Visa application

Travel arrangements: apply for a French long-stay student visa

European students

If you are a national of a member state of the European Union (EU) or the European Economic Area (EEA) – Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway – or of Switzerland, you are not required to have a specific visa to study in France, a passport of ID card is sufficient. Do not forget to apply to before arrival and bring your European Health Insurance Card that will allow you to benefit from heath insurance in France at no costs if you’re under 28 years old.

Non-European students

While we’ll follow-up and provide any possible support during your visa application (notably by communicating directly with your consulate to advocate for your application and detail compliance of your application with legal criteria as detailed here) please note that this procedure is ultimately your own and sole responsibility and that the granting of the visa is the prerogative of the French government; the Consortium is not able to guarantee successful award of the French visa.

Based on our previous experience, visa issues demand much time and attention. Sometimes it might take up to 4 months. For a more effective result, please start with the visa paperwork as soon as possible, (i.e. as soon as you’ve received the certificate of admission and certificate of residence). Pay attention to small details, such as photos format or amount of passport pages to be copied; double-check all your forms and the data you fill in. Always have copies of originals (good idea to have them in a digital form, too) for your own administration, as well as when submitting applications, since sometimes consulates do not return any documents (make sure you make several copies of the certificate of admission, of the official scholarship confirmation letter from the European Commission; of the insurance policy statement and the insurance card, etc). Rules at embassies change often, so be sure you get the most updated information on the required documents. You should keep your Administrative Coordinator informed if you face visa problems.

It may be better if your passport is valid for at least 2-3 years before your planned date of arrival to avoid problems with receiving passport while you study and with lack of pages in your passport if you already had a lot of visas in. Some countries require it to be valid for at least one year to issue a visa.

Visa application procedure

You need to apply to an Extended-stay student visa, with residency permit (VLS-TS). It is important that you request a visa valid 1 year (at least, we recommend to ask for a 2-year visa), irrespective of the in-built mobility scheme of the Programme. This visa will serve as a residence permit after completed the right procedure upon arrival. For citizens of Algeria only, a “visa “D” Long séjour“.

Check first if you’re a citizen of one of the following 72 countries (so-called “countries using CEF procedure”).

> If so, you will have to register with your local Campus France office to apply for admission and obtain a student visa, using the online CEF procedure. You need to register, then follow the option available for student already accepted to a programme. Your local Campus France office will be your main contact person during your visa application. Please indicate clearly to Campus France that you have already been selected by Universty Jean Monnet (by enclosing to your online file your certificate of preliminary admission and certificate of residence).

> If not, you need to submit to the nearest French consulate of place of residence your application for an extended-stay visa, along with any supporting documents required by the consulate. Supporting documents are generally the following (this list varies from one country to another; you should always contact and consult the relevant consular authority pf your place of residence):

A valid passport (the length of validity must cover at least the length of the visa requested, the passport or travel document must contain at least two blank pages).
The certificate of residence
The certificate of admission
A flight booking
A insurance certificate (travel insurance)
evidence of sufficient financial resources (France’s immigration code does not specify a minimum amount. Prospective students must demonstrate that they possess resources equivalent to the monthly base amounts paid to recipients of French government scholarship grants, about €615. France’s consulates have discretion in applying these guidelines).

Cost of the visa itself may vary depending on your home country, from 50 € to 200 €.

N.B. 1. The same process must be undertake and type of visa requested in case you plan to work in France during the work placement to complete the Master Thesis in Semester 4. A 1 year Extended-stay student visa, with residency permit (VLS-TS) is better even if you plan to stay less than six months because it makes you eligible to the housing allowance.

N.B.2. French consulate in Syria has been closed. Syrian nationals must therefore, when possible, consult French consulate in Jordan, Lebanon or Turkey.

N.B.3. If you live in an EU country but are not a citizen, you will have to apply for a student visa at the French consulate in the country in which you reside. Even if the CEF procedure is used in your country of origin, you do not have to return there in order to apply for admission to a French institution of higher education.

You can also find information regarding the visa application process on the French Immigration Portal.

Once you arrive in France, you will have 3 month to validate your visa to French authorities. This cost approximately 50 euros and can be done online.

Visa renewal

DIGICREA students might need to required a renewal of their visa, in case their visa expire before their stay in France or if they plan to come back during fall semester 4 in France to undertake their Master Thesis.

Application for a visa renewal must be submitted online through ANEF platform

Renewal application must be submitted as soon as possible, between four and two months before the expiry date of the residence permit in force.

International Office – Incoming mobility service will be able to provide help to students on this topic.

International Office – Incoming mobility
10 rue Tréfilerie
Maison de l’Université – 2nd floor
42100 Saint-Etienne
Open from Monday to Friday from 9:00 am to 12:00 am and 01:30 pm to 05:00 pm