.34000 per annum for a course leading to national diploma, depending on the institution. The tuition fees at the Competitive Universities is approximately Rs.26000 in public engineering schools, and vary from Rs.1.9 lakh to Rs.7.6 lakhs in private business and engineering schools. Accommodation expenses, especially private lodgings, vary from Rs.15000 to Rs31000 per month. However, in the universities, residence halls are cheaper and cost anywhere between Rs.5500 and Rs.8000 per month. Food, transportation and everyday expenses would amount of anything from Rs.19000 to Rs.27000 per month. Then, there is medical insurance, which is compulsory and is approximately between Rs.7000 to Rs.38000 per annum depending on the student’s age. The types of grants available for the students are offered by the French Government, the UGC and the scholarships offered by international and NGOs.

Yes. Proper documentation of the same should be shown to the visa officer.

Yes. Indian Students still have to sit for the English test.

International students have the right to work in France if they have a residency permit and are enrolled in an institution that participates in the student health plan of the French social protection system (Sécurité Sociale). Even first-time visitors to France and students enrolled in the first year of postsecondary education enjoy the right to work. The workweek in France (annually averaged) is 35 hours. French law allows international students to work no more than 884 hours in a given year. That translates to half-time employment (19.5 hours per week) during the academic year and full-time during vacations.

The minimum hourly wage in France (known as the SMIC, for salaire minimum interprofessionnel de croissance) is 6.83 Euros gross. This is not enough to sustain a student throughout his academic career in France.

In case the student has a job offer at the end of his studies, the student visa cannot be converted automatically into a work permit-cum-long term visa. Such visas must be applied for from India which normally requires a return to the country of origin. However a law has been recently passed in Parliament asking the "Prefecture de police" to consider with benevolence applications for such long-term visas connected to employment opportunities.

It can be hard to find student housing in France, especially in Paris. That is one reason why the student should consider studying at one of the many fine institutions outside Paris. Housing is more plentiful and less expensive, with no decrease in comfort.

It is a document which allows a student to stay in France for a stipulated period of time. If a student plans to stay for more than 3 months must obtain a student residency permit (which is distinct from a visa), within two months of their arrival in France.

It is recommended that he carry cash in the form of traveler’s checks. The exchange rate will be better than cash, and if he keeps a record of his check numbers, he will be able to have them reissued if they are stolen. Also, if he opens a bank account he can deposit his checks in the foreign country, or he can deposit them in a bank at home, and withdraw the money abroad.

Students from outside Europe must obtain a long-term visa marked étudiant if they intend to study in France for more than 6 months. After the first year of study, visas are automatically renewed, provided the student holding the visa is able to produce the required documentation. If the program is shorter than 6 months, the student will receive a temporary student visa. Under no circumstances may temporary student visas be renewed or converted into long-term student visas. A special 3-month visa (marked étudiant-concours) is granted to students traveling to France to sit for an entrance examination or receive preparatory training. Students who pass the examination and are admitted to an institution are entitled to apply for a long-term student visa without returning to their home country. The "étudiant-concours" visa may be used in cases where the student must complete a short period of preparatory training before being admitted to an institution.

To obtain a visa, make an appointment with the nearest French consulate or with the visa service of the French embassy in your country. The student should familiarize himself with the list of documents to be submitted and note whether they need to be translated or authenticated. Submit only one file, and make sure it is complete in every way. If the student plans to complete two programs in succession (such as a program in French as a foreign language, followed by an academic program), he should obtain admission to both programs before applying for his visa so that his visa will be valid for the duration of the period of study. French visas can not be extended in France.

The visa fee is 50 € (around Rs 2119).

All these documents in the original will be verified at the time of interview conducted by the designated officer of the Embassy of France or the Consulates in Mumbai and Pondicherry.

The following documents are required (2 sets of photocopies on A4-size paper):

01) Letter of registration / admission from a French academic institution

02) Proof of financial resources:

a) Either 12 months at 415 € to cover living expenses during one academic year or the duration of the
    course whichever is less
b) Or a sponsorship letter for accommodation and supporting documents showing availability of a minimum
    of 206 Euro per month for living expenses during one academic year or the duration of the course
    whichever is less

03) Proof of accommodation in France for the period of stay

04) A brief CV – three-passport size photographs

05) Copies of degrees / diplomas and certificates (+2/BA/BSc/BE/MA/MSc) – valid passport for the entire
      period of stay in France (2 photocopies of the relevant pages)

06) Air ticket or reservation printout – for short duration the student should subscribe to a comprehensive
      medical insurance policy (copy to be attached)

07) A confirmation of hotel reservation or a certificate of board and lodging ("Attestation d'Accueil") to be
      obtained by the person the student is visiting in France from the local Town hall ("Mairie") or Police
      Station ("Gendarmerie" or "Commissariat de Police").

08) A student must submit a recent letter from his school, college or university confirming attendance.

09) Evidence of medical insurance.

10) Each French embassy sets the level of financial resources to be demonstrated by prospective students
      from that country. The amount is on the order of 3,000 francs for each month to be spent in France.

11) If the required resources are guaranteed by an individual residing in France the student must produce
      a signed statement of financial responsibility, a photocopy of the national identity card of the
      guarantor, and proof of the guarantor's own financial resources (such as the guarantor's three most
      recent pay stubs and most recent tax return).

12) If the resources come from abroad, the student must demonstrate that a bank account has been
      opened into which the necessary funds will be deposited and produce a promise of payment, translated
      into French and bearing the authenticated signature of the individual responsible for making the
      payments, or a statement of payment of funds from the authorities of the student's country of origin.

Note: Depending on individual circumstances, additional documents may be required

Proof of financial support
The required level of financial resources is set by each embassy. The average is approximately 460 Euros per month. Scholarship students must provide documentation on the letterhead of the granting organization specifying the amount and duration of their grant. If financial support will be provided by an individual residing in France, the student must furnish a signed statement of responsibility, a photocopy of the identity card of the guarantor, and evidence of adequate means to provide the promised support (such as the guarantor's 3 most recent pay stubs and the most recent income tax return). If financial support will be provided from abroad, the student must furnish evidence of the opening of a bank account into which the necessary funds will be deposited and a written commitment from the guarantor to deposit the funds. The statement of commitment must be translated into French and bear a legalized (certified) signature. If the necessary funds will come from the student's home government, the government must provide a letter to that effect.

VACCINATIONS
The consulate may require proof of vaccination against certain diseases (such as yellow fever and cholera) before granting a visa if health conditions in the student's home country merit such a requirement.

1-3 days, on the average.