France Student Visa Guide 2026: Step-by-Step

To study in France in 2026, most non-EU students need a Long-Stay Student Visa (VLS-TS). The visa fee is €50. You must prove financial resources of at least €615 per month (approximately €7,380 per year). After arrival, you validate your visa with the OFII (Office Français de l'Immigration et de l'Intégration) and pay a €60 tax stamp. The entire process starts on the Études en France portal managed by Campus France. Processing takes 4 to 6 weeks on average. Student visa holders can work up to 964 hours per year — roughly 20 hours per week. This guide covers every step from eligibility through OFII validation.

Who Needs a French Student Visa?

Your nationality determines whether you need a visa. France divides applicants into three groups based on citizenship and existing residency rights.

EU/EEA and Swiss nationals do not need a student visa. Citizens of all 27 EU member states, plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland, can enrol at any French university and live in France without a visa or residence permit. They simply register at their university and obtain health insurance.

Citizens of countries with Campus France presence form the largest group. Over 40 countries have a Campus France office. Students from these countries must complete the full Études en France online procedure before applying for their visa at the consulate. This includes India, China, Turkey, Brazil, Mexico, Vietnam, Colombia, and most African nations.

Citizens of countries without Campus France offices apply directly at their nearest French consulate. The document requirements are the same, but there is no online pre-procedure. These students submit everything in person.

Category	Visa Required?	Campus France Procedure?	Examples
EU / EEA / Swiss	No	No	Germany, Spain, Italy, Poland, Sweden
Countries with Campus France	Yes — VLS-TS	Yes — Études en France	India, China, Turkey, Brazil, Senegal, Morocco
Countries without Campus France	Yes — VLS-TS	No — direct consulate	Some Pacific Islands, smaller nations

Visa Types for Students in France

France offers several visa categories for education purposes. The one you need depends on your course length and programme type.

VLS-TS "Étudiant" (Long-Stay Student Visa)

This is the standard student visa for courses lasting more than six months. It functions as both a visa and a residence permit for the first year. After your first year, you renew it as a carte de séjour pluriannuelle étudiant (multi-year student residence permit) at the prefecture. The VLS-TS costs €50 and is valid for up to one year.

For example, a master's student from India enrolling at Sciences Po Paris in September 2026 would apply for a VLS-TS through the Études en France portal and the Indian consular section in Delhi or Mumbai.

Short-Stay Visa (Visa de Court Séjour)

For courses lasting three months or less — such as summer programmes or intensive language courses — you apply for a short-stay Schengen visa. This visa does not allow you to work in France and cannot be converted to a long-stay visa from within France.

VLS-TS "Étudiant-Concours" (Exam Visa)

If you need to travel to France to sit an entrance exam or attend a selection interview, the étudiant-concours visa covers stays up to 90 days. If you pass the exam and are admitted, you can convert this visa to a full VLS-TS without leaving France.

Visa de Long Séjour Temporaire (VLST)

For courses lasting 4 to 6 months, the VLST provides a middle option. It does not require OFII validation but also does not allow renewal from within France. The fee is €50.

Visa Type	Duration	Fee	Work Allowed?	Renewable in France?
VLS-TS Étudiant	4–12 months	€50	Yes (964 hrs/year)	Yes — carte de séjour
VLST	4–6 months	€50	Yes (964 hrs/year)	No
Short-Stay Schengen	Up to 90 days	€80	No	No
VLS-TS Étudiant-Concours	Up to 90 days	€50	No	Yes — if admitted

The Campus France Procedure: Études en France

If your country has a Campus France office, the Études en France platform is your first step. This online system manages your entire application before you visit the consulate.

Step 1: Create Your Account

Register on the Études en France website for your country. You create a personal account, fill in your academic background, language skills, and personal information. Upload scanned copies of your diplomas, transcripts, and language certificates. Each document must be translated into French by a sworn translator if the original is not in French or English.

Step 2: Select Your Programmes

Through the portal, you can apply to up to seven programmes simultaneously. Rank them in order of preference. For L1 (first-year undergraduate), you must use the DAP procedure (Demande d'Admission Préalable). For master's and other levels, you use the standard Études en France application. Some programmes — especially Grandes Écoles — have their own parallel admission process.

Step 3: Campus France Interview

After submitting your application, Campus France schedules an interview. This takes place at your local Campus France office and lasts 15 to 20 minutes. The interviewer asks about your academic background, your motivation for studying in France, your language skills, and your career plans. The interview is typically in French, but can be in English if your programme is English-taught. You pay the Campus France processing fee — typically €50 to €200 depending on your country.

