Higher Education in France
France is currently the fourth most popular study destination in the world, and it's no wonder with its excellent culture, highly rated university system and the draw of relatively low tuition. Each year, close to 300,000 students travel to France for the sole purpose of studying in its schools.
The higher education system in France can be a little confusing. The system is being standardized into a three-level system, which makes it a little easier to understand. Today, undergraduate students will begin by pursuing a License, which is similar to a bachelor's degree. This is followed by master level training. The final level of training is the doctorat. The license takes three years to complete, with two years necessary for a master program. A doctorat program usually requires three additional years.
France's universities are state-funded, so tuition is not high. Plan to spend about €200-€400 per year, depending on the studies you are pursuing and the university you attend. The exception to this are French business schools. Most business schools are privately owned, and tuition can be over €15,000 a year.
France has fairly open enrollment for first-year undergraduate programs. However, after the first year, students will need to pass a series of exams, which can be highly competitive, to find a place as second-year students. The country also has a system of selective schools called "Grandes Écoles", which only select students are chosen for, and these have selective entrance exams, higher tuition and more prestige.
The academic year in France begins in late September, with a spring semester starting in early February. Holidays are held during Christmas and New Years, as well as All Saints' Day and Easter. Most schools also have a spring break and three months of summer holiday.
Upon graduation, many students go on to pursue scientific study programs. These one- to three-month programs can be subsidized through a high-level scientific study program grant, which covers travel costs, tuition and living expenses.
Visa Requirements
If you are coming to study in France from a country in the European Union, you will not need to apply for a student visa. If your home country is outside the EU, then you will need to visit a French consulate to get a student visa prior to traveling to the country. Your visa will serve as proof of your residency status during your first year of study. After a year, you will need to apply for a Carte de Sejour. Also, you will need to register with the local immigration office within 30 days of your arrival in the country.
Tips
Because of the lost cost of tuition and high interest by international students, you will want to make your plans for studying in France early. While entrance to the universities will not be much of a difficulty if you are a first-year student, finding housing and getting your paperwork in order takes some time. If you need financial aid, you will want to apply for a study or course grant as well.
As you prepare to study in France, you will be among some of the world's top thinkers. You'll have the opportunity to study in halls that were once graced by names like Sartre, Durkheim or Marie Curie. While the process of applying to the universities and working through the red tape can be daunting, in the end you will receive a quality education at a surprisingly affordable price, making the effort well worth taking.
France, officially the French Republic, is a unitary semi-residential republic located mostly in Western Europe, with several overseas regions and territories. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean. From its shape, it is often referred to in French as l’Hexagone ("The Hexagon").
France is one of the key players in the European political and economic game. Serving as the border between the Iberian Peninsula and the mainland of Europe, France has long been a cultural focal point in Europe. Paris, in particularly, is the height of the fashion industry, and many of the world's leading fashion influences come from Parisian fashion houses. The country has also produced some of the world's most celebrated writers, including names like Rousseau and Voltaire. With its connections to Germany, France served as one of the leaders in uniting Europe and starting the European Union.
In addition to fashion and writing, France is known for its culinary tradition. Over 250 different varieties of cheese come from within its borders, and wine lovers know they can turn to France for delicate, delicious wines.
Whether you are considering France for its culinary heritage, artistic flair or simply because you want to experience the culture of a new location, you will find a variety of factors to draw you towards studying in this leading European country. Because France appeals to so many foreign students, life at the university is rich in cultural diversity. Culturally enlightening experiences are easy to find in France. Museums, particularly those in Paris, allow EU residents who are students under the age of 26 free entrance. Student cardholders will also find discounts on transportation, food and entertainment.
Climate in France
France has a mild climate highly influenced by the Mediterranean. The comfortable year-round temperatures and plentiful sunshine mean ample opportunities for time spent outdoors. In the mountains, you will find plenty of snow for weekend ski trips and sledding, while Nice and Cannes offer the potential to swim starting in the early spring. In the summer, you can find hot, beach weather in many parts of the country, while the mountains offer cooler, comfortable temperatures for a hike.
Cost of Living and Housing
The cost of living in France is on par with that of most European countries. However, Paris, where many top universities are located, has a much higher cost of living. Also, finding housing in Paris can be difficult, because of the high population density. If you know you will be studying in Paris, find your housing early, before the early fall scramble for available places.
Many students opt to live in the Cite Universitaire Internationale de Paris, a large residence location in southern Paris. Spaces are limited, so if you wish to stay here, apply a year before you plan to stay.
If you will be studying outside Paris, you will likely find subsidized accommodations on the campus or near the university designed specifically for foreign students. The national student welfare office (CNOUS) also subsidizes dormitories for foreign students, which may be an option for affordable housing.
