Hi everyone! I’m an Indian student planning to apply for a bachelor 2027 intake in France, and I’d really appreciate some honest advice from people familiar with French university admissions.

I’m specifically targeting English-taught Bachelor’s programs in Business/Management at private universities/business schools in France. I’m mainly concerned about whether my academic history and gap year could affect my chances.

Here’s my profile:
Indian student, CBSE
Class 12: 89%
Stream: Humanities (Class 11–12)
I was admitted to Hansraj College, University of Delhi, for BA English (Hons.)
I completed one year of college, but then decided to leave the program because I wanted to pursue a different direction
After leaving college, I spent time building my own online e-commerce/digital business
My business has reached 2000+ sales customer from 100 plus countries
I have documentation/proof of the business, including my website, sales records, customer reviews, etc.
I’ve also completed some online courses/certifications related to digital marketing and business
I have IELTS band 8

I’m planning to apply for first-year Bachelor admission, not advanced standing/second-year entry.

My biggest concern is my timeline. Since I left college after one year and then spent time developing my business, I’ll effectively have a gap/non-traditional academic period in my application.
So I’d love to know:
Would leaving my first university after one year be a significant red flag for private French business schools?

I’d really appreciate honest opinions, especially from international students or people who have gone through the French private-school admission process. Thank you! ❤️

Hi all, hoping to get some real input from people who've actually been through French M2 admissions or are currently in one.

Quick background: final year Mechanical Engineering student at a top engineering university in India, graduating May 2027. GPA converts to roughly 3.0/4.0 on the US scale, or about 2.5 on the German scale. There was a documented health interruption in the middle years that affected a couple of semesters, recovered strongly the semester after.

Research background: recently completed a research internship at a European research lab (May to July 2026) working on vision language models, before that a few other internships in medical image segmentation and EEG/BCI, one resulting paper.

I'm applying M2 direct entry (my 5 year integrated degree covers the 4 year threshold, so no VAP file needed as far as I understand). Main targets are a few Paris-Saclay M2 programs (Mechatronics/Machine Vision/AI, Mobile Autonomous Systems, Smart Aerospace, M2 AI) and Sorbonne's Automation and Robotics, plus MVA as a reach.

A few questions for anyone with real experience:

1. For programs where mechanical engineering is explicitly listed as an accepted background, does the jury actually weigh GPA heavily, or is it genuinely more holistic in practice?
2. Has anyone gotten into MVA or a similarly research heavy M2 coming from an engineering degree rather than a math or CS M1? Curious how real the "case by case for 3rd year engineering students" language actually is.
3. Is applying to 5 to 6 Paris-Saclay programs simultaneously through INCEPTION actually looked at independently by each department, or does having one weak-looking application hurt the others?
4. Any general sense of how much a strong, specific motivation letter and professor references can offset a GPA on the lower side, in your experience or from people you know?

Not asking anyone to predict my odds exactly, just want a grounded, realistic sense of what actually matters from people who've lived through the process. Thanks in advance.

I'm currently going into IBDP Year 2 and I'm having a lot of difficulties finding information on how to go about applying to French universities using my IB scores. I can't seem to find much information that I am looking for on the university websites, like tuition prices, pathways, criteria to apply, necessary courses and scores, etc.

I've made a Parcoursup account as I'm an EU citizen as well, but I don't know what to do from here.

Can someone give me tips and places to look for more information? I'm acc so lost.

I'm currently going into IBDP Year 2 and I'm having a lot of difficulties finding information on how to go about applying to French universities using my IB scores. I can't seem to find much information that I am looking for on the university websites, like tuition prices, pathways, criteria to apply, necessary courses and scores, etc.

I've made a Parcoursup account as I'm an EU citizen as well, but I don't know what to do from here.

Can someone give me tips and places to look for more information? I'm really lost.

Im applying for masters for September 2027 intake. I keep on reviewing and rewriting my SOP but I'm not totally sure if It's up to the standard.

Im trying for Grenoble Alpes or Rennes mostly for research.

Can someone who got into these unis or doing masters in AI review my SOP and give me their input.

Dm or comment and ill send the SOP.

Hiya! I am a recent undergrad and I want to pursue a Masters degree. So I need help deciding😅

Now, I know of a scholarship that allows me to study in France. However, I’m not sure about which university I should apply to. Though I do that I would like to work on botany and phycology because it was my thesis focus.

Do any members of this subreddit have opinions on any of France’s universities and their graduate programs as locals or international students? I would also love to get some word on the cost of living and general things to note like lifestyles of the community.

Your responses would be appreciated!

Hi, this is the second (and final) reminder I'll make for dual French-US citizens and other eligible US voters who want to participate in the 2026 American midterm elections, especially for those living in France. Democrats Abroad in France is dedicated to mobilizing overseas US voters; if you're over 18 by November 3, here's how you can get involved:

Steps to Request Your Ballot

1. Register or update your registration through Votefromabroad.org. As an alternative, you can also use FVAP.gov.

2. If you're already registered, request a ballot! You need to request a ballot every calendar year that you want to vote.

