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    Student visa guide

    France student visa 2026: cost, requirements and how to apply

    The VLS-TS étudiant (long-stay visa valid as a residence permit) costs $183 in fees nobody can skip, up to $233 if every situational extra applies.

    By Global Admissions Editorial · Checked against 4 official sources

    How much does a France student visa cost in 2026?

    Applying for a student visa in France on the VLS-TS (long-stay student visa) costs $183 in fees you cannot skip: Long-stay visa fee ($58), Campus France charge ($65) and OFII validation (after arrival) ($60). Situational extras (translation / apostille) add up to $50 more. Separately, you must prove you have the money: Show €877.50/month financial capacity (raised from €615 on 1 August 2026). All amounts are US dollars, last checked August 2026.

    VLS-TS étudiant (long-stay visa valid as a residence permit) cost breakdown

    Every line the France application puts on your card, in US dollars, as of August 2026.

    Long-stay visa fee$58
    €50 with the Études en France (EEF) procedure; €99 (≈$115) for non-EEF nationalities
    Campus France charge$65
    EUR 60; mandatory for most countries
    OFII validation (after arrival)$60
    EUR 60 once per year
    Mandatory total$183
    What the VLS-TS étudiant (long-stay visa valid as a residence permit) costs before any optional service.
    Situational extras, only if they apply to you
    Translation / apostille$50
    Only some applicants are charged this.
    If every extra applied$233
    Worst case. Most applicants pay none or one of these.

    Amounts are US dollars. France bills in its own currency, so the exact charge moves with the exchange rate. The native figures are in the notes column where the fee schedule publishes them.

    Things to watch

    • Show €877.50/month financial capacity (raised from €615 on 1 August 2026).
    • Public university tuition is now EUR 2,770/year for non-EU undergrads (EUR 3,770 Master's).
    • Étudiants en mobilité internationale exemptions apply at some grandes écoles.

    How much bank balance do you need for a France student visa?

    For the VLS-TS étudiant (long-stay visa valid as a residence permit), France asks you to show EUR 878. The accepted form is Bank statements, a notarized financial guarantee from a sponsor, or a scholarship award letter, and it covers Each month of your stay in France. For a ten-month academic year that is EUR 8,775, and the money must remain available after you have paid all tuition, administrative and program fees. This is money you show, not money you pay, so it never appears in the fee table above. The figure comes from Campus France: Guidance for student visa applicants (proof of sufficient funds), checked August 2026.

    Campus France: Guidance for student visa applicants (proof of sufficient funds) · checked August 2026

    France student visa requirements and documents checklist

    7 documents every applicant provides, 1 more depending on where you apply from.

    DocumentWho needs itWhat it involves
    Certificate of enrollment from your French institutioneveryoneFrance-Visas requires the attestation confirming the higher education establishment has accepted you. You must be over 18 and have already chosen your course. source
    Completed long-stay visa application formeveryoneThe form is generated as a PDF by the France-Visas platform once you complete the application online. You print it, and sign and date it on the day of your appointment. source
    Valid passport with blank visa pageseveryoneThe passport must be valid for at least three months beyond your planned return date, be signed, and carry two consecutive blank visa pages side by side plus a third blank page. source
    Passport-style identity photographeveryoneA recent color headshot, 35 mm by 45 mm, against a uniform white background, with mouth closed and eyes and ears visible, and no glasses, hat or scarf. Self-taken photos are rejected. source
    Proof of accommodation for your first three monthseveryoneA lease in your name, a hotel or student residence reservation, or a signed statement from a host with their ID and proof of address. If nothing is fixed yet, show accommodation for the first week plus a letter setting out your concrete plans, ideally signed by your program. source
    Proof of sufficient fundseveryoneEvidence that you will have at least EUR 877.50 a month at your disposal for living expenses after all tuition, administrative and program fees are paid. source
    Visa fee paymenteveryoneEUR 50 for applicants from Etudes en France procedure countries and EUR 99 for other countries, paid when you file the application. source
    Etudes en France pre-registration certificatefor students from 9 countries, India to KenyaApplicants from the 73 countries on the Etudes en France list must complete the EEF procedure and hold the pre-registration certificate generated by EEF-Pastel before applying for the visa. source

    How to apply for a France student visa

    1. Complete the Etudes en France procedure if your country is on the list

      Apply to enroll through the EEF platform. Campus France reviews the file and, once validated, issues the pre-registration certificate and forwards your visa application to the French consular authorities automatically.

      source
    2. Get your certificate of enrollment from the institution

      Your acceptance from the French higher education establishment is the document the consulate builds the file around. Some first-year applicants must go through Parcoursup and respect its schedule.

      source
    3. Apply on France-Visas and upload your documents

      Create the application on France-Visas and digitize your supporting documents there. Digitising is encouraged because it speeds up the appointment at the external service provider, though it does not shorten the decision itself.

      source
    4. Attend your appointment and submit the originals

      Take the printed application, your passport and the original supporting documents to the visa center, even if you uploaded them. You leave your passport with the visa service while the application is processed.

