How to Get a Student Visa for France
Do you require a student visa for France?
Depending on whether you are an EU citizen, you may or may not need a student visa for France.
You do not need a French student visa if you are a citizen of the EU, the EEA, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, or Liechtenstein. Instead, a current passport or other acceptable form of travel identification will enough for you to lawfully study in France.
If you are a citizen of any other country, you must apply for a student visa before you may enrol in classes in France.
What kind of student visa for France will you require?
The kind of French student visa you need may vary based on how long you intend to study there. There are several different categories.
Schengen visa for students (short-stay)
You should apply for the court séjour pour étude, often known as the short-stay or Schengen student visa, if your studies will last no longer than three months and you are certain you won’t stay in the country any longer. The Schengen student visa is free to obtain and is not extendable.
Entry-level exam visa
The visa de court séjour étudiant concours, or simply a visa for taking entrance tests, can be obtained if you need to travel to France in order to take one or more university admission exams. You can submit an application for a one-year, renewable residence permit after taking your exam and succeeding. To learn more, get in touch with the admissions office of the French university you want to attend.
Temporary long-stay visa
You can study in France for up to six months with a visa de long séjour temporaire pour études. You do not have to submit a separate application for a residence permit if you have this student visa for France.
Long-stay permit
If you want to study in France for a period longer than six months, you need a long-stay visa, also referred to as an extended-stay VLT-TS or visa de long séjour pour études. This visa serves as a residence permit and is valid for the length of your programme of study, which is typically four years for a PhD, 3 years for a bachelor’s & 2 years for a master’s. Algerian natives are not required to have the VLS-TS, although they are still bound by other rules. For additional information, get in touch with your organisation or the French consulate or embassy in your nation.
