21

At any levelbachelor, master, or doctoralit pays to have

a well-dened educational plan and a clear goal before
choosing an institution and program.
By identifying programs that dovetail with your prior
experience and academic accomplishments, you can increase
your chances of admission.
Within a given eld of study, you will nd a wide variety of curricula and programs.
That variety is one of the strong points of the French educational system.
Throughout France one nds educational institutions of very high quality in every
eld. These, too, exhibit varietythere are the universities, of course, but also
the free-standing schools of engineering, business, and art. The resulting
institutional diversity is one reason for the variety of curricula found within a
given eld.
Studying
in France
The richness and
diversity offered by
the French system
make it easy to
nd an educational
program that best
matches ones
background and
goals
20
Make an
informed choice
www.campusfrance.org
The CampusFrance Web site is
your best source for the
information you need to plan a
period of study in France.
We tailor information specically
to the needs of prospective
students in 50 different
countries!
www.campusfrance.org
>CampusFrance near you

Do I have to be able to
speak French to study in
France?
Applicants from outside
the European Union seeking
admission to the rst or second
year of postsecondary
education (L1, L2) or to a
school of architecture must
follow a special admission
procedure, known as DAP.
As part of that procedure,
applicants must demonstrate
their prociency in French,
either by passing a language
test (TCF-DAP or TEF), or by
earning a degree in French as a
foreign language (DELF/DALF).
> To enroll in the third year of
a licence program (L3), in a
masters or doctoral program,
or in a Grande cole,
students must meet the
French-prociency standards
set by individual educational
institutions.
> Even for programs taught
in English, institutions may
require applicants to
demonstrate a minimum level
of French prociency.
www.campusfrance.org
>Find your program
>Learn French in France
>Tests of and degrees in French
as a foreign language
www.campusfrance.org
>Find your program
CampusFrances online catalog of French higher
education includes more than 36,000 programs
licences, masters, doctoratesoffered by some
6,000 postsecondary institutions.
A powerful search engine allows users to perform
custom searches by keyword, eld of study,
academic level, and geographic region. It also
provides links to the Web sites of institutions
of interest to the user and an overview of each
institution. Proles of dozens of academic and
professional subjects taught in French institutions
round out the database, along with information on
student services, doctoral departments, and other
topics.
All information proles
www.campusfrance.org>Resource center
Choosing
a program
CampusFrance,
for all the information you need
The catalog of programs taught in Englishwhich
includes 600 programs in all disciplines from the
licence to the doctoral level (plus summer courses)
is now available online. The search engine allows
users to:
Search by combinations of criteriadegree level,
discipline, percentage of instruction in English
View selected programs on a map of France
Obtain a detailed description of each program
(legal status of degree conferred, length of program,
admission requirements, cost, etc.)
Updated throughout the year by the institutions
offering the programs, this powerful new tool makes
it easier than ever to study in France in English!
22
A strong local presence: CampusFrance
maintains 125 ofces in 93 countries to
advise and support prospective students
CampusFrances local ofces, called Espaces, allow
students to meet face to face with professionals
who can help them carry out their plans to study in
France.
The mission of the local ofces is to answer stu-
dents questions about French higher education
at the information-gathering stage and during
the application process. By providing concrete
services in a personal way, the staff help students
put together an educational plan. They move that
plan forward by helping students to identify ap-
propriate programs and to put together persuasive
applications for admission. They even follow up on
applications.
www.campusfrance.org
>CampusFrance near you

Studying in France
23
Enrollment is a three-step process:
Obtaining an offer of admission from a French
institution. The offer of admission is a precondition
for obtaining a visa to enter France.
Administrative registration. Upon arriving in
France, students must report to their new institution
and pay tuition and fees for the coming year. The
student receives proof of enrollment and a student
ID card.
Academic registration. Following administrative
registration, the student is invited to visit his
new academic department to register for specic
classes at specic times and to be briefed on
examination procedures. No additional charges
are assessed for academic registration. This step
completes the admission process.

Note:
There are no ofcially recognized equivalences
between French degrees and foreign degrees.
Institutions make independent determina-
tions of equivalence. The institution may also
give credit for the applicants professional
experience. Each institution has full discretion
to admit applicants and to determine the level at
which they will be admittedthat is, the amount of
credit to be granted for prior academic work.
Enrolling in the rst or second year (L1 or L2) at a French
university:
The request for preliminary admission (DAP)
Students holding a secondary-school diploma from outside France and
wishing to enroll in the rst or second year of undergraduate study at a
French university are required to complete an application for preliminary
admission, known as a DAP (demande dadmission pralable) at the
cultural ofce of the French embassy in their country of residence. In 30
countries, the DAP process must be completed online.
Whether online or on paper, the DAP process begins in January of each
year and follows a very strict timeline.
Special case: Admission Post-Bac
The Admission Post-Bac system of preliminary admission to the
rst year of postsecondary study is required of international students
(including those holding a French baccalaurat) who seek admission
to the rst year of study in certain selective institutions, such as IUTs
(university-based institutes of technology), STSs (postsecondary
technical sections of secondary schools), CPGEs (programs that prepare
students for the Grandes coles), and other institutions not covered by
the DAP process.
A list of the programs for which the Admission Post-Bac process is
required is available at: http://www.admission-postbac.fr
24
Paying tuition to a French institution of higher education
The tuition rates charged by public educational institutions in France are
set by decree.
Annual tuition rates for degree programs in public institutions, 201011
174 for licence programs
237 for masters programs
359 for doctoral programs
550 for engineering programs
In addition to these basic charges, students may have to pay additional
fees for specic services or special programs.
Private institutions, including schools of business, are more expensive.