      source
    5. Validate your VLS-TS within three months of arriving

      Register your visa online at the ANEF portal run by the Interior Ministry, giving your entry date, your address in France and a bank card to pay the residence permit fee. Miss this and you are no longer a legal resident and cannot re-enter the Schengen Area if you leave.

      source
    6. Register with French social security

      Registration is free and compulsory for non-European students under 28, and is done online at etudiant-etranger.ameli.fr. Social security reimburses around 60% of medical costs on average, with top-up student cover making up the rest.

      source

    France student visa work rights, dependants and what comes after

    Work rights

    A validated VLS-TS lets you work 964 hours a year, which is 60% of normal French working hours. Algerian nationals are limited to 50% instead. Part-time work will not cover all your costs and should be treated as secondary income.

    sourcecompare all countries

    After graduation

    Before the VLS-TS expires you can apply at the prefecture for a multi-annual residence permit (carte de séjour pluriannuelle) to keep studying. It is issued for the number of years left in your program, so finishing the first year of a license typically earns two more. You do all of this in France, three months before the visa runs out.

    sourcecompare all countries

    France student visa requirements for Indian students

    The full France visa guide for Indian students, with the fee in your currency.

    You must go through Etudes en France before applying for the visa

    India is one of the 73 countries covered by the Etudes en France (EEF) procedure. You apply to enroll through the EEF platform first, and your visa application is then forwarded automatically to the French consular authorities. A consulate will not process a student visa application from an EEF country that has skipped this step.

    source

    Your long-stay visa fee is EUR 50, not EUR 99

    France-Visas prices the long-stay student visa at EUR 50 for applicants from countries covered by the EEF procedure, against EUR 99 for everyone else, so India applicants pay the lower rate. The Etudes en France procedure itself is charged separately by your local Campus France office and the amount varies by country.

    source

    France student visa requirements for Chinese students

    The full France visa guide for Chinese students, with the fee in your currency.

    You must go through Etudes en France before applying for the visa

    China is one of the 73 countries covered by the Etudes en France (EEF) procedure. You apply to enroll through the EEF platform first, and your visa application is then forwarded automatically to the French consular authorities. A consulate will not process a student visa application from an EEF country that has skipped this step.

    source

    Your long-stay visa fee is EUR 50, not EUR 99

    France-Visas prices the long-stay student visa at EUR 50 for applicants from countries covered by the EEF procedure, against EUR 99 for everyone else, so China applicants pay the lower rate. The Etudes en France procedure itself is charged separately by your local Campus France office and the amount varies by country.

    source

    France student visa requirements for Vietnamese students

    The full France visa guide for Vietnamese students, with the fee in your currency.

    You must go through Etudes en France before applying for the visa

    Vietnam is one of the 73 countries covered by the Etudes en France (EEF) procedure. You apply to enroll through the EEF platform first, and your visa application is then forwarded automatically to the French consular authorities. A consulate will not process a student visa application from an EEF country that has skipped this step.

    source

    Your long-stay visa fee is EUR 50, not EUR 99

    France-Visas prices the long-stay student visa at EUR 50 for applicants from countries covered by the EEF procedure, against EUR 99 for everyone else, so Vietnam applicants pay the lower rate. The Etudes en France procedure itself is charged separately by your local Campus France office and the amount varies by country.

    source

    France student visa requirements for Nigerian students

    The full France visa guide for Nigerian students, with the fee in your currency.

    You must go through Etudes en France before applying for the visa

    Nigeria is one of the 73 countries covered by the Etudes en France (EEF) procedure. You apply to enroll through the EEF platform first, and your visa application is then forwarded automatically to the French consular authorities. A consulate will not process a student visa application from an EEF country that has skipped this step.

    source

    Your long-stay visa fee is EUR 50, not EUR 99

    France-Visas prices the long-stay student visa at EUR 50 for applicants from countries covered by the EEF procedure, against EUR 99 for everyone else, so Nigeria applicants pay the lower rate. The Etudes en France procedure itself is charged separately by your local Campus France office and the amount varies by country.

    source

    France student visa requirements for Pakistani students

    The full France visa guide for Pakistani students, with the fee in your currency.

    You must go through Etudes en France before applying for the visa

    Pakistan is one of the 73 countries covered by the Etudes en France (EEF) procedure. You apply to enroll through the EEF platform first, and your visa application is then forwarded automatically to the French consular authorities. A consulate will not process a student visa application from an EEF country that has skipped this step.

    source

    Your long-stay visa fee is EUR 50, not EUR 99

    France-Visas prices the long-stay student visa at EUR 50 for applicants from countries covered by the EEF procedure, against EUR 99 for everyone else, so Pakistan applicants pay the lower rate. The Etudes en France procedure itself is charged separately by your local Campus France office and the amount varies by country.

    source

    France student visa requirements for Indonesian students

    The full France visa guide for Indonesian students, with the fee in your currency.

