Important information
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Target audience
Requirements
Where is it?
Applying to university
What is it?
Registration at the university allows you to start or continue studies in France.
There are around 80 public universities on French territory, in all fields (sciences, letters, languages, arts, humanities, health, sport, etc.).
The main conditions for enrolling at the university are:
- have the baccalaureate level or an equivalence (secondary school leaving certificate);
- have a sufficient level of French: it is important to check that you meet the criteria (see step 1).
The registration periods and the procedures for sending an application are different depending on the universities and courses: it is essential to inquire before starting (step 2).
- public universities (discussed here)
- private universities
- large public or private schools.
How to do it?
⇒ You must have passed an equivalent of the baccalaureate or have completed high school (12 years of school) in your country of origin.
If you have a foreign diploma, you can request a certificate of comparability of your diploma from the ENIC-NARIC center (national information center on the academic recognition of foreign diplomas in France). You need to show the official documents (diploma, transcripts, training certificate, etc.).
> To read: the Réfugiés.info sheet "Have a foreign diploma recognized in France"
If you do not have proof of your diplomas or your marks, because you could not take them before leaving your country or because they were lost, you can apply for a European Qualifications Passport for Refugees (EQPR).
> To read: the Refugees.info sheet "Apply for a European Qualifications Passport for Refugees (EQPR)"
You can also request a specific procedure directly from the universities (interview, test or other).
If you have not completed high school, you can register for the diploma of access to university studies (DAEU).
> To read: the Refugees.info sheet "Having the Diploma of Access to University Studies (DAEU)"
⇒ You must have a minimum level of French B2.
You must have at least the B2 level in French to register at the university. Some courses, such as law, social sciences and in general all Masters, require level C1 in French.
There are several methods to certify the level of French:
Official tests : French evaluation test (TEF), French knowledge test (TCF), valid for two years.
Diplomas : Diploma in French language studies (DELF), Advanced diploma in French language (DALF), valid throughout your life.
There is no easier or more complicated certification to pass, each one has its particularities.
> To read: the Réfugiés.info sheet “Having an official certification of the level of French”
If you do not have the possibility of taking a language test, you can contact the university and ask that they assess your level of French (assessment interview, written test, etc.).
> To read: the Réfugiés.info sheet “Do a DU passerelle training”
⇒ Choose university
To help you find a university, the Campus France site allows you to search for courses by field of study and by region:
- license level (bac +1, bac + 2, bac +3) by clicking here,
- master level (bac + 4, bac + 5) here.
You can also go:
- To a SUIO (university information and orientation service)
- To a local mission
- To a CIO (information and orientation centre)
- To a Youth Information and Documentation Center
- To the My Master platform
Another solution for finding out about training: the advisers from Onisep (National Office for Information on Education and Professions) answer your questions about guidance and training. You can contact them for free from Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. by phone, chat or email .
Refugee students can also be accompanied by a dedicated CROUS referent after their registration.
You can also ask for help from an association near you or contact UniR - Universities Refugees or the Union of Exiled Students (UEE).
⇒ Respect the university calendar
> For registrations in first year of higher education
- Between January and March , registration requests must be made on "Parcoursup", a website that groups and distributes future students in French higher education. Each student chooses several universities and several courses (“formulation of wishes”).
- Between March and April, each student confirms their wishes.
- Between June and July, Parcoursup makes the distribution between the students and the chosen universities (“main admission phase”).
> For registrations from the second year of higher education OR in a DU Passerelle course
- It is not necessary to go through Parcoursup, you can contact the university directly or go through e-candidate. To do this, you must go to the page of the training in question, there you will find the registration procedure and the contacts of the training manager.
- Between September and October, classes start at most universities. However, the duration and the program vary according to the universities: it is advisable to contact the education department or the international relations department of the university to find out the timetable.
The documents requested for the registration file are often:
- A CV
- A cover letter
- A French level certificate
- The diploma(s) obtained in your country of origin or in France translated.
If you do not have proof of your diplomas, you can request a specific procedure from the university or go through the EPQR.
> To read: the Refugees.info sheet "Applying for a European Qualifications Passport for Refugees (EQPR)"
Other documents may be requested depending on your situation (letters of recommendation, academic work carried out, level of English, etc.).
If you need to send your file by email or upload it to the website of the university you are interested in, you must have all the documents in electronic version.
> To read: the Refugees.info sheet “Scan a document”
A - To register for the first year:
You must withdraw, complete and submit a file to the university. You have to phone or contact the education department or the international relations service of the university _ by email _ to find out where to collect the file to complete.
B - For other years:
The file must be completed online on the university website.
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Good to know : A CV, cover letters, copy of your diploma(s) obtained and a French level certificate are generally required.
What happens next?
If you have not been able to register in time for the year, you can take courses online while waiting for the next registrations:
France has a MOOC (Massive Online Open Courses) platform: it is called FUN for “France Université Numérique” and offers more than 300 online courses, free and open to all.
The Interuniversity Federation for Distance Education (Fédération Interuniversitaire de l'Enseignement à Distance, FIED): you can find training by searching by field, discipline or diploma.
L'Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF) has encouraged the development of online (MOOC) and distance (FOAD) training for higher education institutions in French-speaking countries. Its network offers more than 100 degrees (from bachelor's degrees to masters 2 degrees) and a wide range of online courses open to all. You can find them on the AUF website dedicated to ODL and MOOC .
You can also register for a support programme for graduate refugees in an association (see the device sheets )
If the registration dates have passed, it is sometimes still possible to register: you must contact the university directly (registration service, training manager, reception office for mobile students, etc.).
If you are unable to register for a training course or if your file has not been accepted, you can take online courses while waiting for the next registrations:
- The CNED (National Center for Distance Studies) allows you to follow a complete university course remotely.
- The CNAM (National Conservatory of Arts and Crafts) offers many online training courses, work-study courses...
- FUN MOOC for "France Université Numérique" offers more than 600 online courses, free and open to all
- The Interuniversity Federation for Distance Education (FIED) : you can find the course that interests you by searching by field, discipline or diploma.
- The AUF (Agence universitaire de la Francophonie) offers online (MOOC) and distance (FOAD) training
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