The choice in France is huge – Campus France, the state agency that promotes studying in France, counts more than 3,500 public and private higher education institutions. The main types:
In total 2.9 million people study in France, and 14% of them are international students.
Studies are organised in the LMD system (licence – master – doctorat), in line with the Bologna Process:
Alongside the university path there are shorter professional diplomas, e.g. the BTS (brevet de technicien supérieur), and preparatory classes (classes préparatoires, CPGE), after which students sit the entrance exams for the grandes écoles.
The academic year starts in September or October, and the summer break lasts at least two months. Teaching combines lectures in large halls (amphithéâtre) with compulsory tutorials in small groups that link theory and practice.
France – bachelor's programmes
France – integrated (single-cycle) programmes
France – master's programmes
France – doctoral programmes
EU/EEA citizens apply the same way as French students, through the national platforms described below.
First year of a licence – Parcoursup. All applications for the first year of a bachelor's programme go through the national platform Parcoursup. In the 2026 session the dates were:
Check the dates of the 2027 session on the Parcoursup website before it starts. You upload your school leaving certificate, grades and a certificate from your school; you enter your grades in the grading scale of the country where you studied.
Master's – Mon Master. For the first year of a master's programme you apply through Mon Master (more than 3,500 programmes). In 2026 applications were accepted from 17 February to 16 March, the main phase ran from 3 to 16 June and the supplementary phase from 19 June to 19 July. You can submit up to 15 applications for regular programmes and 15 for work-study programmes (alternance).
For the 2nd and 3rd year of a licence and for doctoral studies there is no common procedure – you apply directly to the institution.
Students from outside the EU/EEA who live in one of the 73 countries and territories covered by the Études en France procedure apply through Campus France's online platform, which handles both applications to institutions and the steps leading up to the visa. If you want to start the first year of a licence with a foreign school leaving certificate, you usually submit a preliminary admission request (DAP) – for entry in 2026 the window was 1 October to 15 December 2025. So start about a year in advance.
Most university programmes have no entrance exam – admission is based on the file you submit through Parcoursup or Mon Master: your grades and the documents the programme asks for.
It's tougher on selective programmes – in preparatory classes (CPGE), engineering schools and business schools. Here there are tests, interviews or competitive exams (concours), and many grandes écoles are reached through preparatory classes. In Parcoursup you can make up to 10 choices for them. Schools of art and architecture have their own entrance tests – you'll find the dates on their websites.
The main language of instruction is French. Campus France recommends level B1 or B2 for a licence and a master's, and Parcoursup says B2 is usually needed – the exact requirement depends on the programme. When you apply through Parcoursup, you only attach a certificate if the programme asks for one.
You will usually prove your French with a DELF or DALF diploma or the TCF test.
The number of programmes taught in English is growing – Campus France counts around 1,600. You'll find them in the Taught in English catalogue. For these programmes, institutions usually ask for IELTS or TOEFL.
EU/EEA and Swiss citizens do not need a visa or a residence permit to study or do a traineeship in France – an ID card or passport is enough. Campus France reminds you of two conditions: you must have health insurance and enough money to support yourself. If you are insured in another EU country, bring your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).
Before enrolling at your institution, every student pays the CVEC (student and campus life contribution) on cvec.etudiant.gouv.fr. You show the certificate when you enrol – even if you are exempt from paying.
Students from outside the EU/EEA staying longer than three months need a long-stay student visa that serves as a residence permit (VLS-TS "étudiant"). You apply at the French embassy or consulate in your country – in the 73 countries covered by Études en France, after completing that procedure. The visa fee is €60, and you must prove at least €615 a month to cover your living costs. Within 3 months of arrival you must validate your VLS-TS online on the official foreigners' portal (administration-etrangers-en-france.interieur.gouv.fr). The VLS-TS is valid for up to one year; before it expires you apply at the prefecture to renew it or for a multi-year residence permit.
Note: the €615 a month figure comes from the European Commission's EU Immigration Portal (no year given), while Campus France's VLS-TS page does not state an amount – check the current requirement with the French consulate before you apply.
Health insurance: non-EU students register with French social security on etudiant-etranger.ameli.fr as soon as they have enrolled at their institution – registration is free.
At public universities the fees are set by the state. In 2026/27 they are:
On top of that every student pays the CVEC – €105 in 2026/27. Grant holders (boursiers) and exchange students, among others, are exempt.
Students from outside the EU/EEA pay differentiated fees: €2,902 a year for a licence and €3,950 for a master's (2026/27); the doctorate fee is the same as for EU students. From 1 September 2026 these fees are compulsory at public universities, and universities may exempt only a limited share of non-EU students (at most 30% in 2026/27). Some groups pay the lower rate or nothing, e.g. refugees, some long-term residents of France and holders of French government scholarships – check the details with Campus France.
Engineering schools have separate, higher rates, and private institutions (including many business schools) set their own fees – according to Campus France, usually from around €6,000 to €18,000 a year, or even more.
Study in Europe estimates that a student in France spends on average €800–1,200 a month. Housing costs the most, especially in Paris. According to Campus France:
You book a room in a CROUS residence on trouverunlogement.lescrous.fr – in 2026 from 7 July. The deposit cannot be higher than one month's rent. Housing benefit (APL or ALS) is paid by the CAF, and the Visale scheme can act as your rent guarantor.
What you can apply for:
EU/EEA citizens can work in France without a work permit or residence permit. Campus France gives a limit of 964 hours a year – according to Study in Europe, that's around 20 hours a week.
Students from outside the EU/EEA with a VLS-TS "étudiant" or a student residence permit may also work without a separate permit – up to 964 hours a year (60% of full-time work, i.e. about 20 hours a week). If you go over this limit, you risk losing your residence permit.
For casual jobs, good French matters. Start with your institution's careers office. Keep your studies in mind too – small-group tutorials are compulsory, so fit your work schedule around your timetable.
Sources: European Commission – Study in Europe (education.ec.europa.eu/study-in-europe), Eurostat, official national study and residence portals and authorities, Eurodesk, enic-naric.net, studentnews.eu. As of September 2026.
EN 
CS
DE
ES
FR
HU
IT
PL
PT
РУ
SK
TR
УК
AR
中文