Campus France and the Études en France procedure, explained

What Campus France is and who must use it

Campus France manages applications from students in “CEF / Études en France” countries - which covers most of francophone Africa.

• Mandatory for residents of CEF countries (e.g. Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Morocco, Guinea, Congo and many more)
• You cannot book a French student-visa appointment without completing it
• It handles both your university application and your pré-consulaire interview
• Check the “Études en France” site for your country to confirm you are in the CEF procedure

Step 1: create your Études en France account

• Open an account on the “Études en France” platform for your country of residence
• Enter your académie, personal details and academic history exactly as on your certificates
• Use one consistent spelling of your name across passport, certificates and account
• Keep your login safe - everything from application to visa runs through this account

Step 2: build your dossier (the application file)

Your dossier is judged on coherence - your past studies, chosen programmes and project must line up.

• Upload diplomas, transcripts, language certificates (DELF/DALF or TCF) and your passport
• Write a clear, honest “projet d’études” - why this programme, why France, what comes after
• Choose your programmes - the platform allows a limited number of “vœux” (wishes)
• Pay the Campus France fees (these vary by country, often roughly €50-€180)

Step 3: the pré-consulaire interview

Almost every applicant sits an interview at the Campus France office. It is where most weak files are filtered out.

• Expect questions on your study project, your motivation and your finances
• Stay consistent with your dossier - contradictions are the fastest way to a negative opinion
• Show that your plan is realistic and that your studies progress logically
• Campus France issues an opinion that the consulate weighs heavily for the visa

Step 4: from acceptance to the visa

• Once a university accepts you and you confirm, Campus France passes you to the visa stage
• Book the VLS-TS long-stay student visa appointment via the consulate / visa centre
• Prepare proof of funds (around €615/month or a sponsor proof), accommodation and insurance
• Validate your VLS-TS online within three months of arriving in France

Deadlines and the classic mistakes to avoid

• The main Études en France / DAP campaign typically runs from autumn to around March - check your country’s exact dates
• Late accounts and incomplete dossiers are the number-one cause of lost years
• Do not invent a project - interviewers test whether it is genuinely yours
• Talk to us to build your dossier, rehearse the interview and line up the visa