A convenient online application
process is in place for
applicants from 30 countries.
Nationals of those countries
must use the online process
(CEF procedure).
With Internet access, students can:
Submit a single application to
multiple institutions
Track the progress of their application
Apply for a visa, in cooperation with
a CampusFrance local ofce
Communicate with CampusFrance
The process also involves taking a
test of French prociency (if required
by an institution to which the student
has applied) and ends with a personal
interview in which the student has
the opportunity to present his or her
educational plan.
Participating countries: Algeria,
Argentina, Benin, Brazil, Canada,
Cameroon, Chile, China, Colombia,
Republic of Congo, Cte dIvoire,
Gabon, Guinea, India, Japan, Republic
of Korea, Lebanon, Madagascar, Mali,
Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Russia,
Senegal, Syria, Taiwan, Tunisia,
Turkey, United States, Vietnam
www.campusfrance.org
>Prepare for your stay >Enroll
>From countries using
the CEF procedure
25
Studying in France
Enrolling
in a French institution of higher education
In France, students tuition payments cover only a fraction of
the true cost of public higher education. The French government
provides the bulk of the systems nancing. .
All international students, whether or not they receive additional
nancial aid, enjoy the same low tuition rates as French students
at universities and other public institutions. The true cost of the
education they receive is much higher (10,000 to 14,000 per
year), but the difference is paid by the French government. Every
international student, like every French student, benets from this
national measure, which ensures the quality of French degrees.
CampusBourse, a new bilingual search engine and
database, will speed your search for nancial aid
Accessible from www.campusfrance.org, CampusBourse enables
users to perform multiple-criteria searches in French or English of
nearly every nancial aid program open to international students
and junior scholars wishing to study in France. Covered are more
than 600 programs from national and local government agencies,
corporations, foundations, academic institutions, Frances
embassies abroad, foreign governments and institutions, and
multilateral organizations.
Users may search by keyword or by set search criteria
(nationality, discipline, level of study, type of grant), thus
allowing them to locate programs that match their background
and plans. Full information is available for each program, along
with links to the Web sites of the sponsoring entities.
SCHOLARSHIPS FROM THE MINISTRY OF
FOREIGN AND EUROPEAN AFFAIRS
Each year the French Ministry of Foreign and European
Affairs offers various types of grants that cover tuition
and various services: health insurance, travel costs, and
living expenses.
Scholarships awarded
by Frances embassies abroad
French government grants for academic programs,
internships, and language study in France are
administered by the Ministry of Foreign and European
Affairs. Most of the grants are offered by the cultural
ofces of Frances embassies and consulates general.
Regardless of their country of residence or the type of
scholarship for which they intend to apply, candidates
must contact, at least one year in advance, the culture
and cooperation ofce of the French embassy in their
country of residence.
www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/>Studying in France>How
can the project be funded
Study grants are intended for students enrolled
in degree programs at French postsecondary
institutions. Preference is given to graduate
students (master, 53%; doctoral, 34%).
Grants and nancial aid
Internship or training grants, for 3 to 12 months,
on average, are designed to enable practicing
professionals to obtain advanced, specialized, or
refresher training. They may also be awarded for
short-term teaching internships or language study.
Travel grants for scholars and scientists, for 1 to 3
months are offered to support participation in high-
level programs of cultural, scientic, technical, and
industrial research or exchange.
Specic programs
Eiffel excellence grants enable awardees to earn a
masters degree or, for doctoral candidates enrolled in
dual-degree programs, to travel for up to 10 months.
Grants are made in three elds: science, economics
and management, and law and political science.
Candidates are nominated by French institutions.
Self-nominations are not accepted.
Major excellence grants
The Major program enables international students
in French lyces abroad who score well on their
baccalaureate exam to study in France up to the
masters level.
26
The Quai dOrsayEntreprises grant program
is funded through partnerships with several
large French rms, including Thals, Orange, and
DCNS. The grants are intended for masters-level
students from emerging countries who are studying
engineering, economics, or management.
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FROM THE MINISTRY OF
HIGHER EDUCATION AND RESEARCH
Under a program of industrial agreements for
training through research (CIFRE) doctoral candidates
complete their dissertation while working in a rm in
cooperation with an academic research laboratory.
Grantees receive an annual salary of at least 23,484.
CIFRE grants are administered by ANRT, the French
national association for research and technology.
www.anrt.asso.fr/fr/espace_cifre/accueil.jsp
Doctoral candidates enrolled in dual-degree
programs may qualify for mobility grants to cover the
