FAQ: reception in France of students displaced from Ukraine

1/ How can Ukrainian students enroll in French institutions?

For the beginning of the academic year in September 2023, displaced students from Ukraine who are beneficiaries of temporary protection are advised to apply directly to the universities of their choice, specifying their situation.

Students displaced from Ukraine must present proof of the granting of temporary protection, i.e., the final document (not the receipt). Additionally, universities verify that:

• the student holds a diploma granting access to higher education in the country where it was obtained (for example, a certificate of secondary studies/attestation issued in Ukraine and translated into French by a sworn translator)

• the student's level of understanding of French/English is compatible with the intended course of study (if they do not have a DELF/DALF diploma).

Ukrainian high school students who are currently in their last year of high school in France can also contact the Service Académique d'Information et d'Orientation (SAIO) of their high school, who will then direct them to an institution.

Ukrainian students applying from Ukraine have the option of applying through the Study in France platform which has remained open and accessible. They can also contact the institutions directly to apply. In this second case, official enrollment is possible only once in the territory and upon presentation of a temporary residence permit related to the temporary protection granted to Ukrainians.  

It should be noted that, regardless of the procedure that the student follows for applying to a French institution, it's better for him or her to enter the French territory under a temporary residence permit relative to temporary protection than under a student visa. This temporary protection is a special status which grants Ukrainian students a certain level of assistance (the opportunity to receive a grant based on social criteria, for example). 

Students who are in Ukraine and have questions regarding the "Study in France" platform can contact Campus France in Kiev by email: anastasiia.olkhovyk@ifu.kiev.ua or telephone: + 38 044 482 23 71.

2/ How do you choose the program corresponding to your level and your field of study within the French higher education system?

There are several tools that can help you choose a program, including the Campus France online catalogs.

To find a bachelor's-level program (бакалаврський рівень), we invite you to consult the bachelor's degree catalog.

To find a master's-level program (магістерський рівень), we invite you to consult the master's degree catalog.

To find a program in English, we invite you to consult the "Taught in English" catalog.

To find a program in art, fashion, design, music, 3D or architecture in France, we invite you to consult the CampusArt catalog.

To learn how to apply, we strongly recommend that you consult the official website of the higher education institution of your choice.

3/ Who should you ask to learn more about your chosen program in France?

Please refer to the official website of the university of your choice. You can direct your questions to the head of your chosen program and/or the International Relations Department.

4/ What level of French is required for foreign students?

For studies in French at the bachelor's and master's levels, B2 is advisable and often necessary. Some French higher education institutions may require a higher level, C1 or C2, for specific courses (law, medicine, etc.). The common reference point is the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

There are also many programs taught in English. For these, you can take a look at the Programs Taught in English catalog.

5/ Are there specific programs dedicated to exiled students which allow them to learn the French language?

France's institutions of higher education and research have long welcomed refugee and asylum seeking populations. The MEnS (Migrants in Higher Education) network seeks to implement actions to promote the academic integration of exiled people through university degrees ("DU Passerelle"). The "Passerelle" diploma allows refugee students to resume their studies in France, while providing access to grants based on social criteria.

You can view the MEnS network DU Passerelle map on its official website.

6/ What type of enrollment in higher education should unaccompanied Ukrainian minors seek?

Unaccompanied minors must first contact the Aide Sociale à l'Enfance (ASE) in their department of residence and the Services Académiques d'Information et d'Orientation (SAIO) of their resident academy to receive individual support from the institutions.

7/ Do newly-arrived students displaced from Ukraine have access to work-study programs at the bachelor's level?

Yes. Displaced students from Ukraine who are beneficiaries of temporary protection enjoy a status which allows them to engage in any professional activity. As such, they have access to work-study programs without having to comply with any minimum length of stay. It's up to them to find an employer for their work-study program and, if necessary, to meet certain age requirements.

8/ Accessing health sciences/medical studies in France

Following the 2020 reform, health sciences studies are accessed via the Parcours d'Accès Spécifique Santé (PASS), the traditional way of accessing medical studies, or via the Licence Accès Santé (LAS), a new curriculum for health sciences studies.

1. The PASS is a one-year post-baccalaureate program offered only by universities with a health sciences training and research unit (UFR). These courses are suitable for all students having a background in science with strong skills in this area, but who also have the ability to appreciate and excel in other disciplines, such as literature and/or social sciences. The PASS is structured around a health sciences major and a non-health sciences minor (e.g., law, liberal arts, etc.).
2. The LAS is a university program leading to the obtainment of a bachelor's degree. The LAS is structured around a non-health sciences major (e.g., economics, history, management, liberal arts, etc.) and a health sciences minor.

You can find more information and visuals on the Ministry of Higher Education and Research website.

