Study Guide to France
France has around 82 state universities, five Catholic universities and many private institutes, some of which award degrees and diplomas. Universities award three types of degrees - Licence (UG), Masters (PG) and Doctorate (PhD). The top universities in France are Ecole Normale Superieure, Ecole Polytechnique, HEC, INSEAD, Pierre-and-Marie-Curie, and Université Paris-Sorbonne University in no particular order. Paris is the centre of all the renowned academic institutes. Most of the best colleges in the country are situated in cities like Nice, Paris, Lyon, Grenobleand Orleans. Space and Aviation teaching, Engineering, Business Studies, Art, History, Tourism and Hotel Management are the popular courses Indian students pursue in France.
Safety in France: France is one of the safest metropolitan areas in Europe. Violent crime rates are fairly low although some petty crimes like pickpocketing are not unheard of. If you are new in the country never leave your bags or valuables unattended in the metro, bus, or other public areas. When traveling, it's always a good idea to have your country's embassy contact details on hand, should you run into any problems. In case of an emergency, dial 112.
Weather: France experiences mild temperature throughout the year, which is neither too hot nor too cold, with regular rainfall. Each region in the country has its own particular climate - cooler to the north and west and warmer in the south. In winters there is plenty of snow. Summers are hot, with the sun shining across the country. The average temperature in winters is 8°C to 3°C. In summers, it is 15°C to 25°C.
Accommodation
Firstly, you need to decide whether you want to live in university managed accommodation, or with a private landlord. Choosing university managed accommodation can also give you a catered or self-catered option. Catered accommodation offers the benefits of your meals being cooked for you and a degree of certainty with meal costs.
If you have an idea about what you prefer, the accommodation office at your university will be able to tell you what accommodation they have available, so that's the place to start. If you are thinking of renting from a private landlord or if your chosen university can't offer you anything in its own residential premises, the accommodation office should be able to provide you with a list of private properties and landlords in the area.
Requirements
Since the language of instruction at French universities and colleges is French, you are required to prove your command over the language. International students are required to appear for French language tests.
For each course, a minimum academic record of 70% and above in Standard XII will be required. Foundations and Diploma programmes are available for students who have secured around 60%. The student should have completed 18 years of age before joining a degree programme.
It is important to note that these numbers are just for reference purpose, the actual numbers may differ from university to university.
The following documents also need to be submitted:
Attested copies of mark sheets of Standard X, XII, and the Bachelors degree (if applicable)
At least, two Academic reference letters from professors who have taught you most recently
If you have work experience then two letters of recommendation (LOR) from the employer/manager who knows you well and can comment on your professional abilities
Statement of Purpose (SOP)
Resume
Photocopied score reports of language tests and GRE/GMAT (if applicable)
Portfolio (in case of students applying for art and design courses or architecture programmes)
Others (Certificates / achievements at the state and national level and extracurricular activities)
Proof of funds
Health insurance
A copy of your passport
Couple of passport size photographs; scanned
Timeline
Most of the colleges in France accept online applications. You will have to visit each college's website to apply. In most cases you will have to make an account on the college website to provide your basic information, submit the scanned version of your documents, and pay application fees. You will be informed about the application process and stages through this account. Please refer to the website of the colleges of your choice to know the process of applying.
Application fee: All colleges require that you pay an application fee while applying. The fee amount will differ depending upon the college and course being applied to, so check with individual colleges about their application fee.
Steps: Given here are the common steps to applying for admission:
Search for colleges and courses
Contact schools and visit websites for information
Narrow down your list of schools
Take the entrance exams like French language tests, GMAT/GRE (IELTS/TOEFL if required)
Write SOPs and ask for LORs
Apply to the colleges which fit your interests
Appear for video interviews to the colleges who shortlisted you
If accepted, apply for student visa
SOP: A Statement of Purpose (SOP) is your introduction to the college and admission officers. It is always written in first person and describes the reason for applying to a particular college. It needs to highlight why you are a perfect fit for the college and why the college should accept you. The style of writing could differ from formal to casual, but it is important to remember that it should reflect your personality as well.
Essay: Essays are also required to be submitted by a prospective student. Essays are an important part of the university admissions process. Students may be required to write one or two essays, along with a few optional essays too. Common topics include career aspirations, strengths and weaknesses, skills, experiences, and reasons for considering a particular school.
LOR: A letter of recommendation (LOR) is a reference letter written by a third party describing the qualities, characteristics, and capabilities of the prospective student to recommend him to the college in terms of that individualâ??s ability to perform a particular task or function. The third party could be a professor, direct manager etc.
Intake seasons
The main intake season at all French universities is September. So the deadlines would be from February till May across different courses and universities. A few universities offer admissions in March as well. The deadlines for this intake would be from November till January.
Language exams
TCF (Test de connaissance du francais - Test of knowledge of French) and Le TEF (Test dâ Evaluation de francais - French assessment test) are the standardised language tests which are required to be taken for the purpose of getting admission to colleges in France. You can take both the TCF and Le TEF at a testing centre in India or in France.
General exams
GMAT - Since almost all MBA programmes in France are in English, the language of teaching would be English with a bit of French thrown in. French B-schools like admitting multi-lingual candidates, so it will be a bonus if you know French as well. Because of the bilingual clause, GMAT is the standard exam for getting admitted into business schools. GMAT is used to measure the abilities of potential MBA aspirants to undertake higher education in the field of business or management. It measures mathematical, English, and reasoning skills of the student.
