Campus France India – Your Guide to Study in France

Campus France is a public institution in charge of promoting French higher education abroad and welcoming foreign students and researchers in France. It encourages international mobility and manages scholarship programmes and the alumni network.

In India, a team of 14 Campus France Managers offer free counselling. Find out who is your nearest CF Manager: he or she will help you at each step of your research and procedure to study in France.

Every week, they conduct live webinars on Zoom, a unique opportunity for prospective students to interact with Alumni and with representatives from French institutions.

Choose France Tour 2026

More than 4,000 Indian students explored 50+ world-class French universities and schools during the nationwide tour in October 2025. Many are already packing their bags for France. You could be next.

Meet experts in person, get one-on-one counseling, explore scholarships, and take your first step toward France.

Don’t miss the 2026 edition. Coming soon to a city near you.

Finding your programme

Finding your programme

Finding your programme, in English or in French, is easy. Check our catalogues and pick your subject and your level.

Application procedure

Application procedure

Indian students usually come under the “Etudes en France” procedure, also known as “Study in France”.

Scholarships

Scholarships

The French Government and the Franco-Indian Education Trust offer more than 500 scholarships every year to meritorious students.

PhD in France

France offers a stimulating research environment to scholars and students, with a widely recognized scientific output.

The research system, globally connected, attracts both foreign students and foreign investors. Every year, the PhD Tour is a unique opportunity to interact directly with the best French doctoral schools.

FAQ - Alumni Visa

5-year validity short-stay visa for Indian post-graduates who have studied in France

Indian nationals who have obtained a Master’s or higher degree, regardless of the country in which the degree was obtained (France, India, or a third country) and regardless of the year in which the degree was obtained, provided that the applicant has studied for at least one semester in France during their university studies (including before obtaining their Master’s degree).

Only alumni of Indian nationality may apply for this visa through a VFS centre. It will be processed by one of the French consulates in India (consular section in New Delhi, consulates general in Bengaluru, Kolkata, Mumbai and the Bureau de France in Chennai).

This visa can be issued only to alumni, and not to their family members.

It refers to a semester of study that is part of an academic programme for which a student – long-stay visa (VLS-TS or VLS-T) of at least 4 months has been issued.

You need to make an appointment with VFS and visit the VFS  application centre, providing the following supporting documents:

  • All the documents required to apply for a short-stay visa – tourist/private or business. For an exhaustive list, please refer to the France Visas

To prove my alumni status:

  • a copy of the Master’s (or higher) degree you obtained (in France, India, or a third country)
  • proof of having completed at least one semester of studies in France, for example by providing a certificate issued by the French institution attesting to the completion of your academic stay
  • as far as possible, a document certifying the duration of the academic stay in the said academic institution in France

You will be issued a multiple-entry short-stay visa with a maximum validity of 5 years. The duration of the short-stay visa issued will depend on the expiry date of your travel document. Please note that long-validity visas are issued only by 12-month periods. Your travel document must have a residual validity of at least 3 months after the expiry date of the visa you are issued.

This visa does not allow you to work in France or look for a job.

Post-study visas are issued to students who have just obtained a Master’s degree in France and wish to stay on to look for a job or set up their own business.

One can apply for the “post-study” visa if one holds a Master’s or higher degree obtained in France. This visa entitles the holder to a long-stay visa for a period of one year, renewable once, for a total of two years. One can apply for this long-stay visa – work – business creation / job search – at a VFS centre in India within 4 years of having obtained the Master’s degree in France.

Documents to be provided:

  • All the documents needed to apply for a long-stay visa – work – business creation/job search. For an exhaustive list, please refer to the France Visas page.

To prove that you are an alumnus with at least a Master’s degree obtained in France:

  • Copy of your residence permit bearing the word(s) “étudiant” (“student”) or “étudiant – programme de mobilité” (“student – mobility programme”), which you were issued when you obtained your degree in France, or, failing this, any document proving the possession of this residence permit.
  • Copy of the degree obtained within the four years preceding your application, at least equivalent to a Master’s degree.
  • If applicable, proof of plans to set up a business in a field related to your education.

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NOTICE

Caution

The Embassy of France in India has received multiple reports from students facing financial disputes with certain schools. In several cases, institutions demanded full tuition fees upfront but refused refunds after visa rejections.

To help prospective students make informed decisions, we are sharing notifications on such discrepancies below. Please read carefully before taking any final decision.

“It has come to the attention of the Embassy of France in India, through testimonies from several students, that The Swiss Hospitality Group has repeatedly denied them the refund of the tuition fee after they were unable to acquire a student visa for France post securing an admission to the following French SHG settlements: Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Strasbourg, Nice. They described how they had paid the full tuition fee before joining SHG, but never got their money back after the rejection of their visa application. This message intends to warn the students.

It should be noted that higher education institutions in France do not usually demand the full tuition fee before students actually arrive on campus upon attaining a student visa: only a fraction of the tuition fees is asked in order to secure the registration process. Before making any payment to any school, please make sure you are properly informed of all the terms and conditions. Campus France in India can advise you in case you have a doubt, or if you need accurate information. Please remember that if prospective students face a financial issue with SHG group or with any other school, the French Embassy will not be able to interfere, as it falls under private litigation that can only be dealt with by criminal courts of Justice. Before taking the final call, reaching out to your regional Campus France office can really help.”

Several difficulties have been encountered by students regarding their enrollment at ESLAP school.According to information received and verified by Campus France, several international students are facing difficulty to get reimbursed of their paid advance fees when experiencing a visa refusal. Campus France India cannot be considered liable for such situation.

Students are strongly advised against continuing their enrollment at this school and are reminded that they can receive free counseling and guidance from Campus France in India at any time. To make an appointment: https://www.inde.campusfrance.org/campus-france-office-near-you

It has come to the attention of the French Embassy in India and Campus France India that several students are encountering difficulties to get their advance fees reimbursed by LIGMR after experiencing a visa refusal. Campus France India, who is not involved at any stage in the recruitment process of this school, cannot be held responsible for such situation.

Students are strongly advised against continuing their enrollment at this school and are reminded that they can receive free counseling and guidance from Campus France in India at any time. 

Before confirming admission to any school, and if there is any doubt, it is advisable to book an appointment with a Campus France counsellor to ensure the recognition of the selected programme: https://www.inde.campusfrance.org/campus-france-office-near-you

Students who are yet to be reimbursed can file an online complaint with the French authorities: https://plainte-en-ligne.masecurite.interieur.gouv.fr/