Student Visa for France: VLS-TS, Études en France and Proof of Funds
Fee figures: catalogue of 6 October 2026.
Students from outside the EU, the EEA and Switzerland need a long-stay visa to study in France for more than three months. For a degree this is the long-stay visa equivalent to a residence permit, known as the VLS-TS, marked "étudiant". This guide reflects the rules in force in October 2026, including the higher resources threshold introduced that year.
Two routes to the visa
- Études en France. If you live in one of the roughly seventy countries covered by this procedure, you do everything on one platform run by Campus France: the application to institutions, an interview, and then the visa request. You cannot skip it.
- Other countries. You apply to the institution directly or on Parcoursup, then request the visa on the France-Visas website and submit the file at the consulate or its visa centre.
What you must show
- Enrolment or pre-enrolment at a higher education institution.
- Resources. Since August 2026 the minimum is defined as 47% of the gross monthly minimum wage. At the time of writing that was €877.50 a month, up from the long-standing figure of €615. The threshold now moves each time the minimum wage changes, and it applies again when you renew. Resources can be your own funds, regular transfers, a sponsor's commitment or a scholarship.
- Accommodation for at least the first months: a residence booking, a lease or a host's certificate.
- Passport, photos and the visa fee.
After arrival: validate the visa
The VLS-TS is valid for between four months and one year, but only if you validate it. Within three months of arriving, you validate it online on the government's portal for foreign nationals and pay a tax at the same time. Without validation you are no longer legally resident after three months and cannot re-enter the Schengen area.
Renewal
If your studies continue, you apply online for a student residence card between four and two months before the visa expires. After a first year you can receive a multi-year card that covers the remaining length of your course. At renewal the prefecture checks that your studies are real and progressing: attendance, exams sat and results.
Working while you study
A student residence permit allows paid work of up to 964 hours a year, which is 60% of the legal working year. No separate authorisation is needed, except for Algerian nationals, who are covered by a specific agreement.
Help with rent
Foreign students with a valid visa can claim housing benefit from the family allowance fund (CAF), and the state-backed Visale scheme can act as your rent guarantor free of charge. Both are explained in student housing in France.
EU citizens
No visa and no residence permit. Bring your European Health Insurance Card and register with French social security after enrolment.
What it costs
In our catalogue the typical public fee for a non-EU student is €2,902 a year, compared with €178 for EU students, and many universities exempt non-EU students from the difference. See how much it costs to study in France.
Where to look next
Official sources
Always check current information on the official website of the university before you apply.