France

Q. What are the popular courses to study in France?
A. The popular courses to study in France are as mentioned below:
• Tourism and Hospitality Management
• International Business
• Information Technology
• Luxury Brand Management
• MBA

Q. Is IELTS / TOEFL mandatory to get admitted to a French University?
A. No. IELTS/TOEFL not mandatory for admission but having the same will have added advantage. It is advisable to learn French though almost all universities offer language classes.

Q. Am I eligible to work while studying?
A. Students, registered at an Institution approved by the French Social security system can work up to 20hours per week. Typical part-time earning is 8-10EUR per hour.

Q. Will the University provide accommodation?
A. Housing plans are available at French Universities & institutions. All students are eligible on a case-to-case basis to apply for assistance and receive subsidy on cost of accommodation from up to 40% to 50% of the rent from the French Government.

All international students have the right to work while studying in France as long as they are registered in an institution that participates in the national student health-care plan (and they have a resident permit if not a EU national). The right to work applies to all students, including students who come to France for the first time, registered in the first year of a university program, or registered full-time in a language school.

Once accepted by a French institution, the student needs to apply for a visa, which also includes a residence permit, called the VLS-TS. This is valid for a year at a time. In order to obtain the visa, the student will have to present a completed application form, passport photos, your passport, proof of previous qualifications, a police certificate attesting the lack of a serious criminal record and proof of sufficient financial means.

The following documents are required to obtain a student visa:

• A valid passport
• Certificate of registration from a French University/Grandes Ecole’s
• Proof of having sufficient resources to cover expenses for one year of stay. Please check the exact amount to show from the French Consulate.

Accommodation - EU€ 300 - EU€ 600 per month Food - EU€ 350 to EU€ 500 at university restaurants per month Health care - EU€ 40 per year Transport – EU€ 50 - EU€ 150 The above costs are indicative and can vary from person to person and between universities. Health Insurance: Students under 28 years of age studying in an educational Institute for minimum 3 months are enrolled in the student segment of National Health Insurance plan. However, the student must get insured additionally which generally costs from €150 to €600.  

The major benefits enjoyed by those who study in France include relatively low tuition fees at public universities. For the majority of the courses at most public universities in France, the average tuition fee is around EU€ 190 to EU€ 260 a year, however, tuition fees varies from EU€ 1500 to EU€ 20000 euros per annum at the Grandes Ecole’s and top management schools can charge up to EU€ 30,000 a year (~US $33,500).

The education systems in India and France are very different. You will have to apply to universities and let them decide on the applicability of your previous academic background and experience to the course you are interested to study in.

When to apply?

The academic year in France starts in September or October. Some institutions may also enrol students for spring, summer, or winter semesters as well.

Intakes
Summer - January/March
Winter - September/October

General Deadlines for Applications
Summer -Up to 15th January
Winter -Up to 15th July

Some institutions accept applications beyond deadlines on case-to-case basis.

Documents required for making an application

• CV/Resume
• Academic Records
• Two Letters of Reference
• Statement of Purpose
• Valid Passport

There are two different type of educational institutes you can choose from. Universities and "Grandes Ecole’s" (Described as Competitive Institutes). There are about 87 universities and over 300 Grandes Ecole’s in France. Many students go to universities which offer general courses and professional courses. The universities cover all disciplines and trains students for research.

The Grandes Ecole’s take in a lower number of students after a rigorous selection process and offer courses that specializes students in areas that have a direct career applicability. These can be either Public or private institutions.

French higher education employs the "LMD system"— licence, master, doctorate — now used throughout the European Union. The system is designed to facilitate student mobility within Europe and around the world.

Using this common architecture, degrees are awarded based on the number of semesters the student has completed since entering higher education and the corresponding number of ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) credits earned.

Licence: 6 semesters (3 years) completed and 180 ECTS credits earned

Master: 4 more semesters completed and 120 additional ECTS credits, for a total of 5 years of study and 300 ECTS credits earned.

Doctorate: Usually obtained after 16 semesters (8 years)