That France is one of the world's most popular study abroad destinations is surely no great surprise. Read on to find out why so many international students choose to study in France – and what to do next if you want to join them.
France conjures up a distinct set of associations in our collective imagination. From the urbane sophistication and history of its cities, to its legendary food and wine, to the spectacular scenery – think rugged mountains and verdant forests, golden beaches and azure seas, rolling pastures and mighty rivers – everyone has their own idealized conception of France. This is reflected in its status as the world’s most popular tourist destination, according to the United Nations World Tourist Organization.
Perhaps your personal image of France involves its proud intellectual and artistic heritage. This is the nation, after all, which produced thinkers such as René Descartes and Jean-Paul Sartre, authors like Marcel Proust and Albert Camus, filmmakers like Jean-Luc Godard and Jean Renoir, and artists like Claude Monet and Paul Cézanne. On top of these names we can add a whole host of scientists, mathematicians and other researchers, whose names may be slightly less familiar, but whose achievements are no less spectacular.
If you’re keen to visit France not just as a holiday-maker but as a student, read on to find out about French universities, student cities, and how to get started with applications, costs and visas.
Fast Facts
Presidential republic with bicameral legislature
Capital city (and largest city by far): Paris
International student fees are currently set at €2,770 (~US$3,100) per year for bachelor’s degrees
Amount needed for living costs: around €9,900 (~US$11,130) per year
Official language: French
Borders with Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Andorra and Monaco
Most popular tourist destination in the world; in 2013, France was visited by 84.7 million people
Population of 67 million, of whom 2.2 million live in Paris
International dialing code: +33
Currency: Euro (€)
Uses Central European Time (UCT+1), shifting to Daylight Savings Time (UTC+2)
France produces around 400 distinct varieties of cheese (possibly more, depending on how you count them).
France owns a number of overseas territories, some of which – such as French Guiana in South America – are considered to be part of France, and therefore the European Union.
France’s strong academic and artistic tradition continues in the modern day, helped by the fact there are few countries which invest as much in research and education. Global university rankings reflect this. A total of 35 French universities are included in the QS World University Rankings® 2019, of which 11 are within the global top 300. The nation’s two leading universities, Université PSL and Ecole Polytechnique, both make the world's top 70 at 50th and 65th respectively, cementing their reputations as two of Europe’s and the world’s leading institutions.
In addition to the 35 French universities featured in the QS World University Rankings, France is also known for its strong contingent of specialized business schools. These are not placed in the overall rankings due to their subject-specific focus, but nonetheless enjoy wide-reaching international reputations. Notable examples include ESCP Europe, ESSEC Business School, HEC Paris and INSEAD.
What’s more, tuition fees at the leading universities in France are among the lowest in the world, with annual fees averaging under US$1,000 per year for domestic and international students alike.
So, is studying in France for you? Well, if you want to attend a high-quality institution at an affordable cost, become fluent in the beautiful and internationally used French language, and generally get to grips with the nation’s famed art de vivre, then the answer could well be oui.
Studying at master’s or PhD level? Find out how to study in France at graduate level with the QS Top Grad School Guide.
Learn more about France's top cities for students...
Paris
You will, no doubt, already have your own set of ideas regarding Paris, which may well be the result of a visit to the so-called City of Light. Around 45 million tourists descended on the city in 2015, pulled in by attractions including the Arc de Triomphe and Notre Dame, and world-famous galleries like The Louvre and the Musée d'Orsay, or just to experience the city’s celebrated café culture.
Like any other great city, the only way to truly get to know Paris is to live there and intermingle with the people who make the city what it is. If student life in Paris appeals to you, there is no shortage of great universities to choose from, including 17 public institutions (with varying specializations) and several prestigious grandes écoles. As a result, the city has a large and diverse student community, which goes a long way to guaranteeing the continued vibrancy of its long-established intellectual and creative culture.
A picturesque medieval city (though its history goes back even further than this), Lyon is situated close to France’s borders with Switzerland and Italy. It is known for being one of the culinary capitals of France, and is also within spitting distance of the French Alps, for those who like to hit the piste.
Lyon’s well-preserved architecture has earned it UNESCO World Heritage Site status, but there is more to France’s joint second city (there’s some debate over whether Marseille or Lyon can claim this title) than spectacular architecture. Its many higher education establishments mean that it boasts a large student population, and, consequently, the vibrant nightlife commonly found in all student hubs. If it’s more civilized cultural pursuits you’re after, Lyon will not disappoint on that front either, while those who have one eye on their future career may be interested to hear that it is one of France’s main financial centers.
A historic city situated not too far from France’s south-western borders with Andorra and Spain, Toulouse is known in the modern age as one of the capitals of the European aerospace industry. Its universities are also historic, with the institution that is now split into Université Toulouse 1, Capitole and Université Toulouse II, Le Mirail having been founded in the 13th century.
Toulouse has a large student population, and is known for being a hotbed of alternative culture – alongside more traditional cultural outlets in the form of opera, theatre and immaculately preserved architecture. And if you want to get out of the city, then the South of France is your oyster, with the proximity of the Pyrenees allowing skiers to get their fix.
Montpellier
Another major student community is found in Montpellier. Around a quarter of the city’s population consists of attendees of its universities, two of which are featured in the QS World University Rankings 2019, and one of which (Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier III) is the seventh-oldest in the world.
