Study in France

France combines one of Europe's largest public university systems with a set of selective specialist institutions found almost nowhere else, and understanding the difference between them is the first step in planning.

Universities and grandes écoles

Public universities are open-access at undergraduate level for students who meet the entry requirements, cover every academic discipline, and award national diplomas whose tuition is set by the state. Grandes écoles — engineering schools, business schools and a small number of elite institutions — are selective, smaller and closely connected to industry, with internships built into most programmes. Alongside both sit specialised schools in art, design, architecture, hospitality and culinary arts.

How degrees are structured

France follows the European three-cycle structure: the licence (bachelor's level, normally three years), the master (two further years) and the doctorat. Grandes écoles also award their own diplomas, some of which are recognised at master's level by the state, and business schools often offer an MSc or MBA alongside the French programme. Checking exactly what a programme awards, and how it is recognised, matters more in France than in most destinations.

Language and location

Most bachelor's programmes at public universities are taught in French. English-taught options are far more common at master's level, particularly in business, engineering, the sciences and international relations. Paris holds the largest concentration of institutions, but Lyon, Toulouse, Grenoble, Lille, Bordeaux, Montpellier, Nantes and Strasbourg are major student cities with strong universities and lower living costs.

• Regulated tuition at public universities — fees for national diplomas are set by the state, and remain modest compared with the UK, the US or Australia even at the rate charged to students from outside the EU.
• World-known business and engineering schools — the grandes écoles have close links with employers, and internships are part of most programmes.
• A growing range of English-taught master's programmes, so French is not a barrier to postgraduate study.
• A route to stay after graduating — eligible master's-level graduates can apply for a temporary residence permit to look for work or set up a business.
• Part-time work during study — students may work a capped number of hours each year alongside their course.
• Practical support for students, including subsidised residences and meals, housing assistance for eligible students and access to the national health insurance system.
• A dedicated application channel for India through Campus France, with a structured process from choosing a programme to applying for the visa.

These are the French programmes students most often ask us about. Language of instruction and type of institution shape the shortlist as much as the subject does, so we will be clear with you about which programmes are taught in English and what each one actually awards.

Requirements depend on the type of institution and the language of the programme. Public universities, grandes écoles and private schools each run their own admissions, but for students resident in India most applications and the visa are connected through a single procedure.

The Campus France procedure

India is one of the countries where applicants use the Études en France online platform, managed by Campus France. You create a file, upload your academic documents, apply to programmes that participate in the procedure, and usually attend an interview with Campus France before your file goes forward to the visa stage. Some schools admit students directly outside the platform, but the Campus France step is still generally needed before the visa application.

• Academic records — Class 12 for undergraduate entry, often with specific subject requirements; a recognised bachelor's degree for master's entry, where universities check the relevance of what you studied.
• Language proof — DELF, DALF or TCF for French-taught programmes; IELTS, TOEFL or another accepted test for English-taught ones. Even English-taught programmes may expect basic French.
• Motivation letter and CV, written for each specific programme rather than reused.
• References, usually for master's and grande école applications.
• Entrance tests or interviews for business schools, some engineering schools and art and design programmes, where a portfolio is also standard.

French institutions read the motivation letter carefully and expect a clear link between your previous study, the programme and what you intend to do next.

Students from outside the EU coming for a programme of more than three months normally need a long-stay student visa, known as the VLS-TS étudiant. It serves as a residence permit for the first year of study once it has been validated after arrival.

How the process runs from India

• Études en France — complete the Campus France procedure, including the interview where it applies, so that your file is cleared for the visa stage.
• Visa application — apply through the official France-Visas system and attend an appointment to submit documents and biometrics.
• Supporting documents — the admission letter, a valid passport, proof of sufficient funds for your stay, proof of accommodation for at least the first period, and any other documents requested for your case.

After you arrive

The VLS-TS must be validated online within the period stated on the visa, which confirms your residence status and allows you to travel within the Schengen area. From the second year, students renew their status by applying for a residence permit, which can cover several years of study.

After you graduate

Eligible graduates with a master's-level qualification can apply for a temporary residence permit to look for work or create a business. France has also announced additional mobility measures for Indian graduates of French institutions, so ask Campus France about the terms current when you graduate.

Visa fees, the minimum funds requirement and the details of the procedure are set by the French authorities and are revised periodically. Check the current requirements with Campus France India and on the official France-Visas website, or with your counsellor, before you rely on them.

The cost of studying in France depends almost entirely on the type of institution.

Public universities

Tuition for national diplomas at public universities is set by the state each year. Students from outside the EU are charged a higher, differentiated rate than EU students, but it remains modest by the standards of English-speaking destinations. Some universities exempt a share of international students from the higher rate, so it is worth checking each university's own policy. Doctoral tuition is charged at the same rate for all students.

Grandes écoles and private schools

Public engineering schools charge moderate fees, while business schools, private engineering schools and art, design and hospitality schools set their own tuition, which can be comparable with UK or Australian programmes. These fees are often higher for English-taught programmes and for specialist master's degrees and MBAs.

Other compulsory costs

Most students pay an annual student life and campus contribution, the CVEC, before enrolling. Budget also for the Campus France procedure, the visa, books and materials, and any complementary health insurance you choose to take out.

Fees are published by each institution for each year of entry. Plan against the figure on your specific programme's own page rather than a general estimate.

Paris is the most expensive city by a wide margin, particularly for housing. Lyon, Toulouse, Bordeaux, Lille, Montpellier, Nantes, Grenoble and Strasbourg offer a strong student life at noticeably lower cost, and smaller university towns are cheaper still.

Housing is the largest expense and the hardest to arrange. University residences run by CROUS are the cheapest option but are limited and allocated early, so apply as soon as you can. Private student residences and shared flats are the usual alternatives. Many landlords ask for a guarantor, and a state-backed guarantee scheme exists for students who do not have one in France.

Several things lower the cost of daily life: eligible students, including international students, can apply for housing assistance from the family allowance fund; CROUS restaurants serve subsidised meals; and student transport passes are available in most cities. Students also register with the national health insurance system, and many add a complementary policy.

The amount you must show for living costs is set by the French authorities for the visa and revised periodically. Plan against the current figure.

France's funding landscape reflects its tuition: because fees at public universities are regulated, many scholarships are aimed at living costs or at the higher fees charged by grandes écoles and business schools.

Government programmes

The French government's Eiffel Excellence Scholarship supports international students at master's and doctoral level. Candidates do not apply directly: the French institution nominates them, so the conversation begins with the admissions office. For Indian students, the French Embassy in India runs the Charpak scholarship programme, which has supported master's study, exchange semesters and research internships. Both run to fixed annual calendars and are competitive.

Institutional awards

Business schools and private schools commonly offer merit scholarships as a reduction in tuition, decided on the admission application and sometimes on the entrance test or interview. Some public universities grant exemptions from the higher tuition rate for international students, and several regions and cities fund mobility or excellence awards of their own.

• Eiffel Excellence Scholarship — master's and doctoral level, nominated by the institution.
• Charpak programme — run by the French Embassy in India for Indian students.
• School merit scholarships — tuition reductions at business, engineering and specialist schools.
• University fee exemptions — set by each university for international students.
• European programmes — joint master's degrees delivered with universities in other countries, with funding decided alongside admission.

Scholarship deadlines in France generally fall well before the start of the academic year, and some come before course deadlines. Start early, and confirm the current terms with the awarding body rather than relying on an older description.