France Study Visa Requirements for Indian Students

19 min read · Published on August 10, 2026 · Updated on August 10, 2026

For an Indian student joining a course longer than three months, the France study visa requirements include admission and the Campus France academic procedure required by the programme. This may mean applying through Études en France (EEF) or recording an offer received directly from the institution, followed by the Campus France academic interview. You also need a personalised France-Visas document list and proof of at least EUR 877.50 a month, about INR 96,400 at the 7 August 2026 ECB rate. You submit the application and biometrics through VFS Global, while the French consular authority decides it.

The visa usually issued for this route is a long-stay visa that also serves as your first residence permit, commonly called a VLS-TS. Online validation within three months of arrival currently costs EUR 150, about INR 16,500 at the same rate. A complete 2027 study in France plan therefore runs from the programme’s application route through Campus France, visa filing and the first residence step in France.

How does an Indian student move from admission to a France visa?

India uses Études en France, usually shortened to EEF. EEF is the official online system used by Campus France and participating institutions. What you do in it depends on the exact programme.

If the programme accepts applications through EEF, you apply there. If a school admits you through its own portal, you later record that offer in EEF under the route for a student who is already accepted. This second option is often called the accepted-candidate route. The Campus France process for Indian applicants explains which academic route fits each programme.

Step	What you complete	Evidence or result	What happens next
1	Apply through the academic route named by the programme	Admission, or a pre-enrolment certificate confirming that the institution intends to enrol you	The admission can be recorded in EEF where required
2	Complete the EEF route required for that programme and attend the Campus France academic interview	The required Campus France academic procedure is complete	You can begin the France-Visas application
3	Answer the France-Visas assistant and submit the online application	Application form, receipt and personalised supporting-document list	A submission appointment can be booked
4	Attend the instructed VFS centre in person	File intake, fingerprints, photograph and passport handling	The consular authority examines the application
5	Travel with the issued student VLS-TS	Long-stay visa in the passport	Online validation is due within three months of arrival

Campus France India’s live procedure says that the academic interview can be online or in person, but the visa appointment is different. Its current filing instruction is explicit.

All visa applicants have to go in person at any of the listed VFS centres to register their biometric data.Campus France India

The course application, academic interview and visa appointment are separate events, so a France intake calendar needs time for all three. Campus France handles the academic stage and VFS handles submission. The French consulates and Embassy visa section make the visa decision.

Which France student visa applies to your course?

A course longer than three months normally needs a long-stay student visa. VLS-TS stands for visa de long séjour valant titre de séjour. In plain English, it is a long-stay visa that becomes your first residence permit after online validation. France-Visas says a course of three months or less follows the short-stay route where a visa is required.

Study situation	Usual category	Important limit
Course lasting no more than three months	Short-stay study visa where required	It does not provide the standard long-stay student residence route
Degree or course lasting more than three months	Long-stay student visa, commonly a VLS-TS	Arrival validation is still required
Travel to France only to sit an entrance examination	A short-stay visa specifically for the examination, if the France-Visas assistant shows that category	Passing the examination does not itself grant long-term residence. The rules shown for that visa still apply
Formal higher-education mobility programme between participating institutions in the European Union, lasting up to 12 months	A student mobility VLS-TS, which is the long-stay visa for that formal programme	It is different from the standard long-stay student route
Doctoral research covered by a hosting agreement, the official document issued by the French research host for the research stay	A researcher immigration category may apply instead of student status	The host’s documents, not PhD admission alone, determine whether the researcher route applies

France-Visas lists these categories on its student visa page. The France-Visas assistant identifies the category that matches the course, purpose and length of stay you enter. A funded doctoral candidate may need the researcher route when the French host issues a hosting agreement, which is why French PhD funding and immigration status must be considered together.

What documents does France require from an Indian student?

The France-Visas assistant creates a personalised checklist after you enter your nationality, purpose and length of stay. That checklist is the binding document list for your application. A fixed blog list can’t account for your funding source, accommodation, scholarship or personal circumstances.

France-Visas states that supporting documents are specified by the France-Visas assistant and that an accepted student’s enrolment certificate is especially required. Campus France India separately asks for identity, academic and language material during EEF. These are connected files, but they aren’t interchangeable.

