Study and find schools in France

Studying in France

France is one of the main destinations for international students in Europe. According to Campus France, the national agency for international students, French higher education has 2.9 million students, and 14% of them come from abroad. French is the language of teaching at most institutions, but a growing share of programmes is taught in English: Campus France lists more than 1,600 programmes in English.

The sector is large and varied. Campus France counts more than 3,500 public and private higher-education institutions, including 78 universities and communities of institutions, 227 engineering schools authorised to award the engineering title and 220 business and management schools. Public universities charge regulated national fees, which keeps the cost of a degree low compared with many other countries.

The education system in France

French higher education follows the European licence-master-doctorat (LMD) structure and uses ECTS credits, with up to 30 credits per semester. The main levels are:

• Licence (bachelor's degree): six semesters, 180 ECTS credits
• Master: four more semesters, 120 ECTS credits
• Doctorat (PhD): sixteen semesters in total from the start of the licence, 480 ECTS credits
• BTS and similar two-year technical programmes, taught in lycées

There are three main kinds of institution. Public universities confer national degrees with the same value everywhere in France, and anyone with a secondary-school diploma or equivalent can enrol in the first year. According to Campus France, universities receive 63% of the foreign students in France. The Grandes Écoles (engineering schools, business schools, Écoles normales supérieures and the Instituts d'études politiques, or Sciences Po) are selective: entry is usually by competitive exam after two years of preparatory classes (CPGE), or directly after secondary school where the school has an integrated preparatory programme. About 20% of foreign students are enrolled at a Grande École. A third group of specialised public and private schools teaches fields such as art, architecture, design, journalism and fashion.

The value of a French qualification is guaranteed by the state when it is a national degree, a diploma certified by the ministry ("diplôme visé") or a title registered in the national directory of professional certifications (RNCP). Private schools may also award their own certificates, so it is worth checking which kind a programme leads to. The academic year begins in September or October, with exams at the end of each semester.

Admission and recognition

How you apply depends on where you live and what you want to study:

• Études en France: an online procedure that is compulsory for residents of 75 countries and territories, including Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, the United Kingdom and the United States; it covers everything from the application to the visa
• Demande d'admission préalable (DAP): for non-EU students applying to the first year of a bachelor's degree at a university; for 2027-28, registration runs from 1 October to 15 December 2026
• Parcoursup: the national platform for first-year applications, used by EU students and for selective programmes such as IUT, BTS and CPGE
• Mon Master: the national platform for master's applications, opening in February 2027 for the 2027-28 intake

Each institution sets its own admission criteria and only the host institution can accept or refuse an applicant. The French ENIC-NARIC centre can issue a certificate describing the French value of a foreign qualification for €120 per request; it is not an equivalence in itself, but some institutions ask for it.

For programmes taught in French, applicants must prove their level with an official test such as the DELF, DALF, TCF or TEF. Level B2 of the CEFR is required for the first year through the DAP procedure, and some programmes ask for C1 or C2. Programmes taught in English may test your English instead.

Student visa and residence

Nationals of the EU, the EEA and Switzerland do not need a visa to study in France. Most other students need a long-stay student visa for stays of more than three months. The usual type is the VLS-TS (visa de long séjour valant titre de séjour), which allows you to stay in France for one year without applying for a separate residence permit; it must still be validated after arrival. Applications are made on France-Visas, the official visa website, and for residents of Études en France countries the visa step follows the Campus France procedure. Requirements and documents vary by country, so check the France-Visas site and the French consulate where you live (information checked in October 2026).

Costs

For the 2026-27 academic year, Campus France gives these annual tuition fees at public institutions under the Ministry of Higher Education:

• EU, EEA and Swiss students: €178 for a bachelor's degree, €255 for a master's degree and €397 for a doctorate
• Students from outside the EU: €2,902 for a bachelor's degree, €3,950 for a master's degree and €398 for a doctorate

Some non-EU students pay the lower rate, for example residents of Québec, French government scholarship holders and exchange students under reciprocal agreements, and institutions may grant individual waivers. Private institutions, especially business schools, usually charge between about €6,000 and €18,000 or more a year; about 21% of students in France attend a private institution. Most students also pay the Student and Campus Life Contribution (CVEC), which is €105 for 2026-27.

Living costs are highest in Paris and the large cities. As an example, Campus France puts an annual student public-transport pass in Paris at €374.40.

Where to study in France

Paris and its region have the largest concentration of institutions, from Université Paris Cité and the Université Sorbonne Nouvelle to the Institut national des langues et civilisations orientales (Inalco) and the École normale supérieure, as well as language schools such as Lutece Langue. Other student cities in our directory include:

• Toulouse: Université Toulouse Capitole, Université de Toulouse and the engineering institute Toulouse INP
• Lyon: Sciences Po Lyon and INSA Lyon, on the LyonTech-La Doua campus in Villeurbanne
• Montpellier: the Université de Montpellier and French language schools such as Accent Français
• Bordeaux: IAE Bordeaux, the business school of the University of Bordeaux, and Sciences Po Bordeaux in Pessac
• Nice and the Côte d'Azur: French language schools such as Actilangue
• Tours, Rennes, Dijon, La Rochelle and Perpignan, mid-sized cities with universities and language schools

Learning French

France has many schools of French as a foreign language (FLE), run by universities, Alliances Françaises and private centres. Campus France recommends centres with the "Qualité FLE" label, a quality certification for French language training centres, and university language centres in the Campus FLE network. Short courses and summer schools are a common way to reach the level needed for a degree programme.

Practical life

Metropolitan France has a temperate climate with marked seasons: an oceanic climate in the west, a continental climate in the east with cold winters, and a Mediterranean climate in the south with hot summers and mild winters.

All students in France must have health cover. Students from the EU, EEA and Switzerland can use their European Health Insurance Card; other international students register, free of charge, with French social security after enrolling, which reimburses medical fees up to 60%. Students may also take out complementary health insurance (mutuelle).

International students may work while studying: French law allows up to 964 hours a year, about 60% of full-time work. Non-EU students need a valid student residence permit, such as the validated VLS-TS.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a public university cost in France?

For 2026-27, EU students pay €178 a year for a bachelor's degree and €255 for a master's. Most non-EU students pay €2,902 and €3,950 respectively, plus the €105 CVEC.

Can I study in France in English?

Yes. Campus France lists more than 1,600 programmes taught in English, mainly at master's level and in Grandes Écoles. Most bachelor's degrees at public universities are taught in French.

What level of French do I need?

For programmes in French you need an official test such as the DELF, DALF, TCF or TEF. Level B2 is required for the first year through the DAP procedure, and some programmes ask for C1.

Do I need a visa to study in France?

EU, EEA and Swiss nationals do not. Most other students need a long-stay student visa (VLS-TS), applied for through France-Visas and, in many countries, the Études en France procedure.

Can international students work in France?

Yes. Students may work up to 964 hours a year. Non-EU students need a valid student residence permit.