student visa in france from philippines

This article is dedicated to a comprehensive discussion on how to deal with student visa process from the Philippines. It will help you in understanding the issues related to student visas for studying in France, Hong Kong and Singapore.

Trying to accomplish student visa in France from Philippines can be quite a difficult task but it’s not impossible. You may have heard that France grants more visas and accept more students than United States. They have a high demand of foreign students especially Filipino students that France accepts more than a 100,000 of Filipinos every year.

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Getting a student visa in France can be a stressful and confusing process. The good news is that if you’re moving to France to study, there are several different types of visas available to you.

Most students looking to get a student visa in France will first need to find a school they would like to attend. You can search for schools by region or type of education in order to narrow down your options. Once you have found an institution that meets your needs, you can apply for an admission letter from the school itself. You’ll also need proof of financial independence (usually in the form of a bank statement or scholarship award letter) as well as proof of health insurance coverage (which must cover at least €30,000). The application fee varies depending on whether or not you’re applying for a Master’s degree; it costs €150 for most Master’s programs but only €120 for Ph.D.’s and other post-graduate degrees.

After submitting this application package, it takes four weeks for the school’s admissions office to review all documents and make sure everything is submitted correctly before sending their recommendation letter directly to Paris’ embassy office; once this happens, it usually takes another two weeks before receiving confirmation from the embassy that your application has been accepted (or denied).

If you want to study in France, you’ll need a student visa.

The process is a little different depending on whether or not you’re an EU citizen, but we’ve got all the information you need to get started on your application.

WHY STUDY IN FRANCE?

The higher education system in France offers excellent programs across all disciplines and study levels. It has 3,500 plus higher education institutions with a diverse range of subjects. With  a France study visa you can study in colleges teaching Engineering, Business Management, Tourism and Social Work, Culinary Arts and Hotel Management.

• Universities in France provide quality higher education tailored for the needs of the students and offer exceptional R&D opportunities
• France has an ambience favorable for young Entrepreneurs and innovation
• Outstanding career prospects with options for Post Study Visa
• The Top 20 Universities in France are ranked and recognized by QS in the global top 500 list
• The Government of France subsidizes a vast share of the actual tuition costs and thus Tuition fees are low at Public Universities
• An analogous Grandes Ecoles system that is on par with a Masters degree

COST OF STUDYING IN FRANCE

The average tuition fees for overseas students will depend on the Universities in France that they have selected. It will also vary depending on your course and your nationality whether you belong to a country in the EU or a non-EU country.

Undergraduate Bachelor Degree	€ 2,770 – € 10,000 yearly
Postgraduate Master’s Degree	€ 3,770 – € 10,000 yearly

UPCOMING INTAKES IN FRANCE

The application deadlines for Universities in France are diverse. Nevertheless, the two major intakes are: Intake 1: Summer Semester – It commences in October and is the major intake Intake 2: Winter Semester – It commences in April and is available only for selected courses

WORK AUTHORIZATION FOR STUDENTS

The law allows international students on a student visa to work for a total of 964 hours per year, or 60% of the regular working hours in France. Part-time employment would not be enough to cover all of the costs, but it can be considered as a supplementary income.

ELIGIBILITY CONDITIONS FOR STUDENTS

If you are a student on a France study visa

• You must be over 18 years of age;
• For a training course not exceeding three months, you will be issued a short-stay visa;
• For a training course 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;
• For training or a course 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.

Spouse: The dependent will get a visitor’s visa and will not be authorized to work either. They might be authorized to work in the country if their partner/spouse is employed in France.

DOCUMENTS REQUIRED

• Visa application form for France study visa
• Age over 18 years
• 2 passport size photos
• A valid passport and copies of your previous Visas if any
• Official Letter of Acceptance/Enrolment from the University in France
• Evidence of monetary means for covering all expenses during the period of study
• Air flight reservation/ticket with the date of departure
• Medical insurance that can cost around 30,000 Euros yearly
• Documents that state the arrangement for accommodation during your studies
• If you have enrolled in a course taught in French, you will need proficiency certificate for the French language
• Evidence of payment of Visa fees
• If applicable, proof of civil status

Working during studies

International students on a student visa in France are allowed to work for a total of 964 hours per year, or 60% of the regular working hours in France. Part-time work would not be enough to cover all of the expenses, but it might be used as a supplement.

