Study in France

Salut! Bienvenue en France!

Hi! Welcome to France!

France is well known for its high life quality, also one of the founding countries of the European Union. Moreover, it is the second-largest country in the EU. France has been one of many major study destinations in Europe. France raises 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 Tourism Organization.

Most people associate French culture with Paris, which is a center of fashion, cuisine, art, and architecture, but life outside of the City of Lights is very different and varies by region. France doesn't just have different cultures; the word "culture" actually comes from France. "'Culture' derives from the same French term, which in turn derives from the Latin colere, meaning to tend to the earth and grow, cultivation and nurture," Cristina De Rossi, an anthropologist at Barnet and Southgate College in London, told Live Science. Historically, French culture was influenced by Celtic and Gallo-Roman cultures as well as the Franks, a Germanic tribe. France was initially defined as the western area of Germany known as Rhineland but it later came to refer to a territory that was known as Gaul during the Iron Age and Roman era.

Higher Education System

In France, you can choose to study your bachelor's ("Licence "), masters or Ph.D. ("Doctorat ") degree, or participate in a summer course program, as the French educational system is designed to provide students with a wide range of study opportunities. You may consider enrolling in the university if you opt to have more theoretical education, or if you prefer to have a degree with a vocational approach, you may want to consider Grandes Écoles or University Institutes of Technology. The French degrees awarded are based on the European system of Bachelor, Master, and Ph.D., expressed in credits as defined by the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS).

There are few countries which concentrate to invest much in research and education and France is one among few.

In 2020, France is ranked first among the best establishments in mathematics, according to US News & World Report, a famous media in the United States for these numerous rankings. Moreover, the Times Higher Education has published its annual ranking, certifying that 5 French higher education institutions appear in the Top 200 and 40 in the Top 1000, including Paris Sciences et Lettres University (46th), Sorbonne University (87th), École Polytechnique (93rd), Paris Cité Université (136th) and Paris-Saclay University (178th). And this year, for the first time, French Higher education has been awarded by the traditional annual Shanghai Ranking with 30  establishments in the list: one in the top twenty, three in the top 50, and five in the top 100.

In addition, France is a popular study destination for international students with many renowned well-developed research facilities and over 1600 English-taught courses which are compiled here https://taughtie.campusfrance.org/tiesearch/#/catalog. 

France is also known for its strong contingent of specialized business schools. However, due to their subject-specific focus, these schools are not placed in the overall rankings but nonetheless enjoy wide-reaching international reputations. Notable examples include ESCP Europe, ESSEC Business School, HEC Paris, and INSEAD.

France is one of the forerunners of scientific and technological innovation. It owes this standing to its research capacity and its many achievements in such fields as aerospace, transportation, electronics, telecommunications, chemistry, biotechnology, health and mathematics, successes attested to by the number of French winners of Fields Medals and Nobel Prizes

To add more, tuition fees at the leading universities in France are among the lowest in the world, with annual fees averaging under US$2,000 per year for domestic and international students alike.

Language requirements for studies at universities and colleges in France

French

Since the language of instruction at French universities and colleges is French, you are required to prove your level of command of the French language. If you are enrolling in the first or second year of a study program at a university in France, you must prove you have an adequate level of knowledge of French by either passing a language test or by obtaining a degree in French. If you are applying for studies at a Grande École, or you intend to study in the third year of a study program, or plan to enroll in a master's or Ph.D. program, you will have to check the French language requirement with your school in France since it varies depending on the study program. In general, you are expected to have a level of command of the French language corresponding to B1/B2 in the European Language Passport.

For language test that is acceptable to enroll for a degree in France, you can contact the nearest Campus France or you can browse their website http://www.campusfrance.org/en

English

If your study program or course is taught in English, you will be required to prove your level of command of English by presenting the results you received at English courses. Please, always check with your university whether your English studies are sufficient for you to meet this requirement.

Tuition Fees

Bachelor's degree & BUT : 2 850€ / Master's degree : 3879€ / PhD : 380€ (per year)
Private schools : can go up to 40 000€ per year

Scholarships

LPDP, IISMA, France Excellence, France Excellence Eiffel, BIM, Erasmus, Kominfo

Living Costs

From 600€ to 1200€ per month (it depends of the city)

Work

Up to 20 hours per week

Life After Studies

To stay in France after graduating, non-European students must have a promise of employment or a work contract and be paid at least one and a half times the minimum wage (2,220 euros gross per month in 2017).

Without the promise of employment, a foreign, non-European graduate may request a"JOB SEEKER/ NEW BUSINESS CREATOR" RESIDENCE PERMIT valid for twelve months and non-renewable, while they seek employment in France. To do this, they must have a professional Bachelor's or a Master's-level degree or be in the process of starting a company.

Fast Facts

• 6th destination for international students and more than 400 000 international students in France.
• France is the 3rd most represented country in the Shanghai Ranking 2024

Tuition fees in France

The major benefits enjoyed by those who study in France include relatively low tuition fees at public universities. The French government subsidizes higher education. As a result, for the majority of courses at most public universities in France, you will have to pay 2,850 euros a year for a bachelor’s degree and 3,879 euros per year at the master level (these fees do not apply to students from the EU).

