France Student Visa Application Procedures
France Student Visa Application Procedures
France is home to world-renowned universities such as the Sorbonne University, the University of Paris, and the University of Paris-Saclay. The presence of many educational institutions specialized in different fields in different regions of France and the country's interesting culture are reasons why foreign students want to travel to France to study.
Foreign nationals who want to study in France must apply for a France student visa. A France student visa is one of the long-term France visa types that allows the holder to stay in France for more than 90 days. A long-term student visa can be obtained by students who are accepted by an educational institution operating in France.
Do I Need a Visa to Go to France as a Student?
People who want to go to France as a student must apply for a French student visa even if they will study in France for less than 3 months, unless they are a citizen of a member state of the European Economic Area or Switzerland. Citizens of the Republic of Turkey must apply for a French student visa to participate in educational programs longer than 3 months.
What Kind of Education Can Be Received in France with a Student Visa?
The education that can be taken in France with a student visa is listed below.
- Primary school education in France
- Secondary education in France
- France high school education
- University education in France
- France Erasmus education
- Language education in France
Where to Get a Long-Term Student Visa for France?
France visa applications are made through VFS Global, an authorized intermediary institution for France visa applications from the Republic of Turkey. For France long-term student visa applications, individuals must prepare their VFS Global France student visa documents completely. At the VFS France student visa appointment; visa applications are completed by submitting the necessary documents and completing other procedures.
How to Get a France Student Visa?
France student visas are obtained through the intermediary institution VFS Global and accredited agencies. People who want to travel to France with a student visa must first prepare the necessary visa documents and then fill out the online visa application form at france-visas.gouv.fr. After completing the necessary procedures through the online system, people must make a visa appointment through the intermediary institution VFS Global.
In the France student visa appointment; visa application procedures are completed by collecting biometric information, paying the visa fee and VFS Global visa service fee, and submitting the necessary documents to the visa officers.
What are the Required Documents for a France Student Visa?
The documents required for a France student visa are listed below.
- Passport: A passport belonging to the applicant for a French student visa, obtained within the last 10 years, with at least 2 blank pages and valid for at least 3 months after the planned trip to France, must be presented in the visa application file. Along with the passport presented for the French visa application process; photocopies of the pages in this passport that contain past visas and entry and exit stamps must also be presented.
- France student visa application form: The France student visa application form, which must be filled out through the France visa online application portal, must be filled out completely, printed out, signed and submitted for visa application procedures.
- Biometric photo: Two biometric photos taken by the visa applicant in the last 6 months in accordance with biometric standards, measuring 35 mm wide by 45 mm long, undamaged, untouched, with the person's face clearly visible and with a light-coloured background, must be submitted in the visa application file.
- EEF registration form: The pre-registration certificate document containing the EEF identification number information, created by the EEF-Pastel application on behalf of the visa applicant, must be submitted within the visa application file.
- Documents related to financial adequacy: Documents such as a scholarship document or bank statement must be submitted in the visa application file, showing that the applicant for a French student visa has sufficient financial means to support himself/herself during his/her stay in France and that the person has a monthly income of at least 615 euros.
- Documents related to accommodation status: Documents such as hotel reservations or rental agreements containing information about the places where the person will stay during their planned trip to France must be submitted for visa application procedures, along with other required documents.
- Visa fee receipt: The receipt showing that the visa fee required to complete the France student visa application process has been paid must be presented in the visa application file.
The documents required for a long-term student visa in France must be prepared completely and submitted to the relevant officers at the visa appointment made at the visa center of the intermediary institution VFS Global. A missing or incorrect document among the documents required for a student visa in France may negatively affect the visa application.
How to Fill Out the France Student Visa Application Form?
The France student visa application form is filled out online by the visa applicant at france-visas.gouv.fr. In order to fill out the France student visa application form; applicants must log in to their previously opened user accounts, if any, and those who do not have a user account must create a new account.
A visual of the France student visa application form filling system is given below.
What is the EEF (Études en France) Registration Form?
People residing in 46 countries, including the Republic of Turkey, must first register with the EEF for their French student visa applications. The EEF (Études en France) registration form is a document that shows that the person has been accepted to study in France. French student visa applicants must apply through the EEF (Études en France) platform. Applications made through the EEF (Études en France) platform are automatically forwarded to the consulate units serving in the person's country.
What is a Motivation Letter for a France Student Visa?
The France student visa application form, also known as the motivation letter, is one of the documents that must be submitted for the visa application. The France student visa application form, which must be written by the visa applicant, must be written in formal and plain language and addressed to the relevant French foreign mission to which the application documents are submitted. The France student visa application form must include the visa applicant's personal information, the purpose of traveling to France, information regarding financial capacity, travel dates, information regarding the education to be received in France, information regarding transportation and accommodation reservations for the trip to France, and information regarding the person who will sponsor the trip, if any.
A sample French student visa petition is given below.
What should be the financial proof for a France Education Visa?
Proof of financial ability for a French education visa must show that the person has a monthly income of at least 615 euros.
Among the number of applications for a French student visa; a scholarship document, a sponsorship document or documents showing irreversible bank transfers can be presented as proof of financial adequacy. While presenting the financial savings of the sponsor in the account for the French visa, 1 copy of the sponsor's identity document must also be presented.
How to Make an Appointment for a Long-Term Student Visa in France?
