Study in France: conditions, costs and visa for international students

Admission pathways (facts + sources)

Language requirements (what is official vs what depends on institutions)

There is no single rule valid for all programs: level requirements (B2/C1…) are set by institutions/programs. Campus France (e.g. country sites) reminds that recognized certifications (TCF/DELF/DALF…) may be required, but requirements vary by program.

Source: Service Public

Changes vs 2025 (to state factually)

Conditions change mainly through 2026-2027 calendars (Parcoursup/DAP) published for the 2026-2027 campaign. Regarding language: no single national change to announce without new decree/text; it is mostly program-dependent.

Warning

Your guide should avoid stating "B2 mandatory everywhere": this would be inaccurate. Instead present: "often required" + refer to official pages (Campus France / institution).

Who is concerned (official fact)

The "Études en France" procedure concerns 73 countries (mandatory or strongly structuring procedure depending on the country). France-Visas explicitly lists countries where the EEF procedure applies (e.g. Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Senegal, etc.).

Source: Campus France – Études en France

Steps (neutral structure to include in the guide)

To describe as a standard pathway (to adapt according to country):

1. Check if your country is EEF
2. Create the EEF file, submit documents
3. Apply
4. Campus France interview if required (depending on country)
5. Admission/enrollment
6. Visa application on France-Visas + biometric appointment
7. Arrival in France + formalities (VLS-TS to validate, etc.)

2026-2027 Calendar (what can be officially published)

For Parcoursup and DAP (2026-2027 "macro" references), Campus France publishes 2026-2027 dates (see section 1). For EEF, calendars are country-specific: e.g. Campus France country sites already display 2026-2027 elements.

Changes vs 2025

The concrete "change" to document is the shift to 2026-2027 campaign dates (DAP/Parcoursup) officially published.

Warning

Do not publish a "single global Campus France calendar": this would be misleading. Present a calendar by country + referral to the country's official page (Campus France).

Type of visa / formalities after arrival (official fact)

France-Visas: VLS-TS to validate within 3 months after arrival if stay ≤ 12 months, long-stay visa + residence permit to apply for if stay > 12 months.

Source: France-Visas – Long-stay visa

Official minimum amount of resources ("proof of funds")

Service-Public indicates a resource requirement of at least 615 € / month. In your guide: specify that consulates may request detailed proof (statements, certificates, etc.) and that the form of justification may vary by country.

Source: Service Public

"Guarantor" (how to explain without over-promising)

At the "general rule" level, the administration requires resources (615€/month): these resources can be justified via personal funds and/or sponsorship, but exact documents are determined by the visa procedure (France-Visas + application center). Recommended wording: "a guarantor/third party may be accepted depending on the consulate and file; check the official France-Visas checklist for your country."

Official student visa fees (very sensitive point for 2026)

VLS-TS student validation tax

Service-Public: VLS-TS student validation = 50 €

Processing times (what you can officially state)

Processing times vary depending on demand; France-Visas (e.g. Canada page) asks to plan ahead and reminds that you cannot submit more than 3 months before departure for a long stay, and recommends obtaining an appointment approximately 1 month before departure. France-Visas also describes the steps and mentions a "generally 15 days" processing time (information to handle with caution as very dependent on visa type/country).

Source: France-Visas

Changes vs 2025 (what you can write properly)

If your 2025 guide showed "~615€" without source: in 2026 you cite Service-Public (615€) and the validation tax (50€). Update visa fees: 50€ EEF / 99€ non-EEF.

Warning

Document checklists change by country and application center: your guide must refer to the France-Visas pathway for each country.

Tuition fees (public): official amounts indicated

Campus France reminds of public registration fees (amounts displayed on its "cost of studies" page, update visible end of 2025):

Source: CVEC – Registration fees

Differentiated registration fees (non-EU students, depending on case)

Campus France indicates "differentiated" amounts for extra-European students:

Campus France also reminds that exemptions may exist depending on institutions/situations.

CVEC (Student Life Contribution)

In your "2026" guide, you can present:

Annual CVEC (2025-2026 campaign) = 105 €; check the amount for the 2026-2027 campaign

Housing and cost of living: official ranges (to present with caution)

A Campus France document on student budget provides cost benchmarks (rent, food, transportation). This type of document is useful for ranges, but your guide must specify that rents vary enormously by city/neighborhood.

Changes vs 2025 (proper examples)

CVEC: your guide must reflect the 105 € amount (2025-2026 campaign) if you compared to an old amount. Public registration fees are to be cited with a Campus France source (and not blogs).

Warning

Private schools/grandes écoles have very variable rates (often much higher); avoid "universal" figures without institution source.

"Application" strategies (what you can say without speculating)

Rely on official 2026-2027 milestones:

• Parcoursup: opening Dec. 17, 2025, applications until March 11, 2026.
• DAP: Oct. 1, 2025 → Dec. 15, 2025.
• Build a coherent budget with the resource requirement (615€/month).
• Avoid depending on "last-minute appointments": France-Visas recommends planning ahead (e.g. Canada page: long stay = aim for appointment ~1 month before departure, submission ≤ 3 months before departure).

After graduation (studies → work → residence transition)

Service-Public: possibility to apply for a "job search / business creation" card (RECE) after studies (conditions). Légifrance: a 2025 decree specifies the regulatory logic (e.g. degree conferring at least master's level, etc.). In your 2026 guide: present this as a "possible pathway" under conditions, without promising automatic PR.

Source: Service Public – RECE

Changes vs 2025

If your 2025 guide remained vague on "after graduation", in 2026 you can add: RECE (service-public) + regulatory reference (Légifrance).

Campus France portal

Campus France: "Scholarships for foreign students" page (updated October 29, 2025) + CampusBourses search engine.

Source: Campus France – Scholarships for foreign students

France Excellence Eiffel Scholarship – 2026 campaign

Official calendar with deadline January 8, 2026 and results from March 30, 2026.

Source: Campus France – Eiffel Scholarship

Scholarship reality

In your guide, you can explain factually: "100% scholarships" exist but are rare, often very competitive, and many aids are partial. (To source via Campus France rather than via private agencies).