There are different procedures depending on your country. Please check in the file to be uploaded (here below) if your secondary diploma is recognized to apply for french higher education.
Few steps :
1. Choosing a study program : more information in our website on the page « higher education in France »
2. Checking the admission requirements : it depends on the year of study you wish to apply, your nationality and your current residence. See below.
3. Applying
4. If you are accepted : applying for a student visa : European candidates do not need visa. If you are already living in France neither.
5. Administrative enrolment : on your arrival. You will be after able to register with Social Security.
6. Educational enrolment
7. Applying for a student residence permit : European candidates do not need to hold a residence permit. Non-european will have to apply for a Student residence permit (VLS-TS) in the three month folowing your arrival in France.
Admission Post-Bac (APB)
France has set up an online application system. The « admission-postbac.fr » website (only in French). It is an online portal where final year high school students can apply to any French university, and many other higher education courses in France. This portal is open frome 20th January to 20th March.
You can download instructions for foreign students in French on the website.
Demande d’admission préalable (DAP)
If you have an High school diploma delivered by a country outside EU, EEA, Swiss confederation, in order to register in first year of an undergraduate program in French university, you have to make a « demande d’admission préalable » which is a centralized application system.
If you already live in France you have to fulfill the green chart, if not, the white one.
Demande d’admission préalable (CEF)
A programme has been in place in France which « aims to provide support for international students in order to ensure that their course of study in France is successful ». This programme, established by Campus France (French National Agency for the Promotion of Higher Education, International Student Services and International Mobility), is called the CEF procedure (« Centres pour les Études en France »). More information here.
The chart below resume the applications procedure. You’ll find the terms explanations in the first paragraph « main procedure ».
You will have to apply for a student visa at the French consulate in the country in which you reside.
If you live in one of the following countries, you must use the online CEF procedure :
Algeria – Argentina – Benin – Brazil – Burkina Faso – Cameroon – Chile – China – Colombia – Comoros – Congo (Brazzaville) – Cote d’Ivoire – Egypt – Gabon – Guinea – India – Indonesia – Iran – Japan – Lebanon – Madagascar – Mali – Marocco – Mauritius – Mauritania – Mexico – Peru – Senegal – Russia – South Korea – Taiwan – Tunisia – Turkey – USA – Vietnam
You have a High school diploma delivered by a country outside EU, EEA, Swiss confederation in from a country with CEF Procedure :
More information about CEF procedure on the website of Campus France.
The chart below resume the applications procedure. You’ll find the terms explanations in the first paragraph « main procedure ».
You have a French baccalaureate or French level IV diploma, European Baccalaureate (European schools) in a country with CEF procedure :
The chart below resume the applications procedure :
You have a High school diploma delivered by a country outside EU, EEA, Swiss confederation in from a country without CEF procedure :
The chart below resume the applications procedure. You’ll find the terms explanations in the first paragraph « main procedure ».
You have a French baccalaureate or French level IV diploma, European Baccalaureate (European schools) in a country without CEF procedure :
The chart below resume the applications procedure. You’ll find the terms explanations in the first paragraph « main procedure ».