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. However, being a student in France comes with many subsidies and discounts on public transportation, cultural activities etc.

Applications and student visas for France

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 outside the EU:
The  application procedure will be done via CampusFrance who runs the EEF  procedure. You are obliged to use the EEF 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 EEF system through the CampusFrance  website.

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 (OFII), who may request that you undertake a  medical examination. To validate your visa, you will have to follow the  online procedure via the ANEF website : https://administration-etrangers-en-france.interieur.gouv.fr/particuliers/#/. 

Sources:

• Eurydice database (Eurydice is an international educational database  developed by the European Commission and Member States of the European  Union with the aim of facilitating and improving the understanding of  the different educational systems in Europe).
• TCF (Test de connaissance du français - Test of knowledge of French)
• Le TEF (Test d’évaluation de français - French assessment test)
• DELF (Diplôme d’études en langue française - Diploma of French-language studies)
• DALF (Diplôme approfondi de langue française - Advanced diploma in French language)
• CNOUS-CROUS
  

Did you know that the chic country of France is also known for its excellent Master programs?

France has a government investing heavily in the quality of their country's higher education, hence why it is becoming an increasingly popular studying destination for students worldwide. So far, the country recruits about 300,000 students per year.

France offers a unique Higher Education Experience

Aside from its affordability, language, and historic universities, French's unique higher education experience had been one of its main attractions.

The higher education system in France follows a three-level system. Undergraduate students will begin by pursuing a License (similar to a bachelor's degree), followed by master level training, then finally, the doctorate level. The license takes three years to complete, with two years necessary for a master program. A doctorate usually requires three additional years.

For an overview of studying in France, click here

France also different types of higher education institutes:

1.Universities

These public institutes of higher education are financed by the French State. Located all around France, the universities confer national degrees (Bachelor's, Master's, Doctorate) that all have the same academic value.

2.Grandes Ecoles

Public and private institutes of higher education, such as Écoles Normales Supérieures (ENS -Institutes of Advanced Education), Instituts d’Etudes Politiques (IEP - Political Science Institutes), engineering schools, business and management schools, veterinary schools, that are recognised by the State.

They confer degrees for 5 years of undergraduate studies, and some award the title of Master. Much of the training is provided in English. Entries to these kind of institutions are highly competitive.

3.Specialized School and specific programmes

Public and private institutes of higher education that offer courses in specific sectors such as medicine, audio-visual, communication, journalism, fashion and design, agronomy, political science, etc. These institutes confer degrees and certificates that may or may not be recognized by the State. Studies there generally last two to five years.

4.School of art and applied art

Training in art, design, and communication is provided in two steps of three or five years, with national degrees awarded on successful completion. There are nearly 50 public schools of art and design directly overseen by the Ministry of Culture.

Opportunities for Indonesian students
The fact that the French government includes non-European students to their 1/3 university fee support goes to show their wide-stretched arms towards international students. French universities are also offering more and more of their Master programmes in English, especially within the fields of International Business, Management, Marketing, Economics, and MBA, but also in fields such as International Studies, Engineering, Technology and Law, to name just a few.
We've listed below scholarship programmes offered by Campus France, under the auspices of the French Institute in Indonesia (IFI), where Indonesian students are able to apply to.

• Partial Scholarship D3/S1 - French Embassy in Indonesia. The French Government, through the Institut Français d’Indonésie – Embassy of France in Indonesia, offers these scholarships to Indonesian students with high academic profile integrating the first year of BA in France. This program covers all fields of study.
• France Excellence S2 Scholarship – French Embassy in Indonesia. The French Government, through the Institut Français d’Indonésie – Embassy of France in Indonesia, has been reconducting a scholarship to Indonesian students with a high academic profile integration a  degree at Master level (M1 or M2) in France. This program covers all fields of study.
• Co-financing scholarship Islamic Development Bank – French Government. The Islamic Development Bank and France are jointly launching a scholarship program for students applying to study in France
  It aims to support students from IDB member states (including Indonesia), throughout the duration of their studies, with the support of Campus France. This program is open to 27 fields of study such as social sciences, engineering, economy, education, sustainable agriculture, climate changes, biodiversity, environmental studies…
• Make Our Planet Great Again (MOPGA). Make Our Planet Great Again is an initiative of the President of the Republic, Emmanuel Macron, launched on 1st June 2017 following the decision of the United States to leave the Paris Agreement on the climate. It is a call to researchers and students, entrepreneurs, associations and NGOs, students and all civil society to mobilize and join France to lead the fight against global warming.
• Excellence Eiffel. This programme is available for students from developing countries who would like to continue their studies in France in a duration of one to two years. Eiffel scholarships is available on 26 – 1st December each year. The fields of study included in this programme are:
  •Law
  •Economy and Management
  •Engineering for Masters level, as well as Science in a broader scope for Ph.D. (Engineering, Science, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Life Sciences, Nano and Biotechnology, Earth Sciences, Universe, Environmental Sciences, and Information and Communication Technology).