Master's Degree in France

Application process for Master's degree in France

The admission procedure depends on the type of educational institution — public / private university or grande école. Documents in the public university can only be submitted through the organization Campus France. It deals with the processing of all applications of foreign students. According to the rules of the French Foreign Ministry, foreign candidates can choose no more than 7 universities in one or more related specialties^[3]. Usually the change of specialty is impossible. A candidate has to continue the studies in the same scientific field as during the Bachelor's degree.

Students from 45 countries participating in the program Etudes en France go through several stages:

• Creation of an electronic dossier according to instructions;
• Payment of the registration fee;
• Interview with representatives of Campus France of a particular region. Candidates have to explain their desire to study in France, justify the choice of university and specialty, and talk about their career plans.

Important: not all universities accept applications through the online dossier. Some universities are not connected to the system and require sending documents by mail. But even if an applicant fills out the application themselves, it is still necessary to go through all the stages of the Etudes en France procedure before contacting the consulate — without registering for Campus France, it’s not possible to apply for a visa.

Also note that some universities establish additional entrance tests — an interview, an exam or presentation of a future research project.

Once a student successfully enrolls, they must immediately apply for a visa. Master's students receive a long-stay visa, which is equivalent to a residence permit. Read more about the process of obtaining it here.

Admission to the Master's degree program (Mastère spécialisé) at the grandes écoles is not standardized. The procedure and the specific list of documents depend on the specific educational institution, and applications, as a rule, are submitted in the applicant's personal account on the university website. To enter higher education, a candidate needs to pass a specialized exam — for example, GRE or GMAT.

List of documents required to apply for Master’s degree in France

Approximate list of documents:

• Bachelor’s degree and academic transcript;
• Research plan;
• Certificate confirming the level of the language (TCF 400+ / DELF 75+ / DALF 50+ for French-speaking programs, TOEFL 85+ / IELTS 6.5+ for English-speaking);
• Specialized entrance exams (GRE / GMAT);
• CV;
• Motivation letter;
• Letters of recommendation.

In addition to the standard set of documents for admission to French public universities, it is also possible to attach a copy of the employment record book. This is necessary to demonstrate professional experience, especially if the applicant had worked in the same specialty for which they are applying. Also, sometimes a letter from the future academic advisor in France needs to be provided.

Grandes écoles often require specialized exams and organize additional entrance tests (interviews, portfolio assessment, presentation and/or defense of a research project).

The minimum level of French for admission is B2. Some specialties, such as Law, require C1 level for enrollment.

Important: All documents must be notarized and translated into the language of the chosen program (French or English). The exact list must be checked on the website of the selected university.

Validation of foreign studies and degrees in France

Unless there is an agreement between France and the applicant’s country on the mutual recognition of education, qualifications and academic degrees, students from other countries must go through the procedure of legalization. This is necessary for the educational document to have legal power abroad. Since France is included in the list of 120 member countries of the 1961 Hague Convention, the process is simplified: it is enough to add a special sign — an apostille.

Deadline for submission of documents in France

Each academic year, the deadline for submission changes. As a rule, the acceptance of applications through Campus France opens at the beginning of December. Before the beginning of March, applicants must create, fill out and send for verification an electronic dossier; by the end of April — pay the registration fee and pass an interview. If the application is sent through the Campus France system, the response will come in the dossier Etudes en France approximately until mid-May or early June. If documents are submitted to a university or a grande école that is not connected to the system, the answer will come directly to the personal account on the university website. After receiving the invitation, the student must confirm the decision to study at the selected university until July^[3].

Master’s taught in English in France

France strives to attract as many international students as possible. Therefore, out of 1600+ Master's programs, about 1200 are available in English. Mostly offered by grandes écoles, especially business and engineering schools. You can view the full list in the catalog of Campus France.

When choosing a specialty in English, it is important to consider several features:

• Often only Master 2 programs are available. English courses are offered by both public universities and grandes écoles. However, in the second case, it is often possible to enroll only in the second year of a Master's program. This means that the applicant must already have 60 credits in the first two semesters of Master 1.
• Mainly technical and business specialization. While liberal arts programs can be found, the country's top universities offer mostly courses in business, management, engineering, and technology.

Studying in France

The academic year lasts from September to June. The application process depends on the program and the university. A Master's degree at a public university lasts four semesters and includes theoretical, methodological and practical classes, as well as one or more internships. In total, students study 25-30 hours per week^[20]. A lot of time is devoted to self-study, especially when writing a scientific work (la rédaction d'un mémoire). Grades for current assignments and exams are given on a 20-point scale. To get a sufficient number of study credits, students need to have an average of at least 10 points during the semester.

Writing a mémoire (graduate work or dissertation) is a mandatory final stage of studies. Some universities offer research methods courses, but the organization of the process is up to students and requires self-discipline. Regardless of the university, the general steps for creating a mémoire are:

• Choosing the topic and the formulation of the research problem (problématique de mémoire);
• Selection of the academic advisor (directeur de mémoire);
• Preparation of a work plan and analysis of literature;
• Basic research and collection of results;
• Editing, together with the advisor;
• Defense in front of the jury: presentation, answers to questions.

The total number of pages for a research paper is 60-90 pages^[21].

Studying at grandes écoles is different from studying at public universities. Students have more freedom, often there is not even compulsory attendance. However, missing classes is rare. It is much more difficult to enroll in these institutions, and education is expensive, so students understand the value of their studies. Much attention is paid to the development of professional skills and internships; practice in one of the partner companies is an obligatory element of the program.

Working while studying in France

A long-stay student visa entitles you to part-time work — no more than 18-20 hours per week. In France, the minimum wage is guaranteed (salaire minimum interprofessionnel de croissance — SMIC). Today it is 12 USD per hour^[22]. When calculating the final salary, you need to deduct the mandatory social security contributions — about 20%^[23]. So, working 20 hours a week, a student can earn at least 741 USD monthly.

There are three main employment options available to students:

• At the university. Students can work on campus for no longer than a year. They welcome freshmen, work as tutors, help organize cultural and sporting events, and accompany students with disabilities. Working hours depend on the schedule, in this regard, there are restrictions: students cannot work more than 670 hours from September to June and more than 300 hours from July to August^[23].
• Outside the university. As a rule, this is part-time work in restaurants, bookstores, cultural and exhibition centers, libraries, tutoring or babysitting.
• Internship. Depending on the program, an internship may be required for obtaining a degree. A contract must be signed between the university and the host organization^[23].

Graduate Internships in France

Internships are most commonly a compulsory part of the program at public universities, however, their importance is lower than that of the main course. Duration is one to six months. Students can take an internship both in a private and in a public organization. Is it compulsory to pay interns only if the internship lasts more than two months. Shorter employment can be either paid or unpaid, depending on the conditions of the employer. Minimum payment — 4 USD per hour^[24].

As a rule, internships go like this:

• Choosing a suitable vacancy. All positions that are related to a specialty or scientific research are suitable. The best resources to search can be found on the website of Campus France.
• Hiring. Employers usually ask for a resume (CV), sometimes a motivation letter. Then the student undergoes an interview, according to the results of which he is offered employment.
• Registration of documents at the university. Depending on the institution, candidates need to provide proof of successful recruitment and an application for an internship, approved by an official representative of the university.
• Internship. Students' rights are strictly regulated by French law. You can find out more about the conditions, including time off and vacations, on the administration website.
• The final stage. The employer provides a document indicating the total number of hours and wages issued. Some universities, such as the Sorbonne^[25], ask to perform in front of a jury with a report on the results of the internship.