Application and visa procedures
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Procédure Etudes en France

Whether you want to apply for a degree programme or just get your student visa after being admitted to a degree, exchange or study abroad programme, you only need to use one platform: "Etudes en France"!

Application procedure

In this section, we will describe the application process for non-EU citizens.

If you are French, you should apply on "ParcourSup".

If you are an EU citizen, use either ParcourSup (1st year) or apply directly to each university following their own process.

Our comprehensive guide:

 

How do I apply?

Check out the application schedule for the 2025 intake!

Create an account on Etudes en France and select "Je suis candidat" / "Students not yet accepted" (application).

You will go through the following steps of the procedure : 

  1. Upload the supporting documents 
  2. Select your programmes wishes and write a motivation statement for each of them
    1. Tip: Make as many wishes as you can on the platform to increase your chances. You have up to 7 choices available in total. For a first year in public universities (Licence 1ère année), it’s only 3.
  3. Submit your file
  4. The Campus France UK team reviews your file, and sends it back to you for correction if necessary
  5. You will receive by email a payment request for the processing fees (£110)
  6. Motivation interview with the Campus France UK team (remotely)
  7. Log into your Etudes en France account to check your results 

Contact Campus France UK if you need help and assistance at any stage of this process. We will be happy to share with you some words of advice and personalised tips!

! Be careful ! Some schools or programmes ask for a parallel application process, either on their own website (ex: Sciences Po, Business schools, engineering schools, etc.) or another procedure (ex: Art programmes on Campus Art). If that’s the case, it will be indicated on the programme description on the Etudes en France platform.

 

When do I apply?

Example of a standard application calendar with Etudes en France:

October: All application campaigns (DAP and HDAP) open

December: The DAP application campaign closes (1st years of undergraduate studies - licence, PASS and L.AS - or achitecture programmes of any level)

February: The HDAP application campaign closes (all other types of programmes)

This schedule is for informational purposes only and is subject to change.

 

What do I need to apply?

You will need to prepare a few documents to complete your application : 

  • Passport (valid for at least the first year of your studies in France)
  • CV (in English and in French)
  • Transcript of records for your last two years of school or studies (and, if applicable, your last diploma)
  • French language test - TCF, DELF/DALF (according to the level of French, required by the programmes ) if the programme is taught in French
    • Tip: Book your French language test months ahead, for the highest level of French the institutions will ask you (for example : if one university asks for B1 and another for B2, book B2)
    • Book your test (TCF tout public here)
  • References (optional)

 

Visa procedure

 

Since Brexit, you will need to get a visa. This involves a small administrative process that can last up to 6 weeks. But don’t worry! Campus France UK is there to guide you through it.

 

! Start the procedure as soon as you get your admission letter from your French institution !

 

Which visa should I apply for?

If your stay is longer than 3 months (90 days), you will need a visa. British citizens are allowed to stay in France without a visa for up to 90 days within an 180-day period. If you are not a British citizen, use our visa wizard to see if you need one. If you are a EU or French citizen, you don't need a visa. 

Long-stay (VLS-TS) Student visa

A long-stay student visa is compulsory if you fit one of those categories:

  • I have been accepted onto a degree programme in France;
  • I am doing a PhD without a work contract;
  • I have been accepted onto a French intensive course (FLE programmes);
  • I am doing a study placement (exchange, double degree, study abroad) for a semester or a year;
    • If you are also doing a work placement in addition to your study placement, upload your internship agreement during the procedure;
      • If you are only doing a work placement, then you should apply for a student trainee visa (you don't need to complete the Etudes en France process).

! I won't be in the UK right before my study placement in France ! If you are doing a study placement for a semester in another country + a study placement for a semester in France: you must apply for your French visa at the French consulate of your first country of studies. Also, if you are not British and you are spending your summer in your home country, you can also apply from there, but you need to ask us for a transfer of files.

Even if you're supposed to stay for longer than a year, your first student visa will only last for the duration of your first year of study. Then, you can apply for a temporary student residence card (valid for 1 year) or a multiannual student residence card (valid for 2 to 4 years). You are subject to resource requirements. In some cases, the residence permit can be issued automatically. For more information, check out How to renew your residence permit (Titre de séjour)?