Montpellier’s location near France’s Mediterranean coast makes it a good option for sun-worshippers, though it also means you’ll have to brace yourself for a mass influx of tourists in the summer months. The benefit, of course, is that in the off season you can enjoy almost exclusive access to the beaches, and will be left with plenty of time to explore some of the more well-hidden pleasures that the South of France has to offer.
Lille
In former times, Lille was one of the main industrial centers of France, which meant an inevitable period of decline as the world entered the post-industrial age. However, in recent years the picturesque city has undergone something of a renaissance and is now considered by many to be one of France’s lesser-known treasures, with a vibrant cultural scene and a strong commercial backbone.
One of the main advantages of being based in Lille is the ease of travelling to explore other parts of France, and much of northern Europe. You can, in fact, catch an express train directly from Lille to the world’s two most popular tourist cities, Paris and London, or to Brussels, which can serve as a gateway to the Netherlands or Germany. If you’ve got the travel bug, Lille could be for you!
Previously the same for all students regardless of nationality, the French government recently announced that it will begin charging higher fees to non-EU/EEA students starting a new course in September 2019. Current students and PhD students are not affected, with these students continuing to pay the same fees as EU/EEA students. Annual tuition fees to study in France therefore stand at:
EU/EEA and Swiss students:
€170 per year for bachelor’s degrees
€243 per year for master’s degrees
€380 per year for PhDs
Non-EU/EEA students:
€2,770 (~US$3,100) per year for bachelor’s degrees
€3,770 (~US$4,240) per year for master’s degrees
€380 (~US$430) per year for PhDs.
Luckily, the French government will be tripling the amount of scholarships available to international students, with many available through the Campus Bourses search tool.
It should be noted that universities in France tend to levy additional administrative charges, which are known to bring the price up considerably. That said, the final figure is still likely to be far lower than you would pay in a comparable destination.
You will pay more to study in France’s highly selective grandes écoles and grands établissements (great schools and establishments), which set their own fees. Some of these operate only at postgraduate level, and some – like Ecole Normale Supérieure, Paris – require students to either complete two years of preparatory school (which is nearly as selective as the grande école itself) or to transfer across after two or more years of an undergraduate course. Top management schools can charge up to €30,000 a year (~US$33,700).
Applications and student visas for France
The application process and visa requirements to study in France will depend on whether you come from a country in the EU, or from further elsewhere in the world. Students from Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein are treated the same as EU students in this case.
Applicants from the EU:
If you want to start in the first year of a program and you hold a French baccalaureate, you must use the online application system used by French students (APB – admission post-baccalauréat). If you want to enter the system a little further on, you may apply directly to the institution at which you want to study.
If you have a different high-school qualification, you should get in touch with the institutions you want to apply to. They may request that you apply directly to them, rather than through the centralized system.
Grandes écoles and grands établissements have their own application procedures, so it’s advisable to get in touch directly to find out what it is required. You can apply to preparatory classes and to some establishments through APB if you want to enter in the first year.
You will not need a visa.
If your course is in French, as is likely, you will need to prove you are sufficiently fluent. You can do this by taking an exam such as the TCF DAP (Test de Connaissance du Français, Demande d’Admission Préalable), DALF (diplôme approfondi de langue française) or CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages). Similarly, you’ll need to prove you can speak English if that is the language of tuition. It’s advisable to check with the university to see which language test scores are accepted or preferred.
Applicants from outside the EU:
The application procedure will vary depending on whether or not you are from one of the 31 countries in which CampusFrance runs the CEF procedure. If you are from one of these countries (listed on the CampusFrance website), then you are obliged to use the CEF online application system. This guides you through the entire application process, including obtaining a visa, how to apply and which documents you require. You can create your personal profile in the CEF system through the CampusFrance website.
If you are not from one of these countries, you will need to submit a preliminary application at your local French embassy before applying to one or more French universities. The way in which you apply will depend on your previous qualifications and where you are applying. Contact the establishment(s) you’re thinking about attending for guidance on the correct procedure to follow.
Once accepted by a French institution, you’ll need to apply for a visa, which also includes a residence permit, called the VLS-TS. This is valid for a year at a time. In order to obtain this visa you will need to present a completed application form, passport photos, your passport, proof of your previous qualifications, a police certificate attesting to your lack of a serious criminal record, proof you can speak French to an appropriate level (if your course is taught in French, see above for details of French language tests) and proof you have sufficient financial means. You will, of course, also need to prove that you’ve been accepted to study at a French university.
When you arrive in France, you will need to contact the French Office of Immigration and Integration (OFFI), who may request that you undertake a medical examination.
International student fees are currently set at €2,770 (~US$3,100) per year for bachelor’s degrees
Amount needed for living costs: around €9,900 (~US$11,130) per year
Official language: French
Borders with Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Andorra and Monaco
Most popular tourist destination in the world; in 2013, France was visited by 84.7 million people
Population of 67 million, of whom 2.2 million live in Paris
International dialing code: +33
Currency: Euro (€)
Uses Central European Time (UCT+1), shifting to Daylight Savings Time (UTC+2)
France produces around 400 distinct varieties of cheese (possibly more, depending on how you count them).
France owns a number of overseas territories, some of which – such as French Guiana in South America – are considered to be part of France, and therefore the European Union.
