France has three visa categories for students who wish to study in the country.
Potential students from Nigeria who wish to study in France need to determine if their study program is a short course, three to six months or for up to two years.
The long-stay visa for France is valid for more than six months, allowing one to stay throughout your entire degree program. However, applicants may need to renew their visa annually.
Those who wish to remain in France after completing their degree will need to apply for a different visa or renew their existing visa through the immigration office.
Here are the visa categories in more details:
- Schengen’ short-stay student visa (Visa de court séjour pour études)
This visa allows you to come to France and study for up to three months without needing a separate residence visa. It is suitable for those enrolling in a language course or short-term programs.
- Temporary long-stay visa (Visa de long séjour temporaire pour études)
This visa permits you to study in France for three to six months without requiring a residence permit. However, it is non-renewable.
- Long-stay visa (Visa de long séjour études)
If you plan to study for over six months, you must apply for this visa. It lasts for the duration of your course in France—three years for a bachelor’s, two years for a master’s, and four years for a PhD. Long-stay visas act as residence permits and are referred to as VLT-TS.
Eligibility criteria
To be eligible to study in France applicants must take note of the following:
- Applicants must be over 18 years of age;
- Applicants must have already chosen the training course or studies. For more comprehensive information about the courses and diploma preparations on offer, please visit Campus France;
- They must be accepted by a higher education establishment. Enrolment conditions differ depending on the nationality. Applicants are to check the Etudes en France website to see if their country or territory is included in the online enrolment scheme. For other countries or territories, check the enrolment conditions in terms of specialities and level of education on Campus France.
How to make the application
Applicants will need to make an appointment at the VFS Global Centre in Abuja or Lagos and attend with all the required documents.
- Applicants are to bring a copy of each document, including their passport and its ID pages.
- The service provider or consulate will review the application, collect the visa fee, capture biometric data (photo and fingerprints), and retain the passport along with copies of all supporting documents to forward to the consulate.
- Nigerian applicants must also provide biometrics during the visa application process. These biometrics including fingerprinting and photographs, serve as additional identification for security purposes.
- Applicants will not need to attend a visa interview during the application process.
Other things to note
After applying for a French visa one of the most important things to prove is enough money to support oneself during the study programme.
- Applicants from Nigeria are to pay an application fee of 50 EUR
- The proof of funds needed is 615 EUR per month.
- Nigerian students also do not have to prove they speak English well enough to study in an international university in France.
- These language skills ensure that they can succeed in their classes and manage their way around France.
- Medical tests are not needed before arriving in France.
- For long-stay visa applications, a period of one month is needed between submitting your application and your planned departure date.