Study In France

France offers an immersive academic experience to students and is known as the centre of philosophy, culture, and arts. The country is home to some 3500 study institutions offering courses in much-in-demand subjects like technology, economics and business, culinary studies, hospitality, fashion, and tourism. French universities extend immense support to international students and offers a warm and friendly environment for them to sustain and flourish.

France has embraced the LMD system, which means Licence-Master-Doctorat (Bachelor’s-Master’s-Doctorate). This system is resultant of the Bologna Process, which equalizes the qualifications in Europe.

In the LMD framework, the students earn their degrees by completing a set of semesters. They receive 30 ECTS (European Credits Transfer System) in each semester. These credits can be transferred to other European countries.

• Licence: This is a three-year or six-semester degree program, which is equivalent to bachelor’s degree in English speaking world. Students earn 180 ECTS credits during their Licence.
• Masters: This is a two-year or four-semester degree program, which is equivalent to master’s degree in English speaking world. Students earn 120 ECTS credits during masters.
• Doctorate: This is usually awarded after completing 16 semesters and students earn 480 ECTS credits on successful completion of the program. It usually takes a minimum of three years after the master’s program to complete a doctorate.

In France, students’ academic performance is evaluated on a grading of 0-20. To pass, the student has to earn 10 points. French universities rarely award 20, 19, and 18 grades to students because they are stricter than secondary schools in the country.

There are three types of educational institutions in France, and they are:

• Universities: They are public institutions where students can enroll for technical, economic, and professional degrees. A student who has successfully completed the international baccalauréat or bac can enroll for LMD programs – licence, master, and doctorat at French universities.
• Grandes ecoles: They are specialized private and public universities in France, which offer specialized degrees. These institutes are highly selective and offer training and research in the fields of business education, scientific research, and engineering. Students are admitted after an extremely competitive process.
• Specialized schools: These are private and public institutes that offer licence and master’s degrees in special fields, such as social work, architecture, art, and tourism.

The following are some top business schools to study in France. Here we have indicated different category wise QS rankings of these schools.

Listed below are the top-ranked universities in France that accept scores of tests to demonstrate English Language Proficiency other than the IELTS.

These universities accept the following test scores:

• TOEFL iBT
• TOEIC
• PTE
• CAE
• Cambridge – B2
• English MCQs
• Duolingo
• Cambridge

It is well-known that France is one of the most expensive countries to pursue your higher education. However, international students need not panic, because many public universities charge low tuition fees or no tuition fee from international students. Many public universities charge €170 per year to international and in-state students for bachelor’s degree. Below mentioned is the list of universities offering affordable and quality education in France to international students:

There are many Grandes ecoles on this list, which have stringent acceptance requirements.

For UG Courses in French Universities: 

It is essential to meet all the Eligibility Requirements for the UG Courses before applying for them at any French university. 

• The student must have completed a high school diploma or the equivalent French baccalaureate or degree.
• A student must clear the specific entrance exams in the institution of their choice.
• If students wish to study technical courses, they may be required to appear for personal interviews.
• Some universities also require students to submit IELTS/ TOEFL scores.

Note: If a student wishes to seek admission to Grandes Ecoles, the competitive exam score held by the organization will be considered. The competitive exams are usually conducted after two years preparation program. They are known as Classe préparatoire aux grandes écoles or CGPE. The CGPE is one of the most intensive preparatory programs where students have to undertake 29 to 45 hours of classes in a week, including 10 hours of oral sessions and guided tutorials.

For PG Courses in French Universities:

The French graduate programs fall into three categories: Taught masters, Research masters, and doctorate and PhD.

• Students must possess a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent diploma before applying for Master’s in France.
• The students applying for the doctoral program must possess a relevant diploma or master’s degree.
• French Universities will often require the scores of standardized tests like the GRE, GMAT, SAT etc.
• Some universities provide admission based on the interview level.
• It is also essential to submit the academic transcripts for the UG degree, which must be certified by the institution.

