Applying For a French Student Visa | Prodigy Finance
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Our step-by-step guide explores how you can apply for your French student visa in just a few steps - including how to follow the Etudes En France procedure.
What types of French student visas are there?
Updated for 2026. Since our 2024 guide, the proof of funds for a French student visa has risen to €877.50 a month for applications from 1 August 2026, the student visa fee is €50, and the post-study permit is now called the RECE rather than the APS.
‘Schengen’ Short-stay Student Visa
The Schengen short-stay student visa is designed for studies that are shorter than three months, and is mainly used for short-term study programmes or language courses.
Temporary Long-stay Visa
The temporary long-stay visa is intended for students enrolling in courses that will require between 3-6 months to complete.
Long-stay Visa for Students (VLS-TS étudiant)
The long-stay visa is instead meant for longer programmes. Students enrolling in programmes such as a two-year master’s degree or an MBA are required to apply for a long-stay visa, which acts as a residence permit once you validate it after arrival, and then for a multi-year residence permit (carte de séjour pluriannuelle) to extend their stay beyond the first year.
French student visa requirements
What documents do I need?
Two recent passport photographs
A valid passport
An acceptance letter from your university of study
Your Études en France validation or attestation de pré-inscription from Campus France, if your country uses the procedure
Proof of sufficient funds for your time in France (€877.50 per month for the duration of your stay, for applications from 1 August 2026)
Proof of accommodation in France, such as a lease or a hotel reservation, generally covering at least the first three months
A language certificate for the language of instruction
Proof of medical insurance with coverage valid in France
A completed visa application form
A receipt for your paid visa application fee
What financial requirements are there?
To successfully apply for a French student visa, you’ll need to demonstrate that you have sufficient funds to sustain your expenses and cost of living.
Do I need to supply a bank statement?
For applications submitted from 1 August 2026, the amount required is €877.50 per month for the duration of your stay, up from €615. That is roughly €8,775 for a 10-month academic year. The figure is 47% of the gross monthly minimum wage, so it will rise when the minimum wage does. You can show it with a bank statement or, alternatively, a guarantor’s letter, a scholarship or grant certificate, or a funding letter from a loan provider if your consulate accepts it.
If you plan to present your funds by providing a copy of your bank statement, you’ll need to supply a copy of a three-month bank statement for your first year of study.
If your funding happens to come from multiple sponsors, each sponsor needs to provide an A4 sponsorship letter, along with bank statements, previous year’s income tax return (ITR), 3 months’ salary slip and proof of identity.
If you are receiving a scholarship or grant, you’ll need to produce a statement indicating the amount and duration of the grant on the letterhead of the granting organisation. If you are relying on a guarantor, your guarantor must produce a signed statement of financial responsibility, a photocopy of the national identity card of the guarantor in question, and proof of the guarantor's own financial resources (such as the guarantor's three most recent payslips and most recent tax return).
What student visa fees does France charge?
The student visa fee is €50. Most countries also charge a Campus France processing fee under the Études en France procedure, and the amount varies by country. After you arrive, you’ll pay a €100 electronic tax stamp to validate your visa.
What are the process steps to apply for a student visa?
When you’re ready to apply for a student visa to study in France, you’ll need to follow one of two application streams.
If you live in a country that is subject to the “Studies in France”, or “Études en France” procedure, you will need to first apply to enroll in a higher education institution, whereupon completing your application your visa application will be automatically sent to the French consular authorities of your home country.
What countries are subject to the "Etudes En France" procedure?
Countries that use the procedure include India. The list changes over time, so check the Campus France website for your country before you start.
How do I begin my application under “Etudes En France”?
If your country is subject to the Etudes En France study procedure, you will need to:
Register on the “Etudes En France” platform and supply an identity document such as your passport and a valid email address
Complete and submit your application
Pay an application fee
Validate your application and complete an interview
Receive an answer from your chosen study institution
How do I make an appointment?
Following registering, submitting your application, and settling your application fee, you will then need to schedule an interview with your local French consular services. To do so, you can review and select the closest consular service to you.
Before doing so, remember to check on the average appointment wait time at your local consulate and ensure that you’re able to submit your application and conclude your interview between three months to two weeks prior to your departure date.
How do I validate my visa?
When arriving in France, you’ll need to validate your long-stay visa as a valid residence permit within your first three months in the country. This can be completed online.
To do so, you’ll need:
A valid email address,
Information on your visa,
Your date of arrival in France,
Your home address in France,
A bank card to pay the €100 electronic tax stamp online.
Useful information
What are common interview questions?
Some common French student visa interview questions can include:
Introduce yourself; speak about your education, qualification, hobbies, or future plans
Why is France your study abroad destination?
Why have you chosen to study at a French university?
Why have you selected your course of choice?
Speak about your goals
Elaborate on your supplied financial information and source of funding
Why do French student visa applications get rejected?
Common reasons a visa application is rejected are as follows:
Insufficient funding
Inadequate or fraudulent documents
Insufficient academic merit or achievement
Knowledge of the selected course or university
Risk of threat to public security
Poor interview skills
Can I work on a Long-stay Student Visa?
Holders of a long-stay student visa will be able to work up to 964 hours per year (roughly 20 hours per week) to supplement their finances.
After a master’s degree, you may also apply for the RECE (formerly the APS), a 12-month permit to look for qualified work or start a business. You must apply before your student permit expires. Indian nationals can renew it once for a further 12 months, 24 months in total.
After you get your French Student Visa
Congratulations! You’re one step closer to your dream degree!
Want to know how to fund your masters abroad?
Prodigy Finance provides no collateral loans to international students pursuing their masters at top schools across the globe.
