A Guide to Studying in France

What is an apprenticeship/professionalisation contract?

An apprenticeship contract (alternance) 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. See the section "How do I apply for a degree course?" for more information. You can also apply with the course provider directly.

During the visa procedure on Etudes en France, 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.

How To Bypass the First Year: the "Exemption from study in medicine, midwifery, dentistry and pharmacy" (MMOP) procedure

One significant exception to the system of equivalency applies to students wishing to enter medical school after having completed at least the first year of medical studies in the UK, or to practice medicine in France. Due to the highly competitive nature of medical education in France, it is not automatically possible to transfer into the French system by skipping the first year. However, a process known as a "Dispense d'études en santé" (Exemption of study) allows for the possibility of entering French medical studies, and going into practice, under specific conditions.

This application must be submitted via Campus France UK. Campus France can sponsor the student's/doctor's application to enter a French medical school or get the autorisation to practice, but it retains discretion over whether or not to endorse the applicant’s request. Admission is not guaranteed, and applicants must undergo an assessment of their academic performance and the competitiveness of their application.

In order to carry out the exemption procedure, we need the following documents (list adapted from the Decree of December 13, 2019):

• Photo of your passport
• CV in French
• Cover letter in French addressed to a specific French university (which should be clearly named) explaining your current living situation (Have you moved to France? Are you still in the UK? etc...), your current professional situation (Are you currently studying? Have you officially practitced medicine? etc...) and the purpose of the application.
• Certified copy of the British medical qualification(s) and/or diploma(s) officially translated into French
• Description of the candidate's training course, including transcripts of records, description of courses taken, and any documents enabling the jury to assess the skills and knowledge acquired during the training course followed (The decree doesn't require an official translation, but you need to provide the translation yourself)
• Affidavit(s) stating the number of previous applications submitted to a French university (and, where applicable, the number of enrolments in the first year of the first cycle of medical, pharmacy or health studies) and that the applicant has not submitted an application for the same course at another university during the same academic year (some universities provide the template for these affidavits, however if the university you're applying to doesn't provide one, you can draft it yourself)

Please send us these documents (format "Year_NameApplicant_NameDocument") to CampusFranceUK@ambascience.co.uk. Once this has been received, we will draw up a notice and send it to the one university/institution of your choice, together with the above-mentioned documents.

For the 2026/27 academic year: deadline 1 February 2026

If you are a British citizen living in the UK, this is most likely the platform you will use. In short, it is made for any non-EU/EEA international students residing outside France​ (ex: British, Indian, Chinese...). Whether you're applying for a first year of bachelor (also known as the DAP procedure) or any other programme/level this is the platform you'll use!

Etudes en France is an all-in-one platform where you complete both your programme application and visa process (if accepted) in one place.

If it's a PhD you're interested in, then apply directly with doctoral schools! The Etudes en France process will only be applicable to you during the visa procedure, once accepted. Find a PhD by clicking here!

The platform primarily simplifies the application process for international students and improves admission chances. It's cost-effective too—apply to up to 7 programmes with a single fee, which also covers your visa application if accepted. Applying directly to institutions and only using Etudes en France later for visa purposes will require paying the platform fee regardless.

This page will help you navigate this specific process. Continue reading if you fit those requirements.

ParcourSup is for EU/EEA citizens​ (including French, Irish...) and non-EU citizens with a French baccalaureate​. This platform is only used for applications to a first year of undergraduate studies (licence) in most higher education institution, selective or not (universities, IUTs, grandes écoles). In some cases, some selective programmes (filière sélective) will ask international students to apply through ParcourSup: BTS, BTSA, DCG, CPGE, DN MADE, DMA, Écoles d’ingénieurs, de commerce et de management, IEP.

To get more information abut this process, visit ParcourSup's website or call +33 (0) 800 400 070. For Campus France support, contact the Campus France office in your country of nationality.

MonMaster is for EU/EEA citizens​ (including French, Irish...) holding a bachelor's degree and applying for a first year of a master's degree. Second years of master's degrees follow internal selection processes, inquire with your prefered institution/programme. You can also use it if you're British but have been living in France consistently for a while.

To get more information abut this process, visit MonMaster's website or call +33 (0) 800 002 001. For Campus France support, contact the Campus France office in your country of nationality.

Check out the application schedule for the 2025 intake!