Step 4: Receive Your Acceptance

Universities review your application through the portal. You receive acceptance or rejection notifications directly in your Études en France account. Once accepted, you confirm your enrolment with the university.

Step 5: Submit Your Visa Application

With your university acceptance confirmed in the system, Campus France transmits your file to the French consulate. You then book an appointment at the consulate, submit your passport and documents in person, and pay the €50 visa fee. The consulate typically processes student visas in 4 to 6 weeks during peak season (May–August). Apply early — ideally by June for a September start.

Required Documents for the VLS-TS

The consulate needs a specific set of documents. Missing paperwork is the most common reason for delays. Prepare everything before your appointment.

Document	Details
Valid passport	Valid for at least 3 months beyond your intended stay, with 2 blank pages
Long-stay visa application form	Completed and signed (CERFA form)
Passport photos	2 recent biometric photos (35mm × 45mm, white background)
Proof of university admission	Acceptance letter or Études en France attestation
Financial proof	€615/month minimum — bank statements, scholarship letter, or sponsor guarantee (garant)
Accommodation proof	Housing reservation, CROUS allocation, or attestation d'hébergement from a host
Health insurance	EU students: EHIC. Non-EU: French social security covers you after enrolment
Language certificate	TCF, DELF B2+, or DALF for French-taught programmes. IELTS/TOEFL for English-taught
Visa fee receipt	€50 (paid at the consulate or online)

Financial Requirements: Proving €615/Month

France requires proof that you can support yourself with at least €615 per month. This translates to approximately €7,380 for a full academic year. The amount has not increased for 2026 and remains one of the lowest financial thresholds in Western Europe.

Acceptable proof includes:

• Bank statements showing the required amount in your name or a parent's name
• Scholarship letter confirming a monthly stipend of at least €615
• Sponsor guarantee (attestation de prise en charge) from a financial guarantor in France, with their tax returns and bank statements attached
• Government sponsorship letter from your home country's ministry of education

A student from Morocco, for instance, might show a parent's bank statement with €8,000 in savings plus a CROUS housing allocation to demonstrate sufficient resources. Combine multiple sources if needed — the consulate accepts mixed evidence.

OFII Validation: Your First Step in France

After arriving in France, you must validate your VLS-TS visa with the OFII within three months. This step is mandatory. Without it, your visa is technically invalid and you cannot renew your residence permit.

How to Validate Online

Since 2019, OFII validation happens online at administration-etrangers-en-france.interieur.gouv.fr. You enter your visa number, arrival date, and personal details. You then pay the €60 tax stamp (timbre fiscal) online. OFII sends a confirmation email with your validated visa attestation. Keep this document — you need it for housing aid applications (CAF), bank accounts, and your future carte de séjour renewal.

What Happens If You Miss the Deadline?

If you fail to validate within three months, you may face problems renewing your residence permit. The prefecture can refuse your renewal application, and you could be considered in irregular status. Set a reminder for your first week in France. The process takes about 15 minutes online.

Working on a Student Visa

The French student visa allows you to work up to 964 hours per year. That is roughly 20 hours per week during the academic year. During summer breaks, you can work full-time as long as you do not exceed the annual 964-hour cap.

You do not need a separate work permit. Your VLS-TS or carte de séjour étudiant is sufficient. Employers do check your visa status before hiring, and they must declare your employment to the prefecture. Common student jobs include tutoring, retail, restaurant work, and campus positions.

Hourly minimum wage in France (SMIC) is €11.88 gross as of January 2026. A student working 15 hours per week for 10 months earns approximately €7,128 gross — enough to cover a significant share of living costs outside Paris.

After Year One: Renewing Your Residence Permit

Your VLS-TS is valid for one academic year. Before it expires, you apply at your prefecture for a carte de séjour pluriannuelle étudiant. This multi-year student residence permit covers the remaining duration of your programme — up to four additional years for a long programme. You apply 2 to 4 months before your VLS-TS expiry date.

Required documents for renewal include your valid passport, current VLS-TS with OFII validation, proof of university enrolment for the next year, financial proof (€615/month), proof of accommodation, and a recent passport photo. The carte de séjour costs €75 (timbre fiscal).

A master's student at Université Paris-Saclay, for instance, would apply for a two-year carte de séjour after their first year, covering the entire master's programme without further renewal.

Post-Graduation: The APS Residence Permit

After completing a master's degree or higher in France, you can apply for an Autorisation Provisoire de Séjour (APS). This permit lasts 12 months and is non-renewable. It allows you to work full-time while searching for a job related to your field of study. There is no minimum salary requirement during the APS period.

