The 8 steps of admission to French universities in 2023

On May 29, 2023 60

We are going to present to you in this article the 8 steps to follow to proceed to an admission in the French universities as a European or foreign student.

To study in France, you must first obtain admission to one of the French universities.

Indeed, you must consider that admissions to universities in France require several steps and conditions.

Moreover, there are general rules and overall registration deadlines to be respected in France.

However, you should note that each French university has specificities and conditions for registering and obtaining university admission.

Through the following, we will directly and indirectly answer the following questions:

How to apply for admission to a French university?
How to obtain (or have) an admission in a French university?
What are the admission requirements for a French public university?

As a result, you will find in this article the 8 steps to follow to be able to obtain admission to a French university ( public or private ).

The 8 steps of admission to French universities in 2023

Before starting, it is important to know that French universities easily accept foreign students.

On the other hand, admissions to universities in France require you to follow a well-defined process that we have divided into several steps to follow.

Here are the 8 steps to follow:

Choose the French university.
Choose your study program or specialty.
How to send an application for admission to the French university.
Apply for admission on the school’s website.
Send the documents requested by the university.
Take selection tests.
Obtain admission to a French university.
Apply for a study permit.

NB: there are some differences between the formalities for registration at universities in France.

Enrollment in a public university in France.
Enrollment in a private university in France.

Please find more details on each of these admissions steps later in this article.

1. Choose the French university

Universities in France are among the best universities in the world.

Indeed, France is one of the best countries most welcoming of foreign students.

Thus, the first step to follow is to choose the university in which you want to do your higher education.

Here are the articles that may interest you to choose a university in France:

The list of private universities in France.
List of universities in France.
List of schools in France

2. Choose your study program or specialty

Each university in France has several dozen specialties.

Indeed, there are several study programs in all French universities.

Here are some of the specialties in the universities of France:

Law and legal sciences.
Business, Management and MBA.
Physical and human sciences.
Computer science.
Architecture.
Dentistry.
Medicine.
Infirmary.
Pharmacy.
And, much more…

You can see for example:

3. How to send an application for admission to the French university.

After having chosen your university in France and your specialty and study program, it is now time to apply for admission to universities in France.

In general, there are 2 ways to send an application for admission to the first year of university (Bachelor) in a public university:

French and European students send their preliminary admission requests (DAP) via the ParcourSup platform.
Other foreign students send their preliminary admission requests (DAP) via the Study in France Pastel platform.

However, there are 4 ways to send an application for admission to the first year of university (Bachelor) in a French private university, for a master’s degree (public and private) and for a doctorate (public and private).

The site of the French university.
The platform dedicated to the French university.
The email of the French university.
And, rarely, Parcoursup or Pastel France.

4. Apply for admission on the institution’s website.

For option a, b and d, you must follow the following steps, the site or the platform of the public or private university in French:

First create your account.
You must read and complete the forms carefully.
Then, you must fill in all the fields requested when you apply for admission.
Then, you must send your application for admission or pre-registration request.
Finally, you must pay the file processing fee.
Send the documents requested by the French university.

For option c, you must send your application and the requested documents via your email.

You should note that processing times for the file can take from 1 to 6 weeks.

5. Send the documents requested by the university.

To validate your request for pre-registration or pre-admission to the French university of your choice, it will ask you for a list of documents to complete your file.

In general, here are some documents requested by the French university:

Your diplomas whether it is the Baccalaureate, the license or the Master.
Transcripts of your diplomas.
Your student CV.
A cover letter.
A letter of recommendation.
Proof of your language proficiency.
And, other documents may be requested.

If you are eligible for a scholarship, you can apply for one.

Here is, how you can study in France for free through scholarships in France.

6. Take selection tests

All French and foreign students must go through the test stage with public or private French universities.

Indeed, you will have interviews by video conference or live with the administration of the French university.

You must pass this step, a positive notification will be the subject of a letter of acceptance to a designated educational institution.

7. Obtain admission to a French university.

Here we are.

Whether :

You have selected French universities.
You have sent your applications to French universities.
And, you were initially selected among the student candidates.
In addition, you have successfully passed your interview with the French university.

Therefore, you are going to get admission to the French university.

Remember, to finalize your admission into the French university, you must pay the university fees in France.

After the payment of tuition fees, it can be said that you have passed all the conditions for admission to the French university.

8. Apply for a study permit.

Applying for a study permit for France differs depending on your nationality.

Thus, you must contact the French Embassy in your country for more information and the required documents.

This process can take up to 6 months.

Finally, after obtaining your study permit, you must register according to the procedures in force in your establishment.

Conclusion

We have seen together the steps to follow to apply for and have admission to one of the French public or private universities.

In conclusion, applications for admission to French universities must be submitted at least 3 to 12 months before the start of classes.

Certainly, you must always respect the dates of registrations in France.

However, some universities in France, especially private ones, allow foreign students to submit applications for admission throughout the year.

We always advise you to contact the French university of your choice directly for more information.

So, do not hesitate to contact universities to have further instructions.