Document group	What it needs to establish	Common mismatch to resolve before filing
Identity and application	The same name, passport details and personal history across forms	Different spellings or an old passport number
Admission and EEF	The exact institution, programme, level, start date and completed academic route	An offer that remains conditional without the required evidence
Academic and language history	A clear path into the admitted course	A language result or explanation missing from your checklist
Financial evidence	Accessible resources at or above the minimum in force when you submit, plus a credible tuition plan	A large balance with no clear owner, source or availability date
Accommodation	The address or booking evidence asked for in the checklist	Evidence that does not cover the dates requested in the checklist
Travel and insurance	The items requested for the exact visa category	A generic policy or booking that does not match the instructed dates

The France-Visas assistant is most useful after the programme and intended stay are settled. Its result tells you which financial and housing evidence applies to your answers.

France-Visas currently accepts either a permanent address or a temporary address for the first three months, while warning that conditions can vary by country. If your personalised checklist asks for particular dates, the booking must cover those dates. A temporary booking can sit alongside a longer-term student housing plan for France without pretending the two documents serve the same purpose.

How much money must you show for a France student visa?

For an application submitted from 1 August 2026, the current minimum is EUR 877.50 for each month of support you must show. Your personalised France-Visas checklist sets the period that the evidence must cover. EUR 10,530 is therefore a 12-month example, not a universal amount for every course. At the ECB reference rate of EUR 1 = INR 109.8275 on 7 August 2026, the figures are about INR 96,400 a month and INR 11.56 lakh for 12 months.

The amount can change because it is calculated from the French statutory minimum wage, called the SMIC. Decree 2026-526 requires monthly resources equal to at least 47% of the gross monthly SMIC in force on the day you submit the application. The current gross monthly SMIC is EUR 1,867.02 from 1 June 2026.

L’étranger justifie disposer de moyens d’existence mensuels correspondant au moins à 47 % du montant brut du salaire minimum de croissance mensuel.Légifrance, Decree 2026-526

In plain English, the decree requires at least 47% of the gross monthly SMIC for every month of support. The wage amount used is the one in force when the application is submitted.

Minimum monthly resources = gross monthly SMIC on the submission date × 47%

The current worked example is EUR 1,867.02 × 0.47 = EUR 877.4994, which the official student pages display as EUR 877.50. A 12-month evidence calculation is EUR 877.50 × 12 = EUR 10,530.

Period supported	Calculation (EUR)	Current total (EUR)	Approx. total (INR)
1 month	EUR 1,867.02 × 47%	EUR 877.50	INR 96,400
6 months	EUR 877.50 × 6	EUR 5,265	INR 5.78 lakh
9 months	EUR 877.50 × 9	EUR 7,897.50	INR 8.67 lakh
12 months	EUR 877.50 × 12	EUR 10,530	INR 11.56 lakh

Examples for different support periods using EUR 1 = INR 109.8275 on 7 August 2026

Service Public lists EUR 877.50 as the current monthly minimum. A 2027 applicant still needs the SMIC in force on the actual submission date because the amount can move.

The figure is evidence of minimum resources, not an extra charge. Compare it with your 12-month living-cost allocation and use the higher amount. Tuition, travel and refundable deposits remain separate parts of the first-year cost of studying in France.

What should be complete before you book the VFS appointment?

The application is ready to submit only when the admission, Campus France work, personalised checklist, money and accommodation evidence are all complete. There is no official readiness score. A missing housing document cannot be balanced by showing extra bank statements, because the two documents answer different requirements.

Item	What complete means for your application	What remains unfinished
Admission	The offer names the course, level and start date, and every relevant condition has been met	A condition in the offer still lacks evidence
Campus France	You have completed the EEF route and academic interview required for that programme	The required EEF review or interview is still pending
France-Visas checklist	Every item on your personalised checklist is present in the requested form	You have relied on a generic list instead of the checklist generated for you
Money	The documents show where the money comes from, who owns it and when you can use it	A balance appears without a clear source, owner or availability date
Accommodation	The address or booking covers the dates requested on your checklist	The booking covers fewer days or months than the checklist asks for
After arrival	You have budgeted EUR 150 and know that online VLS-TS validation is due within three months	Your plan ends when the passport is returned

For example, a student may have admission, completed Campus France work and EUR 10,530 for 12 months, while the housing booking covers only part of the period named on the personalised checklist. The housing evidence is still unfinished. More bank pages or recommendation letters do not answer that housing requirement.