Once you find a qualifying job, you apply for a carte de séjour salarié or passeport talent to transition to a work visa. The passeport talent is available if your salary exceeds €41,000 gross per year (approximately 1.5× the minimum wage). For graduates of certain French institutions, the salary threshold drops to €27,000.

Timeline: From Application to Arrival

When	Action
November–January	Create Études en France account, prepare documents
January–March	Submit university applications through the portal
March–May	Campus France interview
April–June	Receive university admission decisions
May–July	Submit visa application at consulate
June–August	Visa processing (4–6 weeks)
August–September	Travel to France, find housing
September (first 3 months)	Validate VLS-TS with OFII online, pay €60 tax

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Applying too late. Consulates in high-demand countries (India, China, Algeria, Morocco) book up weeks in advance during summer. Apply by June at the latest for a September intake.

Insufficient financial proof. The €615/month threshold is a minimum. If your bank statement shows exactly €7,380, the consulate may question whether it is enough. Show at least 10–15% more than the minimum requirement.

Forgetting OFII validation. Many students arrive and forget to validate their visa online. This causes problems when renewing. Do it within your first week.

Missing translations. All documents not in French must be translated by a sworn translator (traducteur assermenté). Unofficial translations are rejected.

Wrong language certificate. French-taught programmes require TCF or DELF/DALF at B2 level. English-taught programmes accept IELTS or TOEFL. Check your specific programme requirements before booking a test.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a French student visa cost in total?

The visa itself costs €50. After arrival, you pay an additional €60 OFII tax stamp (timbre fiscal) during online validation. The Campus France processing fee varies by country — typically €50 to €200. Total upfront costs range from €160 to €310 depending on your country. This does not include sworn translations, which cost around €30–50 per document.

How long does French student visa processing take?

Standard processing takes 4 to 6 weeks after your consulate appointment. During peak season (June–August), it can stretch to 8 weeks in high-demand countries like India and Morocco. The Campus France procedure itself (from account creation to interview completion) takes about 2 to 3 months. Start the Études en France process no later than January for a September start.

Can I work while studying in France on a student visa?

Yes. The VLS-TS allows you to work up to 964 hours per year, which equals approximately 20 hours per week. You do not need a separate work permit. The annual cap runs from the date your visa starts, not the calendar year. At the current minimum wage of €11.88/hour, working 15 hours per week for 10 months earns about €7,128 gross.

What is the OFII validation and why is it important?

The OFII validation transforms your VLS-TS visa into a valid residence permit. You complete it online within three months of arrival. Without validation, you cannot apply for housing aid (CAF), open certain bank accounts, or renew your residence permit. The process takes 15 minutes and costs a €60 tax stamp.

Do I need to speak French to get a student visa?

Not necessarily. For French-taught programmes, you need a TCF or DELF/DALF certificate at B2 level or higher. For English-taught programmes, you need IELTS (typically 6.0–6.5) or TOEFL (typically 80–90). The visa itself does not require a specific language level, but your university's admission requirements apply. Over 1,600 programmes in France are taught entirely in English.

Can I bring my spouse or family on a student visa?

A VLS-TS student visa does not directly include family members. Your spouse must apply for their own visa de long séjour pour conjoint (spouse visa). They need to show your marriage certificate, your student visa, and financial proof covering both of you. The spouse visa allows full-time work in France. Children can join on a dependent visa and attend French public schools for free.

What happens if my visa application is refused?

You can file a recours gracieux (appeal) with the consulate within two months of the refusal. Include additional documents addressing the reason for refusal. Common reasons include insufficient financial proof, incomplete documents, or unconvincing study motivation. If the appeal fails, you can submit a new application in the next cycle. Refusal rates vary by country — they are typically under 15% for students with complete files.

Can I travel within Europe on a French student visa?

Yes. Your VLS-TS or carte de séjour étudiant allows visa-free travel within the Schengen Area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. This covers 26 European countries including Germany, Spain, Italy, and the Netherlands. You carry your passport and your validated VLS-TS or carte de séjour when crossing borders. This is one of the major advantages of studying in a Schengen country.

How do I switch from a student visa to a work visa after graduation?

After completing a master's degree or PhD, apply for the APS (Autorisation Provisoire de Séjour) at your prefecture. This gives you 12 months to find a job related to your field. Once employed, your employer helps you apply for a carte de séjour salarié or passeport talent. The passeport talent requires a salary of at least €41,000 gross/year (or €27,000 for graduates of certain French institutions). The transition process takes 2–4 months at the prefecture.