If you wish to apply for greater schooling in France, take a look at out expat information to French Universities. British expat Sarah Daly who has two youngsters at college in France, seems on the steps you’ll have to take to go to college in France.
Expat Information to French Universities
Transferring to France to review is a really sensible objective, whether or not or not you communicate French. Actually, round 14 per cent of French college students at anybody time come from abroad. There are even programs taught solely in English in some universities and grands écoles (the latter specialising, as an illustration in economics, structure or engineering). The prices of learning in France are affordable and there’s help out there to assist with the practicalities of the transfer. In case you’re already a French or EU resident, you’ll normally apply in the identical method as different French candidates by way of Parcoursup. If not, or in case you are uncertain of your standing, the primary cease is to go to Campus France. In case you’re making use of from the UK, Campus France UK goals particularly to help college students, researchers and British universities. On each websites, you’ll discover info on programs and the appliance course of in addition to case research from abroad college students and helpful info, as an illustration on making use of for grants and visas.
How a lot ought to I anticipate to pay?
The actual value of schooling in France is round €10,000 a 12 months, which isn’t dissimilar to different international locations. French and different EU college students, nonetheless, pay nothing like this quantity. Charges are normally round €200 a 12 months for a level course and college students who obtain a grant pay no charges in any respect. Even when you dwell exterior the EU, charges are nonetheless normally low. They range relying on quite a lot of components, however charges for a level course had been beneath €3,000 on common for the tutorial 12 months 2025/26.
The price of dwelling in France will must be factored in, however many main cities have hire caps in place within the non-public rental market. Making use of from abroad you might be eligible to use for official lodging by way of Crous and it’s potential that, after getting a spot, the establishment you’re learning with will help you with this. Worldwide college students are more likely to be eligible for the €1 lunches out there to all college students at Crous eating places wherever they’re dwelling nonetheless.
Most college students also can get reductions on prepare journey, with legitimate pupil ID, or might be eligible for journey playing cards providing reductions both regionally or nationally.
Do I would like a visa?
The possibilities are that when you dwell exterior France, you aren’t an EU citizen otherwise you don’t have the Withdrawal Settlement Residency Allow (WA RP), you have to a VLS-TS (Visa Lengthy Séjour Valant Titre de Séjour) with the intention to examine in France. Once more, Campus France has steerage on selecting the best visa and making your software.
How do I discover out what programs can be found?
MonProjetSup might be a great place to start out researching programs if you’ll be able to achieve this in French. This can be a government-run web site aimed toward highschool pupils that lets you full a private profile. Primarily based in your solutions, the positioning will counsel potential careers and programs.
After getting an thought of what you wish to examine or what profession you’re aiming for, Onisep has descriptions of varied jobs and what the entry necessities are for these. If you realize what you’re in search of, you possibly can analysis particular college programs and their choice processes too.
If you need to look in English, Campus France has an inventory of programs out there to abroad college students.
How do I apply by way of Parcoursup?
Most French youngsters will start greater schooling within the 12 months they flip 18. If you have already got rights as an EU citizen, and in numerous different circumstances, like them, you have to to use for programs by way of Parcoursup. That is the platform utilized by pupils to use for nearly all programs, whether or not state-run or non-public. These not listed below are not state monitored and accredited, so they might have greater charges and fewer credibility with employers. College students attending highschool (lycée) in France, might be provided help from their class tutor (prof principal) in refining their concepts and placing collectively their purposes.
There’s a strict timeframe for purposes. The varsity ought to information pupils, and generally dad and mom, on deadlines however as a father or mother, or as a possible pupil, it’s undoubtedly a good suggestion to remain knowledgeable and to be prepared as early as you possibly can for every step of the method.
Parcoursup accommodates lots of details about what grades are wanted, what number of locations can be found and what number of pupils normally apply for every explicit course. When wanting on the share acceptance price nonetheless, it’s value remembering that every pupil will apply for a minimum of 10 programs and lots of will obtain a couple of supply and reject a number of locations. This ends in a reasonably advanced system of ready lists (and infrequently a number of nail-biting stress) however it does imply the possibilities of getting in usually are not as bleak as they’ll at first seem. On the identical time, it’s smart to be sensible and embody programs with a excessive acceptance price, simply in case your dream course eludes your grasp.
Parcoursup additionally lets you request a niche 12 months, however be warned that this isn’t almost as widespread in France as it’s elsewhere. You might not even get affirmation from the establishment you’re making use of to that they’ve accepted it till a matter of weeks earlier than the start of the primary time period. This might not be a difficulty when you dwell domestically, and will take up your home if the appliance to defer is rejected, however for college kids needing to relocate for research, this might doubtlessly be one other main reason behind stress.
As soon as you might be prepared to use for greater schooling programs, you possibly can arrange an account with Mes providers étudiant This lets you apply for grants, seek for lodging – by way of CROUS and vetted non-public leases – and create a rental file to point out potential landlords.
When will I hear if I’ve been provided a spot?
Most affords of locations by way of Parcoursup usually are not depending on the outcomes of the baccalaureat exams, normally printed in early July. As a substitute they’re based mostly on a mean of grades during the last two years of lycée, along with faculty reviews and an software letter. Some, notably on the Grand Écoles, would require an interview too. Both method, affords begin to be made in early June. This may very well be a straight acceptance or rejection, a suggestion conditional on grades or you might be a part of a ready checklist. In case you’re on a ready checklist, it may take a month or extra earlier than you realize whether or not you’ve been accepted, which might have a knock-on impact for locating lodging and many others.
Sarah Daly is a contract author who lives within the far north of France.
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