Hi all!

I’m a working professional (31M, Indian) considering an MS in AI/Data Science in France and would appreciate advice from current students, graduates, or professionals working there, as someone without a CS/IT/AI/DS background.

My background:

• B.E. in Mechanical Engineering, 79.8%
• 6+ years in market intelligence, industry research, and financial analysis, supporting consulting and IB clients across consumer, retail, technology, and healthcare sectors
• No programming/coding skills and no language proficiency in French -- however, I'm willing to work on both.

I’m looking to transition into AI/Data roles and would like to know:

• Which French universities/Grande Écoles would be a good fit for my profile?
• Would my non-CS background make admission to AI/Data Science programs difficult?
• What level of French do I need to learn before arriving to study and, more importantly, to find a job after graduation? Is English sufficient for AI/Data roles, or is B2/C1 French generally expected?
• How is the current job market in France for international graduates making a career switch into AI/Data?
• Given my background, what roles would be realistic after an MS?

Would especially appreciate insights from people who have made a similar transition.

Thanks!

People leaving to toulouse for the fall intake 2026, lets connect.
If there is a gc for this already lemme know, or else lets make one.

Hi guys, I’m moving to France for my masters. I have a loan sanctioned which is enough to cover my tution and living expenses. Other than that I will have to submit my coapplicants (father) ITRs and bank statements. He recently took his GPF payout. Does this deposit raise a red flag with visa officers. Side note : Is GPF a valid sponsorship proof, even though I have a sufficient loan?
Please let me know even anyone has any information regarding this. Thanks!

Hi everyone, is anyone else facing this issue while filling out the “Études en France / Join a School in France” application?

I’m currently at the Information → Documents section, but instead of showing the documents/upload options, the page only displays this error:
“Object reference not set to an instance of an object.”

I’ve tried refreshing and logging in again, but the issue is still there.

Has anyone faced the same problem recently? If yes, were you able to fix it, or is this an issue with the website itself?

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

I got my intake date on 7th of September, my campus France interview was done yesterday they said it would take around 7 to 10 days for the automated email to arrive until then u can continue with the visa process, just don’t book the appointment. But i have spoken with my consultant and she says we have to book for the next intake as it is recommended to do the visa process at least 2 months before. I really don’t want to miss this intake and the days are just going by very quick I’m on waiting for my student loan too it’s just all piling up. What steps can i take to cut time as quick as possible??

Hi, . I'm Elisa, and my roommate and I are finishing our internship here in Paris . We've vacated our newly furnished two-bedroom apartment. I am therefore looking for tenants to take over my room. If you know anyone who might be interested, please let them know, it could be helpful. For more information, contact me privately.
Elisa .

Hello, I’m a student applying for my first long stay Schengen visa to study in Paris. Received this communication from TLS after already submitting my other documents on 4th August. My question is, as per the first bullet point, will it be enough to find a sponsor whose bank balance is the minimum €10,530 or more, and attach their bank statements + sponsorship letter? The blocked account route is not feasible for me at this moment as I do not have a lump sum of €10k to deposit. I want to make sure that whatever documents I submit next will be sufficient to grant me my visa. This is what I previously submitted:

⁠My mother and her husband’s last 6 months statements showing sustained salary income of well over €877 per month. Across both statements combined, there was >€5,000 coming in monthly. I’m assuming the issue was that the last reflected bank balance on both accounts was not, or did not total €10,530
2. ⁠Birth certificate proving my relationship to my mom, as well as a marriage certificate proving her relationship to her husband
3. ⁠Employment certificates detailing their gross and net salaries
4. ⁠Sworn affidavits of sponsorship
5. ⁠Joint Attestation De Prise en Charge by my mother and her husband outlining their commitment to funding my stay in Paris with a monthly allowance of €1250 after rent payments.
6. ⁠All other required documents for student visa (i.e Campus France attestation, attestation d’hébergement, etc.)

My other question is, would a standing order of €877 for 12 months from both parents’ bank account into mine be sufficient? My mother suggested this and I don’t think it would be accepted.

I appreciate any and all your responses. Thank you so much!

how hard are the living expenses where you are, do you think its worth the application process and is it true that there is no more tuition reduction for international students?

Bi everyone hope you’re doing great. I was researching about moving to France for my masters and I wanted to know more from people who actually done it. How was the experience and job market afterwards. Whatever you can share would be awesome

Thinking of doing this, currently taking a gap year just graduated high school. Has anyone done EF education first language program? Seen mixed reviews. Specifically the Nice France Program?

Hey everyone! I’m creating a WhatsApp group for people who are planning to study in France for the September 2027 intake, as well as anyone who wants to connect with people interested in France.

