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Studying in France
France is a first-class centre for scientific and technological innovation and now one of the world’s leading destinations for foreign students. It owes this standing to its research capacity and its many achievements in such diverse fields as aerospace, transportation, electronics, telecommunications, chemistry, biotechnology and the arts.
French universities tend to be heavily supported by the Government and so students from all over the world are subsidised making tuition fees amongst the lowest in the world. What's more, no distinction is made in France between French and foreign students: the entrance requirements and admission fees are identical, as are the nature and content of postgraduate degree programmes.
At present there are more than 3,000 institutes of higher education including 87 universities, 240 engineering schools and 230 business schools, plus 2,000 other institutions devoted to such fields as art, fashion, design, architecture, paramedical training and other specialist areas. France's 87 public universities are spread throughout the country, from the Sorbonne in Paris (founded in 1179) to the high-tech campus of Nice-Sophia-Antipolis, and cover the entire range of academic disciplines. Masters and PhD degrees (Doctorat in French) are structured around the new Bologna structure, allowing for between one and two years at the first stage and three to four years at the research level.
Research activities are an integral part of life at French universities: 315 doctoral schools support more than 4,000 doctoral candidates in connection with more than 1,200 research laboratories, affiliated with both universities and research organisations. Many of the students pursuing doctoral studies are from outside of France and benefit from access to high quality teaching and other research resources.
One of the most famous examples of French higher education is the Grandes Ecoles. Created in the early 19th century in parallel to the university system, they are extremely selective institutions that offer education of a very high standard across a range of academic disciplines. Academic programmes are offered at undergraduate and postgraduate levels and many of the country’s finest doctoral researchers are currently registered at a Grandes Ecole. There are many things that make these institutions different from other French universities and colleges, but one area that students particularly enjoy is the way teaching and instruction is often structured around internships and international exchanges.
International students have been attracted to postgraduate study in France in part due to the access they have to financial awards. Many of the scholarships financed by the French government are administered by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which makes approximately 22,000 grants available each year. These scholarship programmes are of two types - awards offered under bilateral assistance programmes between France and foreign governments and those offered within the framework of specific programmes run by its departments in Paris.
If you are interested in studying a postgraduate programme in France, more information is available from EduFrance, the agency created by the Ministry of National Education and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, responsible for promoting all French higher education programmes internationally. EduFrance has 75 local offices in 45 countries to help students wishing to study in France. For information about the network refer to the website at www.edufrance.fr.