Student eligibility requirements 

• Students must be at least 18 years old.
• Students can get a short-stay visa if they take a training course that lasts less than three months.
• Students will be awarded a temporary long-stay visa if their training course lasts more than three months or six months, and they will not need to complete any further paperwork when they arrive in France.
• Students will be awarded a long-stay visa, which is equal to a residency permit, if their training or course lasts longer than six months.

Options for post-study visas

Bachelor degree holders can only stay in France after completing their studies if they have a work visa; students studying Masters degrees in France can apply for and receive a temporary residency permit – APS (Autorisation Provisioire de Séjour) for a duration of 24 months.

If you have a master’s, PhD, or post-graduate degree from a French university, you can acquire a two-year Schengen visa extension.

If a student can find work that pays more than 1.5 times the minimum salary, he or she is qualified to apply for a Work Permit, which is the first step toward obtaining a European Union Blue Card (Permanent Residence).

FRANCE STUDENT VISA REQUIREMENTS:

• Visa application form for France Study Visa
• Age over 18 years
• 2 passport size photos
• A valid passport and copies of your previous Visas if any
• Official Letter of Acceptance/Enrolment from the University in France
• Evidence of monetary means for covering all expenses during the period of study
• Air flight reservation/ticket with the date of departure
• Medical insurance that can cost around € 311 – € 714 yearly
• Documents that state the arrangement for accommodation during your study in France
• If you have enrolled in a course taught in French, you will need proficiency certificate for the French language
• Evidence of payment of Visa fees
• If applicable, proof of civil status

WORKING IN FRANCE DURING YOUR STUDIES

The law authorizes foreign students on a France study visa to work 964 hours during the year, which corresponds to 60% of normal working hours in France (except for Algerian nationals whose working time is limited to 50% of normal working hours in France). Part-time work will not be sufficient to cover all your expenses and should be considered as a secondary source of income.

AFTER YOU GRADUATE

• Upon completing the studies in France, Bachelor degree holders can stay in France only if they have a work permit; the students pursuing Masters from France can apply and get a temporary residence permit – APS (Autorisation Provisioire de Séjour), for a period of 24 months.
• Students can get 2 years extended Schengen visa if they hold a masters or PhD or post-graduate degree from one of the universities on France
• If a student is able to find employment that is with more than 1.5 times of the minimum wage guarantee, s/he is eligible to apply for a Work Permit which is the primary requirement to get a European Union Blue Card (Permanent Residence).

Conclusion

There are several steps to applying for a visa. First, you need to appear for an interview with Campus France, then you need to submit your documents with VFS

• Log on to india.campusfrance.org. At the “Register online” box click on Create Your Account. 
• Fill the Academic records, Language skills, and CV+SOP sections. Upload documents, photograph, and academic records. Ensure that all fields in the Validation tab indicate “Complete”.
• Send your file number to the assigned Campus France office to get your file reviewed, and to request an appointment.
• You will have to appear in person for the academic interview with the Campus France advisor. You must also carry all the mandatory documents plus one set of photocopies along with the Campus France fee payment receipt.
• You will receive an Interview completion certificate at the end of the interview.
• After the academic interview, schedule an appointment with VFS-France, to submit your documents, photocopies, receipts, and passport.

Note: The Embassy of France, New Delhi has implemented a change in arrangements for the collection of the processed passport from visa application centers. With effect from 8th December 2014, it will no longer be possible for third parties to collect the documents on behalf of an applicant, except in the following cases:

• Immediate family members (Parent, Child or sibling)
• One member of a group collecting for the entire group
• A person collecting on behalf of Govt. officials if authorized on the Govt. letterhead or department
• A representative of a company – Authorization letter on the letterhead of the company and the official ID card of the representative.