 

The procedure

The procedure is divided into 3 steps:

  1. (Student visa only) Register on the “Etudes en France” platform and follow the "Je suis accepté" / "Students already accepted" process. If you applied to a programme on Etudes en France, use the same account.
    1. General Fee: £110 (except if you benefit from Erasmus+, a French government grant, a French or International baccalauréat, or if you take part in the Taith programme)
    2. Turing Fee: £55 (you need to be admitted at the time of your application)
  2. Fill in a visa request on the France-Visas platform (see below for the type of visa you need to require). You will be asked to provide your EEF number, which is a number given during the "Etudes en France" process.
    1. Fee: £43.18 (except for Erasmus+ students)
    2. More information on this process, including the necessary documents: france-visas.gouv.fr
  3. Book an appointment in a TLS Center (London/ Edinburgh /Manchester) to deposit your biometrics. The appointment must be booked early if possible within the limit of the three months ahead of the programme.
    1. Fee: May vary

You will hand over your passport at the TLS center, and they will send it to the French Consulate, which will keep it for up to 3 weeks before sending it back to you. Make sure you haven't made plans to leave the country!

Make sure to follow those steps in that order to avoid any setbacks.

 

(Focus) Apprenticeship & Professionalisation contracts

 

What is an apprenticeship/professionalisation contract?

An apprenticeship contract is a fixed-term or permanent employment contract between an employee and an employer. It allows the apprentice to follow a work-study programme, alternating between on-the-job training under the supervision of a master craftsman and education at a vocational training centre.

The professionalisation contract is a work-study contract designed to help individuals acquire a qualification and facilitate their entry or re-entry into the workforce.

Am I eligible?

Apprenticeship contracts are generally only available to foreign students who have spent a year in France (holding a long-stay student visa). However, you may be eligible for this type of contract as a first-time entrant if the training leads to a Master’s degree or higher (level 7 & 8). This only applies if the degree is recognised by the State (or equivalent level I certified by the Conférence des Grandes Écoles).

If you wish to apply for a professionalisation contract, you must first complete an initial year of study in France.

How do I apply?

If you are neither French nor European, applications for apprenticeship programmes are made via the Études en France platform, prior to applying for a visa (procedure "Students already accepted"). In addition to the admission letter, you will need to upload your apprenticeship contrat, duly completed and signed by all parties: the employer on one hand, the apprentice on the other, and endorsed by the skills operator listed on the Ministry of Labour’s website (ask your employer to assist you with this task).

For a professionalisation contract, applications can be made via the Études en France platform or directly to the institutions. A job offer or a contract already signed with the host company may be required. If the number of hours stipulated in the contract exceeds 964 hours per year for an international student from a non-European country, the employer is obliged, upon the student’s arrival in France, to apply for a temporary work permit via the Ministry of the Interior’s website.

 

Q&A

 

THE EEF PROCEDURE

When creating my EEF account, I am asked to choose an “Espace” Etudes en France; which one should I register through? If you are currently a resident in the UK, no matter your nationality (expect if you have an EU nationality), you must apply through Espace Etudes en France Royaume-Uni (“United Kingdom”).

"Students not yet accepted" and "Students already accepted", which one should I choose? Those are two different procedures. The first one is the university application procedure (since you're applying to institutions and are not yet accepted by any of them) and the second one is the pre-consular procedure, in order to get a visa (since you can only apply for a visa if you've been "accepted" by your host university, whether for an exchange or a degree course).

Where can I book a French language proficiency test if I am applying to a programme partially or entirely in French? You can book one on the website of the French Institute. We recommend the "TCF Tout public" as it is the one most commonly required by French universities.

What documents do I need to submit my pre-consular application? Compulsory documents include: a photo of your passport, a proof of enrollment in your British university & a signed acceptance/admission letter from your host university in France. Depending on your situation, you can add proofs of French proficiency, English proficiency (if it is not your native language), a CV, descriptions of past stays in France, scholarships certificates.

I cannot find my programme in the list, what should I do? Not all programmes are registered on Etudes en France. If you cannot find yours, it is not a problem; you can enter its name manually.

What happens after I have submitted my file? You need to wait for the Campus France team to review your file, which can take up to one week. You will get an email if you need to modify something or provide additional information. You will then receive a payment request (unless you are exempt) which you will need to pay before proceeding to the next step. Your payment needs to be verified manually (1 to 3 business days). You will then receive instructions on how to procede to the next steps by email.

In which cases am I exempted from the Etudes en France processing fee?

  1. If you have an Erasmus grant (Erasmus+ learning agreement or proof of grant needed)
  2. If you are part of an Erasmus Mundus joint degree (Letter of admission needed)
  3. If you have a French baccalaureate (Degree needed, transcripts are not accepted)
  4. If you have an International baccalaureate (Degree needed, transcripts are not accepted)
  5. If your mobility takes place within the Taith exchange programme

In which cases do I benefit from the Etudes en France reduced fee? If you benefit from the Turing Programme at the moment of the visa application (proof needed), you will only pay 50% of the current processing fee.

