Admission process in France

Admission requirements in France

Language exams

French. To confirm your French proficiency, it is necessary to pass the DELF/DALF or TCF exam. For admission to the first year of study, a B2 certificate is sufficient. Subsequent years of study require a C1 level of proficiency.

English language. French universities offer study programs in English, with most being available at business schools and public universities. Most often, these are master’s programs in the exact and natural sciences, or management and economics. To confirm your knowledge of English, you must provide a B2-C1 IELTS / TOEFL certificate. Both certificates are valid for two years.

Diploma legalization

France adopted the 1961 Hague Convention. If your country is one of the Contracting Parties, an apostille is required. After this you need to translate the diploma into French and notarize it.

Entrance exams

There are no official entrance exams at French universities. However, this does not apply to higher schools (grandes écoles) and certain faculties. They evaluate the knowledge of a student in specific areas. For example, humanities students are tested on their knowledge of French, the intended area of study, and sometimes history or geography. Engineering students take mathematics, English or French exams, along with a specialization test. The higher the university ranking, the more difficult the entrance exams — for instance, those applying to the École Polytechnique start preparing at least a year in advance.

Admission process in France

How to enroll in a bachelor’s program

A bachelor’s degree in France is called a licence. Programs last three years. All applicants who have completed their upper secondary education in France (baccalauréat) or its equivalent in another country can apply for study. No university preparatory courses are required for those who have graduated from the 11th grade. The only condition is that students under 18 must find a guardian with French citizenship.

Students from most countries apply with Campus France. Admission procedure depends on your nationality and country of residence. There are four categories of applicants:

• European — they apply on the Parcoursup platform
• Non-European living in Europe — they file a preliminary request for admission, Demande d'Admission Préalable, and send applications to the department of cooperation and cultural action at the French Embassy
• Not a European or living in a country affected by "Etudes en France" procedure — they follow the same steps as non-European students living in Europe
• Student from a country affected by Etudes en France procedure

Applications are accepted from October to January. If you apply on the Parcoursup platform, deadlines are from December to March. The exact dates change from year to year. Information for public universities, architectural and medical schools can be found on Campus France, and for private universities — on their official websites.

Not all universities are connected to the Campus France platform. In this case, the application is submitted through the university website.

How to enroll in a master’s program

Master’s (master) programs in France last two academic years. Documents are submitted to state universities through Campus France. Some of them conduct entrance tests: exams, interviews, or research presentations. Sometimes, a letter is required from a prospective supervisor for whom the student is planning to write a final thesis (le mémoire). French universities evaluate the student’s qualifications and document legalization on an individual basis.

The candidate cannot change his field of study upon acceptance into a French master's program. He can only continue studying the same subject in which he obtained his bachelor's degree.