The students need to submit the following documents along with the application form:

• Mark sheets of Standard X, XII, and Bachelor’s degree
• Pre-registration certificate offered by the University
• An authorization of Campus France
• A copy of your passport that is valid for a duration of your study period 
• English or French language certificate (depending on the medium of instruction)
• A Statement of Purpose (SOP)
• A well-written resume
• Proof of funds
• Health insurance
• At least two Academic reference letters from the most recent professors who have taught you.
• Work experience (if any), then two letters of recommendation (LOR) from the employer/manager who knows you well.

The quality of education is outstanding, and the tuition fees vary depending on the study level and course that a student chooses. Below mentioned are the average tuition fees for courses in France:

The French Student Visas are broadly classified on the kind of stay expected. Depending on the duration of your visit (or duration of your course), you can apply either to a Short Stay visa, a temporary long-stay visa or a long-stay visa. Here’s a quick look at them.

• Visa de court sejour pour etudes: This is a short-stay student visa, which is valid for 3 months and is ideal for students planning to take up short language programs in France.
• Visa de long sejour temporaire pour etudes: This is temporary long stay student visa that is valid for four months up to a year. The students planning to take up courses that may last between 3 and 6 months.
• Visa de long sejour etudes: This is a long stay visa also called the residence permit -VLT-TS, and it stands valid for the entire course duration.
• Etudiant Concours: This visa is issued for 90 days and is valid for entrance exams.  A student can apply to their local prefecture for a 1-year renewable, residence permit after clearing the exam.

A step-by-step process to make an online application for French Student Visa is as mentioned below:

1. Visit https://france-visas.gouv.fr/ to make a visa application.

2. Create an account on France Visas and use it at every step of the application process.

3. You will get a link for appointment scheduling with VFS-France. Carry photocopies of your documents and original passport.

4. Be present for the interview on the appointed date with all validated documents and register your biometric data.

Note: You have to validate your residence permit or long-stay visa (VLS-TS) within three months of arrival in the country by clicking on: https://administration-etrangers-en-france.interieur.gouv.fr/particuliers/

The best student cities in France for international students are chosen every year based on factors like affordability, desirability, student friendliness, and so on. The following are top 4 French student cities as per the QS Best Student Cities 2022/23.

Language proficiency test requirements:

In France, many courses are taught in French and English. Depending on your chosen medium of instruction, you can submit the results of the following language tests.

French

• TCF: This test is conducted by the French Ministry of National Education, Youth, and Sports to assess the language skills of non-French speakers. The TCF scores are indicative of your level of proficiency. For example, if you score 100-199 points then you are an elementary (A1) speaker, and if scores are 600-699 points, then you are a Superior (C2) speaker.
• DELF or DALF: This refers to Diploma in French language studies (DELF) and an advanced diploma in the French language (DALF). A score of 50/100 is accepted by many French universities.
  

English

• IELTS: Most universities in France, offering courses in English, accept the average IELTS score of 6.3 bands.
• TOEFL iBT: When applying to universities in France, students must submit the TOEFL iBT scores.

Standardized Tests

• Graduate Record Examinations (GRE): This test is taken by students seeking admission to various graduate programs in France.
• Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT): This test is taken by students seeking admission to business schools in France.

Indian students would require a work contract or the promise of employment to continue in France after their studies. They must possess a contract, which indicates their payment will be at least one and half times the minimum wage in France, which is € 2,200, as of 2017. If the student doesn’t possess the promise of employment or work contract, they may raise a request an Autorisation Provisoire de Sejour (APS – temporary resident permit) that is valid for the next 12 months. To make a request, the student must have completed a bachelor’s, master’s – level degree or must be planning to start their own business.

A student can earn a minimum hourly wage of € 7.61 depending on the type of job and experience. The following are a few popular on-campus and off-campus jobs taken by a student.

On campus Jobs
1. Campus Monitor
2. University Assistantship

Off Campus Jobs
1. Private Tutor
2. Teaching Assistant
3. Uber Driver
4. Translator
5. Salesman
6. Waiter

The following are some highly paid jobs in France. The salaries would slightly differ based on experience, field of study, proficiency, and other factors.