Example of a standard application calendar with Etudes en France:

October: All application campaigns open

December: The application campaign for 1rst years of a bachelor's degree closes (interviews some time in January)

February: The application campaign for all other programmes closes (interviews can take place any time until mid-March)

End of April: Answer(s) from the institution(s)

End of May: Deadline to make your decision

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

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 or in French, if at least one of the courses selected is wholly or partially taught in French)
• Transcript of records for at least 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
• References (optional, see instructions below)

Translations: You do not need a French translation for documents written in English. However, an official French translation is mandatory for documents written in any other language. To find an official translator, you can refer to the list of certified translators provided by your country’s embassy, consulate, or the official directory of sworn translators in France (traducteurs assermentés).

Create an account on Etudes en France and select "COURSE APPLICATION" ("CANDIDATURE" in French).

Follow the instructions and upload the necessary supporting documents. Then, select your programmes and write a motivation statement for each of them. Two distinct programmes from the same institution will count as 2 wishes.

• 1rst year of a bachelor's degree (known as the "DAP" procedure"):
  • 3 wishes max
• Any other programme (2nd or 3rd of bachelor's, master's...):
  • 7 wishes max (4 if you have already selected three 1rst year of a bachelor's degree)

When your application is completed and nothing is indicated as Incomplete, submit it. It may take up to 5 working days before the Campus France UK team reviews it. If additional information/documents are needed, they'll let you know.

Once your application has been reviewed and that you are deemed eligible, you will receive by email a payment request for the processing fees (£110). The amount is the same whether you've applied to 1 or 7 courses.

Finally, a motivation interview with the Campus France UK team will be conducted remotely. Your application will then be sent to the institutions. They may contact you directly to request additional documents or to arrange a second interview. Your results will be available via Etudes en France by the end of April at the latest.

If not stated, universities generally ask you to certify a minimum B2 level. You should book your French language test (TCF, DELF or DALF) months ahead, for the highest level of French the institutions will require of you (for example : if one university asks for B2 and another for C1, book C1). Book your test at the French Institute in London or check out the map of all test centers in the UK! For more information on the different kinds of diplomas, click here.

We can process applications without a French Language Test (except for DAP procedures), as we will be able to evaluate your proficiency level during the interview. Institutions can however reject your application on the basis that no test was provided, even though you have the required level. 

You are exempt of a TCF in the context of a DAP (1rst year of licence) if:

• you are a national of a country where French is the only official language (or have obtained a high school diploma from this country)
• you are a national of a country where French is not the sole official language but your secondary education was in majority taught in French
• you have obtained a high school diploma from a French Higher Education Ministry accredited institution
• you have already passed a DELF B2 or DALF C1/C2
• you have passed the TEF with a score of 400/699 or above

Some programmes may not appear on EEF because the institution has chosen to:

• require a parallel/separate application process (ex: Sciences Po, Business schools, engineering schools, etc.)
• use another platform (ex: Art programmes on Campus Art)
• restrict the programme to domestic students only
• discontinue the programme entirely

EEF is not mandatory for all French institutions—they can choose to participate or not. For some of your preferred programmes, you may need to visit the institution’s website directly and follow their specific application process and deadlines.

The Campus France UK team conducts a single interview on behalf of all participating institutions, regardless of the number of applications submitted. This comprehensive interview, lasting 30 minutes, is conducted remotely. The language of the interview is determined by the applicant's programme choices:

• For applicants who have selected at least one programme taught wholly or partially in French, the interview will be conducted in French.
• For all other applicants, the interview will be conducted in English.

You will be graded on the following criteria:

1. Ability to present oneself in a coherent and cohesive way
2. Coherence of the career path and of the overall project
3. Knowledge of the chosen course
4. Motivations for coming to France
5. General knowledge
6. Language proficiency (either in English or in French)

You have two options for submitting reference letters:

• You may provide the letter directly, with its author's blessing (will be included in the same file as the CV).
• Alternatively, the author can send the letter to us at CampusFranceUK@ambascience.co.uk.

The author have flexibility in crafting the letter, but please ensure it includes:

• The applicant's full name, surname, and birthdate.
• The author's signature.

Beyond these requirements, the author is free to determine the content, language and format that best represents the applicant's qualifications and potential.

General guidlines:
- Be honest and specific in your assessment of the applicant's abilities and achievements.
- If possible, provide concrete examples that illustrate the student's strengths.
- Consider addressing the applicant's suitability for study in France (language proficiency, etc), if applicable.