Universities in France
Aix-en-Provence
Albi
Alès
Angers
Anglet
Annecy
Argonay
Arles
Arras
Avignon
Bayonne
Beauvais
Biot
Bois-Colombes
Bordeaux
- AMOS - The International Sport Business SchoolMaster
- CAFA Wine SchoolCourses
- École de CondéMaster
- EIT RawMaterials Academy - AMIRMaster
- EIT RawMaterials Academy - AMISMaster
- EIT RawMaterials Academy - SINReMMaster
- EIT RawMaterials Academy EMeraldMaster
- EIT RawMaterials Academy SUMAMaster
- EIT RawMaterials EMCMaster
- EPITECHMasterCourses
- Formasup CampusMasterBachelor
- INSEEC BordeauxMasterMBA
- Kedge Business SchoolMasterBachelorCoursesMBA
- Sup de PubMasterBachelor
- University of BordeauxMasterHealthcare
- VATEL Bordeaux - International Business School - Hotel, Tourism, Wine & Spirits ManagementMasterBachelorMBA
Boulogne-Billancourt
Brest
Caen
Cergy
Cesson-Sévigné
Chambéry
Clermont-Ferrand
Compiègne
Courbevoie
Dijon
Ferrières-en-Brie
France Online
Grenoble
- EIT RawMaterials Academy - AMISMaster
- EIT RawMaterials Academy - SINReMMaster
- EIT RawMaterials Academy EMeraldMaster
- EIT RawMaterials Academy SUMAMaster
- EIT RawMaterials EMCMaster
- London School of Business and Finance (LSBF) Executive EducationMasterCoursesMBA
- Grenoble Ecole de ManagementMasterBachelorMBAHealthcare
Guingamp
La Rochelle
Laval
Le Bourget-du-Lac
Le Havre
Le Kremlin-Bicêtre
Lille
- AMOS - The International Sport Business SchoolMaster
- Catholic University of Lille – Faculty of Management, Economics & ScienceMaster
- EPITECHMasterCourses
- ESJ Lille : École Supérieure de JournalismeMasterOnline
- ESJ Paris - École Supérieure de JournalismeMasterBachelorOnline
- European School of Political and Social SciencesMasterCoursesBachelor
- IESEG School of Management Lille - ParisMasterBachelorMBA
- ISA Lille - Graduate School of Agriculture and BioengineeringMaster
- Lille Catholic University - Faculty of LawLaw
- Sciences Po LilleCourses
- University of LilleMaster
Limoges
Longuenesse
Lyon
- AMOS - The International Sport Business SchoolMaster
- Burgundy School of BusinessMasterBachelorMBA
- CEFAM French-American Business SchoolBachelorCourses
- École de CondéMaster
- emlyon business schoolMasterMBAHealthcare
- EPITECHMasterCourses
- ESDES Lyon Business SchoolMasterBachelor
- ISARA LyonMasterCourses
- ITECH LyonMaster
- Jean Moulin Lyon 3 UniversityCourses
- Lyon UniversityMaster
- SHG LyonMBABachelor
- Studio M AcademyMasterBachelorCourses
- Sup de PubMasterBachelor
Marseille
Metz
Mont-Saint-Aignan
Mont-de-Marsan
Montpellier
Mulhouse
Nancy
Nantes
Nevers
Nice
- AMOS - The International Sport Business SchoolMaster
- Centre international de formation européenne (CIFE)MasterOnline
- École de CondéMaster
- EDHEC Business SchoolBachelor
- EF Gap YearCourses
- EPITECHMasterCourses
- ESRA - École Supérieure de Réalisation AudiovisuelleMasterCourses
- IAE Nice Graduate School of ManagementMBAMasterPhD
- IES AbroadCoursesHealthcare
- IPAG Business SchoolMasterPhDBachelorCoursesMBA
- ITECOM Art Design NICECourses
- SDS - The Sustainable Design SchoolMasterPhDCourses
- Theseus International Management InstituteMaster
- Université Côte d’Azur (UCA)MasterOnline
Orléans
Orsay
Palaiseau
Pape'ete
Paris
- Access MastersMaster
- Accord Language SchoolsCourses
- AIM Hotel & Tourism Management AcademyMasterBachelorMBA
- American Graduate School in ParisMaster
- AMOS - The International Sport Business SchoolMaster
- AutografMasterBachelorCourses
- CEEA European Sreenwriting School Of ParisCourses
- Center for Research and Interdisciplinary (CRI)MasterPhD
- CIFFOPMaster
- CMHMasterBachelorMBA
- CNAM The International Institute of ManagementMasterMBA
- College de ParisMasterBachelor
- Cours de Civilisation Française de la SorbonneCourses
- Data ScienceTech InstituteMaster
- Deusto Business SchoolMBAOnline
- Ducasse Education - Centre de Formation Alain DucasseBachelorCourses
- École de Management de Normandie / Normandy Business SchoolMaster
- Ecole LenôtreCourses
- Ecole Ritz EscoffierCourses
- EDC Ecole des Dirigeants & Créateurs d’EnterpriseMasterCoursesMBA
- EDHEC Business SchoolBachelor
- EF Gap YearCourses
- EICARMasterCoursesBachelor
- EIML Paris Ecole Internationale de Marketing du LuxeMasterCoursesMBA
- EIT Digital Master SchoolMaster