How much does the France student visa process cost in India?

The process has four separate charges, so the EUR 50 consular fee is not the total cost. From 1 August 2026, Campus France India charges INR 20,000 for EEF. India uses the EEF procedure, and France-Visas lists an indicative student visa fee of EUR 50 for applicants from EEF countries. Indicative means it is a published guide price, not a guaranteed charge for every case. VFS adds a local service fee, and online student VLS-TS validation currently costs EUR 150 after arrival.

Charge	Current amount	Approx. amount (INR)	When it is paid
EEF and Campus France India fee	INR 20,000	INR 20,000	After Campus France reviews the file and sends the official payment link
Long-stay student visa fee for India, which uses EEF	EUR 50 indicative	About INR 5,500	At filing. The category identified by the France-Visas assistant and any special rule determine the actual fee
Basic VFS service fee	Shown at the live booking step	Paid in local currency	At submission or booking as instructed
Student VLS-TS validation tax	EUR 150	About INR 16,500	Online within three months after arrival

Charges checked on 10 August 2026, with EUR converted at INR 109.8275

Campus France India’s fee notice tells students to wait until Campus France has reviewed the file and sent the official payment link. France-Visas lists EUR 50 for applicants from EEF countries, including India, as a guide price. The answers entered in the France-Visas assistant identify the visa category, and a special case within that category can carry a different fee.

The VFS India fee page was not readable during the 10 August check, so no fixed VFS rupee amount is given here. France-Visas India confirms that the basic service fee is separate and paid in local currency. Check the amount shown when you book instead of relying on an older charge.

When and where can you file a France student visa in India?

A long-stay application cannot be submitted more than six months before the planned departure. France-Visas India says to submit no later than one month before departure. You may file earlier once the six-month window opens. The one-month instruction is not a processing guarantee.

The current France-Visas India filing page lists appointment locations including Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Chennai, Goa, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Jalandhar, Kochi, Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi, Puducherry and Pune. Check it again when booking because addresses and opening days can change.

Planning point	Official position	What belongs in your calendar
More than 6 months before departure	The long-stay application cannot yet be submitted	Admission, EEF, funding and housing preparation
Up to 6 months before departure	The submission window can open	Personal France-Visas form, checklist and appointment search
No later than 1 month before departure	France-Visas India says the long-stay file must be submitted by this point	Completed file, in-person biometrics and passport logistics
Before travel	The issued visa details control entry	Name, validity dates, category and travel documents checked against the passport

France-Visas also offers eligible long-stay student applicants the option to upload digital copies while completing the online form. The official page says this can make the later VFS visit quicker because the uploaded evidence is already attached to the application. It does not remove the in-person appointment or biometrics requirement.

Every uploaded page needs to be readable and placed under the correct document heading. France-Visas warns that VFS may have to correct or digitise missing material at the appointment and may charge for that service where it is offered. A clear digital file can save time, but it doesn’t replace your personalised checklist or the paper evidence requested for the appointment.

Peak demand and additional examination can affect timing. France Diplomatie says appointment and processing delays vary by country and period. Non-refundable travel should not depend on an assumed decision date.

What must you do after arriving with a student VLS-TS?

A student VLS-TS must be validated online within three months after arrival. The online step records your arrival and activates the long-stay visa as your first residence permit. It currently requires a EUR 150 tax, so the process does not end with the visa sticker in the passport.

Dans les 3 mois suivant votre arrivée en France, vous devez valider votre VLS-TS et payer une taxe.Service Public

In plain English, Service Public says you must validate the VLS-TS and pay the tax within three months of reaching France.

The visa, French address, arrival date, payment method and information requested by the service should be available for validation. The Administration numérique pour les étrangers en France portal, known as ANEF, is the government website used for this and later residence procedures.

