France

Information for all students

Please see the different valid entry routes to France in the table below. It should be noted that all visa information should be verified with the local Consulate/Embassy for the most up to date, accurate and real time information.

Students should ensure that their passports are signed and stamped when entering and exiting Border Control. These stamps will prove the duration of your visit and, more importantly, prove to the visa official that you have not overstayed your 90-day visit.

It is important to understand the Schengen 90/180 rule. You are allocated 90 visa-free days to use within the Schengen Zone, however you must remember these are rolling days and are added onto a cumulative total of days in the Schengen region. Leaving and entering does not reset your calculator – only leaving for a period of 90 days in a non-Schengen country will reset your visa-free 90-day allowance.

Read more about the Schengen rules

Studying for less than 3 months

Depending upon nationality, students studying in France for up to 90 days can do so without a visa. To determine if you can travel to France without a visa please see the list of non-visa required countries on the French Embassy website.

The visa wizard can help you determine which visa best suits your needs for entering and staying in France.

If you do not require a visa, you can enter France for up to 90 days and complete the following activities:

• Summer school
• Unpaid internship
• Unpaid traineeship
• Study placement

Students who do need a visa should apply for the short-stay Schengen visa via the Campus France website. Short-stay Schengen visas allow you to enter France for up to 90 days and take part in:

• Short training programmes
• Internships
• Conferences
• Corporate meetings
• Remunerated activities (whatever the form)

Gather your documents

To apply for your Schengen visa, you will need to gather the following documents:

• Visa application form
• 2 ID passport photographs
• Valid passport
• Proof of accommodation in France
• Proof of sufficient funds for your time in France
• Acceptance/admission letter, detailing the purpose of your visit to France
• Insurance letter
• Proof of application/EHIC/GHIC card

Further information on gathering the necessary documents can be found on Terra Dotta.

How to apply

Visa applications should be made online. Once paper copies have been submitted, an in-person appointment will be given at your nearest Consulate/visa centre.

Studying for 3–6 months

Students will need to apply for a temporary long-stay visa, but will require no further formalities on your arrival in France

Check with your local consulate to see which you are eligible for.

Studying for more than 6 months

Students preparing to study in France for more than 6 months must register their enrolment into higher education via the Études en France platform. Upon completion of your application, an Études en France ( number will be generated. You will need to specify your EEF number at the time of your visa application.

You will receive a confirmation email when you EEF application has been processed by Campus France. Once this has been confirmed, you may then complete your visa application on the France Visa website.

Finally, you should attend your in-person appointment at a VFS Global Centre. Your visa will then be issued and you can travel to France!

Please note that registering via the EEF platform incurs an administrative fee of £90. You can pay via bank transfer – please send your confirmation of payment to your local Consulate. Once the payment has been accepted, you will receive both an email and a notification on the platform.

Application processing takes approximately 2 weeks to 1 month. Please leave plenty of time for this.

If you are a non-EU/EEA student, you will need to apply for a long-stay visa (National D).

The 'student' temporary long-term visa (VLS-T 'étudiant') allows you to:

• Stay in France for 4–12 months to attend higher education courses
• Travel freely through the Schengen Area
• Benefit from the French social security (after having registered in a higher education institution)
• Benefit from a part reimbursement of your health expense

International students can apply for a visa online.

Please note that long-stay visa applications cannot be submitted more than 3 months prior to the start of your trip.

Gather your documents

To apply for your long-stay visa, you will need to gather the following documents:

• Visa application form
• 2 ID passport photographs
• Valid passport
• Proof of accommodation in France
• Proof of sufficient funds for your time in France
• Acceptance/admissions letter, detailing the purpose of your visit in France
• Insurance letter
• Proof of application/
• EHIC/GHIC card or proof of application

Further information on gathering the necessary documents can be found on Terra Dotta.

How to apply

Once you have registered your visa application on the French visa portal and are on track to receive your EEF number, you will need to register with the TLScontact Visa Centre. You must book an appointment and track your visa application process.

Appointments can be booked in advance (3 months and 15 days prior to your date of entry into France). It is recommended that you apply as early as possible.

In addition to the documents outlined above, you should also bring:

• France-Visas receipt
• Relevant travel documents (Passport, US Greencard, BRP card, etc.)
• Campus France email confirmation
• Campus France EEF number

Discover further information on applying for a student visa for France.

Upon arrival

When you arrive in France, you will need to complete administrative obligations to transform your visa into a regular Residence Permit. These formalities will also allow you to access the services and benefits provided by the French administration. Please note that they will differ depending on your specific visa.

You will have 3 months to complete your visa validation. If you fail to do so, you will be illegally present in France and will be unable to re-enter the Schengen Area.

The validation procedure is now completely online.

The French government reserves the right to invite you for a further meeting with the Office Français de l’Immigration et de l’Intégration (OFII).

