How to Get a Student Visa for France: Requirements & Process (2026)

Non-EU/EEA/Swiss nationals planning to study in France for more than 90 days need a long-stay student visa — most commonly the VLS-TS ("visa de long séjour valant titre de séjour," or long-stay visa acting as a residence permit). Shorter programmes use a different, simpler route. What makes the French process distinctive isn't just the visa application itself, but the fact that most applicants must first complete a separate step through Campus France (the "Études en France" procedure) before the consulate will even look at their file. Fees, financial thresholds, and processing windows here are reviewed periodically, so treat the numbers in this guide as a reliable starting point and confirm anything time-sensitive on the official France-Visas site before you rely on it.

This guide covers who needs which visa, the Campus France step, proof of funds, the full document checklist, the application and post-arrival validation process, work rights, and common pitfalls.

The Visa/Permit Options for France

Your visa type in France depends on your program length and nationality:

EU, EEA, and Swiss nationals don't need a visa or residence permit at all — just a valid passport or national ID card. UK nationals, post-Brexit, are treated as non-EU and need a visa for any stay over 90 days.

Eligibility & Key Requirements

To qualify for the VLS-TS, you'll generally need to demonstrate:

• Admission or pre-enrolment at a recognised French higher education institution — an offer letter or admission confirmation, not just a conditional or informal email.
• Completion of the Campus France / Études en France procedure, if your country participates in it (roughly 130 countries currently do, through 280+ Campus France offices worldwide). This is a separate academic-vetting step, distinct from the visa application itself.
• Proof of financial resources sufficient to cover tuition and living costs.
• Proof of accommodation in France for at least your first few months.
• Health insurance coverage valid in France.
• French language proficiency (commonly a B1/B2 level) if you're enrolling in a French-taught programme; this isn't required for English-taught programmes, though English proficiency will typically be assessed instead.

The Campus France / Études en France Step

If your home country has a Campus France presence, you must complete the "Études en France" (EEF) procedure before the consulate will process your visa application. In practice this means:

1. Creating an account on the Études en France platform.
2. Entering your academic history — diplomas, transcripts, language certificates.
3. Uploading supporting documents.
4. Paying the Campus France processing fee (this varies significantly by country — commonly cited in the range of roughly €150–€350, though US applicants have reported figures such as $270 for standard processing or $460 for expedited service; confirm the current fee for your country).
5. Attending a short interview (in person or online) about your study plans and language level.
6. Receiving Campus France's approval, which is then transmitted to the consulate as a favourable opinion.

This step commonly takes several weeks, and is slower during peak application season (spring through early summer), so starting early matters more here than in most countries' visa processes. If there's no Campus France office in your country, you apply directly to the consulate instead.

Proof of Funds

France's financial requirement is expressed as a monthly minimum, commonly cited as around €615 per month of your intended stay — which works out to roughly €6,150 for a 10-month academic year. Acceptable evidence typically includes:

• Bank statements from the last 3 months showing sufficient funds.
• A sponsorship letter (attestation de prise en charge) from a guarantor residing in France, backed by their tax returns and proof of income.
• A scholarship certificate stating the amount and duration of funding.

This threshold is reviewed periodically and can be adjusted, so confirm the current monthly figure on the official France-Visas site or with Campus France before finalising your budget.

Required Documents Checklist

• Completed visa application form (Cerfa n°14571*05, via France-Visas)
• Valid passport (at least 3 months beyond your intended stay, with at least 2 blank pages)
• Two recent passport photos
• Proof of admission/enrolment (attestation d'inscription) from your French institution
• Campus France / Études en France approval confirmation, where applicable
• Proof of financial resources (bank statements, sponsor letter, or scholarship certificate)
• Proof of accommodation in France (housing attestation, lease, or host letter)
• Health insurance valid in France
• Visa fee payment
• Motivation letter (required by some consulates)
• Academic transcripts and diplomas, with certified translations if not in French or English

Application Process & Timeline

1. Secure your acceptance/enrolment certificate from your French institution.
2. Complete the Études en France procedure, if applicable to your country, and pay the associated fee.
3. Complete your online visa application through France-Visas, selecting the correct visa category (short-stay, VLS-T, or VLS-TS).
4. Book and attend your consulate appointment (often via an external provider such as TLScontact or VFS Global) — bring all originals plus photocopies, and be ready to provide biometric data.
5. Pay the visa fee. This is typically €50 for applicants from Études en France procedure countries, or €99 for applicants from other countries — figures given as indicative and subject to change.
6. Wait for processing. Overall timelines commonly run 4 to 12 weeks depending on the consulate, season, and whether Campus France steps are involved — with some guidance suggesting you start the full process as much as 10–12 weeks (or even up to 6 months) before your intended departure.
7. Collect your passport with the visa affixed and travel to France.
8. Validate your VLS-TS online within 3 months of arrival, via the ANEF portal (administration-etrangers-en-france.interieur.gouv.fr) and pay the OFII/residence validation fee, commonly cited at around €50. Since 2019 this step is fully digital — you no longer need to visit an OFII office in person. Failing to validate means your visa loses its legal effect.

