Want to study in France? Visa process, annual fee structure for non-EU students- What Indians should know

On India’s 75th Republic Day, chief guest French President Emmanuel Macron said his government plans to welcome 30,000 Indian students to his country by 2030. The French leader said on X, "30,000 Indian students in France in 2030. It’s a very ambitious target, but I am determined to make it happen.”

So, if you are an Indian wanting to study in France, you must know what significance France hold as a destination for foreign students on the world stage. You need to know the visa process and fee structure too.
Here is everything you need to know.

Why France?

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France is among the world’s top study destinations, ranked eighth in the world and fifth in Europe.

As of today, there are more than 250,000 international students in France, including 10,000 from India.

France offers diverse and extensive education programmes to foreign students, whether they speak French or not.

There are more than 3,500 public and private educational institutionsin the country.

There are 227 engineering schools in the country, along with 72 universities, 25 multi-institute campuses and 271 doctoral schools.

There are also 220 business and management schools.

Digital education in France

The abbreviation FUN, representing France Université Numérique (Digital University France), denotes the premier French online course platform offering nearly 300 courses from over 80 institutes, with enrollment approaching the one million mark, according to data from Campus France.

Visa process

A notable advantage of studying in France is the streamlined visa process, including the five-year short-stay Schengen visa for postgraduates.

The visa process is relatively straightforward, with short-term visas taking approximately six days and long-term visas up to a month, with moderate fees.

What’s the fee for studying in France?

Tuition fees are notably low in public higher education institutions due to government subsidies.

The actual cost of education aligns with global standards - around €10,000 per year.

However, in France, the government bears a significant portion of this cost, as outlined by Campus France.

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It must be noted that Non-European Union (EU) students are subject to differentiated registration fees if:

- Enrolling for the first time in a Bachelor's or Master's degree programme, or an engineering programme.

- Within a higher education establishment under the MESR (French higher education and research ministry) purview;

- Not permanently settled in France.

Consequently, the state covers two-thirds of the study costs. The total registration fee for students is:

- €2,770 per year at the bachelor's level

- €3,770 per year at the master's level

For doctorate level programmes, the French government assumes the majority of the educational costs until programme completion.

Non-EU doctoral students are not subject to new differentiated tuition fees.

(With inputs from agencies)