Common types of French study visas. What are the steps to apply for a French study visa?

If it is your first time to apply for a French study visa, you may find that the entire application process is complicated, and you may not be able to distinguish between the types of visas? In order to prevent students from having such troubles, let’s talk about the several types of visas that are commonly used when studying abroad.

1. Types of visas

Short-term student visa

If you are just going to France to study the language, you can also experience the local customs and stay no longer than 3 months, then you only need to apply for a short-term student visa through the agency of the French Embassy Visa Office, Zhongchi Legal Visa. For specific information, please see:? pid=student_short

Except for short-term student visas, all other student visa applications need to go to the French Higher Education Agency for pre-visa procedures, and then go to China-Chile Visa for visa procedures.

Temporary long-term residence visa

If you are going to France for pure language study for 3-6 months, you need to apply for a temporary long-term residence visa (not extendable). This kind of visa requires that students must be adults and apply as an individual, and it is for the purpose of pure language learning and cannot be mixed with any professional study courses. At the same time, students holding this visa type must return to their home country after the language study is completed. Even if you want to continue your professional studies in France or learn the language for a while, you must return to China. Through our pre-visa procedure, you can apply for an ordinary student visa again before you can return to France to continue your studies. You cannot apply for an extension directly in France. In addition, this type of visa does not apply to exchange students in inter-school cooperation programs.

Please note that everyone needs to obtain admission from the French Language Center before applying for a visa. Here are some of the language centers you can choose from: Qualité FLE, UNOSEL, EAQUALS, ADCUEFE, Campus FLE, Groupement FLE, Groupement SOUFFLE, UNOSEL, Alliance Fran?aise, IALC, Forum Campus France, Convention Centers pour les Etudes en France < /p>

In addition, applications for this type of visa require an interview assessment, but you do not need to provide French test scores.

Long-term student visa

If you want to go to France for long-term professional study (directly enter professional courses or enter professional studies after 3-18 months of preparatory courses), you need Apply for a long-term student visa.

Thanks to the new visa policy launched by the French government, starting from December 1, 2016, some students will no longer need to provide professional pre-registration certificates when applying for a visa. If you need to study language for 3 to 18 months before studying professionally in France, and you can obtain a nationally recognized diploma after graduation, you do not need to submit a professional pre-registration certificate during the pre-visa process. List of nationally recognized diplomas: /zh-hans/64.

Examination visa

If you need to go to France to take the exam, you also need to go through the pre-visa process of the French Higher Education Agency Examination visa (long-term student visa). If all or part of the test is conducted in French, you must also take a French test before applying for a visa.

If you are admitted to the school after the exam, you can apply for a visa extension directly at the police station in the province where you live in France. There is no need to return to China or go through the pre-visa process again at the French Higher Education Agency.

2. French visa steps

step1: Visit the website of the visa center entrusted by the French Embassy - China-Chile Visa, and register online

step2: Prepare the visa application Materials: You can get a list of materials by answering a few simple questions on the visa center website. You need to follow this list to prepare application materials

Step 3: Make an appointment online and print the appointment notice: You You can choose a suitable time to submit your visa application online and please print your appointment notice.

Please note that if you do not apply according to the appointment, your personal registration information will be automatically deleted on the day of the appointment. If you want to make a new appointment, you need to register again.

Step 4: Go to the China-Chile Visa France Acceptance Center to submit materials: Bring your appointment notice, materials required for visa application and passport to the China-Chile Visa France Acceptance Center on time to avoid unnecessary waiting.

Step5: Submit materials: The staff will check whether the materials you prepare are complete and meet the requirements of the French Embassy in China. If the application materials are incomplete, you can supplement the copies of the provided documents at the center, or submit the application directly (the possibility of visa rejection is high). If you do not want to submit an application with incomplete materials, you can log in to our website with the same TLScontact account and make a new appointment within three days.

Step6: Pay the visa fee and visa service fee: Pay the visa fee and visa service fee at the visa center by cash or credit card (China UnionPay only)

Step7: Check the application Process: You can log in to the China-Chile Visa website at any time and check the visa application process through your personal page

Step 8: Receive your passport: When your passport is returned to the China-Chile Visa French Acceptance Center, you will receive it in the form of a text message. Notification to come and collect. When collecting your passport, please bring your original ID card, copy and application form proofsheet.

If the visa officer approves your application, a French Schengen visa will be affixed to your passport.

Applicants can advance 90 days at the earliest (based on the planned date of arrival in the Schengen area) (subject to the deadline) to submit your visa application.

3. Common reasons for rejection of French study visa

1. Study abroad plan

Study abroad plan refers to the choice of school, choice of major, choice of grade, and diploma selection etc.

For example, the interview officer will question why a student chooses a BTS diploma (equivalent to a junior college) instead of a License (equivalent to a bachelor's degree). The interviewer believes that BTS is a two-year program, equivalent to a college diploma in China, and is not recognized by the Chinese Ministry of Education. Even if you apply for a license after completing the studies, it will not only be troublesome, but also risk rejection. Wouldn't it be better to choose a direct license? For another example, accounting students want to continue studying accounting in France, but France does not have a specialized accounting major, only accounting auditing and risk control majors. In addition, the accounting systems in the two countries are different. The student said that he would return to work in his country after completing his studies. , which is obviously unreasonable.

2. Language level

Mainly refers to the mismatch between the student’s language level and the study abroad plan. For example, if a student majors in French, but his language proficiency is only A2, the visa will definitely be refused. Even B1 is very dangerous, because you are a French major, and you need to study translation, literature, French as a foreign language, media, applied foreign languages ??and other language skills when going to France. A demanding major. On the contrary, art students with A2 and above are likely to pass the visa.

3. Hardware conditions

In the past, only embassies such as Shanghai and Wuhan paid more attention to hardware conditions. If the conditions were poor, you would need to perform very well in the interview to get a visa. But there are new changes this year. Each embassy pays more attention to the hardware conditions. For example, in the past, students who did not take the college entrance examination were still able to get a visa, but now it is difficult for students with a score of less than 400 (excluding art students) to get a visa, and for For students who have not taken the college entrance examination, the embassy recommends taking the adult college entrance examination before going to France. If you are a student with relatively poor conditions, you must first go to the embassy to make an appointment for an interview and consultation.

4. Interview performance

The focus of the interview is to show your language proficiency and explain your study abroad plan and motivation to the interviewer. For example, the interviewer will check the school website and discuss with you the courses you want to study. In addition, the interviewer will test your communication and expression skills, evaluate your learning ability, etc. through the interview. The French like students who are expressive, have rich body language, and have obvious personalities. If you are too shy and not expressive, your visa may be rejected.