To find courses in medicine and health sciences that may apply to you, we invite you to consult our directory of bachelor's degrees or our directory of master's degrees by searching for "Medicine and Health".

Additionally, you can view our dedicated health sciences resources by clicking on this link.

Also, please note that access to medical studies remains among the most selective in France. A very high level of French (C1) is necessary.

9/ Is it possible to continue medical/health sciences studies started in Ukraine in order not to "lose" the years of study already officially completed in Ukraine?

Ukrainian students or third-country nationals or displaced persons who have completed several years of study in Ukraine are subject to the provisions of the inter-ministerial directive of April 6, 2022, relative to the reception of displaced students from Ukraine who are beneficiaries of temporary protection. They also benefit from the provisions of the December 13, 2019 decree concerning access to medical, pharmaceutical, odontological and maieutical training for persons holding health sciences qualifications or diplomas recognized by a State other than a Member State of the European Union, another State party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area, the Swiss Confederation or the Principality of Andorra, or for persons who have completed studies for these qualifications or diplomas.

 According to this decree, they must pass the same admissions tests for the second or third year of medical, dental, pharmaceutical or midwifery training as candidates studying in France. To do so, they are invited to submit an application to the university of their choice. If the selection committee authorizes them to be admitted to the second or third year of a medical training program, depending on their recognized course of study in Ukraine, they will be able to proceed directly to the second-to-last year of the second cycle of said training (5th year of medicine) with an exemption from studies. This decision is made by the university president on the advice of the director of the department concerned. An examination to verify the knowledge and skills corresponding to the years of study is then arranged by the university.

 We invite you to contact the higher education institution corresponding to your profile directly to understand the terms and conditions of registration.

10/ Can Russian students still go to France? 

Yes. Higher education institutions can enroll them in their courses on the condition that these students come on their own, outside of an institutional framework.

Russian students in Russia must apply on the Study in France  platform. Once accepted by a French institution, these students can apply for a visa at the French consulates in Russia.

1/ How can Ukrainian students provide information regarding their academic background?

Ukrainian students who have arrived in France and are beneficiaries of temporary protection may find themselves in several situations if they wish to enroll in a French institution of higher education.

First situation

They have their Ukrainian diploma and need an attestation of comparability to demonstrate their level to the institution to which they're applying.

In this case, ENIC NARIC France is the authorized institution for issuing this type of certificate. It can be done for free in a few days' time. 

Second situation

Ukrainian applicants have lost all their original documents (diplomas, report cards, passports, etc.) and do not have tangible proof of their educational background:

• personal information there. He or she can then access a certificate that can be submitted to ENIC NARIC France so that the latter can produce the comparability attestation mentioned above. The link students should use to access the national degree verification database (in Ukrainian only) is: https://info.edbo.gov.ua/edu-documents/

• The student has no educational information or the information is not sufficiently complete in order to receive a certificate of comparability. He or she will then be eligible to apply for a European Refugee Qualification Passport (EQPR). ENIC NARIC France is a partner of the "EQPR" (European Qualifications Passport for Refugees) project carried out by the Council of Europe. This project aims to ensure the recognition of refugees' diplomas when the person is unable to materially prove the obtainment of the diploma (due to an absence or insufficiency of documents). The methodology used is a series of interviews that can lead to the issuance of a "European Passport of Qualifications for Refugees".

2/ Are Ukrainian students and beneficiaries of temporary protection exempt from the Student Life and Campus Contribution (CVEC)?

They are exempt from the CVEC as long as they receive a subsidy based on social criteria.

They are not subject to the CVEC if they are enrolled in FLE (French as a Foreign Language).

3/ Can beneficiaries of temporary protection be exempt from paying university tuition? 

As a general rule, university tuition fees are 170 euros for a bachelor's degree and 243 euros for a master's degree. This amount must be paid for each academic year.

Some universities apply higher fees for foreign (non-EU) students. These are called "differentiated fees". These differentiated fees equal 2,770 euros for a bachelor's degree and 3,770 euros for a master's degree. To our knowledge, no institution has yet applied the differentiated (increased) fees for students displaced from Ukraine.

Beneficiaries of temporary protection may be partially or totally exempt from tuition fees upon the institution's discretion.

For certain programs (private institutions, engineering programs, business schools, specialized schools, etc.), tuition fees can be much higher. Checking with the institution where the student wishes to enroll is therefore advisable.

Consult the Campus France website pages on the costs of studying in France and differentiated tuition to learn more.

4/ Are beneficiaries of temporary protection allowed to work? 

Yes. Beneficiaries of temporary protection do not need a work permit in order to work. This work may be carried out beyond the hour restrictions applicable to the student's professional activity and within the legal limits of work hours.

1/ How can students who are beneficiaries of temporary protection attest to institutions that they have this protection?

