A France student visa application from India in 2026 has two gates. The first is the Campus France Études en France (EEF) procedure, compulsory for Indian residents: a file review and a 20-minute academic interview for INR 20,000 from 1 August 2026, whose opinion the consulate relies on. The second is the long-stay student visa itself, which costs €50 under the EEF procedure, needs proof of €877.50 a month for the first year under the rule that took effect on 1 August 2026, and is decided in about 15 days after the VFS Global appointment. The visa doubles as a residence permit (VLS-TS) once validated online within three months of arrival.
The compact version with the price card and checklist is on the France student visa route page. This is the long version, written around a September intake.
Who qualifies for a France student visa?
You need an admission to a course of more than three months at a recognised French institution, a credible and funded study plan, accommodation for the first months and health cover for the first weeks. English-taught programs rely on the school's English requirement; French-taught programs need DELF B2 or TCF at the level the school sets, and some schools require A2 French even for English programs. Students under 18 need parental authorisation. The consulate can interview applicants in addition to Campus France.
A weak EEF interview is the main reason Indian student files are refused, so the interview deserves the same preparation as the admission itself: why this course, why France, how it follows from your record, who pays and what you will do afterwards.
What is the Campus France EEF procedure?
The Études en France platform is run by Campus France and is mandatory for Indian residents. You create an account, upload your academic record, motivation and the admission, pay INR 20,000 and book an interview at a Campus France office in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Pune, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Chandigarh or Kochi. Interviews are booked two to four weeks out and the decision is posted to the EEF account within about a week. The EEF attestation is then printed and taken to the visa appointment. Students who receive a negative opinion can reapply through EEF with a stronger file.
How much does it cost?
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Campus France EEF fee | INR 20,000 | From 1 August 2026; file review and academic interview |
| Long-stay student visa | €50 (€99 outside EEF) | Paid in rupees at VFS; not refunded |
| VFS Global service fee | Set by VFS | Per application |
| VLS-TS validation tax (students) | €50 | Paid online within 3 months of arrival |
| Public university tuition, non-EU | €2,895 bachelor's; €3,941 master's a year | Many universities waive the differential fee |
| Student health insurance | Free | Register with Assurance Maladie after arrival; travel insurance for the first weeks |
Grandes écoles and private schools set their own tuition. Vistolane charges the €50 fee at the official rupee rate and shows it on the France destination page; the Campus France fee is paid directly on the EEF platform.
How much money must I show, and how?
From 1 August 2026 the financial requirement is €877.50 a month for the first year, or €10,530 for twelve months, plus tuition. Accepted evidence is the student's or a parent's bank statements over three to six months, an education loan sanction letter from an Indian bank or NBFC confirming the amount and disbursal, a scholarship letter, or a French guarantor's attestation de prise en charge with the guarantor's income evidence. Accommodation for the first months (a student residence booking, a lease or a host's attestation) and tuition payment or a payment plan complete the file. Recent lump sums without a documented source and loans approved only in principle are the two most common funding problems.
How does the application run?
- Create the Études en France file: upload academic documents, motivation and the admission, pay INR 20,000 and book the Campus France interview.
- Attend the 20-minute academic interview on your course choice, funding and plans; the decision is posted to the EEF account within about a week.
- Complete the France-Visas wizard for a long-stay student visa, book the VFS appointment, pay €50 and give biometrics; bring the EEF attestation, admission, funds, accommodation and insurance.
- The consulate decides in about 15 days, up to three weeks in July and August; passports are returned by courier or collection.
- Arrive and validate the VLS-TS online within three months (€50 tax), register with Assurance Maladie and open a bank account; apply for a residence permit renewal two months before expiry if the course continues.
How long does it take for a September intake?
| Stage | Typical time |
|---|---|
| Admission to EEF file complete | 1 to 3 weeks |
| Campus France interview | 2 to 4 weeks to the slot |
| EEF decision | About 1 week |
| VFS appointment to visa decision | About 15 days; up to 3 weeks in July and August |
| Arrival | Up to the course start; validate the VLS-TS within 3 months |
Start EEF by April for a September intake and apply for the visa by early July. Slots in Delhi and Mumbai fill fastest in June and July; January intakes run the same sequence from September.
Working, dependants and what comes after
Students may work 964 hours a year, about 20 hours a week, without a separate permit. Most student spouses apply separately; spouses of master's and doctoral students may qualify for the talent-family or visitor route depending on the program. After graduation, Indian master's graduates can obtain a job-search or business-creation residence permit for up to two years under the 2018 India-France migration and mobility agreement, and alumni with a French master's qualify for a five-year short-stay visa.
Graduates in employment move to the talent residence card: qualified employees with a French master's at €39,582 or the EU Blue Card at €59,373, or to the standard salarié permit with a work authorisation. The France work visa guide covers the thresholds and the €350 card tax.
Why are France student visas refused, and what fixes each reason?
Negative Campus France opinion. The interview did not convince on course choice, academic fit or career plan. Prepare a specific study plan linking your record to the program and a career outcome; you can reapply through EEF with a stronger file.
Funds not sufficient or not credible. Balances below €877.50 a month, recent lump sums, or a loan not yet sanctioned. Hold the full year's amount for several months with documented sources, or obtain a sanction letter confirming disbursal.
Accommodation or insurance missing. No proof of where you will live or no cover for the first weeks. Book a student residence or obtain a host attestation and buy travel insurance for the gap.
Doubts about the genuine purpose. A course below your level, repeated changes of field, or evidence the aim was work. Choose a program that follows from your record and explain any change directly.
Document inconsistencies. Names, dates or grades differing between EEF uploads and originals. Check every document against the passport and transcripts before the appointment.
How Vistolane files it
Vistolane prepares the Études en France file and interview, the France-Visas application and the VFS appointment, and charges the €50 fee at the official rate; study-abroad consultants run whole intakes through the same workspace. Start with the free eligibility check or open the France student visa route page. Students comparing destinations can read the Germany student visa guide and the UK Student visa guide.