Appointments for long-term student visas in France are made through VFS Global, an authorized intermediary institution for France visa applications. Appointments for France visas are made through the VFS Global website. Applicants who log in to their user accounts on the VFS Global website can make a visa appointment by choosing the location and date information for the visa appointment.
How Much Does a France Student Visa Cost?
The France student visa fee is normally determined as 99 euros. Since the Republic of Turkey is one of the countries included in the EEF procedure, the France student visa fee is applied as 50 euros for visa applications made by people residing in the Republic of Turkey.
How Long Does It Take to Get a France Student Visa?
France student visa applications are finalized within 15 to 60 days.
How to Track Your France Student Visa Application?
France student visa application tracking is done via VFS Global. The current status of France visa applications can be tracked via SMS, email or online system. People who want to track their France student visa applications via the online system must log in via VFS Global's official website. The current status of the France student visa application can be checked by logging in via VFS Global's visa tracking portal with the reference number and surname information on the receipt given to the person during the visa appointment.
How Long Is a France Education Visa Granted For?
A French education visa is usually issued for a period of 4 months to 1 year. A French student visa must be approved after entry into the country. Those who wish to continue their education in the country after the expiration of the French education visa must apply for a long-term residence permit.
What to Do After Going to France with a Student Visa?
After going to France with a student visa, individuals must register. The registration process for French education visa holders can be done completely digitally. French student visa holders must complete their registration within a maximum of 3 months after their arrival date in France. Registration processes for visa holders are done online via administration-etrangers-en-france.interieur.gouv.fr. For registration, individuals must enter a valid e-mail address, visa information, arrival date in France, French residence address and credit card information for the residence permit application fee into the relevant system.
What Rights Does a France Education Visa Provide to the Holder?
The rights that a French education visa grants to its holder are listed below.
- The right to free movement in all countries that are members of the Schengen area
- The right to work 20 hours per week, a total of 964 hours per year
- The right to use the VISALE system, a free security deposit service for students
- Entitlement to rent assistance from CAF, the family assistance fund
- The right to extend the validity of a residence permit granted to a person in order to extend their stay in France
Does a France Student Visa Provide a Work Permit?
A French student visa allows the holder to work as long as the person's student card is valid. With a French student work permit, individuals are entitled to work for a total of 964 hours, not exceeding 60% of their annual working hours.
If employers hire French student visa holders, they must notify the governor of the person's place of residence by name 48 hours before the date of employment.
Holders of a French student visa must apply for a work permit if they exceed the 964-hour annual work quota. Algerian students who want to work in France are exempt from a work permit. Holders of a French student visa must apply for a work permit at the Foreign Work Department of DIRECCTE if they want to exceed the 964-hour work quota.
Applications for student work visas can be made online in some regions of France via the workinfrance website. Individuals or their employers who wish to apply for a work permit through the Work In France application must complete the relevant application form on demarches-simplifiees.fr. The work permit application form is forwarded to the Foreign Employment Department of DIRECCTE, the relevant institution authorized to evaluate applications via the workinfrance website.
Frequently Asked Questions
The most frequently asked questions to our experts about studying in France and student visa procedures are listed below with their answers.
What is the Education System Like in France?
The French education system provides education to 2.5 million students, 12% of whom are foreign nationals. There are more than 3,500 higher education institutions in France.
In France, where many programs are taught in English, an extremely diversified education is offered in all fields and at all levels. In the French education system, universities that provide education in the fields of art, engineering, business and architecture stand out.
What are the Best Schools to Study in France?
The best schools for studying at a university in France are listed below.
- University PSL
- Sorbonne University
- Ecole Polytechnique
- CentraleSupélec
- Ecole Normale Superieure de Lyon
- Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne
- University of Paris
- Sciences Po Paris
- Ecole des Ponts ParisTech
- ENS Paris-Saclay
What are the Erasmus opportunities in France?
Erasmus program opportunities are quite developed in France. In France, there is Erasmus program mobility especially in departments such as fashion design, engineering, art and gastronomy.
The most preferred universities in France with the Erasmus program are; Ecole Normale Superieure, Sciences Po, Ecole Normale Superieure De Lyon and University of Strasbourg. People who participate in the Erasmus program with a France Erasmus visa are given a monthly grant of 600 euros.
What Visa is Required to Study Language in France?
To receive language education in France, a language school visa is required.
People who want to study a foreign language in France must first prepare the necessary visa documents. Applicants who prepare their France language education visa documents must complete the visa application form through the relevant online system. Applicants who complete the necessary procedures for France visa applications through the online system must set a visa appointment date through the relevant intermediary institution VFS Global. Applicants who complete the necessary procedures at the visa appointment to be held at VFS Global's visa center will have their France language school visa application procedures completed.
What Are the Living Costs for Students in France?
The average student expenses in France are between 600 and 800 euros, considering accommodation, transportation and food expenses.
Living costs in France may vary depending on the region where students live and the accommodation option they choose.
Can I Stay in France After Graduating from an Educational Institution in France?
Yes, it is possible to stay in France after graduating from an educational institution in France.
Students who are staying in France with a student residence permit and have recently graduated from a master's or equivalent education program have the right to continue their stay in the country with a French job seeker visa or a French business establishment visa. People who have completed their education in France can stay in the country for up to 12 months for the purpose of looking for a job. People who have graduated from an educational institution in France and want to continue their stay in the country for the purpose of establishing a business can continue their stay in France for up to 12 months by applying for a temporary residence permit granted for this purpose.