Study in France: The Ultimate Guide for International Students

Many international students may consider continuing their study in France or to have a training or an internship there.

However, they will have many questions about this. In this article as well in other articles of this series, we will answer all these questions, from submitting an application for a visa reaching to how to obtain it. Then, to succeed in immigration and fulfilling your dream.

Table of Contents

What is the first step?

Before leaving your country, you must first obtain a student visa. Usually, it must be a long-term visa (more than 3 months). You should apply as a student and submit a long-term visa application to the French consulate as mentioned above.

Read here our comprehensive guide to get a student visa for France.

How many universities are there in France?

In France, there are 83 governmental universities funded by the state. Obviously, they grant national degrees and teach many majors.

In France, more than 200,000 foreign students benefit from the advantages of studying there, since it has become highly ranked worldwide in terms of welcoming foreign students from all over the world.

Benefits of studying in France for international students

Indeed, education in France has several advantages, which makes foreign students think of studying there.

Firstly, the tuition fees are low, and also you benefit from government funding. Moreover, among these advantages comes the social insurance and accommodation packages that are being offered.

Additionally, the French government offers support and advice to many new students in order to make them benefit from the services provided.

Here is another important information that every student who wants to complete studies in France must know. It’s the fact that the minimum requirement of the French language is B2 level. Hence, your level of French must be good enough to study there.

On the other hand, if you are not fluent in the French language will find several institutes out there which offer courses in the English language.

Requirements to study in France for international students

Often nothing will prevent you from heading to France and continue your study there, except that you will need to present some of the necessary documents, including:

A valid passport.
Proof that you have sufficient funding sources to reside in France for the whole duration of the study. The minimum amount needed to cover your living expenses in France is around €1400 per month. As for the grantees, a certificate is sufficient to indicate the amount and duration of the scholarship.
Proof of registration and admission to a higher university or the official approval for the trainees.
The necessity of presenting a temporary, long-term visa that is valid for six months. This visa allows you to live in France without requiring a temporary residence card for a specified period that does not exceed 6 months.

Learn also how to apply to French universities.

How can I obtain scholarships to study in France?

For students who wish to obtain scholarships to study in France, here comes the role of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development. This is the official government agency authorized to distribute scholarships there.

Indeed, the Ministry grants most of the scholarships through the departments of cooperation, cultural activity in French embassies as well as French consulates in other countries.

Therefore, if you are considering studying in France, you should contact the nearest departments of cooperation and cultural activity in your country to get more information about the scholarship system.

They will provide you with information on the conditions of obtaining the scholarship, the appropriate timing for the selection process, as well as the application documents needed for the scholarship application.

The types of scholarships available are covering the study, internship as well as course costs. Moreover, they include high-level academic residence scholarships for those wishing to pursue higher studies in France.

Read also our resources on the study and living cost in France, as well as the scholarships for international students in France.

What are the types of education in France?

As a matter of fact, higher education in France has many types. The first type is called short education. The duration for this program ranges from two to three years.

The majors available in this type are in the fields of business, industry as well as services. These specialties are taught in institutes of technology.

Also, students are accepted in these institutes after passing through a selection process. This selection process takes place through a test, an interview, or by reviewing the candidate student file.

As it can be seen, this course enables the student to access immediately the professional life. The student might also prefer to resume his study until he obtains a bachelor’s, master’s, PhD, or even engineer’s degree.

Read here how to earn a master’s degree in France.

As for long education, it takes place in universities ormajor colleges and concludes with a bachelor’s or PhD degree.

Obviously, studying in France has several advantages. After the completion of the study, the student can access the practical professional life directly. This is because the training and study in France gives the student experience as well as important information that enables him to enter the job market.