Preparation for the state ambulance technician diploma is provided by centers approved by the Ministry of Health. Training is provided free of charge by the French Red Cross Training Institutes.

To register for the selection process, you must submit an application directly to the training institute of your choice.

The selection of candidates is then done in two stages:

1 - admissibility on file (pre-selection)

2 - admission interview

Here are the essential documents to include in your eligibility file:

• An ID
• Driver's license, excluding probationary period (more than 3 years or 2 years if accompanied driving)
  To read: the Refugees.info sheets "Take the driving license as a free candidate" , "Passing the driving license with a driving school"
• The prefectural certificate of fitness to drive an ambulance after medical examination
• A medical certificate of non-contraindication to the profession of ambulance delivered by a certified doctor. You can consult the list of approved doctors on the website of your prefecture.

You can find the full list of all requested documents by clicking here.

All supporting documents to add to your file must be written in French or translated by a certified translator.
> To read: the Refugees.info sheet "Obtain an official translation of a document"

To be declared admissible and to be able to pass the admission interview, you must obtain a mark greater than or equal to 10/20.

If your application is accepted, you must then attebd an admission interview. The purpose of this interview is to assess your motivation, your professional project and your abilities.

Please note that a score of less than 8/20 in this test is eliminatory.

The training lasts 801 hours, including:

• 556 hours of practical and theoretical training,
• 245 hours of training in the workplace (7 weeks of 35 hours).

Follow the work-study program

It is possible to follow the training to get the State Ambulance diploma on a work-study basis for a maximum of 24 months.

The alternation allows you to be employed by a hospital or a medical transport company which will finance your studies. In exchange, you have to commit to working for the employer outside of training time. You will be paid.

To do a work-study program, you must sign a work-study contract with a hospital service responsible for medical transport or with a medical transport company.

• If you are 25 years old or younger, you can apply for a scholarship from the local Mission.
• Furthermore, if you have already worked in France, you can obtain assistance from Pôle Emploi.
• The Region can also finance a monthly grant for paramedical professions. For Île-de-France, you will find the necessary information here.

It is possible to work directly as a paramedic in a hospital or medical transport company.

Paramedics can progress within the profession and move up in rank based on seniority and performance.

There are 3 grades: 2nd category ambulance drivers, 1st category and non-category.

Undertake short studies to become a nursing assistant or stretcher bearer:

• As a paramedic, it is possible to join nursing assistant training without taking the school entrance exam and to be exempt from certain training modules. The training lasts approximately 33 weeks (9 weeks of theoretical teaching and 6 internships of 4 weeks each).
  
  > Read: the Réfugiés.info sheet “Becoming a caregiver in France”
• For hospital paramedics who have worked or are working in SMUR and/or in an emergency department, it is also possible to try to become a healthcare assistant through a VAE.
• It is also possible to follow a short training course to become a stretcher bearer .