Entry requirements for studying in France
What you need to be admitted in France — which is a different question from what you need for the visa. Both have to be satisfied, and the admission requirements come first.
At a glance
| English, typically | Set per programme. English-taught courses ask for IELTS or TOEFL; French-taught ones want DELF, DALF or TCF, which is the requirement people forget France still has. Check the exact level on the institution's own page |
|---|---|
| Main intakes | September is the main intake, with a smaller January one. Indian applicants go through the Études en France platform run by Campus France India, whose campaign opens well ahead of the September start — check inde.campusfrance.org for this year's dates |
What admission actually turns on
- Your academic record, converted to the local system — a percentage, a CGPA or a classification.
- English, at the level above, which is course-dependent rather than national.
- Relevant background, which matters more for conversion and specialist courses.
- Your statement, which carries more weight than applicants expect at master's level.
The English requirement is a threshold rather than a competition: meeting it comfortably is enough, and a score well above it rarely compensates for a weak academic record.
What takes longest to obtain
- Transcripts from a previous university, which can take weeks.
- References, which depend on someone else — ask six weeks ahead.
- A test score, which is fixed by test availability as much as by preparation.
- Document consistency — a name spelled differently across certificates needs an affidavit.
Intakes for France are September is the main intake, with a smaller January one. Indian applicants go t. Work backwards from the earliest deadline, which is usually a scholarship rather than an admission one.
Entry requirements — FAQs
2 questions
Set per programme. English-taught courses ask for IELTS or TOEFL; French-taught ones want DELF, DALF or TCF, which is the requirement people Confirm the requirement for your specific course.
Usually yes, on a conditional offer. The offer becomes unconditional when results are submitted, and several later steps depend on that.
Want a figure for your own course?
A counsellor puts tuition, living costs, the visa requirement and the loan into one number — free.
Let's build your free plan
Start with your details — a counsellor will guide you the rest of the way.
A counsellor calls you back during office hours — 9am to 8pm IST, Mon to Sat. We are closed right now, so your request is first in line when we reopen.
Prefer to talk? A counsellor puts tuition, living costs, the visa requirement and the loan into one number — free.
Sources
Not re-checked recently — treat the figures as indicative and confirm before you rely on them.