Do I Need a Student Visa in France?

If you are a citizen of the European Union you will need either a valid passport or an identity card depending on your country of origin.

If you are not an EU national and plan to study in France you will need to know which documents you may require. You can use the visa wizard to find out exactly what you need to do.

Generally if you require a visa to study in France for a course or programme:,

• not exceeding three months, you will be issued a short-stay visa;
• exceeding three months or six months, you will be issued a temporary long-stay visa, which will require no further formalities on your arrival in France;
• exceeding six months, you will be issued a long-stay visa, equivalent to a residence permit, which will be subject to further formalities on your arrival in France.

To be eligible for a visa:

• You must be over 18 years of age;
• You must have already chosen your training course or studies. For more comprehensive information about the courses and diploma preparations on offer, please visit: Campus France ;
• You must be accepted by a higher education establishment. Enrolment conditions differ depending on your nationality, please check the Etudes en France website to see if your country or territory is included in the online enrolment scheme.