GRE - Some universities do recommend or require a GRE score, although it is not a mandatory requirement while considering a Masters in France. You will come across many options without GRE requirement.
Scholarships
Fee waivers are awarded to international students on the criteria of merit and the need of it. Candidate with strong academics, good performance on standardised exams and extracurricular achievements would be eligible for scholarship awards and financial assistance. To benefit from these opportunities, one has to make sure to send all the required documents by particular deadlines.
Some of the scholarships available with academic institutions in France can cover partial or total expenses of attending college. Here are a few scholarships that students abroad can take advantage of:
The Michaela Farnum Memorial Scholarship by International Studies Abroad Inc. (ISA)
Dr. Carlos E. Memorial Scholarship by International Studies Abroad Inc.
Chateaubriand Fellowship by University of Illinois
IES Abroad Excellence in a Foreign Language Scholarship by Institute for the
International Education of Students
ISA Diversity Scholarship by International Studies Abroad Inc
GSE Summer Scholarship by Global Student Experience
GSE Language Development Scholarship by Global Student Experience
GSE Academic Scholarship by Global Student Experience
Boren Scholarships and fellowships by Boren Awards For International Study
Arcadia University Gilman Scholarships
Annette Kade Scholarships by International Student Exchange Program
Loans
Student Eligibility criteria: The first thing is to be aware of whether you are eligible to apply for the loan or not. The general eligibility criteria that are followed by all the banks are:
You should be an Indian national
You must have a strong academic record
You must be seeking admission to a professional, technical or other course of
study. Most banks maintain that the selected course should be job oriented
You must have secured admission to a foreign university/institution
You must be above the age of 18 years or else your parents can avail the loan
Eligibility of course: You may not get a loan on every course. Here are the kinds of courses that qualify for the education loan.
For Graduation: Job oriented professional or technical courses offered by reputed universities
For Post Graduation: MCA, MBA, MS or even diplomas
These courses could be from foreign universities or institutes approved by the state and central government
Loan amount: If your total fee is Rs 10 lakh, the bank may offer to give a loan of 80% of the amount and you will have to put in the balance 20%. This is called the margin amount. The maximum loan amount for studies abroad is generally around Rs 20 lakh by the bank. If your tuition fees amount is Rs 30 lakh, you'll have to manage the rest of the funds by yourself. Some banks charge a processing fee, while others don't. It may be a fixed amount or a percentage of the total loan amount. So if the bank charges you one per cent as processing fee, that will be an additional cost you'll have to cover.
Documentation required: You will have to provide the acceptance letter sent by the university reflecting that you have been selected for the course and the schedule of fees. You will also need to show the mark sheet of the last qualifying examination to show your academic record.
All banks have different requirement for documentation, so you need to confirm with the bank first.
Repayment: Repayment starts only after the course period. If the student gets employed within one year after completion of the course, the repayment should start immediately after the expiry of one month from the date of employment.
If you do not secure a job within a year of completing the course, then repayment starts irrespective of whether or not you are employed. The loan is generally to be repaid in 5-7 years after commencement of repayment. If the student is not able to complete the course within the scheduled time extension for completion of course, he may be permitted for a maximum period of two years. Generally, you will get up to a maximum number of 10 years to repay the loan.
Conditions
Submission of Visa application and collection of passports can be done only by the applicant himself or through a travel agent authorised by the Embassy of France, New Delhi.
Before submitting your application for a student visa at the French Consulate you must create an online CampusFrance registration file. You may contact the closest CampusFrance office for assistance or schedule an appointment through the online file or by calling the CampusFrance office.
You need to visit the VFS website to schedule an appointment at the visa application centre to submit your application.
In addition you should provide two sets of application photocopies containing the following documents:
1. Long stay application form for duration of more than 90 days
2. Two passport size photographs
3. A copy of Passport
4. A print out of your CampusFrance ID number
5. Letter of registration from the academic Institution
6. Cover letter explaining the study project and a CV/Resume
7. Proof of funds - tuition fees + a minimum of 615 Euros/month, for the complete academic term
8. Proof of medical insurance with coverage valid in France
9. Copy of your round trip airline ticket (if you are studying six months or less) or a one way ticket (if you are studying in France for more than six months)
10. OFII form (Office Francais de Immigration et de Integration)
11. Proof of residency in France such as a lease, electricity bill, title of property etc. for a minimum of three months or a Hotel reservation
Work permit
The French law allows students to do 964 hours of part-time work in a given year. International students are also eligible for student jobs at universities. Students are hired to provide assistance to incoming students, helping disabled students, tutoring, IT support and assistance, working in the career center etc.
Student employees are supposed to follow a work schedule that will not interfere with their studies. The terms and conditions of employment are adapted to the requirements of each student's programme so as to ensure academic success while offering work experience.
Visa for spouse
Spouses and children may be permitted to reside in France while you study, but this is conditional. These conditions include having enough and appropriate financing and a living space. Cases are decided on an individual basis at the France embassy, and special consideration may be given to your case if you are able to explain your situation to the consulate effectively.
If you were accepted by a French university for a Bachelor's degree (which is called a "Licence"), your spouse would not be given a visa to accompany you or be permitted to work in France unless s/he is a European citizen. The case might be different for Research or doctorate students. They may be allowed to take along their spouse or kids, but that depends on various terms and rules.