Full guide
Process, exceptions, and official sources
Every step in order, with exceptions, special cases and official sources.
This information is for orientation only. Campus France, visa, and residence procedures change often. Always check france-visas.gouv.fr, administration-etrangers-en-france, and your international office before you travel.
Bureaucracy roadmap
Admission → Campus France (non-EU) → VLS-TS visa → Entry → VLS-TS validation (3 months) → CVEC → Enrolment → NIR/CPAM → Titre de séjour renewal → After graduation (APS / CDI)
France has no single «Anmeldung» like Germany: immigration (visa/titre), university (CVEC, enrolment), and social rights (NIR, CAF) run in parallel.
Student checklist — where are you now?
- Before the visa (non-EU): admission, Campus France / Études en France dossier, funds ≥ €615/month, housing (at least first months), entry insurance if required.
- CVEC: payment of €105 (2025/2026 academic year) at cvec.etudiant.gouv.fr — certificate required for enrolment.
- Before travel (EU): ID document, university letter, EHIC/TEAM.
- Within 3 months of entry (non-EU): VLS-TS validation online + timbre fiscal — mandatory.
- Week 1–2: enrolment, NIR application (CPAM), bank account, lease.
- Before working: respect hour limits (964 h/year for many non-EU students) — see Work.
- Every year: renew titre de séjour with attendance/pass certificate.
Status types relevant to students
| Document / status | Who | Key point |
|---|---|---|
| VLS-TS étudiant | Non-EU, stay > 3 months | Long-stay visa; validate within 3 months |
| Titre de séjour étudiant | After renewal / multi-year | Card or digital attestation |
| Récépissé | Application pending | Often allows you to stay; check work rights |
| EU stay | EU/EEA/Switzerland | Free movement; attestation d’enregistrement optional |
| APS | Master’s graduate in France | Autorisation Provisoire de Séjour for job search (12 months) |
Last updated: May 2026 — Service Public — Étudiant étranger
EU / EEA / Switzerland
- Admission — Parcoursup, Mon Master, or your institution’s procedure.
- CVEC €105 — Certificate mandatory to enrol.
- Travel — Valid national ID card or passport.
- Enrolment — CVEC certificate, ID, health cover (EHIC or equivalent).
- CPAM — If stay > 3 months and not employed: student registration; with work: via employer.
- CAF (optional) — APL after lease and NIR.
- Attestation d’enregistrement — Optional at the Mairie if needed for some procedures.
Non-EU — Campus France and VLS-TS
Études en France (EEF) pathway
- Campus France account — Country of residence; procedure fee (amount varies by country).
- Dossier — Motivation, language level (often B2 French or English for international programmes), academic documents.
- Interview / review — If required by your local Campus France centre.
- France-Visas — VLS-TS étudiant application after favourable outcome.
- VAC (TLScontact / VFS) — Biometrics, visa fee (often €99 — check your country).
- Arrival — Validate within 3 months on the Interior Ministry platform.
- CVEC + enrolment — Same as all students.
Documents (orientation checklist)
- Passport + photo.
- Campus France certificate / admission letter.
- Proof of funds ≥ €615/month (bank statements, scholarship, attestation de prise en charge).
- Housing: lease, booking, university letter, or host letter.
- Health insurance for pre-CPAM period if required.
- Signed Engagement à respecter les principes de la République.
Financial requirement (2026)
| Item | Amount | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum resources | €615/month | For the full requested stay duration |
| Example 10 months | ≥ €6,150 | Shown on account or sponsor |
| Paris (real life) | €1,000–1,400/month | Consulate knows €615 is legal minimum, not a real budget |
| CVEC | €105 / academic year | Separate from visa funds |
| VLS-TS validation fee | ~€75 (timbre fiscal) | Check current amount online |
| Visa fee | Often €99 | + Campus France fee if applicable |
Last updated: May 2026 — France-Visas
VLS-TS validation (within 3 months)
- Create an account on administration-etrangers-en-france.