Once validated, your VLS-TS functions as your residence permit for the length of its validity, renewable annually at the local préfecture as needed.

Working While Studying + After Graduation

International students holding a long-stay student visa can work part-time during their studies, up to 964 hours per year — commonly described as roughly 60% of a full-time work year, or an average of around 20 hours per week. This work-rights allowance is tied to your visa status and doesn't require a separate work permit application.

France also offers post-study options for graduates who want to stay on and work or job-hunt after finishing their studies, generally requiring a request to the local préfecture ahead of your visa's expiry. Since the specific post-study permit categories, durations, and eligibility criteria are periodically updated, confirm the current post-study route on the official France-Visas or préfecture guidance before making firm plans.

Common Refusal Reasons & Practical Tips

• Insufficient or unclear financial proof is one of the most frequently cited refusal grounds — make sure your bank statements, sponsor documents, or scholarship letter clearly and consistently show the required monthly amount.
• Incomplete Campus France files can stall your entire application before it even reaches the consulate — missing transcripts or an unclear study plan are common culprits.
• Mismatched dates or details across your acceptance letter, Campus France file, and visa application are an easy, avoidable source of delay.
• Missing the validation window after arrival — forgetting to validate your VLS-TS within 3 months on the ANEF portal effectively invalidates your legal stay, even though you already hold the visa.
• Booking irreversible travel before your visa is issued — consulates can hold your passport for weeks during processing, so avoid non-refundable flights until you have your visa in hand.
• If refused, you have the right to appeal; the refusal notice must state the reasons, and you can submit a new application addressing them.

Special Cases: Exams, Medical Studies & Student Mobility

France's visa system also carves out routes for situations that don't fit the standard degree-student profile. If you're travelling to France specifically to sit a competitive entrance examination for a selective institution, you'd apply for the short-stay "étudiant/étudiant-concours" visa instead of a long-stay visa upfront — this only becomes available once your exam date is confirmed, is capped at 90 days, and if you pass, lets you regularise your status locally at the préfecture without returning home to apply for a long-stay visa. If you fail the exam, you're expected to leave the Schengen area once the short-stay visa expires.

Medical students pursuing a specialised diploma (DFMS or DFMSA) through a French embassy's cultural services selection process receive a long-stay visa equivalent to a residence permit, which — like the standard VLS-TS — must be validated after arrival.

There's also a dedicated "Étudiant – mobilité" visa for students moving to France as part of an EU programme, a multilateral mobility scheme, or an inter-institutional agreement between at least two EU member states. Depending on whether your mobility period is above or below 12 months, you'll either validate a VLS-TS within 3 months of arrival or apply for a residence permit within 2 months — a shorter window than the standard student pathway.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does the France student visa process take overall? Budget for anywhere from 4 to 12 weeks depending on whether the Campus France step applies to you, your consulate's workload, and the season — peak periods (spring through summer) run slower. Many guides recommend starting the full process 10–12 weeks, or even up to 6 months, before your intended arrival date.

Do I have to use Campus France? If your home country participates in the Études en France procedure (roughly 130 countries do), yes — it's a mandatory academic-vetting step before the consulate will process your visa. If your country isn't part of the scheme, you apply directly to the consulate instead.

How much money do I need to show for a France student visa? The commonly cited minimum is around €615 per month of your stay (roughly €6,150 for a 10-month academic year), demonstrated through bank statements, a sponsor's guarantee, or a scholarship certificate. This threshold is reviewed periodically, so confirm the current figure on France-Visas before applying.

What is OFII/ANEF validation, and do I really need to do it? Yes — if you hold a VLS-TS, you must validate it online within 3 months of arriving in France via the ANEF portal (this replaced in-person OFII office visits in 2019). Skipping this step means your long-stay visa loses its legal effect as a residence permit, even though it's already stamped in your passport.

Can I work while studying in France? Yes, international students on a long-stay student visa can work up to 964 hours per year (roughly 20 hours per week on average) without needing a separate work permit.

If you're weighing France against other destinations, browse universities in France and current scholarships — including the France Excellence Eiffel Scholarship Programme and the Sciences Po Émile Boutmy Scholarship — or use TheUniFinder's scholarship finder to match funded options to your profile. It's also worth checking the cost of studying in France so your visa proof-of-funds figure lines up with your real budget for tuition, housing, and living costs.

Institutions such as Sorbonne University, Sciences Po, Université Paris-Saclay, Paris Cité University, and Aix-Marseille University all host large international student populations with dedicated international offices to guide you through the Campus France and visa steps.

Sources

• France-Visas — Student (Official Visa Wizard and Rules)
• Campus France USA — Application Overview
• France-Visas — Frequently Asked Questions
• GMAC — What Are the Requirements for a Student Visa for France in 2026?
• CCFS Sorbonne — How to Get a Student Visa for France in 2026: Step-by-Step Guide
• Berlin School of Business & Innovation — France Student Visa Requirements: Step-by-Step Guide