France guide 路 verified 2026-07-04
How to Apply to Universities in France, Step by Step
Applying to universities
For most public-university Licence/Master applicants, the 脡tudes en France platform IS the application channel, one account, multiple programme choices, one fee. Grandes 脡coles and business schools often run a parallel process (concours, dedicated portal) alongside the same EEF registration.
Lock the intake and each programme's real deadline
The main academic year starts in September; the EEF platform typically opens in the preceding autumn/winter with a phased calendar (choices submission, interview windows, university-response windows) published on Campus France India's own EEF calendar page each cycle. Some Grandes 脡coles run additional intakes (e.g. January), confirm per institution rather than assuming the September/EEF calendar applies everywhere.
When: Check the current cycle's EEF calendar as soon as the student commits to FrancePrepare the document set
Typical set: 10th & 12th marksheets, Bachelor's transcripts and degree/provisional certificate, language certificate, CV, statement of purpose/motivation letter, and (for some programmes) letters of recommendation. Keep certified/translated copies ready, since both the university and later the visa file will ask for them.
You get: A reusable, certified document pack for every application on the EEF platform.Submit through 脡tudes en France and pay the EEF fee
MandatoryComplete the academic file on inde.campusfrance.org, select programme choices, and pay the 脡tudes en France processing fee once the Campus France India manager validates the file. As of 1 August 2026 this fee is INR 20,000 (raised from INR 18,500), always check the India portal's current-fee page before quoting a figure, since it has changed more than once in recent cycles. French-government scholarship holders (e.g. Eiffel) and a few other scholarship categories are exempt.
Cost: INR 20,000 (effective 1 August 2026)Clear the pre-consular interview, then track university responses
After the interview (see Admissions), monitor the EEF portal for each university's decision. Once an offer is accepted, obtain the formal admission letter, this is the document the visa application will need.
You get: A formal admission letter from at least one French institution.
The EEF platform runs its own phased calendar (registration, interview, response windows) that does not always match a specific university's or Grande 脡cole's own admissions deadline. Track both, and start the EEF registration as early as the platform allows, the pre-consular interview step adds real lead time on top of ordinary application processing.
Where this fits
This is one step of the full France journey: admission, tests, application, visa, money, arrival and stay-back, every figure cited to an official source.
More on France
Bramica is independent and takes no commission from any university, recruiter or agency. This page is information, not immigration advice. Rules, fees and thresholds change; confirm the current requirement on the official source before acting on it.