Study in France: Key Application Terms 

In this guide, we’ll cover essential terms that you should know if you’re planning to study in France.

Campus France

• The French national agency for the promotion of higher education, international student services, and international mobility. 
• This government body operates under the French Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of higher Education and Research in charge of promoting higher education in France.
• In India, the Campus France network is part of  the cooperation service of the French Embassy in India.

Etudes en France 

• It is the central application system to Study in France. The platform allows international non-European students to apply to public and private universities and student visas by submitting one and only application.
• For a bachelor program, you can only apply to up to 7 universities  (3 public and 4 private) or 7 private universities in total. 

ONISEP

• Providing a public service mission, ONISEP (National Office for Information on Education and Professions) is part of the Ministry of National Education, Higher Education and Research. 
• It is the public operator for information and guidance support.

OFII

• The French Office for Immigration and Integration (OFII) is the main operator of the General Directorate for Foreigners in France (DGEF), which designs and manages immigration and integration policies in France.

FUN

• France université numérique (FUN) is the French national platform to promote the use of massive open online courses (MOOCs).
• The FUN MOOC platform aims to offer: 1) High-level online training, for the benefit of a wide audience and support the lifelong training effort 2) Shared resources and services for the benefit of FUN member institutions, in particular higher education institutions, 3) Promotes the visibility of the French training offer in France and around the world.

Class Formats in Higher Education in France:

• In French universities, instructors and researchers give students two types of classes:
  • cours magistraux (lectures): a professor presents a subject to students in an amphitheatre for 100 to over 1,000 people. These non-mandatory classes are often written up and handed out by the instructors to students in the form of pamphlets, which can prove very handy when it comes time to revise for exams at the end of the semester.
  • travaux dirigés (TD – tutorials) and travaux pratiques (TP- practical or lab work): these mandatory classes are for smaller groups and are a complement to the lectures, with the intention of applying and deepening theoretical understanding. Company internships may also be required in addition to the tutorials and practical work.

Classes Internationales

Classes Internationales is a year-long academic and cultural program that prepares high school graduates from India, Vietnam, China, South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya for higher education in France. It combines academic prep, language learning, and cultural immersion by offering the skills, guidance and confidence needed to succeed at France’s leading universities.

Parcoursup (French undergrad application platform):

• Launched in January 2018, Parcoursup is the national platform for admission to 1st year courses in the first cycle of higher education.
• If you prepare or have a French or European Baccalaureate, you must rank your choices on the Parcoursup Platform.

VLS-TS Visa

• The VLS-TS student visa allows you to pursue studies in France for a period of four months to one year. 
• It must be validated upon your arrival in France. If you would like to continue your studies after it expires, you may apply for a multi-annual residence permit. 

APS (Autorisation Provisoire de Séjour):

• The temporary residence permit for the purpose of studies and business research concerns international students from countries that have concluded bilateral agreements with France (on professional migration or the concerted management of flows). 
• These include the following countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Republic of Congo, Mauritius, Gabon, Tunisia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, India.
• The temporary residence permit, or APS, allows these students to remain in France to seek employment after completing their studies.

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