Application and visa procedures

 

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

 

1/ Some terminology: DAP? HDAP?

• DAP Blanche (White): 1st year of bachelor's degree (1rst time applying to higher education in France)
  • stateless persons, refugees and beneficiaries of subsidiary protection are exempt
• DAP Jaune (Yellow): National Higher Schools of Architecture (any level)
• DAP Verte (Green): Same as DAP Blanche, but if you already reside in France (long-term)
• HDAP: Any other programme

 

2/ How do I apply?

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

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. Two distinct programmes from the same institution will count as 2 wishes.
   1. DAP: 3 wishes max
   2. HDAP: 7 wishes max
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 

 

I can't find a course on EEF. What should I do?

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.

 

What is expected of me during the interview?

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 quickly.
2. Coherence of the career path.
3. Knowledge of the chosen course.
4. Motivations for coming to France.
5. Coherence of the overall project.
6. Language proficiency (either in English or in French)

 

3/ When do I apply?

Check out the application schedule for the 2025 intake!

Example of a standard application calendar with Etudes en France:

October: All application campaigns (DAP and HDAP) open

December: The DAP application campaign closes (you generally have a few more weeks to send your French language test)

January: DAP interviews

February: The HDAP application campaign closes

March: HDAP Interviews

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

May: Deadline to make your decision

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

 

4/ 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 or in French, if at least one of the courses selected is wholly or partially taught 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
• 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*).

 

French language proficiency tests

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.

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

 

Reference lettres

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 londres@campusfrance.org.

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.

 

Check out the Q&A if your question is not answered in this section!

 

 

Once you've been accepted onto a degree course, exchange programme or intensive French language course, your host institution in France will send you a letter of acceptance/admission. Once you've received it, you can start the visa application procedure.

 

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.

A long-stay student visa (VLS-TS) 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)?

 

Documents & Procedure

To apply for a visa, you will need:

1. Passport (Valid for the duration of the mobility + 3 months)
2. ID Photograph
3. CV + Diploma or Proof of Enrollment (Any document allowing us to review your academic background​)
4. Admission Lettre from your French institution (and once reviewed by Campus France, the EEF Certificate)
5. (From step 2) Proof of Accomodation (at least the first three weeks of stay): Hotel reservation, rental agreement, sworn statement/undertaking from the host…​
6. (From step 2) Proof of Financial Means of Support (615€ x the number of months of your visa)​: Bank statements, ​Proof of scholarship, ​Lettre from sponsor with ID and supporting documents…​
7. (If not British) Proof that you are legally resident in the UK

 

The procedure is divided into 3 steps:

 

STEP 1

Register on the “Etudes en France” platform and follow the "VISA" process. If you applied to a programme on Etudes en France, use the same account.

Fee: £110 except if:

1. you benefit from an Erasmus+ grant or a French government grant (exempt),
2. if you hold a French or International baccalauréat (exempt),
3. if you take part in the Taith programme (exempt),
4. if you take part in the Turing programme (£55),
5. if you have successfully applied via the EEF application procedure (fee already paid)

Where does my money go? The EEF processing fee is redirected to Campus France UK and, by extension, the French Institute and Embassy in the UK, where it is used to finance promotional activities, staff costs, scholarships, cultural events, and other related initiatives aimed at fostering educational and cultural exchange between France and the UK.

 

STEP 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. More information on this process, including the necessary documents: france-visas.gouv.fr

Fee: 50€ (except for Erasmus+ students)

Where does my money go? Visa fees go to the French government to cover administrative costs associated with processing applications and maintaining the visa system. These costs include staff salaries, equipment, consular services, security measures, technology, document verification, and biometric data collection.

 

STEP 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. 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!

Fee: May vary

Where does my money go? TLS Contact is an entity distinct from the French mission in the UK. They help us and other countries (Switzerland, Belgium, Netherlands...) manage the flow of visa applications. The TLS booking fee primarily finances the operation of the centres, covering costs such as staff salaries, facility maintenance, equipment, and technology infrastructure to process applications efficiently.

 

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

 

Check out the Q&A if your question is not answered in this section!

 

 

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.

 

 

To be exempted from the first year of study or to obtain a license to practice:

Exemption from study in medicine, midwifery, dentistry and pharmacy (MMOP)

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 copied as is from the Decree of December 13, 2019):

1. Photo of your passport
2. Cover lettre
3. Description of the candidate's training course (transcript of grades, description of courses taken, and any documents enabling the jury to assess the skills and knowledge acquired during the training course followed);
4. Name(s) of institution(s) where training was provided
5. Certified copy, with official translation where applicable, of the medical, pharmacy, dentistry or midwifery qualification(s) or diploma(s) validated in a country other than a member state of the European Union or another state party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area, the Swiss Confederation or the Principality of Andorra, enabling practice in the country of issue.
6. Affidavit 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 studies, the first year of the first cycle of pharmacy studies or the first year of the first cycle of health studies.
7. Affidavit stating that the applicant has not submitted an application for the same course at another university during the same academic year.

Please send us these documents in a single PDF file to londres@campusfrance.org.

For the 2025/26 academic year: deadline 1 February 2025

Once this has been received, we will draw up a notice and send it to one university of your choice, together with the above-mentioned documents.