The student VLS-TS is normally valid for four months to one year. A continuing student later applies online for the next residence permit. Service Public currently says the renewal window opens four months before the visa expires and closes two months before expiry.

A validated standard student VLS-TS, rather than a mobility or researcher category, allows up to 964 hours of salaried work in a year while that status is valid. France-Visas warns that part-time work is supplementary income and is not enough to cover all expenses. Later post-study work routes in France have separate conditions.

Is there an official France student visa success rate for Indians?

No current official India-specific student-visa approval percentage was found in France-Visas, France Diplomatie, Campus France or Campus France India sources checked on 10 August 2026. A trustworthy success rate needs both the number of approved cases and the matching number of decided Indian student applications for the same period.

Counts of visas issued or students travelling do not supply that denominator. Dividing an issuance count by an unrelated student-enrolment figure would create a percentage that no authority publishes. Consultancy percentages without a defined cohort, visa category and source should not be used to estimate an individual result.

Key takeaways

India uses EEF, the Campus France online procedure. An applicant completes the academic route required by the programme before the France-Visas and VFS filing stages.
The French consular authority decides the visa. Campus France and VFS do not approve it.
Applications filed from 1 August 2026 use a resource minimum of EUR 877.50 a month, or EUR 10,530 when the personalised checklist requires 12 months. The amount follows the French statutory minimum wage, called the SMIC.
The INR 20,000 EEF fee, indicative EUR 50 student visa fee for India, variable VFS service fee and EUR 150 arrival-validation tax are separate charges.
The personalised France-Visas checklist controls the supporting evidence. Current primary sources do not create a universal blocked-account rule for Indian students.
A student VLS-TS must be validated online within three months after arrival.
No current official India-specific student-visa approval rate was found on 10 August 2026.

Frequently asked questions about France student visas

What are the France study visa requirements for Indian students?

You normally need admission, the Campus France academic procedure required for your programme, a France-Visas application, personalised supporting documents, current financial evidence, accommodation evidence and in-person biometrics. India uses the Études en France online system, called EEF, for the Campus France stage. The France-Visas assistant gives your exact document list.

How much money must I show for a France student visa?

For a file submitted from 1 August 2026, the minimum is EUR 877.50 per month. Your personalised checklist sets how many months to cover. For 12 months, the total is EUR 10,530, about INR 11.56 lakh at the 7 August ECB rate. The monthly figure is 47% of the French statutory minimum wage in force when you submit.

How much does a France student visa cost in India?

The process is not one fee. Campus France India currently charges INR 20,000 for EEF. Because India uses EEF, France-Visas shows a EUR 50 guide price for a long-stay student visa, while the category identified from your answers and any special rule determine the actual fee. VFS adds a local service fee, and VLS-TS validation costs EUR 150.

Does Campus France approval guarantee a France student visa?

No. Completing the Campus France academic interview or receiving an interview certificate does not decide the visa. Campus France manages the applicable academic procedure. VFS receives the file and biometrics. Only the authorised French consular authority examines and decides the visa application submitted in India.

How early can I apply for a France student visa?

France-Visas India says a long-stay visa application cannot be submitted more than six months before the scheduled departure. It also says to submit no later than one month before departure. You may apply earlier once the six-month window opens. The one-month instruction is not a promised processing time.

Do I need a blocked account for a France student visa?

No universal France rule found in the current primary sources requires every Indian student to open a blocked account. Your personalised France-Visas checklist controls the accepted evidence for your circumstances. It should show accessible resources at or above the minimum in force when you submit and make the owner, source and availability of the money clear.

What happens after I arrive with a student VLS-TS?

You must validate the VLS-TS online within three months after entering France and pay the current EUR 150 student tax. Online validation activates the long-stay visa as your first residence permit. If your studies continue beyond its validity, you apply online for the next student residence permit before the visa expires.

What is the France student visa success rate for Indians?

No current official India-specific approval percentage was found in the primary French sources checked on 10 August 2026. An issuance count is not a success rate unless the same source also publishes the matching number of decided Indian student applications. Unattributed consultancy percentages should not guide a visa plan.