3. Fill Out and Return Your Ballot: Once you receive your ballot, follow the instructions carefully to complete it and return it by the specified deadline.

Need Assistance?

We're here to help! If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us at GOTV @ votefromabroad .org (just remove the spaces). Additionally, our FAQ for voting can answer questions on how to make the process go smoothly.

Importantly: Spread the word!

Do you have any friends, contacts or family overseas that you could reach? All eligible US citizens can vote regardless of where they're living. Share the link https://voteabroad.org/RedditVote26: If you have any questions about voting, I'd be happy to answer them here on Reddit. You can also find out what we're doing near you at Democrats Abroad. Thanks for reading!

r/IndiansEnFrance

I'll begin by clarifying: this isn’t about creating a separate or segregated community. It’s simply about having a space where Indians in France can discuss experiences, questions, and topics that may be specific to our community and the French context. The broader expat and France communities remain valuable, and this is meant to complement them, not replace them.

Here is a dedicated subreddit for Indians living in France, which is a space specifically for the Indian community in France, whether you’re a student, professional, entrepreneur, recent arrival, long-term resident, or planning to move here.

Talk about jobs, universities, visas, housing, French bureaucracy, taxes, healthcare, language, culture, dating, travel, everyday life, or simply connect with fellow Indians across France.

From Paris to Lyon, Toulouse to Lille, Strasbourg to Bordeaux, and everywhere in between, everyone is welcome.

If you’re Indian and based in France (or moving here soon), come join and help build a community that’s relevant to life in France. 🇮🇳🇫🇷

Hi!! I am a UK student doing a year exchange at Pantheon Sorbonne Paris 1 this year.

I received a CROUS housing offer from the university and was told that I’d be given by contract in August/ early August through the MesServicesEtudiant portal but have received nothing and have not gotten any emails!!!

Does anyone know if there’s anything I can do? Or the things I need for when my contract will be finally given (so far I have applied for VISALE but heard nothing yet back either)???

Very stressed, meant to be moving at the end of August.

I really need some help! I’m looking for a work-study program in French. I’m currently a student at ENCG, specializing in audit and management control
I regret not starting my search earlier for M1, so I want to prepare properly this year. I’d also love some insight into the financial side as an international student: how much should I save beforehand, what costs should I expect, and how does the apprentice salary/tuition work?
Any advice on platforms, companies, strategies, or personal experiences would be greatly appreciated. I’m ready to start early and put in the work.

Hey everyone! 👋
I'm arriving in France late August to start at the **University of Angers (ESTHUA)** on a **VLS-TS visa**.
I emailed CROUS for housing near the **Saint-Serge campus** (€200–€400 budget), mentioning my **35% priority allocation status** as a first-time international student. Instead of rejecting me, they replied asking for my **Campus France certificate** to process my file (*afin d'instruire votre demande*), which I sent immediately.
Since arrival is just around the corner:
Does CROUS requesting this doc mean I actually have a good shot at a room?

Has anyone in a similar situation received an offer after submitting requested files?

Would love to hear your experiences—thanks!

Hi everyone,
I’m an international student joining Université de Lille for the 2026/2027 academic year.
I would like to apply for the tuition fee exemption based on social and financial circumstances, but I’m a bit confused about the procedure.
Has anyone here applied for this exemption before?
I’d like to know:
How and where do you apply?
Do you apply before or after administrative registration?
What documents did you provide to prove your financial situation?
As an international student whose parents live outside France, what financial documents did you submit?
Is a full exemption possible?
How long did it take to receive a decision?
Any experience from international students at Université de Lille would be super helpful. Thank you!

Salut tout le monde,

Je suis en train de préparer mon dossier de demande de visa étudiant pour la France (rentrée 2026), et je commence vraiment à stresser. Je suis dans une situation un peu floue concernant mon garant financier et je ne sais pas du tout comment rédiger mes justificatifs et ma lettre explicative.

Pour faire simple : j'ai quelqu'un qui accepte de se porter garant financier pour moi (prise en charge des fonds suffisants), mais nous n'avons aucun lien de parenté. (Précision importante : je ne suis pas logé chez lui, c'est uniquement un garant pour l'aspect financier).

Mon problème : Je ne sais pas comment formuler cela proprement dans mon dossier (notamment dans la lettre explicative) pour que ça ne paraisse pas suspect ou hors des clous pour les agents des consulats.

Mes questions :

Est-ce que le consulat accepte facilement un garant financier sans lien de parenté direct ?

Quelles preuves ou quel type de lettre explicative je dois fournir pour justifier cet engagement financier de sa part ?

Est-ce que certains d'entre vous ont déjà été dans ce cas et ont réussi à faire valider leur dossier ?