- Complete the VLS-TS validation form (passport, visa, and France address details).
- Pay the timbre fiscal (~€75).
- Keep the digital certificate — needed for renewals and many procedures.
CVEC (Contribution vie étudiante)
- Who: almost all students at public/partner higher-education institutions.
- 2025/2026 amount: €105.
- Exemptions: scholarship holders, some statuses — check on the CVEC portal.
- Certificate: upload to student services / university platform.
NIR (numéro de Sécurité sociale)
- 15 digits — essential for CPAM, work, CAF, payslips.
- Non-EU students: often via etudiant-etranger.ameli.fr after enrolment.
- Provisional number — possible at first; replaced by the definitive NIR.
Titre de séjour renewal
- Lead time: start 2–4 months before expiry (prefectures are overloaded).
- Evidence: enrolment certificate, exam results, resources, insurance.
- Repeated failures: risk of non-renewal — plan with your academic advisor.
- ANEF platform — Many applications online only.
After graduation
- APS (Autorisation Provisoire de Séjour) — For master’s: job search/business creation (12 months, conditions on service-public).
- Move to salarié — CDI/CDD with employer and minimum salary threshold.
- Alternance / qualified internship — Paths with a specific contract.
- Exit — If you do not renew, leave the territory before expiry.
FranceConnect and tax number
- FranceConnect — Single sign-on for CAF, impôts, Ameli, ANEF.
- Numéro fiscal — Request online if missing; required for IR declaration.
- Prélèvement à la source (PAS) — Monthly withholding on salary — see Work.
University life — what to ask the international office
- Letter for visa / attestation d’inscription.
- Guide to VLS-TS validation and ANEF renewal.
- Health policy meeting consulate requirements.
- Housing support (CROUS, résidences).
Sources
- cvec.etudiant.gouv.fr
- Service Public — Étudiant étranger — service-public.gouv.fr
- France-Visas — france-visas.gouv.fr
- etudiant-etranger.ameli.fr
- Campus France — campusfrance.org
- Administration étrangers en France — administration-etrangers-en-france.interieur.gouv.fr
- Service Public — Étudiant étranger — service-public.fr
- FranceConnect — franceconnect.gouv.fr
In Paris, permit renewals can take months — keep receipts.
Quick reference
EU: carte séjour often not necessary for <1 year but registration mandatory. Extra-EU: visa VLS-TS étudiant, validation OFII, renouvellements préfecture.
Universities and pathways
Frais inscription low in public; expensive grandes écoles. Bourses CROUS on social dossier.
Recognition
ENIC-NARIC France. DAP for some international bachelors.
- Campus France
- CROUS
- DAP
First documents
Registration and permit
OFII / préfecture
Online validation then appointment. Mandatory university CVEC fee.
Social security
Student registration — then Vitale cards. Mutuelle recommended for top-ups.
Deep dive (optional)
Go deeper
Operational detail and official links—amounts and deadlines change; always confirm on the competent portal before filing or paying.
Tax ID & digital identity
Personal tax number (SPI)
Your French tax identifier is used for declarations, banking, and many public portals.
FranceConnect / France Identité
Single sign-on to health, tax, family benefits, and other public services.
Residence permit
Applications and renewals go through your préfecture—book slots early and keep receipts.
CPAM & CAF
Health insurance fund
Open your file with the local CPAM after you settle; declare a médecin traitant for coordinated care.
Study & visas
Diploma recognition
Check with your institution; ENIC-NARIC France can help for international comparisons.
OFII (first arrival)
Some long-stay visas trigger an OFII medical visit and civic training—follow the letters you receive.
Prefecture calendars and city hall (mairie) steps differ by département—always cross-check with your préfecture website.
This block complements the guide with institutional entry points—not legal or tax advice.
Official sources and verification
8 HTTPS sources are already linked where they are used in the guide.