- Elfe (Ecole de langue française)Courses
- Elle InternationalCourses
- emlyon business schoolMasterMBAHealthcare
- EPITA Graduate School of Computer ScienceMasterBachelor
- EPITECHMasterCourses
- ESCP Europe Business SchoolMasterBachelorCoursesHealthcareMBA
- ESIEA Graduate Engineering SchoolMaster
- ESJ Paris - École Supérieure de JournalismeMasterBachelorOnline
- ESLSCA Business SchoolMasterBachelorMBACourses
- ESME SUDRIACourses
- ESO Paris - École Superieure d'Osteopathie (SUPOSTEO)Healthcare
- ESP - School of Communication & MarketingMBA
- ESRA - École Supérieure de Réalisation AudiovisuelleMasterCourses
- ESTACAMasterCourses
- European Institute of International ManagementMasterMBA
- European Master in Renewable Energy and European Master in Sustainable Energy System ManagementMaster
- Ferrieres ParisMasterCoursesBachelor
- GOBELINS - L'école de l'imageCoursesMaster
- H2 UniversityCourses
- HEIP, Hautes Etudes Internationales et PolitiquesMaster
- Horizons UniversityMasterPhDMBABachelorOnline
- IcademieMasterOnline
- IEA ParisMaster
- IEMI International Business SchoolMBAOnline
- IES AbroadCoursesHealthcare
- IESEG School of Management Lille - ParisMasterBachelorMBA
- IFA ParisMasterCoursesBachelorMBA
- IFAM Business SchoolMasterMBA
- INSEEC ParisMasterMBA
- Institut d'etudes politiques de ParisMaster
- Institut Francais de la ModeMasterMBA
- Institut Supérieur de Marketing du Luxe - SUP de LUXEMasterBachelorMBAOnline
- International Institute of ParisMasterMBABachelor
- International University of MonacoMasterBachelorMBA
- IPAG Business SchoolMasterPhDBachelorCoursesMBA
- IPSAMasterCourses
- IRIS Sup'Master
- ISC Paris Business SchoolMasterBachelorMBACourses
- ISM - International School of ManagementMasterPhDMBA
- ISTECCourses
- ITECOM Art Design ParisMasterBachelorCourses
- JedhaCourses
- Kedge Business SchoolMasterBachelorCoursesMBA
- L'Ecole de Guerre EconomiqueMasterMBA
- Le Cordon Bleu ParisCoursesBachelor
- LéCOLE - The Event Thinking SchoolMaster
- Leonard de Vinci GroupMBAMaster
- Lille Catholic University - Faculty of LawLaw
- LISAA ParisMasterCoursesBachelorOnline
- Master Economics: Erasmus Mundus Master QEM - Models and Methods of Quantitative EconomicsMaster
- Mod'Art International ParisMasterMBA
- Mode EstahMasterBachelor
- Morgan InternationalCoursesOnline
- NEOMA Business SchoolMasterBachelor
- Paris College Of ArtMasterBachelorCourses
- Paris Dauphine UniversityMaster
- Paris Descartes UniversityMasterHealthcare
- Schiller International University - Florida, Heidelberg, Madrid, ParisMasterMBABachelorOnline
- Sorbonne University - Summer SchoolCourses
- St. John's UniversityMasterMBA
- Studio BerçotCoursesBachelor
- Sup de PubMasterBachelor
- The American Business School of ParisMasterBachelorMBA
- The American University of ParisMasterBachelor
- The European Center For Advanced International StudiesMaster
- The Open Design SchoolCoursesOnline
- Toulouse Business SchoolMasterBachelorMBA
- UniLaSalleMasterCoursesBachelorHealthcare
- Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - Sorbonne School of EconomicsMaster
- Université Paris II Panthéon-AssasLaw
- Université Pierre et Marie Curie (UPMC)Bachelor
- University of Kent, School of European Culture and LanguagesBachelor
- University of London Institute in ParisMaster
- University Paris 1 Panthéon-SorbonneMaster
- University Paris SeineBachelor
- VATEL AndorraBachelor
- Weller International Business SchoolMasterMBA
- Zoe Talent SolutionsMasterCourses
Pau
Perpignan
Pessac
Plaisir
Poitiers
Reims
Rennes
Rennes-en-Grenouilles
Roubaix
Rouen
Savignac
Sophia Antipolis
Strasbourg
Talence
Tarbes
Toulon
Toulouse
Toulouse-le-Château
Tours
Troyes
Valence
Valenciennes
Vannes
Vichy
Villejuif
Yssingeaux
Écully
Île-de-France
- Master
- MBAStudies
- Bachelorstudies
- Lawstudies
- PhDStudies
- AcademicCourses
- Courses in France
- Certificate
- Summer courses in France
- Preparatory Year
- Diploma
- Pathway Programs
- HealthcareStudies
- StudentTests
- Master
- MBAStudies
- Bachelorstudies
- Lawstudies
- PhDStudies
- AcademicCourses
- Courses in France
- Certificate
- Summer courses in France
- Preparatory Year
- Diploma
- Pathway Programs
- HealthcareStudies
- StudentTests