You will need to bring the following documents to your OFII meeting:

• Stamped OFII form
• Copy of your passport's information page
• Copy of your French visa

Further information about your OFII meeting can be found on Terra Dotta.

Working for less than 3 months

Short-Term Stays (Up to 90 Days): UK nationals can enter France visa-free for tourism or business purposes for stays up to 90 days within a 180-day period. However, engaging in paid employment, even for short durations, requires a work permit. The visa-free allowance does not extend to remunerated activities.

Non-EU/non-EEA students who do require a visa to enter France should apply for a short-stay Schengen visa. This visa allows you to take part in the following activities for up to 90 days:

• Short training programmes
• Internships
• Conferences
• Corporate meetings
• Remunerated activities (whatever the form)

You can visit the following sites for further information:

• UK Gov
• Ministère de l'Intérieur

Working for more than 3 months

If you want to work for more than 6 months in France, you must apply for a student trainee visa. Upon arrival, you must apply for a TIE, which turns your trainee visa into a Residence Permit for a duration of 12 months.

Piror to obtaining a trainee visa, your employer must request approval from the French Ministry for an ‘Avis Favourable’.

In addition to all documents mentioned in the previous sections, you will also need a Convention de Stage. This is an agreement between Newcastle University, the student (you) and the organisation where the placement or internship will take place.

Your Convention de Stage form is required in both French and English. It is mandated by French law and you must apply for it before you complete your visa application as it's a required document.

Once your internship agreement has been approved by the French administration, your employer must ensure that the internship is authorised by the French Ministry.

The Convention will detail:

• Start and finish dates of your placement
• Job title
• General task/duties of the job

The form must be completed well in advance of commencing any placement. You are expected to meet all requirements and follow all procedures.

We cannot sign your Convention de Stage form until you have been accepted onto an internship. This is because we need a signature from the company that is hiring you in order to complete the form.

Your School Exchange Coordinator will be able to sign your Convention de Stage for you.

The validation procedure is now completely online.

The French government reserves the right to invite you for a further meeting with the Office Français de l’Immigration et de l’Intégration (OFII).

You will need to bring the following documents to your OFII meeting:

• stamped OFII form
• copy of your passport's information page
• copy of your French visa

Your project must be part of:

• a training course organised in your country of residence
• a school curriculum, university degree or qualification
• an EU Cooperation programme
• an intern governmental scheme in the field of education, training, youth or culture

Further information about your OFII meeting can be found on Terra Dotta.

Gather your documents

To apply for your visa, you will need to gather the following documents:

• Visa application form
• France-Visas receipt
• Travel documents (passport, US Greencard, BRP card, etc.)
• Campus France email confirmation
• Campus France EEF number
• 2 ID passport photographs
• Valid passport
• Proof of accommodation in France
• Proof of sufficient funds for your time in France
• Acceptance/admissions letter, detailing the purpose of your visit in France
• Insurance letter (responsabilité civile*)
• Proof of application/EHIC/GHIC card
• Convention de Stage

*In France, it is a legal requirement to buy responsabilité civile insurance. Further information on insurance can be found on Terra Dotta.

How to apply

Once you have registered your visa application on the French visa portal and are on track to receive your EEF number, you will need to register with the TLScontact Visa Centre. You must book an appointment and track your visa application process.

Please note that students cannot complete two student placements for more than 6 months with the same host employer. The maximum legal duration of an internship in France is 6 months. You cannot extend your current contract.

If you wish to stay with your employer, they must offer you a job once your 6 month work placement finishes. Students who wish to complete 2 work placements must do so with 2 different employers, observing any need for a gap between the placements.

British Council – Language Assistantships

Language Assistants travelling to France who do not have an EU passport or a French Residence Permit must apply for a long-stay visa (VLS-TS - visa long séjour valant titre de séjour).

You will be exempt from the visa fee but a service charge of approximately £40 (GBP) is payable for the process. You must get your passport stamped by the border authorities upon entering France. Visas must be validated within the first 3 months of your arrival – you can complete this process online.

In France, assistantships are seen as employment, so you will need to pay tax (Taxe de Primo-Délivrance) prior to starting and validating your working visa.

Guadeloupe

UK students travelling to Guadeloupe do not need a visa for visits of up to 3 months.

EU/EEA students do not require any extra documentation to reside in Guadalupe, but you should carry your residence documents and passport.

UK students who wish to study in Guadeloupe for more than 3 months must apply for a long-stay visa in the UK or from France.

Discover further details regarding visa requirements.

How to apply

Students must attend an in-person appointment with the required documents.

Monaco

EU students do not need any further documentation to enter or study in Monaco.

UK students do not need a visa to enter Monaco and study for a duration of up to 90 days.

UK students studying in Monaco for more than 90 days must apply for a long-stay visa.

Further information regarding visa requirements can be found on the France-Visas website.