How to apply if you are a non-European living in Europe

étudiante  devant un ordinateur
étudiante devant un ordinateur
© chinnarach - stock.adobe.com

Non-EU students living in Europe must file a "Demande d'Admission Préalable -DAP" (preliminary request for admission) to apply in first year of “Licence” (Bachelor’s) or directly contact institutions for other levels.

Enrolling in the first year of a Bachelor's

Students who reside in Europe but do not have the nationality of a European country and who wish to enrol in France in the first year of training at “Licence” (Bachelor's) level must file a "Demande d'Admission Préalable - DAP" preliminary request for admission. It must be filed between October and December preceding the academic year in which they wish to begin studying in France.

Applications must be sent to the department of cooperation and cultural action at the French Embassy in the applicant's country of residence. The white files concern enrolment in first-year university; the yellow for first year in a school of architecture.

“European” students are students with the nationality of one of the countries of the European Union, one of the countries of the EEA (UE + Norway, Iceland, Lichtenstein), or of Switzerland, Monaco and Andorra.

 

Foreign students who reside in France, who do not have French nationality, do not hold or future holders of the French or European Baccalaureate, must also submit a premiminary request for admission (Green File).

Students from Ukraine who benefit from temporary protection are not affected by the preliminary request for admission (DAP "green file"). They must apply directly to the university of their choice.

 

Timetable of the "Demande d'Admission Préalable - DAP" procedure to join the French higher education for the academic year 2024/2025

  • Registrations open on  1st October 2023
  • Registrations close on 15 December 2023

Your application will be examined at the same time by the 3 universities you have requested. 
 

  • University response and proposals for acceptance : before 30 April 2024
    If it occurs, universities will share with you exemptions from which you may benefit. 
     
  • Student response : before 31 May 2024
    If you have received several acceptance proposals, you will have to make a choice.
    Attention, if you do not answer before 31 May, the absence of answer will be condidered as a refusal. 

 

Enrolling in Bachelor's, Master's and Doctorate programmes

Non-EU students living in Europe and willing to enrol in the second or third year of a Bachelor's, Master's or Doctorate degree in France must directly contact the Higher education institutions concerned.

The Campus France catalogues can help you select the institutes and programmes that interest you. You must then file a request for enrolment with the institutes concerned. Each institute has its own specific procedures.

If your application is accepted, you will receive a document confirming your admission. From that point on, you will be able to undertake the procedures with the French Consulate in your country of residence to obtain a visa. Ask for a student visa if your admission is for a Bachelor's or Master's programme. If it is for a doctoral programme, you can ask for a talent passport visa "chercheur".

CampusArt

Registrations open on 2 November 2022 and close on 28 february 2023.

Good to know

Even if the "Etudes en France" (Studying in France) procedure applies in their country of origin, non-European students residing in Europe do not need either to return to their native country nor to follow this procedure.

Follow the main steps to come study in France

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