What steps to obtain a student visa in France?

After thinking about their future and the path they want to take, many students of different nationalities opt for France. Historically and culturally rich, in addition to offering qualifying training, this country attracts a lot of students from various continents. If you plan to start the steps relating to registration in France, you are aware that there are thoughtful steps to follow. Once the registration of the chosen school validated, it is now necessary to think about the administrative procedures. From registration on Campus France to the educational interview, including the visa application, here is everything you need to know to carry out your project!

The countries affected

You are concerned by the obligatory passage of Campus France if you are resident in one of these countries: Algeria, Argentina, Benin, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, South Korea , Ivory Coast, Djibouti, Egypt, United States, Gabon, Guinea, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Madagascar, Mali, Morocco, Mauritius, Mauritania, Mexico, Nigeria, Peru, Democratic Republic Congo, Russia, Senegal, Singapore, Taiwan, Chad, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Vietnam. For countries not on this list, it is recommended to contact Campus France in the country in question. Or make an appointment directly with the consulate.

What is Campus France for?

Campus France is a public establishment which is responsible for promoting French higher education abroad. In addition, it is responsible for encouraging international mobility and managing scholarship programs, since it provides students and foreign researchers with several tools that would allow them to continue their studies in France. Among the activities highlighted by this organization, you will find the language test. Indispensable for your efforts, you will have to do it in advance to ensure an interesting score. That said, this step should not be overlooked, because it is essential since the consistency of the students' journeys will be studied meticulously.

A- Register on Etude en France

Before going further, it is strongly advised to pay close attention to the information you will provide during your registration, in particular the links relating to Campus France in your country. Indeed, you must take into consideration the country where you are! For example, if you live in Senegal, you must follow the "Campus France Senegal" link. If you live in Algeria, follow the link "Campus France Algeria". Thereafter, you will be required to make an appointment and it would be a shame to realize, at the last minute, that you have registered on a site belonging to another country. Now that you know on which site you should continue the process, the serious things will start!

In the interface that will be suggested to you, you will have to go to the menu "I am accepted" (you will have the prior agreement of the school). Three stages await you:

1 - I am finalizing my procedure: it consists of listing the reasons why you wish to go to France to continue your studies. Thereafter, you will have to register your personal information. This step consists of adding your study projects, acceptances of diploma courses, language test, competitions, etc. At the end, you must review and confirm your choices.

2- I create my application: for this step, you must make an appointment to check all of your original documents.

3- The Campus France area checks my application: as soon as your file is submitted, you will follow its progress and its validation by the Campus France area.

B- Send your application and pay the fees

When you have clicked on "I submit my file", it will be visible and it will no longer be possible to modify it by yourself. Thus, your Campus France space will take care of checking its relevance and will notify you if any parts are missing in order to add them. Following this, you will be invited to an individual interview. In addition, application fees apply for each candidate. Fees relating to the management of your file which are generally asked of you before taking the interview.

C- Have an educational interview with a Campus France advisor

This step is sometimes very frightening for some candidates. Before the interview, you are advised to prepare for it. Some classic questions may be asked. Here are a few :

- Introduce yourself !

- What is your study plan?

- What is your career plan ?

- Why did you choose France?

- Why Paris, more exactly?

- What do you know about this city and why this school?

- How do you plan to finance your studies?

This list of questions is non-exhaustive since the context may differ from one agent to another and from one file to another. While some will ask you questions about your route, others, on the contrary, will ask you about the climate! Our only advice is not to stress. In most cases, during this interview, the agents check your ability to maintain a conversation to ensure your level of language. Nothing rocket science!

Finalize your Campus France application

After the interview with a Campus France agent and once it has been validated, you will receive a notification which will allow you to finalize the process. Thus, all candidates accepted in an establishment or an exchange program in France are able to download a certificate of admission "Studies in France". The latter is a very important part for the visa application. From there, you will no longer need to get in touch with Campus France! Make way for a crucial step: the visa!

Apply for an visa

First, go to the official visa site for France and register. Subsequently, you will respond to forms "Do you need a visa?" For example. This will allow you to know what the supporting documents are and the prices for your file. The creation of an account is an obligation, which will allow you to complete your visa application. Thereafter, you will submit your file to the TLS / VFS consulate or any other service provider under the authority of your respective country.

Once the appointment is made, you will deposit the requested papers. Bring the originals and arrange them in order so as not to waste time on the day of filing.

And Excuse My French can help you

After this obstacle course, you will have a visa granted or refused. If you do not want to be burdened with administrative pressure and pressure alone, our services will allow you to take charge of certain procedures. We will study your file and make sure that no documents are missing, that it is consistent and complete. This step will give you time to prepare your interview without stressing out and avoiding clumsiness during this interview, which is decisive when it comes to issuing your visa.

An important piece of advice to consider is to plan ahead. Indeed, these steps require a sometimes significant processing time. We recommend three (03) months before, especially in the summer season. In addition, please note that the Excuse My French service cannot intervene with regard to the granting of a visa. It is up to the consular authority to make this decision.