Long-Stay Student Visa VLS-TS (visa long séjour valant titre de séjour 'étudiant')Study in France from India
Public universities charge non-EU 'differentiated' fees: ≈€2,902/yr bachelor's, ≈€3,941/yr master's (≈₹2.6–3.5 lakh); many universities partially waive them; private business/engineering schools run €8,000–20,000+/yr. Applications are filed from India via Online via France-Visas after completing the Campus France 'Études en France' (EEF) process; biometrics and file submission at VFS Global France centres across India — and everything from admission to the visa appointment can be handled for you, end to end.
₹24,999–₹34,999
18% GST included. The visa fee, insurance and the funds you show are separate — see the split below.
Talk to us on WhatsAppPro Lifeset Overseas Pvt Ltd · Govt Licence 849/DC/PTA/PLA/LC-3/2024. Admission and visa decisions rest with institutions and embassies.
- Visa fee
- €50
- Funds to show
- ≈₹79,000/month (≈₹9.5 lakh/year)
- Processing
- Campus France EEF stage ty…
- Apply via
- Campus France → VFS Global
The money, honestly
What you spend. What simply stays yours.
Most agents blur these two numbers together. The visa asks you to show funds — that money remains yours to live on in France. What you actually spend on the visa process is far smaller.
You spend
visa process, one-time- Campus France EEF fee
- ₹20,000
- Long-stay visa fee (€50)
- ≈₹4,500
- VFS service charge
- ≈₹3,000–3,500
- VLS-TS validation e-stamp after arrival (≈€50)
- ≈₹4,500
- Translations / notarisation
- ≈₹2,000–6,000
- Travel to VFS centre
- ≈₹1,000–6,000
- Realistic total
- ≈₹35,000–45,000
Our filing service is charged separately (₹24,999–₹34,999, 18% GST included).
You show
stays your money≈₹79,000/month (≈₹9.5 lakh/year)
€877.50/month (~€10,530/year) — new threshold effective 1 Aug 2026, up from €615/month
Bank balance/education loan in your name, or a sponsor's 'attestation de prise en charge' with income proof — shown as available funds, not deposited with anyone
This is proof of funds, not a fee — you live on it in France.
Excludes tuition (≈₹2.6–3.5 lakh/yr at public unis unless waived), the €877.50/month funds you SHOW (that stays your money), flights, and living costs.
Studying in France: the essentials
- Visa fee
- €50 (reduced EEF-country rate; standard long-stay is €99)
- Work while studying
- Up to 964 hours/year (≈20 hrs/week, 60% of full-time) on the VLS-TS — no separate work permit needed
- Intakes
- September (main) + January/February (limited programs)
- Visa processing
- Campus France EEF stage typically 3–6 weeks (file check + interview); visa decision usually 1–3 weeks after VFS biometrics — start 3+ months before intake
- After you graduate
- Job-search/business-creation permit (APS/RECE): 12 months, renewable once to 24 months for Indian graduates under the India–France migration partnership
Step by step
Admission to boarding, one clear path.
- 1
Build your EEF file
Register on the 'Études en France' portal, upload academics, and pay the ₹20,000 Campus France fee (raised from ₹18,500 on 1 Aug 2026).
- 2
Campus France interview
An academic-credibility interview (English is fine). Its report travels with your visa file — course logic matters.
- 3
Secure admission + funds
Accept your offer and arrange proof of €877.50/month — bank funds, education loan, or sponsor attestation.
- 4
Apply on France-Visas
Fill the online long-stay application, generate the receipt, and book a VFS Global appointment.
- 5
VFS submission + biometrics
Pay €50 visa fee + VFS service charge, give biometrics, submit the full file.
- 6
Decision and passport collection
Track via VFS; collect passport with the VLS-TS vignette.
- 7
Validate VLS-TS after arrival
Within 3 months of landing, validate online (ANEF) and pay the ≈€50 e-stamp — skipping this makes your stay irregular.