 

PREPARING FOR THE VISA APPOINTMENT (TLS CENTER)

What should I do after finishing the EEF procedure? You will need to register on the France-Visas website and then book an appointment with TLS. Keep in mind that the Consulate will keep your passport for up to 3 weeks.

When can I apply on France-Visas? You can apply on France-Fisas between 3 months and 3 weeks before your programme begins and only after you've finished the EEF procedure.

How do I get my Études en France registration certificate? Once your pre-consular application has been validated, you will receive instructions on how to get your Etudes en France certificate ("Acceptance letter") by e-mail. If you have not received it, you can find it in your personal account under "The procedure", right below your study plan. You will need to present it at your TLS appointment, print it if possible.

What is the Études en France / EEF number and what is it for? This is your Études en France reference number, beginning with GB (ex: GB24-01234). You can find it on your personal account, displayed under your name, as well as in the many automatic emails you receive throughout the procedure. It is important to know this number because you'll need it for your visa application on the France-Visas website as well as a reference number for our staff if you contact us.

 

SHOULD I GET A VISA?

Do I need a visa if I hold a UK passport? Yes, if your stay is longer than 90 days.

Do I need a student visa if I hold a EU passport? No.

What do I do if I hold neither a EU or UK passport? You need a student visa if your stay is longer than 90 days. You can apply from the UK even if you are not a UK citizen, as long as you have the legal right to reside in the country (because you study or work here).

Do I need a visa if my study stay is less than 90 days? If you have one of the nationalities exempted from Schengen visa (short stay), which is the case for British citizens, you can use the 90-day Schengen Allowance.

What is the "Schengen Allowance"? The Schengen Area is an area encompassing European countries that have officially abolished border control at their mutual borders. It means that with a French visa, or the visa-free allowance, you can travel freely between those countries. Here is an exhaustive list of those countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. Ireland is not part of the Schengen Area.

Do I need a student visa if I am going to France for an internship? If your internship is preceded or followed by a study period in France (example : you are going to France for a year, on an internship for the first semester and in classes for the second semester), you will need a long-stay student visa. If you are going to France for an internship/work placement only, you will need another visa: https://www.campusfrance.org/en/long-stay-internship-visa

 

THE VISA PROCESS

How long does it take to get a visa? The student visa process can take several weeks. It begins with the Etudes en France procedure, which lasts about a week if there are no issues with your application. Then, you will need to complete the France-Visas process online to book an appointment with the TLS centre, which can take up to two weeks. The TLS centre then holds your passport for up to three weeks. Overall, the whole process takes between 1 to 1,5 months. 

I did not complete my visa application before my departure, can I ask for a visa upon arrival in France? No. French authorities do not issue visas at your arrival. Unless exempt from having a visa, you must have a visa issued before your arrival in France. You will need to stay in the UK for as long as it takes the Consulate to process your application. In the meantime, you are not to leave the country.  

If I hold two or more passports, which one should I use? Use your British passport before any other one. If one of your passports is from an EU country, you do not need a visa.

 

APPLYING FROM OUTSIDE THE UK

Can I apply for a visa from outside the UK? You can only apply from a country in which you are currently residing, or if you hold the citizenship of said country. If you are British only and you don't have residency in any other country, you cannot apply for a French visa outside the UK. While it is entirely possible to do the EEF process entirely online, you will need to go to your visa appointment in person to hand over your passport for 2 to 3 weeks.

I am a foreigner studying in the UK but I want to apply for my visa from my home country, is it possible? Yes, it is possible, as long as you are applying in your country of residence or citizenship. You can apply either in the UK or in your home country. Be careful, not all countries in the world follows the EEF procedure. You may have to adapt to local procedures. Consult your local Campus France website.

I have started the EEF process in the UK but I need to finish it in my home country, what should I do? You can request a transfer of your file to the Campus France branch of your home country. It is easy and all you need to do is send us an email (londres@campusfrance.org). If you don't ask for a transfer, other Campus France branches won't be able to access your information.

 

MISCELLEANOUS

I need to translate documents into English and/or French, what should I do? Find a translator here.

I encounter technical issues with the EEF platform, what should I do? You can contact us at londres@campusfrance.org or call us: +44 (0) 20 7073 1351

What do I do if my question is not answered anywhere on this page? You can contact us at londres@campusfrance.org or call us: +44 (0) 20 7073 1351

 

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