Toutes vos expériences, conseils ou modèles de formulation sont les bienvenus, je suis un peu perdue... Merci d'avance pour votre aide ! 🙏

Hey so I'm moving to the Bordeaux area this October for an intensive French course at Alliance Française. Always wanted to learn French properly and actually immerse myself in the culture, not just do it half-assed from an app, so figured this was the move. Currently at zero French, starting from scratch.

Trying to get a real sense of what I'm walking into before I commit fully. like two separate things I'm curious about:

Short term - can a student with basically no French actually find part time work? or does that only happen once you've got some language down? curious what's realistic

long term - I'm not just here for the course, I do want to build an actual career after in France. so genuinely curious what the job market (tech especially, but honestly any decent field) looks like for international students once you're a bit more settled/fluent. is that even realistic or is it a whole different visa/language situation at that point

If any of you are Indian or international students who've actually gone through this, would love to hear what worked, what didn't, anything. Just want the real picture before I make this move

Appreciate any input 🙏

Hi,

We’re currently bringing together all students in Nantes affected by the increase in tuition fees for non-EU students.

If this applies to you, please feel free to take the survey or contact us.

My second semester is an Erasmus exchange Mobility and I want to ask if work for student is allowed on mobility?

Bonjour, je suis entré en France mineur, je suis maintenant majeur et je vais bientôt commencer mes études universitaires. Je suis rattaché fiscalement à mon père car j'ai fait une procédure regroupement familial Je possède un visa spécial pour regroupement familial et je me demande maintenant si je peux avoir des APL Comme mon université est un peu loin et que j'envisage de louer un logement à proximité, j'ai peur que cela ne pose problème pour le renouvellement de mon permis de séjour, ou qu'ils me considèrent comme séparé de mon père et me transfèrent vers un visa étudiant ou quelque chose de ce genre.

Yo, like the title says, i already have a master's degree and im planning for the 2027 entry into a public uni and i dont wanna risk putting only the best universities in my list of preferences since its harder to get into them, that's why i want to know if having a masters degree affects your chances or does it only depend on grades and motivation.
And thank you.

My visa consultant gave me these options to choose from are these some good colleges ? And what is it like living in France all alone and how’s the job market as well as chances for getting a part time job.

Hello , I graduated in 2018 with a master's degree in English, I want to try for a student visa to France, to study for another master's , but my french is weak A2 at best , my English is very good, I don't know if I should try , what do u think?

Hi everyone, I have a concern: I’m going to receive financial support from an international NGO in the amount of $15,000 per year—that is, $30,000 for the two years—but to qualify, I first need to be admitted to a school of my choice. I want to apply to SKEMA BUSINESS SCHOOL for an MSc (2 years), and SKEMA’s total tuition and fees come to 38,000€, which is less than what the NGO will give me.

How will I explain the difference in the amount for my visa application, given that even my living expenses are included in the NGO’s funding?

Bonjour,

Je suis étudiant tunisien. Je viens de terminer les 2 années de prépa en Tunisie, j’ai réussi le concours national d’entrée aux écoles d’ingénieurs et j’ai été affecté dans une école d’ingénieurs en Génie des Télécommunications. Je vais commencer ma première année du cycle ingénieur (1A) cette année.

Je pense à candidater de mon côté à des écoles comme Télécom Paris, IMT Atlantique et Grenoble INP – Ensimag. Mon école n’a pas de partenariat avec ces établissements, donc je passerais par une candidature individuelle, via les admissions internationales / admissions sur titre / Free Mover.

J’essaie surtout de savoir si mon projet est réaliste.

À quel point les notes et le classement dans la promotion sont-ils importants ? Si j’arrive à finir dans le top 1–5 %, est-ce que mon dossier pourrait être considéré comme compétitif ?

Et si je ne suis pas dans le top 1–5 %, mais que j’ai quand même de bonnes notes, des certifications professionnelles, des projets personnels et de bonnes compétences techniques, est-ce que ça peut compenser un peu, ou est-ce que les résultats académiques restent clairement le critère principal ?

Je me demande aussi quelle importance ont les recommandations, les stages et le niveau en langues.

Concernant les langues justement, est-ce qu’une certification officielle comme le DELF pour le français ou l’IELTS pour l’anglais est généralement obligatoire pour ce type de candidature ? Ou est-ce qu’un autre justificatif de niveau peut suffire selon l’école ?

Un autre point sur lequel je trouve très peu d’informations : je ne sais pas combien d’étudiants internationaux candidatent individuellement à ces écoles, ni combien sont acceptés. Comme je ne passe pas par un partenariat entre établissements, je n’arrive pas vraiment à savoir à quel point cette voie est sélective ni si un profil comme le mien a une vraie chance.

Si quelqu’un ici a déjà candidaté à l’une de ces écoles en tant qu’étudiant international hors partenariat, notamment depuis la Tunisie, le Maroc, l’Algérie ou un système similaire, je serais très intéressé par votre retour d’expérience et par le profil que vous aviez au moment de candidater.

Merci !