Your file
Documents we prepare with you
- Passport valid beyond the stay with 2+ blank pages
- Campus France EEF attestation (interview completed)
- Admission / pre-registration letter from the French institution
- France-Visas application form + CERFA receipt
- Proof of funds: €877.50/month (bank statements, education-loan sanction, or sponsor attestation + income proof/ITRs)
- Proof of accommodation for at least the first 3 months
- Academic transcripts, degree certificates, language scores (IELTS/TOEFL or DELF/TCF)
- Two ICAO-standard photos
- Cover letter / CV consistent with the study plan
- Flight reservation (paid ticket not required)
Learn from refusals
Why France refuses student files
Weak or inconsistent academic project exposed at the Campus France interview (unexplained gaps, course unrelated to background)
Funds not credibly shown — sudden large deposits, sponsor income that can't support €877.50/month
Doubts about genuine student intent or inconsistent/unverifiable documents
- Already refused once?See how we rebuild refused files
France universities and what they charge you
8 institutions we costed at the non-EU rate — the fee an Indian passport-holder pays, which is often several times the EU figure quoted elsewhere. Every row links to the page the fee was read from.
At public universities tuition is fixed nationally by ministerial decree, with a separate higher "differentiated" rate for non-EU students that each institution may waive for only a capped share of them from 2026-27, while...
Checked against official sources on 2026-08-27. Fees are per year and exclude the semester contribution some universities charge. They move every intake — open the source before you budget.
- €175 – €250
Université Paris Cité
Paris · Public · Some English-taught degrees, mostly at master's level
- €178 – €254
Université Paris-Saclay
Gif-sur-Yvette · Public · Many English-taught degrees, mostly at master's level
- €2,902 – €3,950
Université de Strasbourg
Strasbourg · Public · Some English-taught degrees, mostly at master's level
- €14,900 – €20,640
Sciences Po
Paris · Public · Many English-taught degrees
- €22,000
emlyon business school
Lyon · Private · Many English-taught degrees
- €15,400 – €28,950
École Polytechnique
Palaiseau · Public · Many English-taught degrees
- Not published
Sorbonne Université
Paris · Public · Some English-taught degrees, mostly at master's level
Our source check could not settle this figure — confirm it on the university's own page before you budget.
- Not published
Université Grenoble Alpes
Grenoble · Public · Many English-taught degrees, mostly at master's level
Our source check could not settle this figure — confirm it on the university's own page before you budget.
Country-wide, public universities run from €2,902 to €3,950 a year for a non-EU student, and separately you must prove €878 a month. Tuition and the money you show are different things — see the split above.
Country figures read from campusfrance.org, service-public.gouv.fr, campusfrance.org.
France student-visa FAQs
Is the Campus France interview a visa interview?
No — it's an academic-credibility check, but its report goes to the consulate with your file. A muddled course-choice story there is a top refusal driver.
Do I need French to study in France?
Not for English-taught programs — IELTS/TOEFL or a university English-medium letter usually works. French-taught courses need DELF/TCF around B2.
Can my parents' money count as proof of funds?
Yes — via a sponsorship attestation with their bank statements and income proof, or funds transferred to your account well in advance. The money is only shown; nobody keeps it.
Can I stay in France after my course?
Indian graduates can apply for the APS/RECE job-search or business-creation permit — 12 months, renewable to 24 under the India–France agreement. It is a stay option, not a job or PR guarantee.
Start with an honest answer
A ₹499 possibility report tells you Yes / Maybe / No for France before you spend anything serious — refunded or credited if we file for you.
Talk to us on WhatsAppSureshotVisa is a brand of Pro Lifeset Overseas Pvt Ltd · Govt Licence 849/DC/PTA/PLA/LC-3/2024 · Verify us. We prepare and file your application — admission and visa decisions rest with institutions and embassies. No consultant can guarantee a visa.
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