additional expenses of working in two institutions.
Candidates apply through their institution.
DOCTORAL CONTRACTS
Doctoral contracts are for a xed term of 3 years
and carry all of the benets of any formal
employment agreement. The minimum monthly
gross compensation ranges from 1,300 to 1,700,
depending on whether the candidate works full-time
on research or engages in other activities as well, such
as teaching or consulting. Doctoral departments are
responsible for recruiting candidates.
EUROPEAN PROGRAMS
The Erasmus program offers study and internship grants of 3
to 12 months duration to European students participating in
the mobility programs of the European Union.
http://ec.europa.eu > Education & Training > Lifelong Learning
Programme > Erasmus for higher education
Erasmus Mundus joint masters and doctoral programs are
organized by academic institutions in at least three different
European countries. Many programs include institutions
from outside Europe as well. Grantees study in at least two
participating institutions and receive a joint degree. Students
at the bachelors and masters levels are eligible, as are doctoral
candidates and faculty members.
http://ec.europa.eu > Education & Training
> External Programmes and Policies > Erasmus Mundus
GRANTS FROM THE AGENCE UNIVERSITAIRE
DE LA FRANCOPHONIE
The Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie, an association of
French-speaking universities, offers grants to support mobility
among its 759 member institutions in 90 countries. Emphasis is
placed on SouthSouth mobility.
http://www.auf.org/actions/bourse-mobilite/accueil.html
27
Studying in France
There are many ways to nance a period of study or research
in France.
Try CampusFrances new bilingual grant search engine,
CampusBourse, accessible at www.campusfrance.org.
Apply for your visa as soon as possible,
and always at least 2 months before your program begins.
Applying for a visa
Extended-stay visa and residency permit
(known as the VLS-TS), marked student,
for stays exceeding 3 months
The VLS-TS visa is granted to international
students who intend to study in an institution
of higher education for a period longer than 3
months. Holders of the VLS-TS need not make a
separate application for a residency permit once
they arrive in France. This visa also serves as a
residency permit for the duration of its validity,
provided it is certied by the OFII (Ofce Franais
de lImmigration et de lIntgration). To have your
visa certied for this purpose, contact OFII at
http://www.oi.fr as soon as you arrive in France.
You may apply for a visa once you have received a
certicate of preliminary admission (certicat de
pr-inscription).
28
Special cases:
Doctoral candidates participating in structured
exchange programs will be granted an extended-
stay visa marked scientic.
Algerian students are covered by a special
agreement and are not eligible for the VLS-
TS. They must apply for an extended-stay visa
marked student and, once in France, visit the
local prefecture of police to apply for a 1-year
renewable residency permit.
Minors must obtain a special visa (visa pour
mineur scolaris en France) and have not to apply
for a residency permit once they arrive in France.
Short-stay visas (< 3 months)
The short-stay Schengen visa
This nonrenewable short-stay visa permits stays of up to
3 months in the 25-country Schengen zone, as dened in
European regulations. Holders of the visa are not required
to obtain a French residency permit. The Schengen visa is
ideal for students seeking language training or participating
in other short-term educational programs.
Short-term visa for students attending interviews or sitting
for examinations
This visa entitles the holder to enter France for the purpose
of attending an interview or sitting for an entrance
examination at an institution of higher education. Students
who pass the interview or examination may apply for a
1-year renewable residency permit. They need not return to
their country before doing so.
Note
Under no circumstances may a tourist visa be converted
into a student visa anywhere in the European Union.
Students intending to complete two separate programs in
succession (for example, a language course followed by an
academic program) should gain admission to both programs
before applying for their visa, so that the visa will cover the
entire study period.
Studying in France
29
All prospective students intending to study in France for more
than 3 months and who are not nationals of one of the 30
countries of the European Economic Space, or of Andorra,
Monaco, Switzerland, San Marino, or the Vatican, must obtain
an extended-stay student visa.
Apply at the French embassy or consulate in your country.
Countries participating in
the online application system
(CEF procedure)
Algeria, Argentina, Benin, Brazil,
Canada, Cameroon, Chile, China,
Colombia, Republic of Congo,
Cte dIvoire, Gabon, Guinea, India,
Japan, Republic of Korea, Lebanon,
Madagascar, Mali, Mauritius,
Mexico, Morocco, Russia, Senegal,
Syria, Taiwan, Tunisia, Turkey,
United States, Vietnam
An online application and admission
system has been implemented for
the above-mentioned countries. Its
use is mandatory and is a necessary
condition for obtaining a student visa.
Following the admission interview
and upon receipt of the pre-admis-
sion agreement, prospective students
submit their visa applications, which
are then tracked by the Campus-
France local ofce.
www.campusfrance.org
>Prepare for your stay >Enroll
>From countries using
the CEF procedure