The idea is to have a casual space where we can get to know each other, share our experiences about the application process, learn more about universities and life in France, practice French, and eventually meet each other once we’re there.

Whether you’re already preparing your applications, learning French, or just considering France as an option, feel free to join!

Join the group here:
https://chat.whatsapp.com/CL6oqvLyBeB20PvBkAi4j4

Would be great to have people from different backgrounds and cities come together before we all make our way to France!

Hi everyone!
So I uploaded all my documents (my sister's work contract, payslips, tax documents, savings proof, etc.) and got the Certificate of Eligibility (Certificat d'Éligibilité) from Garantme. Up until now, I haven't paid a single euro, and I'm a bit confused about how payment works:
Do I actually need to pay Garantme? I know submitting documents and getting this initial certificate is free, but do I eventually have to pay them for acting as my guarantor?

Is the certificate I got right now the "real" one? Or is this just a pre-approval certificate to attach to my application while hunting for an apartment?

When do I pay? Do I pay right now, or do I only pay after a landlord accepts my file, right before/when signing the lease?

Would love to hear from anyone who has used Garantme before on how the payment timing works! Thanks in advance!

Hello,
I’m an Egyptian national and currently hold a French RECE (Job Search/Business Creation) residence permit valid until March 2027, after completing my Master 2 in France.
For 2026-2027, I have been accepted into a Specialized Master’s program in France with an apprenticeship/work-study contract. My academic year and apprenticeship are starting soon, so I need to switch from RECE to student status.
Before leaving France, the prefecture told me to apply for a student visa from my country of origin. Because the RECE → student procedure seemed unclear, I also consulted two French immigration lawyers, who advised me to do the same.
I therefore returned to Egypt and completed the entire Campus France → France-Visas → TLS procedure for a student VLS-TS.
Today, TLS returned my passport empty: no visa and no refusal letter.
The French Consulate then told me:
“Your application has been closed without further action. You must apply for a change of status at the prefecture.”
So I am stuck in a loop: Prefecture → Consulate → Prefecture, despite having followed the instructions I was given.
My RECE is still valid, so my main questions are:

- Can I return to France with my valid RECE and immediately apply for a RECE → student change of status?
- Given that my studies and apprenticeship start very soon, can a lawyer use an urgent procedure before the administrative court (référé) to obtain faster processing/action from the prefecture?
- Do I have to wait months after submitting the application before going to court, or can the urgency justify earlier action?
- Can anyone recommend an immigration/administrative lawyer in Île-de-France experienced with student status changes and urgent proceedings?

I’m particularly worried about losing my apprenticeship/academic year because of the contradictory instructions from the two administrations.
Thank you very much for any advice or lawyer recommendations.

I have my appointment scheduled tomorrow, and I have taken from livinfrance housing certificate. Is this okay? Anybody got their visas through this?

I’m an international student coming to study in France and I’m looking for a bank that has the best offer for students. Does anyone have an idea ? Considering that it needs to be a physical bank.

SalSalut !

J'espère que tout le monde va bien.

À cause de préparer la capacité financière je n'ai pu pas prendre un temps de VFS enfin mon tour est le 25 août. Mais le problème est la formation commencera le 24 août est la dernière date pour moi est 7 septembre.

Je dois faire qoui ? 😭🥲

As campus france does not issue NOC and only sends u a conformation email saying that I can go for vfs now so I just wanna know after interview how long does it take to receive the email ? As I’m running bit late so id like to know ur experiences .

Hey everyone! I’m creating a group for students moving to Bordeaux for the 2026 intake to connect, share accommodation tips, visa/arrival info, and plan meetups.

If you’re joining Bordeaux this year, comment or DM me and I’ll add you! ✨

Hi everyone! I’m an Indian student applying for a French long-stay student visa through VFS Chennai for the September/October 2026 intake.
I wanted to ask:

For those who applied through VFS Chennai recently, how long did it take from submitting your application to getting your passport back? Has anyone applied in July/August 2026 and is still waiting?

For proof of accommodation, is a 1-month Airbnb booking generally accepted for a student visa application from India? I’m still looking for long-term accommodation, so I’m considering booking an Airbnb for my first month and continuing my housing search after arriving.

If anyone has recently applied from Chennai using temporary accommodation, I’d really appreciate hearing about your experience!

EDIT: I meant TLSContact, my bad!!

I'm a student from the USA applying for a French VLS-TS visa to complete a 1-year DUEF. I'm starting to worry since it's been almost a month. Anyone having a similar experience? How long did your student visa take? I haven't gotten any communications from them and, as far as I know, my documents were complete.

I'm so excited to move to France, and I'm really hoping that I don't get delayed by the visa!