    You must go through Etudes en France before applying for the visa

    Indonesia is one of the 73 countries covered by the Etudes en France (EEF) procedure. You apply to enroll through the EEF platform first, and your visa application is then forwarded automatically to the French consular authorities. A consulate will not process a student visa application from an EEF country that has skipped this step.

    source

    Your long-stay visa fee is EUR 50, not EUR 99

    France-Visas prices the long-stay student visa at EUR 50 for applicants from countries covered by the EEF procedure, against EUR 99 for everyone else, so Indonesia applicants pay the lower rate. The Etudes en France procedure itself is charged separately by your local Campus France office and the amount varies by country.

    source

    France student visa requirements for Nepali students

    The full France visa guide for Nepali students, with the fee in your currency.

    You must go through Etudes en France before applying for the visa

    Nepal is one of the 73 countries covered by the Etudes en France (EEF) procedure. You apply to enroll through the EEF platform first, and your visa application is then forwarded automatically to the French consular authorities. A consulate will not process a student visa application from an EEF country that has skipped this step.

    source

    Your long-stay visa fee is EUR 50, not EUR 99

    France-Visas prices the long-stay student visa at EUR 50 for applicants from countries covered by the EEF procedure, against EUR 99 for everyone else, so Nepal applicants pay the lower rate. The Etudes en France procedure itself is charged separately by your local Campus France office and the amount varies by country.

    source

    France student visa requirements for Ghanaian students

    The full France visa guide for Ghanaian students, with the fee in your currency.

    You must go through Etudes en France before applying for the visa

    Ghana is one of the 73 countries covered by the Etudes en France (EEF) procedure. You apply to enroll through the EEF platform first, and your visa application is then forwarded automatically to the French consular authorities. A consulate will not process a student visa application from an EEF country that has skipped this step.

    source

    Your long-stay visa fee is EUR 50, not EUR 99

    France-Visas prices the long-stay student visa at EUR 50 for applicants from countries covered by the EEF procedure, against EUR 99 for everyone else, so Ghana applicants pay the lower rate. The Etudes en France procedure itself is charged separately by your local Campus France office and the amount varies by country.

    source

    France student visa requirements for Kenyan students

    The full France visa guide for Kenyan students, with the fee in your currency.

    You must go through Etudes en France before applying for the visa

    Kenya is one of the 73 countries covered by the Etudes en France (EEF) procedure. You apply to enroll through the EEF platform first, and your visa application is then forwarded automatically to the French consular authorities. A consulate will not process a student visa application from an EEF country that has skipped this step.

    source

    Your long-stay visa fee is EUR 50, not EUR 99

    France-Visas prices the long-stay student visa at EUR 50 for applicants from countries covered by the EEF procedure, against EUR 99 for everyone else, so Kenya applicants pay the lower rate. The Etudes en France procedure itself is charged separately by your local Campus France office and the amount varies by country.

    source
    United States
    From $535 all-in
    United Kingdom
    From $1,760 all-in
    Canada
    From $175 all-in
    Australia
    From $2,250 all-in
    Germany
    From $190 all-in
    New Zealand
    From $501 all-in

    FAQ

    Frequently asked questions

    How much is the France student visa fee?
    The VLS-TS (long-stay student visa) application charge is $58 (Long-stay visa fee). Add the other mandatory items (Campus France charge $65 and OFII validation (after arrival) $60) and the all-in mandatory total is $183. Optional extras add up to $50 on top.
    What is the Campus France fee?
    $65 for the VLS-TS (long-stay student visa), and it is mandatory. EUR 60; mandatory for most countries. It is already counted in the $183 all-in total.
    How much proof of funds do you need for the VLS-TS (long-stay student visa)?
    Show €877.50/month financial capacity (raised from €615 on 1 August 2026). That is money you show, not money you pay. It is separate from the $183 in fees.
    How much bank balance is required for a France student visa?
    EUR 878, held as Bank statements, a notarized financial guarantee from a sponsor, or a scholarship award letter, covering Each month of your stay in France. For a ten-month academic year that is EUR 8,775, and the money must remain available after you have paid all tuition, administrative and program fees. It is money you show rather than money you pay, so it is separate from the visa fees. The threshold rose from EUR 615 to EUR 877.50 a month on 1 August 2026 under Décret n° 2026-526 of 22 June 2026, and applies to every international student visa applicant. Acceptable evidence includes the three most recent bank statements showing either the full balance or a steady monthly income above the threshold, a notarized guarantee form from a sponsor with their own bank statements, or a scholarship or loan letter exceeding the monthly figure across your whole stay. Source: Campus France: Guidance for student visa applicants (proof of sufficient funds) (August 2026).
    Can you work on a France student visa?
    A validated VLS-TS lets you work 964 hours a year, which is 60% of normal French working hours. Algerian nationals are limited to 50% instead. Part-time work will not cover all your costs and should be treated as secondary income. Source: France-Visas (Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs): Student (August 2026).
    What's not included in the VLS-TS (long-stay student visa) fee?
    Tuition, living costs and the money you have to show in your account are separate from the fees on this page. Use our cost-of-study calculator at /tools/cost-calculator for a complete budget.
    When are these fees due?
    Application and biometric fees are paid before submission. Health surcharges (UK IHS, Australian OSHC) are paid as part of the visa application. Some fees (Anmeldung in Germany, OFII in France) are paid after arrival.

    Official sources

    Last verified August 2026.