Last Updated: October 09, 2021
Study in France
France is a European country with strong educational roots in history, arts, languages, and even sciences. Every year, over a quarter of a million international students, attend universities in France in these various fields making it the fourth-most popular student destination in the world. France offers quality education in highly ranked institutions for a low cost all of which attracts students to the place.
The choice of studying in France is also made by candidates from all over the world due to the culturally rich heritage and history the country holds. Being a popular tourist destination, it is one of the dream destinations of people to live in for at least a brief duration of time. Though the country requires candidates to be proficient in French if they have to study there, the popularity of the language makes this extra knowledge beneficial to candidates even while they enter the job market.
Benefits of Studying in France
France is a country that offers the best multicultural experience that candidates can receive anywhere in the world. Being a tourist destination, and due to the rich culture and history the country holds, one will be able to see people from all over the world within the country. The proficiency of language these settlers have while staying in the country will also seem inspiring to most students who stay there. The benefits of studying in France includes-
- Candidates will have to learn French to move to the country. It is a widely learned language all over the world, second to only English, and hence offers candidates with the knowledge of a language that they can benefit from irrespective of where they plan to go next.
- France offers cheap and affordable education to international students. Especially when compared to places like the US, studying in France will allow candidates to not stress over finances and complete their education debt-free.
- Candidates will be able to apply for and receive scholarships that can cover the low tuition fee the courses in France require. This ensures that students will not have to find part-time jobs and juggle between work and study at all times.
- Public transport is inexpensive in the country. Being an international student, one of the main concerns will be that of transport expenses. Though the preferred mode of travel in the country is using one’s vehicle, students will be able to use the public transport which is made use of by almost 20% of the population.
- For accommodation, candidates will be able to make use of the Caisse d’Allocations Familiales which provides them with financial aid. This is provided to students who are renting apartments, have little financial support, or are co-renting their apartments.
- France also offers candidates excellent work opportunities after graduation. They will be able to take a one-year work permit after the completion of their degree.
Eligibility for Studying in France
International students who wish to study in France will have to take a short-stay visa or a long-stay visa depending on the duration of the course. Candidates whose course takes more than 6 months will be able to get a long-stay visa which is equivalent to a residence permit. The general documents required for studying in France are-
- Passport
- Educational Transcripts
- French Language Proficiency Certification
- TOEFL/IELTS, if required
- Academic References/ Letters of Recommendation
Cost of Studying in France
The tuition fee for students is different in private and public universities in France like any other country. While the private universities are allowed to set their own fee structure, the fee in public universities is set by the French government and hence remain the same for all universities. The average fee range in private universities is estimated to be between 3,000 to 20,000 per year depending on the institution and the course of study the candidate has opted for. The fee in public universities for students in the EEA are as follows-
| Program | Fee per year |
|---|
| Bachelor’s | € 170 |
| Master’s | € 243 |
| Engineering | € 601 |
| Doctorate | € 380 |
The fee for international students in public universities is-
| Program | Fee per year |
|---|
| Bachelor’s | € 2,770 |
| Master’s | € 3,770 |
| Doctorate | € 380 |
Degree Programs in France
The French university system enjoys a strong tradition of excellence in academics and arts. France has 250 elite institutions called grandes écoles (similar to American Ivy League schools), 83 public universities, and many other research institutes and specialized graduate schools. A total of 39 universities in France are ranked on the QS World University Rankings, with 11 of those schools placing well in the Top 300 Universities worldwide, and two world-renowned universities - Ecole Normale Superiore Paris and Ecole Polytechnique - placing solidly in the Top 100.
Across the country, there are over 36,000 different courses and degree programs available at the undergraduate and graduate levels. While candidates can study abroad in France and concentrate on nearly any subject, the most popular degree programs for students studying abroad in France include the fine arts, architecture, and history. At many universities, international students will find that the majority of their classes are taught in English. At French grandes écoles, admissions are determined by highly competitive entrance exams. About 30,000 international students attend these elite universities.
