All students are required to have a LONG STAY STUDENT VISA (or “Schengen visa”) to study in France, UNLESS they are a citizen of an EU member country. EU citizens do not need to apply for a visa.
There are two parts to the visa process with a follow-up process in Paris:
- Campus France registration
- Applying for the visa at the French Consulate or VFS Global Center
- Once in Paris, you will finalize the titre de séjour process
You must register with Campus France before going to the visa appointment at the VFS Global Center or consulate, but you can (and should) schedule your appointment at the consulate before you have completed the Campus France process. Most appointments now require that you book online. In August, appointments fill up quickly and you should go online 6 weeks before you plan to go to the appointment to schedule this. You do not need the final Campus France email to schedule your visa appointment.
If you are not a U.S. citizen- and not an E.U. citizen, immediately check your local (place of residence or study) French consulate’s website regarding a visa for your stay in France. You may not need a visa or it may take longer to obtain.