Studying in France is a dream cherished by many but realized by only 412,000 international students in 2022–23. The country’s high-quality education, effectively lower fees for world-class learning and research infrastructure and a chance to work with global players bring thousands of international students to France annually. Among them close to 10,000 are Indians.
While the interest to study in Frace is persistently growing, overseas education consultants estimate that a few recent developments will propel the interest of Indians further. We spoke to the renowned global education firm MSM Unify, which has a large team of overseas education consultants, to understand the factors driving the interest of Indian students to study in France. Here are some of the main factors:
Large number of programs: As per news reports, France has 3,500 public and private higher education institutes. These include doctoral institutions, universities, institutes running accredited diplomas, and other specializations. From Engineering to Fashion studies, France offers a wide range of programs.
Relaxed visa norms for Indian students: In July 2023, the French government rolled out major relaxations for Indian students. Indian students who have a Master’s degree or above and have spent at least a semester studying in France are eligible for a 5-year short-stay Schengen visa. This is a special provision for Indian alumni to keep them close to their French counterparts. France now aims to welcome 30,000 Indian students by 2030.
Part-time work permit: France allows 964 Hours of work per year. This is a huge boost for students who want to earn and supplement their tuition fees and secure work options after completing students.
Subsidized education in public universities: The French government mandates subsidized fees in public institutions. This means that the effective fees are far more affordable when compared to other top destinations such as the US, the UK, Canada, and others.
Programs in English: France offers more than 1,600 programs in English. This number is increasing and thus more and more students can opt for education in the country. Even for the programs run in French, institutes run language learning courses to facilitate language transition.
France has two primary admission intakes:
Fall intake: December — February
Spring intake: June — July
A few institutes have a rolling application system, and thus their programs can be considered all the year through. With this, let’s have a look at the top programs to study in France:
1. Business Management:
The BBA and MBA programs are popular choices with many universities offering these. Some notable names include the Sorbonne University, University of Nantes, Montpellier Business School, Ecole Polytechnique, and others. The fee ranges from INR 9 Lakh — INR 21 Lakh per year.
2. Sales and Marketing:
Among these, new-age programs such as Digital Marketing, Luxury Marketing, and International Marketing are the top choices. Unlike India where these are clubbed with Business Management, French universities offer them as MSc — a two-year-long degree program. The fee could range from INR 16 Lakh — 26 Lakh per year.
3. Fashion Management:
This is a highly sought-after program with a specialization in the Science of Luxury, Global Luxury and others. This is typically a two-year-long program, offered in universities such as NEOMA Business School, Skema Business School, Excelia, and others. The fee ranges from INR 15 Lakh — INR 24 Lakh per year.
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