A bachelor’s program in this country can take a duration of 3 years unlike the standard 4 years in most countries and a doctorate program can be completed within a duration of 3 years. The diplomas that are awarded to candidates upon graduation are as follows-
- Licence/Bachelor’s degree
- Master’s degree
- Research degree
- Professional degree
- National doctoral degrees (PhD)
Top Universities in France
A few of the top universities in France are-
- Sorbonne Universite
- Universite de Paris
- University of Aix-Marseille
- Univesrsity of Montpellier
- Universite Grenoble Alpes
- University of Strasbourg
- Ecole Normale Superieure- Paris
- University Paul Sabatier- Toulouse
- University de Bordeaux
- Claude Bernard University Lyon
Scholarships to Study in France
France offers candidates affordable education at all levels. The country also offers scholarships that are merit-based and need-based. They also offer scholarships that are based on social criteria. The scholarships that are offered are generally by the Foreign Ministry, Ministry of Higher Education, and regional authorities. The eligibility criteria for scholarships vary from one to another.
Eiffel Excellence Scholarships
This scholarship is offered to candidates who are studying at a master's or research level. It is offered by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs and can be applied for candidates below the age of 30 in research and below 25 for masters. It is offered to candidates who are studying in the field of economics, management, business, etc., and is focused on creating global leaders in the coming years. The scholarship has to be applied for by the institutions the candidate is studying in.
For master’s degree students, a monthly allowance of
€ 1,181 whereas research scholars will be able to receive
€ 1,700 on a monthly basis.
Emile Boutamy Scholarship, Sciences Po University
This scholarship is offered by the Sciences Po university for undergraduate and postgraduate students. It is a merit-based scholarship provided with the intention of choosing the best applicants from around the world for the university. Candidates who are receiving this scholarship will not be able to receive other scholarships like Eiffel, AEFE, BGF, etc. The eligibility requirements for the scholarship are course-specific.
At the master’s level, the scholarship provides candidates with an amount of
€ 12,200 per year which will cover the tuition fee expenses of the entire program.
University of Paris, Saclay-Scholarship
This scholarship is provided by the University of Paris to master’s degree students who wish to join the university. It is generally provided to candidates who aspire to extend their studies to a research level. Students will be able to receive an amount of
€ 10,000 for a year and 10 months. Depending on the candidate’s country of origin they will also be provided with an additional
€ 1,000 for visa and travel.
Working While Studying in France
Working while studying in France is one of the options candidates choose to fulfill their financial needs in the country. While the tuition fee is relatively low and affordable, it will still be of benefit to students if they do part-time jobs. One of the biggest benefits of working in the country is that the student will be able to immerse themselves in the culture and learn French better than any class can teach them.
Students who are not from a European country will require a student residence permit if they wish to work in the country. This means that students who have arrived for an extremely short duration like a summer course will not be able to work in the country. While working in the country, students will be able to receive an estimated minimum wage of € 9.76 per hour. Students will be allowed to work for 964 hours if they have a student resident permit.
Career Options in France
To work in France while studying, candidates will have to prepare beforehand and keep the essential list of documents ready at all times. Candidates will be able to look for jobs through sites like Monster, Recrut, Cadremploi, etc. Students mostly try to work in cafes, malls, restaurants, etc. during their duration of study or otherwise work on-campus.
- On-Campus Jobs- France allows international students to work in their university or institute for a maximum duration of 12 months. The work they will have to do includes organizing cultural and sports activities, receiving students at the beginning of the academic year, providing tutorials, and even assisting students with disabilities.
- Internships- Candidates will be able to take up internships that relate to their field of study. Some courses require candidates to complete an internship before beginning the course. The internships that students take up must be contractual and ideally, if the candidate works for 2 months, they will be able to receive an amount of € 578 per month.
- Part-Time Jobs- Students with a student resident permit will be able to work in different places on a part-time basis. They mostly prefer to work in cafes which are available in every nook and corner in the country. They will also be able to find employment in malls and restaurants or other organizations relating to their field of study.
The popular career options in France for people who have completed their education include-
- Teacher
- IT Professional
- Consulting
- Nurse
- Freelance Writing
Visa to Study in France
Students who have enrolled for courses that have a duration of fewer than 3 months will be able to take a short-stay visa. If they have taken up courses that exceed 6 months, they will have to take a long-stay visa which will be equal to a residence permit in the country. While applying for the visa, the student will have to submit the documents that certify their enrolment in the university they are going to study in.