The European Union has decreed that Ukrainian nationals and certain other categories of persons present in Ukraine before February 24, 2022 and displaced to EU states since then are entitled to temporary protection by member states. This protection includes various social measures and a temporary right of stay. In this regard, the MESR has invited higher education institutions to admit students who are beneficiaries of this temporary protection to their programs. Institutions may ask students who apply to provide proof of this protection by any means possible. The temporary residence permit or the ADA social assistance card granted to beneficiaries of this protection are documents that attest to the fact that they have received this protection.

2/ Can Ukrainian students who arrived in France before February 24, 2022 receive temporary protection?

Regarding Ukrainian nationals present in the French territory before February 24, according to the NOR INTV220805J directive from the Ministry of the Interior, only those who were present in French territory under a visa exemption or a Schengen visa, and who establish that their permanent residence on February 24, 2022 was in Ukraine, can receive this temporary protection. Ukrainian students who were in France before February 24 are not eligible for temporary protection. However, the latter are covered by another status (typically "student"). The prefectures may grant residence permit renewals or changes in status, depending on the student's program.

3/ Do students who have obtained temporary protection status in another EU Member State need to reapply for temporary protection upon their arrival in France?

Yes, they must go to the appropriate prefecture and apply for temporary protection before applying to the university of their choice. Beneficiaries of temporary protection have complete freedom of establishment within the European Union. As such, the last country of entrance must issue the residence document for temporary protection and related rights. Having their temporary residence permit, students can enroll in a French higher education institution.

4/ How can a minor who is a beneficiary of temporary protection travel outside of France?

For travel abroad by minors under temporary protection, their families may request a prefectural pass. This document is recognized at border crossings even outside the EU.

1/ Are Ukrainian students who are beneficiaries of temporary protection eligible for scholarships based on social criteria?

Yes, displaced students from Ukraine who are beneficiaries of temporary protection can receive scholarships based on social criteria, provided that 1.) they are enrolled in a French institution of higher education and in a course of study authorized to receive scholarship recipients and 2) that they have an income that's compatible with resource qualification requirements.

Once admitted to the university, they must apply for a social criteria scholarship by creating their student social file (DSE) on the www.messervices.etudiant.gouv.fr website. If their application meets the criteria, they'll be awarded a scholarship. They will receive notification via email.

2/ What type of assistance is available to displaced students from Ukraine who are beneficiaries of temporary protection?

Displaced persons from Ukraine who receive temporary protection automatically receive assistance for asylum seekers (ADA), issued by the French Office of Immigration and Integration. In addition to this assistance, students under temporary protection can obtain other types of assistance.

For beneficiaries of temporary protection and (cumulative condition) who are enrolled in a course of study eligible to receive scholarship recipients (national diplomas, "Passerelle-Etudiants en Exil" University Diplomas, etc.):

• Possibility of receiving a scholarship based on social criteria, issued by the CROUS (Centres Régionaux des Œuvres Universitaires et Scolaires)

• Meals for €1 in university restaurants

• Exemption from the student life and campus contribution (CVEC) if they've received a grant based on social criteria

 For students who are beneficiaries of temporary protection enrolled in FLE training:

• Possibility of emergency assistance after evaluation of the file by a CROUS social worker

• Meals for €1 in university restaurants, after evaluation of the file by a social worker

• Exempt from the CVEC

For students with temporary protection enrolled in a program not eligible to receive scholarship recipients (excluding FLE-French as a Foreign Language training) OR other students enrolled in a higher education program excluding FLE:

• Emergency assistance after evaluation of the file by a CROUS social worker (Centres Régionaux des Œuvres Universitaires et Scolaires)

• Meals for €1, after social evaluation by a social worker

• No exemption from the CVEC

3/ Can students who cannot prove that they are enrolled in an institution still receive assistance from CROUS?

No, because they are not students since they are not enrolled.

4/ Are students receiving temporary protection eligible for personal housing assistance (APL)?

Yes.

5/ Is housing in CROUS (Centres Régionaux des Œuvres Universitaires et Scolaires) residences available for Ukrainian students?

Yes, subject to availability in CROUS residences.

To apply for housing in a university residence, you must first be admitted to an institution of higher learning. Next, you must enter your housing application by creating your Student Social File (DSE) on the www.messervices.etudiant.gouv.fr website.

6/ How can students who have obtained temporary protection receive coverage for their healthcare expenses? 

 People from Ukraine having a temporary residence permit (APS) marked "temporary protection" with a date of entry into France on or after February 24, 2022 may receive coverage for their healthcare expenses.

This is done under the following conditions:

• As soon as they arrive in the territory

• Upon presentation of a document confirming the receipt of temporary protection

In addition to basic entitlements, they'll receive the Solidarity Health Supplement.